Cruz : A Dark MC Romance (A Dark and Dirty Sinners’ MC Book 5)

by Serena Akeroyd

“Christ.” A sigh gusted from me. “What the hell was his game?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “You didn’t tell Nyx?”

  “Bear saved me from that bastard, Indy. I wasn’t about to repay that by letting him down. Especially when we found out what a monster he was. I could have been like the girls. He was trying to kidnap me, I know it. He didn't just want to rape me, he wanted to take me.” She gulped. “B-But what if Bear's so badly injured because of me? What if this attack is related to the Lancasters?”

  “Oh, sweetheart, of course it isn’t because of you. Hell, you know the shit the Sinners get mixed up in. It’s a wonder we don’t deal with this kind of crap every-damn-day of the week.” I moved over to her and tugged her into a hug. When she burrowed into my arms, it felt like she was vibrating with tension, and I realized she’d been carrying around that guilt for a long ass time. “The Lancasters aren’t even a threat anymore, are they?”

  “The Sinners got involved with this craziness because of me. How aren’t I to blame?”

  Anger hit me, and I pulled back so I could grab her by the shoulders and, baby or not, I shook her a little. A bit too hard, but enough for her to glare at me which was what I needed. “You asked that bastard to assault you?”

  Her jaw clenched. “No.”

  “Did you ask him to try to—”

  “You know I didn’t,” she snarled, pulling away. “I know what you’re trying to do. But it doesn’t stop the cause and effect, does it? Before me, the club hadn’t even heard of the fucking Lancasters.”

  “And after you, they do, and look at what you’ve done. If you’re to blame for all of this, then Link has met his Old Lady because of you, and Maverick, who was a fucking lost cause thanks to goddamn Uncle Sam, has Ghost.” I shook my head. “I have no idea what the Sinners are doing, but I know the guys well enough to figure out that if they saved Ghost and—”

  “Don’t get me started on that. Not when Tatána betrayed the fucking club,” she snarled. “I helped bring that bitch onto the compound.”

  “You saved her from starving to death in that hell-hole, Ghost and Amara too. You did good. But what I was going to say is that, however they were bought, I know the Sinners well enough to figure out they’re dismantling the operation. They might be evil cunts who have no problem with selling guns and drugs but you know what they’re like with the skin trade. That matters, Giulia. That matters to so many women.”

  She bit her lip. “True. Tatána is still a cunt though.”

  “How do you know any of this?”

  “I have ears, don’t I?”

  Amused, I tugged on her hand. “Tatána did what she did because she wanted more.” I released a shaky breath, unsure whether to tell her the truth or not and feeling guilty for questioning when she was opening up to me. But secrets and me were old friends… “Cruz hasn’t really mentioned it but I know David ran off because—”

  “Why?” she prompted when my words tailed off.

  “Remember I told you he was like my stalker?”

  “No ‘like’ about it. You called it how it is,” she rumbled gruffly.

  “I think he found out about Cruz, and then got to Tatána and used her to get eyes and ears in the clubhouse. I’m not sure if he was just trying to monitor Cruz because of me, or if he had deeper motivations, but—”

  “Jesus,” she rasped, her eyes widening with the implications. “She was helping him spy on you?”

  I dipped my chin. “I think so.” That was all that Cruz had told me, anyway. Even then, he hadn’t told me much, mostly because I didn't think the council had clued him in on it either. He was probably as much in the dark as I was. The last thing he’d mentioned about David was the order from the council that I head to the police to report him missing. “I can’t be mad at her though. He was a pretty good-looking guy—”

  “For a weirdo,” she said with a snort.

  “But he was kind. Why wouldn’t she respond to that? And why wouldn’t she want what Ghost has?” I winced. “This sounds weird, but he was never suggestive. I don't think sex—”

  “You mean he just wanted to protect you, not possess you?”

  I pondered that. “Maybe. I was like an object. Not a woman, you know? If he was just really sweet to her, kind and gentle, after what she’d been through, why wouldn’t she fall for him? Especially when he wasn’t interested in sex?”

  Giulia narrowed her eyes. “How did they meet?”

  “No idea. None at all.”

  “I didn’t even know she was leaving the compound.”

  I snorted. “You just thought she was there twenty-four-seven?”

  She shrugged. “Never really thought about it, but yeah. They were all scared of their own shadows for a long time. As far as I knew, nothing has changed much.” She pursed her lips. “Granted, I wasn’t spending as much time with them toward the blast. I had my hands full with the club snatch.”

  “Well, we know she was good at sneaking around, don’t we? If she could plant stuff at the clubhouse with no one knowing?”

  “Bitch deserved to burn alive.”

  I winced. “Ouch.”

  “Fucking hate traitors,” she muttered, her arms going around her waist again. “I hope the brothers find that prick David and slaughter him too.”

  “Christ, you’re bloodthirsty.”

  She bared her teeth at me. “Trust me, I know.”

  “You resent that Bear killed Luke for you, don’t you?” I surmised gruffly.

  “I fucking do.” She tipped her chin up. “I’ll never be a victim. Ever again. That’s why I don’t need that Prospect out there.”

  “In our world, a treasure unprotected isn't a treasure at all,” I told her. “You know that.”

  Her mouth tightened, but I saw a warmth in her eyes that let me know I’d softened her up for Nyx.

  Fucker owed me and didn’t even know it.

  “I guess.”

  Both of us jumped when the buzzer sounded as the door opened, and in walked a customer.

  I’d been Jun’s tattoo artist for years, and she wanted a quick touch up on a piece she had on her arm with the addition of her new baby's name to it.

  I mocked it up for her, then when she was happy, moved it to my workstation.

  Grateful Giulia was there, I left her to woman the front desk, and went to work on Jun's tattoo.

  It barely took twenty minutes, and I always felt kind of shitty when a tattoo didn't take a long time. Like I wasn't giving it my all, when I totally was. But there was only so much fancying up I could do to a three-letter name.

  With Mei forever inked onto her, Jun paid, now a happy bunny, just as Nyx came walking in.

  "I swear, I haven't seen as much of you in years as I have these past couple months," I grumbled.

  He just rolled his eyes at me, then perched his ass on my sofa.

  When he spread his arm out along the back, looking like he was settling in for the night, I remarked, "Think I'm going to be borrowing Giulia more than you'd like. I need a new receptionist."

  "What happened to David anyway?” Giulia asked, and her tone, to me at least, was pointed.

  All women involved in the life knew there would be a lot of shit we’d never learn where the MC was concerned, but trust Giulia not to appreciate being kept in the dark.

  "He didn't come in for work." I cleared my throat, shooting her a warning look. "I got the call from City Ink just after I left the police station to report him missing.”

  Now, her surprise was clear because her eyes pretty much bugged out at me. "You got them involved?"

  "He's gone missing!" I retorted. "I didn't want him to be injured or something."

  She guffawed. "Like they'll do anything."

  "Giules, when you're not tied to an MC, it's a miracle what the cops will do," Nyx said dryly. When his cellphone buzzed, he pulled a face, and murmured, "This is why I came here." He waggled his phone, which prompted Giulia to ask:

  "Who is it?"


  "Cammie."

  Her eyes flashed with annoyance. "Oh."

  "She's left a couple of messages, but I haven't spoken with her. She's calling to make sure I'm okay. She heard about the blast. I just wanted you to be here when I answered her. She cares for me,” he said gruffly. “Letting her know I’m alive is the decent thing to do.”

  “Since when were Sinners decent?” was her rhetorical question.

  My gaze darted between Nyx and Giulia like I was watching a tennis match, which'd never happen because I fucking loathed tennis. Still, this was better than watching Federer's tight ass jogging up and down a court.

  When neither of them said a word, I asked, "Why do you care what she thinks? You treated her like any other available snatch, didn't you?"

  Giulia grunted. "She didn’t just care for him. She loved him."

  “That just makes her a fool," I mocked, folding my arms against my chest as I perched atop my desk. "No snatch ever makes it to Old Lady. It's like a law or something."

  "Rachel's mom did."

  "Yeah, and like a true slut, she cut and ran."

  Giulia heaved a sigh. “Cammie wasn't as bad as most of them. She didn't even fight, just left."

  "Heard her dad was sick."

  "You keep your ear to the clubhouse ground more than the brothers realize, don't you?"

  I smirked at her. "It's the only way you find anything out."

  "Cruz better not be running his damn mouth," Nyx rumbled.

  "As if. I've been learning shit about the clubhouse since before I got my first period, Nyx. You need to watch more Discovery Channel, get smarter, if you think half the people in that clubhouse with a pussy don't know more than you guys think."

  He scowled at me, then grumbled, "Giulia?"

  "You obviously want to talk to her," she huffed. "So just do it."

  "I don't want to talk to her," he immediately denied, proving he was smarter than I'd just dissed him. "But I heard her message and she sounded rough. Like she was—"

  "Missing the guy she loved?" I input unhelpfully.

  Nyx growled under his breath. "Since you two got together, I swear to fuck, you're making my life twice as hard."

  I smiled. "Good."

  He glowered at me, then hit a button on his cell. Next, he put the call on speaker.

  "Nyx?"

  I knew Cammie from before. In her defense, she hadn't been like the other bitches who whored themselves out for the brothers. She'd been a little too classy to be spreading her legs for just anyone, but that was proof that we all made wrong decisions along the way. I was the last person who'd judge someone for their sexual choices, for the freedom to make those decisions, but even though I'd been around the block a few more times than I'd like, there was just something skeevy to me about the bunnies.

  It smacked too much of being a hooker for my liking. I could fuck whoever I wanted, spread my legs to any guy I chose—I didn't have to do it to earn my keep.

  And it wasn't like there weren't other jobs available, for God's sake.

  Because I didn't like my train of thought, as I sounded a little too judgmental and it made me feel like a prick, I watched as Giulia kept her eyes trained on my brother like she could see into his chest to monitor his heart.

  "Hey Cammie." Nyx cleared his throat—not that he was nervous, but having the mother of your kid stare at you like that, was enough to make any man's balls draw up into his body.

  Any wise man, anyway.

  It was nice, actually.

  Nyx, in this, was normal.

  Miracles really did fucking happen.

  "Nyx! Thank God. You're okay."

  Giulia scowled, prompting Nyx to scowl back at her.

  "Since when was he nice?" Giulia asked me quietly.

  "Maybe you turned him over a new leaf?" I asked, shooting him an amused smile which he returned with another grimace.

  "I'm fine, Cammie. We're all..." He sighed. "Fine."

  "Enya told me that the clubhouse was obliterated."

  “Fucking bunnies.” Giulia rumbled under her breath. “She told you that, hmm, but didn't tell you Nyx was okay as well? All goddamn liars.”

  Nyx pressed mute and retorted, "Thought you didn't have a problem with her."

  "Yeah, well, apparently I'm all hormonal," she snarled, folding her arms across her chest. "And don't appreciate my Old Man having a conversation with some slut he used to bone."

  Nyx tilted his head to the side, and there was a twinkle in his eye that had me groaning.

  Jesus.

  "You're jealous."

  "Bet your ass I'm jealous," Giulia snapped.

  "That's irrational," was the genius's next comment, as Cammie spoke to no one, "Nyx? Are you there?"

  "Irrational, am I?" Giulia growled.

  "Well, considering that he sampled all the goods, Giulia, and never claimed her, I guess that could be considered irrational," I said dryly, trying to stymie the eye fuck that Nyx was giving his Old Lady.

  She snarled under her breath, "Thanks for the reminder, Indy."

  "He wasn't a saint," I pointed out. "Not like that comes as news to anyone here."

  Nyx's eyes were still brimming with heat as he turned off mute and murmured, "Thanks so much for calling, Cammie. We're all fine here."

  "But, wasn't today the funeral?"

  "Yeah, well, there's nothing more fine than being dead, is there? It’s the living who have to clean up the mess. I’ll see you around. Take care of yourself."

  And with that majestic reply, he cut the call.

  Giulia's jealousy seemed to disappear as both of us gaped at him.

  "With magical wooing words like that, Nyx, it's a wonder you fucked anyone," I told him with a sniff. "We're fine when we're dead, are we?"

  He got to his feet. ”Well, it's not like anyone can hurt you, is it? It's the living who suffer."

  "Words to bring a child into this world to," I grumbled, shooting Giulia a look.

  She smirked. "It's a good job you've got a Terminator dick, Nyx. That's definitely done most of the talking for you."

  "Is that supposed to hurt my ego, baby," he rumbled, leaning over my desk, and somehow taking up most of it so that he was nearly in her face.

  Aware some kind of disturbing courting was going down, I shoved him, earning myself a glower. "This is my place of business. Giulia's working for me now."

  "I am?" Giulia asked, her surprise clear.

  "Yeah, you are. Not like there's an army of brothers to feed right now, and no clubwhores to rally around and get them cleaning something that isn't there.

  "You can help out here since David's AWOL.”

  She cast me a look then her gaze drifted over to Nyx. "What about when he comes back?” she asked, but I knew she was testing the waters.

  "If he comes back," Nyx corrected, prompting another elbow in his side from me but I saw the unholy glee light up in Giulia’s eyes and knew, after our conversation, she took that as Nyx declaring that David was a dead-man-walking. Even though, technically, neither of us were supposed to know shit about club business. And even though, technically, I’d already taken out the trash for the MC…

  She wasn’t to know that, was she?

  "Either way, there's work here for you.” I cleared my throat. “But I ain't about to watch you two eye fuck each other over the desk, you read me?"

  "You sound just like Mom."

  Giulia's brows rose at that. "That's probably the first time you've mentioned you had a mom."

  "You mean, you thought he was spawned from a— Where was the Terminator spawned from?"

  "I don't know. I can Wiki it though."

  "Please. Do," I said sweetly.

  Nyx just grinned at me. "More and more like Mom."

  My top lip quirked up of its own volition at his taunt, just like he'd goddamn wanted, so I flipped him the bird and murmured, "I'd prefer to sound like Mom than sound like you... It's like listening to Dad again."

  His eyes nar
rowed. "You take that back."

  "OMG, am I about to see a brother and sister wrestling session?" Giulia clapped her hands. "I need popcorn."

  "We're about twenty years too old for that," I said wryly.

  "Well, you should see yourself. You look like you're about to headbutt him."

  "I taught her that signature move," Nyx recounted with a grin.

  I shot him it right back. "Yeah, you did. Saved my ass a few times."

  He slung his arm around me. "If you'd stayed around here, I'd have saved your ass for you."

  Despite myself, and even though he drove me nuts, a welter of tenderness filled me, because he meant that.

  No matter if we were at war with each other, he'd always had my back. Look at what he and Cruz had done with David?

  I really did have two saviors.

  Reaching up, I tapped his chin. "And there you go, sounding like Nyx again."

  "See why I fell for him now?" Giulia asked with a laugh.

  As Nyx hauled me in for another hug, something we hadn't shared this often in far too long, I sighed into his embrace.

  The Nyx of before wouldn't have given a shit about Cammie, barely gave a crap about Caleb being in fucking prison, and wouldn't have hugged me.

  Giulia, did she but know it, was changing him.

  "You know, if I was the kind of girl who got off on shit like this, I'd totally take a photo. This is hitting me in all the feels."

  Nyx grunted. "Are you trying to make me self-conscious?"

  She snorted. "Baby, the day you're self-conscious is the day I take out all your piercings with my teeth."

  "Giulia, the last thing I need is to feel my brother's dick against my leg." I chuckled. "Don't be saying shit that turns him on while he's hugging me."

  She grinned at me, then murmured, "Sorry!"

  "Yeah, you really look sorry," I said ruefully. "What with the twinkling eyes, and all."

  "Well, these twinkling eyes need to head into the bathroom. I swear, ever since I found out I'm pregnant, I've been living in there," she huffed.

  Nyx let go of me as Giulia passed us by, and the way his fingers tangled with hers, not for long, just a brief connection, had me swallowing back emotion. He really was changing, and it was surreal to me because he'd been Nyx, the savior of everyone else but me, for the longest time. Since before I could even remember, he'd been this way.