by L. Wilder
“I don’t…”
I cut her off. “It’s not up for discussion.”
“Umm… okay.” She closed her laptop and stood up from the table. “Let me grab a jacket.”
“I’ll meet you out front in the parking lot,” I told her as I started for the door. I went out to my bike, and I’d just gotten my helmet on when she stepped outside. Just the sight of her walking towards me took my breath away. She was wearing a fitted, black leather jacket and a pair of dark jeans with boots, and her long, wavy hair fell loose around her shoulders. Pure perfection. Once she made her way over to me, she pulled her hair to the side and slipped on her helmet. “You ready?”
“Always.” I waited for her to get on and settle behind me before I started the engine. With no real destination in mind, I pulled out of the gate and onto the highway. I thought taking a ride might help Josie clear her head. I wasn’t thinking how much good it would do me, too. As soon as that wind hit my face, it was as if all the cares and concerns of the day, the week, and all that was going on released its grip on me. The roar of the engine and the clean, crisp air rushing by my ears was like a powerful symphony playing music directly into my soul. Add the fact that Josie was behind me, her arms tightly wrapped around my waist, and my day couldn’t have been better.
We’d been riding for almost an hour when I found myself pulling into Smokey’s place. I figured Josie might need a break, and the orchard was the perfect place to stretch our legs. When I pulled around to the back and killed the engine, Josie asked, “An apple orchard? What made you think to come here?”
“It’s Smokey’s place. Thought we’d take a look around.”
She got off the bike and took her helmet off as she looked over at the barn. “It’s beautiful.”
“They’ve done some work on the place. Smokey just had the house remodeled, and I think they’re planning to expand the barn at some point.”
“Smokey is one of the brothers, right?”
“He is.”
“And he runs an apple orchard?”
“It’s complicated,” I told her as I took off my helmet. Smokey inherited the place when his father died. He was reluctant to take it on, but with MJ’s help, he decided to give it a go. Together, they’d managed to make it a success again. We walked past the barn and out into the orchard where we found rows upon rows of apple trees. Harvest season was still months away, but the trees were beautiful. I looked at Josie and was relieved to see that she seemed better. Relaxed, even. We continued to stroll along the dirt path, enjoying the warmth of the sun on our backs and the cool breeze on our faces while we left our worries of the upcoming days behind us.
“So, do all the brothers have jobs outside of the club?”
Club business was off-limits. It wasn’t discussed with anyone, especially with someone outside the club, so I left it simple. “Guardrail runs our construction company. Most of the guys work out there with him while some of us do some odds and ends in the garage.”
“And Guardrail is the VP of the club?”
“He is.”
A mischievous grin crossed her face as she asked, “What about you? Do you have a special role or an official position?”
“I fill in wherever they need me.”
“Mmm-hmm.” She continued to walk as she shook her head playfully. “Don’t know many garages that need themselves a computer hacker, Big.”
“Josie,” I warned.
“I know, I know. Certain questions shouldn’t be asked, but I thought I’d give it a shot.”
She was smiling. Nothing else mattered in that moment. We continued to talk as we started back towards the barn. When we made it to the bike, Smokey was there waiting on us. “You should’ve told me you were coming. I’d have given you the full tour.”
“It’s trees, Smokey. I think we managed just fine without a guide.”
“You must be Josie,” Smokey said as he extended his hand to her. “Heard a lot about you.”
“I could say the same about you.”
Smokey looked over at me with a shit-eating grin as he snickered. “Maybe, but my stories aren’t as cool as yours. Heard about you pulling a fast one on Big.”
Damn. They weren’t ever gonna let it go. Choosing to change the subject before it even got started, I asked, “Where’s MJ?”
“She’s at the office. Had some big case come in. Been at it for over a week now.”
“We’ll catch her next time.”
I handed Josie her helmet and got on the bike. Before she had a chance to join me, Smokey turned to her and said, “I’m sorry to hear about all this mess with Tristen.”
At just the mention of her name, Josie’s entire demeanor changed. Her body grew tense and that smile she’d been wearing quickly faded. The carefree sparkle in her eye all but disappeared as she replied, “Thanks, Smokey. I’m hoping it will all be over soon.”
“Big’s the best. I’d trust him with my life. If anyone can bring her back, it’ll be him.”
“Let’s hope you’re right.” She smiled and climbed on the bike behind me. “It was nice to meet you, Smokey.”
“Same here. You two be careful out there.”
“Will do, brother. See ya back at the clubhouse. Church is at seven.”
“I’ll be there.”
I started the engine and headed down the long gravel driveway. I didn’t waste any time getting back to the clubhouse. The sun had just started to set, and the temperature was falling fast. By the time we made it back, Josie’s cheeks were bright pink and her teeth were chattering. She followed me inside and over to the bar. Cassidy came over and asked, “What can I get ya?”
“Two shots of bourbon and a couple of beers.”
“You got it.” Seconds later, she brought our drinks over and set them down on the counter. “You two have a nice ride?”
“We did.” Josie smiled. “Big took me out to Smokey’s orchard.”
“Oh, it’s so pretty out there. I could spend the whole day just walking around.”
“I loved the barn, and the house was beautiful.”
“You should see inside. Smokey completely redid the place.” Some of the guys walked in and sat down at the other end of the bar. “Gotta run. Let me know if you need anything else.”
Josie looked at me and smiled. “I really like her.”
“She’s a good one.” I’d already taken my shot while Josie’s remained untouched on the counter. “You gonna drink that, or wait ‘til someone else snatches it up?”
She took the shot glass in her hand and quickly downed it. Her nose crinkled as the alcohol burned its way down her throat. “Damn. That’s awful.”
“Yeah, but it’ll warm you up.”
“Or burn right through me.” She reached for her beer and took a long drink before placing it back on the counter.
“Did you enjoy the ride?”
“I loved it. Thanks so much for taking me, Big. You saved me from myself. All that reading was freaking me out.”
“Glad I could help. You had me worried there for a minute.”
“No more online searching.”
I nodded. “That’d probably be for the best.”
She sighed as she said, “I guess I better go pack.”
“You got a dress or something nice to wear?”
A curious look crossed her face as she looked over to me. “Why?”
“You might need it.”
“I’m sure I can come up with something.” After taking one more drink of her beer, she stood up and turned to me with a smile. “I really did have fun today.”
“I did, too.” More than she knew.
By the time I’d finished my beer, it was time for church. Cotton had already informed the brothers about Tristen’s kidnapping, and he’d called us all together to discuss our plan for bringing her home. Once we were settled, Cotton shared every detail of our plan with the brothers, and I could see that they were concerned. It was risky. We all knew that, but with Nitro’s help, I had to believe w
e’d pull it off.
As soon as we were dismissed, Cotton came over to me and placed his hand on my shoulder. “You all set?”
“Getting there.”
“If you need anything, you just let me know.”
“Will do, Prez.”
“Don’t go playing the hero.” His grip tightened on my shoulder. “I want you to get her out of there, but don’t get yourself killed doing it.”
“You got it.”
“I’m holding you to that shit, Mike. We need you around here. Don’t want to lose you.” He gave my shoulder a quick slap before he turned to leave. As I followed him out, I prayed that I’d be able to keep my word.
My heart was hammering against my chest as we headed towards the front door of the airport. I tried to keep my pace casual with no hint of hesitation, but it was damn near impossible. I felt like every nerve in my body was set on high, making it difficult to even function. I wanted them to think I was feeling confident, that my mind wasn’t teetering on the edge of a mental breakdown, so I tried to appear nonchalant, praying that my flushed cheeks and fidgeting fingers wouldn’t betray me. I didn’t want to give the guys any reason to doubt their decision to bring me along. I wanted to be there, wanted to help bring my sister home, but that didn’t stop the fear from coursing through my veins. I knew what we were planning to do was dangerous, I knew there was a chance we would fail, and it terrified me to think Tristen might not make it back home. There were so many unanswered questions, questions that I was too afraid to ask. I didn’t want to think about it—the thought of losing my sister was just too much to bear. I tried to fight it, but my mind was bombarded with doubts as we continued towards our terminal. Each step brought on more anxiety, more terrifying thoughts, and the fact that neither Big nor Stitch spoke a single word wasn’t helping. I could almost feel the tension rolling off them as we made our way to the gate. Thankfully, by the time we met up with Nitro and two of his men at our gate, they were already calling us to board the plane.
Big placed the palm of his hand on the small of my back and guided me up to the attendant. I handed her my ticket and carefully walked onto the boarding bridge. Once I stepped inside the plane, I went to find my seat. I found it with no problem and sat down. I’d barely gotten settled when Stitch plopped down next to me. I looked around the plane, and Big was nowhere in sight. When I turned back in my seat, Stitch was staring right at me. Damn.
“He’s a few rows in front of us.”
“Umm… okay.” I looked out the window and stared out into the dark, trying to pretend that it wasn’t bugging the hell out of me that the man who had tortured me for hours was sitting right beside me. It wasn’t fear, but anger I felt when I looked at him. I knew it wasn’t his fault and he was just doing his job, but that didn’t change the fact that he’d hurt me. I found myself thinking of little ways I could seek my revenge—like a hard jab into his side with my elbow or pouring hot coffee on his crotch or, even better yet, shaving off his precious beard. I was still conjuring up ideas when the attendant came by to offer us a beverage. Stitch had his head leaned back against his seat and his eyes were closed. I reached for my drink, feeling the cold bite of the ice against my hand, and a smile spread across my face when I thought about dumping it in Stitch’s lap.
He cracked one eye open and glared at me. “Don’t even think about it.”
“What?” I asked defensively.
“You know what.” He closed his eyes once again and feigned sleep. Asshole.
I wanted to forget it ever happened, but every time I looked at him, the memories came trudging back—every surge of pain that jolted through my body when he electrocuted me, the burning sensations that tingled throughout my hands and feet, the taste of copper in my mouth when I bit my tongue. I’d tried to stay strong, thinking I was doing what I had to do to save Tristen, and I’d do it all over again if I thought it would bring her back. Unfortunately, no amount of pain he inflicted on me was going to bring her back.
“You’re not going to let it go, are you?” he asked with his eyebrow cocked.
“What? The fact that you nearly froze me to death and then electrocuted me, like, twenty times? No, I’ve let all that go a long time ago.”
A shiver rippled down my spine as he turned in his seat to face me. The serious look on his face made me regret provoking him. “First, it was three times, not twenty, and I was taking it easy on you.”
“Easy on me? Nothing about that was easy.”
“You know why I had to do it.”
In my mind, I understood. It was my heart that was having the problem letting go. No one had ever hurt me like that, and I was having a hard time forgiving him. His bossy attitude wasn’t helping matters. “Maybe so, but that doesn’t make it right.”
“You gotta remember one thing, Josie. You might not like it, you might not understand it, but at the end of the day, I do whatever it takes to protect my family. Nothing stops me.”
I remember Big saying something similar. Stitch was the enforcer for a reason, but hearing it straight from the horse’s mouth sent chills down my spine. I’d seen for myself what he could do, and I had no doubt that he meant it when he said he took it easy on me. I didn’t know what the next forty-eight hours would bring, but I found myself feeling relieved that Stitch was on my side helping us get my sister back, because I had a feeling we were going to need a man like him to bring her home. While it was still there and gnawing at me, I felt the panic start to dwindle. Maybe, just maybe, we’d be able to pull this thing off. “You know… you’re a real charmer.”
His lips twitched into a grin. “That’s what I’ve been told.”
It was the first time I’d actually seen the man smile, and I hated to admit it, but it looked good on him. His whole demeanor changed, showing that there was another side to him. I liked the smile. I actually found comfort in it and wanted to keep it there. “By the way, your daughter is beautiful.”
I’d found his soft spot, and at just the mention of her, his face lit up. “She is. Looks like her mother.”
“Are you two planning on having any more kids?”
The stiffness in his back eased as he leaned back in his chair. “Maybe someday. We’re still trying to manage the two.”
“Yeah, Wren seemed pretty upset about Wyatt’s teacher the other day. Did she get everything worked out?”
The tension in his body returned, letting me know I’d just screwed the pooch by bringing it up. “What about Wyatt’s teacher?”
I tried to blow it off. “I’m sure it was nothing. She was just a little flustered. No big deal.”
“Josie.”
“Honestly, I don’t remember much about it. It was the first time I’d met everyone, and my mind was still pretty much fried from my night from hell.” He just sat there staring at me, so I knew he wasn’t going to let it go. “She mentioned you weren’t in a good mood, and Wyatt’s teacher was giving him a hard time. She was worried about him and you.”
“Fuck.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything. I wasn’t thinking.”
“No. It’s on me, not you.” He rolled his head back and forth, trying to ease the tension in his neck. “I should’ve known something was up.”
“It’s been a hectic few days. I’m sure she understands.” Seeing Stitch in his husband-slash-father role was an interesting sight to see. There are plenty of men in the world who wouldn’t have cared, so it meant something that he was so concerned and that he wanted to know what was going on with his son. I probably should’ve left it, but I asked, “Wren mentioned that he was… different. Do you mind me asking what she meant?”
“He has a high-functioning form of Asperger’s. Honestly, I don’t see anything all that different about him other than he’s smart as hell. He’s an amazing kid.”
“He’s lucky to have a dad who thinks that way.”
“It’s the truth. All of us are different in our own way. I’d take his kind of different any day.
”
“Can I offer one piece of advice?” I smiled.
“Yeah?”
“If you go with Wren to talk to his knucklehead teacher, leave your Taser thingie at home.”
His body shook with laughter. “Yeah, you’re probably right about that.”
“Hopefully she will figure out what a great kid Wyatt is on her own. Sometimes, it just takes a little time.”
“Maybe so.”
The seatbelt sign lit up, letting us know the plane was about to land. Fear surged through me when I realized we were about to be in the same city where my sister was being held captive. There was so much going against us, and the chance of getting my sister back was slim, to say the least. I just prayed that these men knew what the hell they were doing and we didn’t all get ourselves killed. Stitch must’ve picked up on my apprehension, so he placed his hand on my arm. “It’ll be all right, Josie. One way or another, we are bringing Tristen back.”
There was no doubt resting behind his eyes – only pure determination. “Thank you.”
“No need to thank me. Just doing my job.”
The plane landed, and after we grabbed our bags, we went straight to our rental car. Big had gotten us a black SUV with dark tinted windows. After we put our bags into the back, Big walked over and got in the driver’s seat while Nitro got in beside him. Nitro’s guys crawled into the very back of the vehicle, leaving Stitch and me to sit together in the middle. This time I didn’t feel the same apprehension as I did earlier. Surprisingly, I’d let go of my resentment for him and was actually starting to like the man. I’d been so wrong about so many things, especially my attitude towards the men of Satan’s Fury. They may in fact do bad things, but they are good men with hearts that bleed and souls that are pure and true. They are loyal to a fault, and I would forever be indebted to them for helping me.
We pulled up to the hotel and my mouth dropped open. The place looked like something out of a movie. It must’ve cost a fortune to get a room here, a place for politicians, doctors, and lawyers, and I wondered how Nitro could afford it. I had the sneaking suspicion that his money hadn’t come from a legitimate occupation, making me wonder what he actually did to make his fortune. “We’re staying here?”
