by M J Marino
I pull her into my arms. “Shh. It’s okay. I’m here,” I coo into her sandy hair. “I don’t want you to touch anything, but I want you to look and see if anything is missing.” She nods and I let her go.
Josephine starts in the bathroom and closet. Nothing appears to be missing, but she notices the cap is off of her perfume and a box of photos she keeps on the top shelf is on the floor. I’m starting to see she’s incredibly anal about where her things belong and the state she leaves them in.
In the bedroom she peers into her nightstands’ drawers—again, nothing is missing. At the dresser she pauses and starts to cry again.
“My underwear…some are missing, I think,” she says through her sobs.
Motherfucker! Some sick pervert was in my woman’s room and fucking swiped her damn panties. Enough of this shit.
I pull out my phone and dial 911. I give our location and explain the situation. I make a second call to Chase. He answers on the first ring. “Prez?”
“I need a security system installed in Josephine’s condo. I also want cameras installed at all the entrances. I want motion sensor lights everywhere. I need a new front door, preferably steel with several deadbolts. And send two men to watch over her place tonight,” I order.
I hear him starting up his computers. “Okay, but what the fuck is going on?”
I explain what occurred this evening at the condo, and the guy who got away with her lingerie.
“Shit,” Chase says angrily. “That’s fucked up. How’s Jo doing?”
I look over at my woman, sitting on the floor with her knees to her chest, crying with her head buried in her arms. “How do you think?”
“I’ll be over with a team shortly. The door may have to wait till morning, but if one of our men is out front and one is in the back, we should be okay.” He hangs up and I go to my pixie and pull her to her feet, taking her into the living room to wait for the police.
For nearly two hours, the police comb through the crime scene, dusting for prints, taking pictures, and interviewing Josephine and I. I’m grateful the police were all guys I know and worked with in the past on various missions or from my SEAL days. Luke Quire, a good friend of the MC, is lead detective on this case and he’s taking it very seriously, as he should.
He approaches me after talking to his guys. “Atlas, this doesn’t look good. This wasn’t some home robbery. Hell, I don’t even think it was some panty snatcher,” he says in a low whisper.
I know there’s more to it, but I want him to confirm my thoughts. “Go on,” I say.
He looks over his shoulder at my woman before turning to me. “The guy was digging, Atlas. He tried hacking into her computer. Luckily, it shut down after too many attempts. He snagged over half her underwear, the lingerie from what Jo said. He was browsing through her personal photos. God only knows what he may have taken from the box.
“But the thing that gets under my skin was the perfume cap being off the bottle. He was sniffing her perfume, like he was trying to smell her. Whoever he is, he not only interested in her sexy lingerie. He wants parts of her. Personal photos, panties, private information locked away on her computer, even her fucking scent,” he says, grimacing.
Anger rolls through me and I close my eyes to control it. I had my suspicions, but Luke brought it all home. My pixie is being stalked.
Luke presses for more info. “Has she mentioned anything happening like this before, or seeing someone more often than what seems normal?”
I shake my head. “Not that I’m aware of.”
We both walk over to where Josephine is sitting, huddled in the corner of the couch. I walk behind her and put my hands on her shoulders for comfort while Luke sits next to her.
“Jo, can you tell me if anything like this has happened before?”
She shakes her head. “No. Never.”
“Have you noticed anything odd moved around in your apartment, or deliveries you never ordered? Have you noticed seeing a person more often than coincidence?” he asks.
Again, she shakes her head. “I’m fairly anal retentive. Everything in my house has a place and I have a routine by putting things away immediately.”
She points to a vase of roses on the kitchen island. “The only deliveries I’ve received that I haven’t ordered myself are flowers every Friday morning from Lorenzo. It started nine months ago after I finished a build for him. At first, when he sent them there was a card asking me out, and I refused every time, but now he keeps sending them with a card wishing me a beautiful week—which is code for him asking me out, but not having to deal with my rejection.”
“Lorenzo?” Luke asks.
“Bianchi,” I finish with a snarl. Thankfully, Josephine doesn’t flinch by how I know this.
Luke’s eyes go wide. “Lorenzo Bianchi, the Italian mob boss?”
My pixie bobs her head and sighs. “Yep. But I wouldn’t waste your time on him. He’s not the kind of guy to break into a woman’s home and run off. It’s not his style. He would break in and be in my bed waiting for me, but not running.”
My eyes roll skyward at the image she described. “She’s right. It’s not him,” I grimace. He wasn’t the perp, but I’m definitely going to pay him a little visit over this business of sending my woman flowers. That shit is going to end.
Luke pulls out his notebook from his coat pocket. “Who have your past clients been in the last year?”
Josephine gives him the names and numbers of her clients. On the list are some shady people. Slumlords, mafia, drug dealers, and a fucking cult. Explains why she never bat an eye when I said I was president of a motorcycle club. She had already been dealing with the worst of the worst. Most people would decline immediately if they thought our club was a gang, but she was building her company from the ground up, meaning she was not in a position to be picky.
Luke’s eyes kept getting bigger and bigger the longer the suspect list became.
“You’re wasting your time with that list,” I tell him.
“How so?” he questions.
“She hasn’t had any issues with her past clients—indirectly or directly. This has to be something more current, someone who recently came into the picture.”
“Like who?” she asks with a quizzical look.
I sigh. “You’ve hired a second crew to help on the build. They aren’t people you know, like the crew you’ve been working with for the past year. You’ve been working them real hard and they’ve been around you a lot. Maybe, tonight being the first night off since starting the build, maybe one of them took a shine to you and followed you back here. Maybe they’ve been waiting for you and Hades to get out of the house, giving them an opportunity to break in.”
Josephine’s mouth falls open. “I’m good to all of my crews. I may have been working them hard the last two weeks, but everyone knows I have an open-door policy and if they have a gripe, they can come straight to me. Not one has approached me on this project, and people have on past ones.”
“I didn’t say any of them might have a vendetta against you, but maybe one formed an unhealthy crush or obsession,” I counter.
Josephine shivers while Luke nods his head in agreement. “It would explain why they haven’t tried anything ‘till now,” Luke says before handing Josephine the notepad. “Can you write down the names and numbers of all your crew members, new and old?”
Josephine shakes her head vigorously. “I’m not getting Jared or my crew involved with this. I don’t believe it’s any of them, new or old. I finally got the manpower I need for my projects. I don’t want to piss any of them off to the point they choose to leave for another job,” she says stubbornly.
I rub her shoulders gently. “Luke is tactful and I’m sure your crew will want to help out in any way they can,” I say in the most reassuring voice I can muster.
Her fear of upsetting her crew to the point of negatively impacting her company is justifiable, but at the end of the day her safety is in jeopardy and I’m not willin
g to compromise.
With a huff she takes the notepad and goes through her phone, writing down every crew member’s name, number, position, and how long they have been working with her.
“Anyone else you can think of who may have an unhealthy attachment to you?” Luke asks Josephine.
My teeth grind together because I know I’m going to set Josephine off. “Yeah, one more. Her ex-boyfriend, Jacob Klein. She hadn’t talked to him for over a year until two weeks ago. He showed up today on my property,” I say with spite.
Josephine’s head swivels around on me. “I called him, Maceo!” she half yells, half growls, before turning back to Luke. “Jacob reached out via text and offered to give me my old contacts back if I helped with a project in Denver. I agreed and asked him for help in return as a consultant on my project. I did my week on his job and he showed up today to start helping on mine. He left as soon as Maceo made it clear he didn’t want him there. He’s no longer on the project.”
“Did things end amicably between you two?” Luke presses.
“Well, no. He hijacked my work and I left him over a year ago. He wasn’t pleased when I told him it wasn’t going to work out,” she admits.
Luke raises his eyebrows at me. I know the look. He’s thinking the same way I am. “His rental is a black BMW 5 Series Sedan. The prick is probably still in town. I would interrogate him first.”
Luke nods before looking back at Josephine. “Do you know if he was staying in town for a while?”
Josephine sighs. “Jacob is a prick, but this seems…extreme. He invited me to visit him at his hotel tonight. I declined and told him I was not interested and never would be. I assume he would have headed out to Denver to check on his other project instead of sticking around. But I know he was planning on staying at the Hilton in town.”
I snarl. “Fucking loafer shoe bastard.” Who the hell does he think he is? Inviting my woman to his fucking hotel room? If I see the pencil dick again, I’ll strangle his ass.
“How did he seem after you turned him down today?” Luke questions.
Josephine’s head falls into her hands. “Angry,” she murmurs. “He’s not used to rejection. Pretty much, if he wants it, he gets it or takes it.”
Luke closes his notebook and gives Josephine’s arm a gentle squeeze. “We’re going to look into all of this. In the meantime, you should stay somewhere else.”
Josephine, stubborn as ever, shakes her head. “I’m not going to be run out of my own home. Where the hell would I go with Hades?”
“You’d stay with me at the club. It’s the best place for you. All my men are there to protect you. It’s the perfect solution,” I say, running my hand over her hair.
Josephine’s purses her lips before she turns to glare at me. “I’m not staying anywhere near that bitch, Candy! I can’t trust myself not to let Hades loose on her. Plus, Hades hates men. Hence, why he’s locked away in the laundry room right now, barking at all these strange guys here,” she chides.
My jaw clenches in frustration. I don’t know why she’s riding my ass right now when I’m trying to reason with her. “Pixie, we’re staying at the rental, and we’re implementing some serious changes.”
She pushes her elfin chin out at me. “Yeah, like what?”
My hand twitches to spank her ass for her sassy attitude. “One of my men will be with you at all times. If I’m not with you, one of them is. And when I mean all times, I mean all times. Your morning run will no longer be only you and Hades. Working on the site, you will have a man with you. At night there will be a man outside your door, as well as one in front of the condo, and one in the backyard. Grocery store, bank, gas station, doctor appointments, client appointments, everywhere and all the above, you will be escorted by at least one member. Until we get this settled, you are watched. Do I make myself clear?”
Josephine’s scowling at me. Her glare could put any of my men to shame with how deadly it is. She can’t say no. I’m the security expert, for fuck’s sake, and know far more on the topic.
Annoyed with her for not answering me, I ask again, “Do I make myself clear, Josephine?”
“Yes, Atlas,” she spits back.
Oh, she’s definitely going to get her ass smacked now for calling me by my club name.
“Good,” I say firmly. “But tonight, we’re not going to get any rest here. After the police are finished, which may take another hour, my men are coming in to install the security and surveillance equipment. And a new front door. I’ll ask Chase to add a new bedroom door to the list, too. We’re going to pack up your stuff and you and Hades are coming back to the MC rental for the night. I’ll kick the other guys out of the room if you want.”
Her safety is my number one concern and I will take all the necessary precautions. Speaking of precautions. “Did you unlist your address and make your social media accounts private, like I asked?”
She glowers at me. “Yes, I did, like the good little girl I am. Am I allowed to pack my own shit or are you going to dictate how that’s going to go down too?” she snaps.
Before I can respond, she’s off the couch, and storming past the cops to get to her bedroom. I watch her retreat and shake my head. Her sass is going to get her two slaps on the ass tonight.
“You got yourself a real firecracker, Atlas,” Luke says, grinning. “But seriously, how did you land her? She’s drop-dead gorgeous.”
“Watch it, fucker. She’s mine,” I growl.
Luke chuckles and shakes his head. “You’re a lucky sonofabitch. But I need to ask you something and I didn’t want to do it in front of your girl. She’s upset enough right now. We’ve gone over who may have done this and who she knows, but what about the people you know?”
My job alone puts me on a lot of people’s lists. If I were to make a perp list for Luke it would trump the one Josephine gave him. I groan aloud. Luke better have another notepad on hand because I’m about to fill it up.
Luke hands me his notepad. “Right, how about you narrow your mental list to your top five.”
Never one to skimp, I give him my top ten. Esteban Moreno leading the pack.
Chapter Ten
Maceo
“Holy shit! What the fuck is that thing?” Triple yelps when Josephine and I walk in the door with a snarling Hades. Ebony, who’s sitting on his lap, takes off into the kitchen screaming something about a Chupacabra. Hades starts pulling against his harness and growling through his muzzle, trying to heave his way toward Triple.
“Hades, NO!” Josephine shouts and yanks him back. He comes back to her obediently, but continues to growl, staring down Triple like a giant rawhide.
“Play it cool. Talk to him like a human and you’ll all be good,” I say confidently.
“You want me to act cool when that thing wants to go for my jugular? Fuck that!” Triple shouts. This sends Hades into another snarling fit right as Punk and Gauge enter the living room, making them jump back when they see Josephine’s beast.
I get down on all fours in front of him. “Hades, you’re scaring my men. You’ve gotta cool it, buddy. We need to stay here tonight and will be back home tomorrow. I know you’re scared of these guys, but trust me when I tell you they’re more scared of you,” I say, in as calm a voice as I can. It’s kind of hard when I’m shout-talking over his growls. He settles some, but positions himself in front of Josephine, not trusting anyone to come near her. Good boy.
“I’m going to take off your muzzle now if you promise to stay a good boy,” I tell him. He stops growling and sits back on his haunches, waiting.
“Dude, Atlas, don’t do it. The dog is looking at me like I’m dinner,” Triple pleads.
“Agreed. It’s not a good idea,” Gauge says, holding onto Punk like a human shield.
Josephine rolls her eyes. “You guys are such babies.”
“Are not!” Punk defends. “Only concerned citizens.”
Again, my woman rolls her eyes. “Hades was an abused animal used for dog fighting be
fore I rescued him. I’m sorry if he doesn’t like any of you, but it probably has more to do with the fact that you’re men. You need to earn his respect and trust.”
I go to take off his muzzle and all three of my men protest in panic. “You guys,” I shout over them. “This is happening. The dog doesn’t deserve to be muzzled in the house. Grow a pair, why don’t you.”
This time, I remove the muzzle and all my men suck in air. With the muzzle gone, Hades immediately starts to lick my face. “I know. I don’t like you wearing it either,” I say, petting him.
Chase walks in through the front door, back from setting up the team over at the condo, and notices Hades. He gives a low whistle which catches Hades’s attention. “Now he’s a big dog,” he says in an appreciative voice before getting down low. Chase lets Hades sniff his hand before running it down his dark coat. “You sure are a handsome fella.”
Hades woofs in approval and tries to crawl into Chase’s lap, knocking him flat on his back. Chase laughs as Hades lies across him, lapping at his face.
“You see,” I say, waving my hand at Hades to my men. “You be good to him and he’ll be good to you. Now, hand over your tough-guy cards to Josephine.”
Josephine and Chase laugh while the other three grumble. Peeved, Gauge backhands me in the chest. Hades lifts his head and growls at him, making Gauge put his hands up in surrender. “Good boy,” I say to my new favorite dog.
Josephine yawns. “Well, this has been fun boys, but Hades and I need our beauty sleep.” I escort her to the bedroom and point out my lower bunk.
“I’m going to go over everything with the guys first. I’ll be in with you after.” I lean in to kiss her soft lips. She kisses me back but not as enthusiastically as I would like. She’s still salty with me for calling all the shots right now. I know it’s hard for someone as independent as her, but my top priority right now is keeping her safe.
