Vengeance: The Program Book 4

by N. M. Catalano

  “The redheads are always the wild ones,” he laughs, leering at me.

  “If you don’t move in two seconds, I’m going to cut your tongue out. Your choice,” Raven states icily.

  “It’s one of her favorite things,” Snake adds, standing right beside her.

  I love those two!

  The jerk moves his arm, sizing up both Snake and Raven with a hard glare.

  “Could you help out for a few minutes while I go next door?” I ask them, already opening the door to leave.

  “We got it, go ahead,” Raven replies.

  “Kick his ass,” Snake laughs.

  You can bet on that!

  “Thanks,” I say over my shoulder as I storm out.

  It’s only five steps to the tattoo shop. When I yank on the door, it’s locked. Pressing a hand against the glass to shield my eyes, I see none of the lights are on inside. I bang on it. “BULL SMITH, open this door!” I stop my pounding to peer inside again. Nothing. “Bull, I know you’re in there, and I’m not leaving until you come out!” I bang again.

  The people on the sidewalk are watching me and they must think I’m crazy. I don’t really care.

  “BULL!”

  There he is!

  I watch as his bulk prowls its way through the dark interior, big and intimidating, and it sends a flash of heat straight through me. God, he’s so powerful. He twists the deadbolt with that scowl he reserves especially for me, and opens the door a crack. “Gwendolyn, what do you think you’re doing?” Mr. Growly Bear has the nerve to ask me what I think I’m doing.

  “Coming to talk to you. Come out or I go in,” I fold my arms across my chest and narrow my eyes at him.

  “Now is not a good time,” he huffs out. “Go back to work,” he closes the door again, turns around, and starts to walk away.

  Oh, no he did not!

  I resume my pounding. “I’M NOT LEAVING.”

  Shaking his head, he halts. “Stop it!”

  “NO.” Bang, bang, bang!

  “Jesus Christ, Gwen!” He comes back, unlocks and yanks open the door, and drags me inside.

  Rock, Gringo, and the man I remember as Hawk are all standing at the office door, grinning. Rock dips his head at me as Bull pulls me down the hallway. “Gwendolyn.”

  “Sorry to intrude.”

  He smirks. “I’m not.”

  Passing Gringo, I say, “Hey.”

  He jerks his chin up at me, “What’s up?”

  “I’m about to find out,” I stare at Bull’s massive back as he pulls me inside a room with a door. He jerks me around and slams it shut, giving us some privacy.

  “Two minutes,” he growls, crossing his arms across his barrel chest.

  “Don’t you give me that crap,” I seethe. “I will NOT allow you to treat me the way you did this morning, not after last night. Not after this morning!” Oh, no! I’m choking up. No! I CANNOT get emotional now, NO.

  Guilt flashes across his features but he shuts it right down.

  “Gwendolyn, I apologize if I was rude,” he replies tightly.

  I step closer, my fists balled at my sides, I’m so angry. “Rude?! Rude would have been rolling off me when we were done. YOU,” I jab my finger in his hard chest, “You, were a complete asshole. One damn minute you’re all Mr. Wonderful, the next you’re just mean! I deserve the truth, Bull!”

  He lets out a heavy breath, then another. “Gwen, just go back to work. Maybe tomorrow we can talk.” He starts to walk around me for the door.

  “I know about the mill, Bull. I’m not stupid.” He freezes with his hand on the doorknob. “I know that’s why you’re protecting me. You’re afraid they’ll do to me what they did to Summer, or Sasha. And it’s not just because I’m the only one who won’t sell,” I rush the words out before he storms out. He drops his hand, but doesn’t turn around. "I know you care about me, Bull,” my voice softens as I lay hand on his back over his beast, his inner animal I love so much.

  “What do you know about Summer?” his voice is low and his body is tense.

  I let out a soft breath of relief. “I know she was kidnapped. I heard them talking.”

  His fists clench and unclench. “What about Sasha?”

  I know he can’t see me, but I shake my head. “She didn’t leave, I’m sure of that. What I definitely do know is that her husband orchestrated the whole mill sale, and now she’s gone.”

  I see the slight nod of his head. “Yeah,” he says quietly.

  “I also know,” I continue, “That the last time those bikers and that man came here, Snake got shot and something happened with Raven.” I step closer. “And all of you guys went somewhere. It was so tense at the coffee shop when we were all waiting for you,” I can’t stop the tear that falls down my cheek. “You’re going back tonight, aren’t you? All of you are going to the mill.”

  He doesn’t deny it. He won’t lie to me, but he can’t admit it either.

  I place both my hands on his back and his body tenses beneath them. I can feel the frustration rolling off him in waves. He’s fighting himself, and it’s killing me.

  “Jesus Christ, Bull! Don’t shut me out. I couldn’t live with myself if something happens to you, and you never…,” I do choke up now, I can’t finish the sentence as the words turn into jagged rocks in my throat.

  He whirls around. His expression is a mask of pain. “You deserve better than me, Gwen! You’re going to have those ten babies with someone who doesn’t destroy people, someone who will come home to you at night and take care of you. Somebody who doesn’t live with fact that anyone I care about, I ruin!” He grips my arms. “There’s nothing but trouble with me. I can’t do that to you!”

  “You are so wrong!” I yell at him. “All of this would have still happened if you weren’t here. I know it would be much, much worse!”

  He shakes me one time. “That’s not what I’m talking about, dammit!”

  “Then what?! Tell me, because all of this is killing me. You’re punishing yourself, and it’s torturing me. Don’t you see that?”

  He studies my face long and hard, his eyes shooting back and forth on mine. I want to shove my hand down his throat and pull the words from him.

  His hold tightens on my arms as his jaw clenches, biting back the words. “I destroyed my family, Gwen. Because of me, they lost their home.” His gaze holds me captive. “I ruined my family. To you, family is everything,” his words end on a whisper.

  My eyes widen at his confession. It’s horrible, yes, but the man I know didn’t do something like that on purpose. I know Bull, he couldn’t knowingly hurt them.

  “I know you didn’t mean to,” I raise my hand to his face and cup his cheek. “I know they’ve forgiven you. You have to forgive yourself. You’re the best man I know, Bull.”

  We stare at each other for a long time. I’m holding my breath afraid that he’ll shut down and leave. Then tonight he’ll disappear. If something went wrong, this moment would be the last one we’d have. I will not let it be one where he walks away.

  Closing the space between us, I wrap my arms around his neck. “Listen to me, Bull Smith. Whether or not you like it, we belong to each other, so you need to do whatever you’ve got to in order to make this work. I will not leave here like this; you owe me that much. So kiss me like you mean it, dammit. Then I’ll let you boys get back to saving the world.”

  That smile that I love so much, the one that belongs to the filthy man who does filthy things to me slowly spreads on his face. My entire body reacts to him, pulsing and quivering in every single place he’s touched me.

  “You want a send-off, darlin’?” he grins wickedly. “I think I can manage more than a kiss.” His hands move from my arms, one palms a breast as he slips a finger over my sex with the other. His mouth crashes with mine as he fumbles with the opening of my jeans. I moan in his mouth as I unbutton his pants. We yank at each other’s clothes, jerking them down in a frenzy. When his erection springs free, I wrap a hand around it. />
  “I’ve been dying to make an appointment with you over here,” I pant out.

  “Baby,” he growls as he turns me around and bends me over the client chair in the room, “your magic pussy is the only one for me.” He curves his body over mine as he glides his thickness over my mound. I dig my fingers into the cushion, waiting for him to fill me.

  “Hurry, Bull,” I moan.

  He chuckles darkly. The feel of his skin and soft hair against my bare ass makes me tremble. When the round end of his shaft pushes in, I sigh out loud. “Woman, when I get back I’m going to keep you naked and fuck you for hours,” his thrusts are hungry and deep as he whispers roughly in my ear. He reaches a hand around to find my clit. I let out a gasp. “I’m going to tie you up. First I’m going to bury myself in this sweet little ass of yours.” I suck in a breath as my orgasm starts to coil and spread. “Then I’ll suck your pussy until you come all over my face.” His hips slam into me faster. “Then I’m going take this pussy nice,” he pulls out on a long drag, his fingers never ceasing their teasing on my clit, “and slow,” he pushes in just as slowly.

  “Yes, yes, yes,” I pant.

  “But right now, I’ve got to fuck you hard, baby,” he pounds into me.

  “YES…”

  As he slams into me again and again, he holds me tight with one arm. With his other hand, he takes my clit between his thumb and finger and pinches.

  I shatter. It’s explosive, fueled by our high emotions and the desperation we were both feeling. I hear Bull growl at my ear as his body tenses on mine and he fills me up with his release.

  “Fuck, Gwen,” he rasps.

  “I’m going to hold you to everything you told me, big boy,” I whisper with a smile.

  He chuckles. “I bet you are.” He separates his body from mine and goes to the counter to get some paper towels and wipes my sex.

  “Have I told you how much I love seeing my cum drip out of you?” he asks.

  I giggle. “Yes, that’s probably why you do that.”

  He laughs. “No, but it’s definitely a bonus.” Bull pulls my pants up. Then with a hand on my back holding me down, he bites my ass cheek.

  “OWW.”

  Giving the other one a slap, “That’s for being a brat. The bite was to keep you thinking about me.”

  My heart gets a squeeze. You’re all I think about. I lift up and fix my clothes as he closes his pants and adjusts himself. “I’ve got to get back to the shop. The place is a mad house with all those bikers.”

  His expression hardens. “Hawk’s going over when we finish here. Don’t let them give you hard time.”

  I press my body against his as he feeds his arms around me. “Snake and Raven are keeping them in line.”

  He smirks. “No doubt.”

  He opens the door and leads me out. The office door is closed when we pass, thank God, I’m grateful for that little bit of luck. Bull unlocks the front door and walks me to the coffee shop.

  “Oh, I forgot to tell you. You ladies are having a sleep over tonight. Everyone’s staying at your house,” Bull informs me.

  I raise a brow at him. “Do they know?”

  He shakes his head. “Not yet, but it’ll be easier having you all at one place. Hawk will be there too.”

  I’m relieved, really. If I can’t have Bull there, Hawk is much better than those barbarians, Nan will most definitely agree.

  I lift up and raise my face to his. “Okay, then I’ll see you later,” I whisper. Because I’m not saying goodbye.

  He touches his lips to mine. A dark cloud has just descended on us, but we’re not going there.

  “Yeah, later,” he whispers.

  Reluctantly, I walk into the coffee shop as he goes back to the shop.

  I know I should feel better, and I do. A little. The problem is that dark cloud has the ability to turn into a major storm.

  CHAPTER 26

  Bull

  There are very few defining moments in a man’s life. Some mark their destruction; others their moments of glory. I hope I’ve put my destruction behind me and have moved beyond it. If I could choose my greatest moment, if this were to be my last day on earth, my hope is today would be my greatest. Why? It’s simple. If we succeed in stopping what’s going on in the mill, it will be for the benefit of so many. What we’re doing today is going to make a difference to a lot of people. This is nothing like our missions in the military or The Program, we’re not doing this for governments or for the elite. We’re doing this for each other, for our neighbors, for the people who matter to us. We’re doing this for Gwendolyn, Summer, Raven, and Sasha, even Mrs. Merriweather, and her late husband. I laid all my shit out on the table with Gwen, and she accepted me. Whatever happens, I go with a clear conscience and a lighter soul.

  Every single moment in our lives has led us to right now.

  Three o’clock in the morning is the witching hour, it’s the time demons come out to claim what’s theirs. That’s exactly why we’re here. We are the grim reapers coming to take these motherfuckers down.

  We’re loaded down with M16 rifles, Glocks, grenades, knives strapped to our thighs, ankles, and at our waist, and each of us are carrying enough explosives to take down a small city building. We attached fuses to each stick of dynamite. Maybe we’ll get lucky and can lay them out, clear the building, and light the place up. That’s in a perfect scenario. We’ve been on enough missions to know none of them ever go perfectly.

  We’ve got only one chance to do this. There is no room for error.

  The only problem is we cannot control every aspect of the situation. There is always a glitch.

  You gotta look on the bright side, though. We left things at home the way we wanted, despite all the bitching and hell we took for it.

  All the women are at Gwen’s. Hawk’s with them. The four of us agreed we didn’t trust anyone else to protect them. Especially after the President’s piece of enlightening information.

  Whatever the fuck is going on in the mill, word is out. It appears they’re manufacturing chemical warfare, and they have a holding pen for human trafficking victims. Shit can’t get any worse than that. Come to find out, people know about it, people who have the means to finance whatever they want, and get it any way they can. The only kind of people that sort of business attracts are terrorists and blackmarket buyers, the kind of buyers who fund rebellions and government corruption.

  We have proof they have affiliations with The Club. What does The Club want most of all?

  Power and money.

  Who has the most money in the world?

  The countries with all of the oil.

  Which country has the most oil?

  Saudi fucking Arabia.

  What does the United States have that Saudi Arabia doesn’t?

  American motherfucking women.

  Not on our fucking watch!

  Everything, every goddamn thing fits into place nice and neatly. We just have to pull back the curtain to expose the man behind it. We only have to unveil the puppet master. It’s not Mr. Hollingsworth, Summer’s father. He’s just a means to achieve what The Club wants. It’s definitely not James Williams, Sasha’s husband, he’s too fucking stupid.

  My bet is on Dominic Fellini. He is the kind of prick that fits the bill. He appears to be so powerful that he’s untouchable. Only someone with that much influence and that much money doesn’t exist, because we sure as hell couldn’t find anything on him.

  It’s pitch black outside as we break through the tree line at the perimeter of the mill. We’re all entering at the same locations we did before. I’m going in from the rear, Rock the south, and Gringo from the north. Snake is positioned at the front, his rifle aimed at the entrance ready to take out anyone going in or out. The last time we were here, he had to put a bullet in the only guard. Nothing was ever reported to the media or the authorities about a shooting on the premises. That’s not surprising. Technically, they’re trespassing. It’s not likely they’d want to
attract any attention to their operation here. Besides, with James Williams on the payroll, it appears they’ve got carte blanche to do whatever the fuck they want.

  James Williams is part of The Club, so is his family. So is Sasha’s. The Club members pimp their daughters out as bargaining chips for prestige, money, and power. Sasha’s and James’ marriage was arranged by The Club. He’s got to be their plant here. This entire operation has been in the making for a very long time, they were just waiting for the right time and the right players to put into position. James was one, maybe so was Dominic Fellini, we don’t know that yet. Apparently so was Sasha. James was arranging to sell her, or give her, to a Saudi Arabian. We hope that’s not where she is. Even if that’s where they sent her, we’re gonna get her back and bring her home.

  It all makes sense why Gringo was ordered by headquarters to get close to James any way he could. Then he was ordered to back off. We thought it was because James was the one who had a connection with the man who kidnapped Summer, Steve. Steve was The Club member Summer was engaged to, and who she ran away from.

  We were wrong.

  This is why. This operation was the bigger picture. The original contract to retrieve Summer that was issued by The Club had been pulled. We now know the contract to eliminate us and to retrieve Summer, the second contract, didn’t come from The Program like we initially thought. It came from whomever is in charge of what’s happening at the mill.

  We believe The Club pulled their contract for this, the bigger picture, the grander prize.

  They want us? They’ve got us. We’re coming, motherfuckers, get ready.

  I glance at my watch. It’s almost show time; we’ve got two minutes until we move in. The weight of the pack on my back keeps me grounded, it keeps me focused on what we’re going in to do.

  Our mission is to eliminate the entire operation. Period.

  Pulling the night vision goggles to the top of my head, I lift the rifle up to my eye, flip on the night scope, and scan the area and search for heat sensors. Nothing out here except the creatures of the night. And us.