by K E Osborn
“Yeah.”
“Good. Stay there. I’ll be there soon. Don’t leave.”
Nodding, even though he can’t see me, my stomach tightens at the thought of seeing him after so long apart, and I take a steadying breath. “I’ll be here.”
“Don’t let your parents leave either.”
“Got it.”
“And Heeley…”
“Mmm...”
“It’s great to hear your voice.” The line clicks dead before I can respond, and I smile as I try to calm my fluttering stomach. I shake my hands out trying to relieve some of the tension which has built up as Ari walks into the room raising her brow.
“That sounded like it went well.”
I roll my eyes. “Don’t start.”
“All I’m saying is… he’s dropping everything to come and help you. Just think about that,” she challenges and turns walking out of the room without another word.
Sighing, I steady my shoulders and walk back out to tell Mom and Dad they’re about to meet the President of the Chicago Defiance MC, and that I kind of have a crush on him.
***
The roar of motorbike engines pummel down the road, and I glance out the window to see not only Torque, but Trax, Sensei, and Ace. I grit my teeth and tense my shoulders as Mom and Dad both widen their eyes at the noise.
“I thought you said only one was coming, Heeley?”
I shrug. “I thought only one was coming, but you kinda get a package deal with these guys.”
The bell rings on the door of the store, and Torque walks in, all muscles and broody confidence as he spots me. His scruffy face making my knees weak instantly as he strides over to me, his brothers flanking his sides. He looks into my eyes and half-grins. “Hey.”
Swallowing hard, I look into his deep blue eyes and almost get lost in them. All I want to do is jump into his arms and have him whisk me away somewhere so we can get lost in each other.
Wait!
Why is he here again?
Shit!
Focus Heeley.
“Hi.”
“Jesus, do you two want to stop making come-hither eyes at each other and go out the back and bone already, so then we can get on with what’s really at stake here?” Trax calls out, and I open my eyes wide breaking free from Torque’s eyes in a fit of embarrassment.
Mom gasps, and Dad lets out a small chuckle.
“Shit,” I murmur sliding into the seat next to Dad as Torque stares at Trax giving him an almighty death glare.
“Okay, so Heeley filled me in on what happened. What I want to know is… everything you two know about the people who offered to buy the business from you. Who were they? What did they look like? What were their names? Anything you can give us will be beneficial.”
Dad nods and offers Torque to take a seat, and he sits down next to me. His thigh rubbing right up against mine as he looks at Dad trying to ignore me.
“Okay sure. So the men who approached us, I can’t remember their name to be honest… it’s hard to pronounce.”
Torque nods. “Why? Because of ethnicity?”
Mum nods. “Yes. They were Asian. But I’m not sure what part of Asia they were from. Their English was excellent, though.”
Ace nods typing away on his device.
“Okay, that helps. A lot. Thank you, Mrs. Fox.” Torque’s voice oozes chivalry so much it makes me almost giggle.
“Okay, I have something,” Ace calls out stepping up beside me and bringing the tablet down for me to see. “See this...” he points to a line of names on a list, “… his name keeps popping up under new arrivals in the city. There’s a few Asians, but this one is the one that keeps on flagging… Ishikawa.”
Sensei moves awkwardly, gaining all of our attention, and he swallows hard as he hears the name. “That’s Japanese.”
I furrow my brows. “Is that meant to mean something?”
Sensei shakes his head like he’s thinking hard, his eyebrows are pulled together, but he says nothing more as Torque looks from Sensei back to my dad.
“Look, don’t sign anything. I’ll make sure Heeley, Xav, and you guys are protected. I’ll have a prospect placed at your home and go with you anywhere you need. You can mark my words, we’ll get this town back from this Ishikawa, no matter what.”
“Thank you, Torque. We appreciate you helping us,” Dad offers, and Torque nods.
Dad and Mom smile as Torque stands up and goes to move off. So I stand up too and rush to his side, grabbing his hands to make him face me. His brothers all walk away giving us a moment alone. As I look into his eyes, he grips his hands in mine so tight that the energy in the room skyrockets. I feel like I never want him to leave.
What the hell was I thinking?
Why the hell was I staying away from him?
I can’t find a reason anymore.
Sure, there’s danger when he’s around, but one thing I know for sure, he would do anything in his power to protect me.
“Fuck it.” I lean up on my toes, grabbing the back of his head, and force his lips to mine in front of everyone. He’s shocked for a moment but soon surrenders to the kiss. Opening my mouth, I let his tongue in, and he kisses me with need, with passion, and like we’ve been separated for years not a couple of weeks. I feel the energy flowing from him, and I wonder how I could have ever have denied myself this chance with him.
I can’t. Not anymore.
Fuck the risks.
He’s worth every single one.
A wolf whistle reverberates through the store, and it makes me giggle into his mouth as I slowly pull back and press my forehead to his. My chest heaves panting for breath as I look into his eyes. His are hooded and full of lust as he stares back into mine.
“I’ve needed that for so fuckin’ long. You kill me, foxy.”
I shake my head against his. “I’m so sorry. I needed time to wrap my head around everything. But in the wise words of Sia… even ‘Superwoman sometimes needed Superman’s soul.’”
Torque smirks. “Umm… what?”
I giggle. “In this scenario, I’m Superwoman, and I need my Superman’s soul to function. Without you, I don’t work. I’m just so annoyed at myself that it took me so damn long to figure that out.”
His arms wrap tighter around me, and he holds me to him. “You think you can handle the carnage and chaos while being a doctor?”
“I had some help with that, too. Doctor Kline showed me the right path. I can do this, Torque. If you still want me?”
He lifts me at my waist and spins me around making me squeal out loud as everyone around us chuckles. I slap his shoulder, and he slides me down his body as I laugh at him. “Hell, yeah, foxy. I’ll always want you.” He leans in kissing me again before a round of booing echoes through the store, and I giggle as napkins and straws are thrown at us making me burst into laughter.
Torque pulls back and looks at his brothers. “Clean this mess up, idiots,” he calls out, and they all continue to chuckle but move in doing as they’re told.
Mom and Dad smile at Torque and me.
“There’s some shit I have to do at the clubhouse, but I’m gonna come by yours after that. But right now, I have some Ishikawa to find.”
Nodding, I run my hands down his chest and sigh. “Please don’t get hurt. I’ve only just gotten you back.”
He smiles wide and nods. “I’ll be at your place tonight…” he leans into my ear so no-one can hear him but me, “… and baby, don’t be wearing anything when I come home.” He pulls back, and I raise my brow at him and pull my lips in by my teeth to hide my arousal at his words. He chuckles leaning in and planting a chaste kiss on my cheek as he lets me go and turns with a swift whistle. “C’mon brothers, we have work to do.”
They walk out leaving the place exactly as they found it, neat and tidy, and I smile watching Torque’s ass fade into the distance.
Letting out a sigh, I slump into the seat next to Dad. “Heeley… do I need to run through the protocols of s
afe sex with you?”
My cheeks flush red hot, and I gasp out loud as Xav and Ari laugh rather loudly.
Oh. My. God! Can parents be any more embarrassing?
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
TORQUE
Walking back into the clubhouse, I have a pep in my step. Seeing Heeley again has filled me with a renewed confidence. Knowing she feels like she can do this with me has my energy rebooted. I can’t fucking wait to get back to her place tonight and have my fucking way with her. But for now, I need to concentrate on the task at hand.
So as we all stride into the middle of the clubroom, I let out a loud whistle gaining everyone’s attention. The focus turns to me, and I take a breath. “Brothers. We learned some information tonight about a new enemy. We have no idea what this might bring. What their numbers are. Or how this will all play out. All we know is… they have our guns and are planning on taking over our town. Well, I say fuck no. We’re not gonna let them…” A round of cheering and hooting comes from the guys, and I raise my hand to stop them so I can continue, “We’re gonna ride out to get our motherfucking guns back. So strap in. Push your pain aside… ‘cause we’re going hunting, boys.”
The room erupts into a fit of excitement as I start walking toward the armory with Trax and Sensei in tow.
“You think I can finally shoot some fuckers?” Trax asks, and I chuckle with a nod.
“Yeah, Trax, I think we can finally lay some ammo down.”
He smiles wide as we enter the armory, and he’s like a kid in a fucking candy store as he grabs a bunch of knives and shoves them down his boots, and then grabs a rifle throwing the sash over his shoulder, then a Glock and pushes it down the front of his pants. I chuckle shaking my head as I move in grabbing a Glock for myself as the other brothers all grab a weapon or two each.
Surge steps up to me, his good hand grabbing my shoulder. I turn to look at him, his hard eyes search mine. “You take care out there.”
I chuckle. “Why old man, anyone would think you’re worried about me.”
“Shut up, son. Just do what you gotta do. Get the guns and all our men back in one piece, this fucking time, yeah?”
I have to admit that statement hit me right in the guts. I wince slightly and nod. “Yeah… I will.”
He tightens his hand on my shoulder and then turns walking out but stops at the door.
“Trax.” Trax turns to look at Surge. “Don’t be a dick.”
Trax nods and smiles at Surge as he walks off, and I glance to Sensei who still seems a bit off since we’ve gotten back. I’m not sure what’s going on with him right now, but I don’t have time to shoot the shit with him.
We have a mission to run.
“Everyone ready to go?”
“Aye,” resounds through the armory, and I smile wide locking and loading my Glock.
“Let’s ride!”
***
Ace tracked the gun shipment to the rail yard near the flea market, so we plan to park at the market and then walk to the train yard. We don’t want the engines of our bikes to give us away. Right now, we’re walking through the back of the rail yard, following the red flashing bleep on Ace’s cell.
The moonlight shining is the only glow lighting our path toward our destination. The crunch of the gravel underfoot is slightly unnerving as it makes it apparent people are walking the tracks. But the general hum of the traffic in the distance might be enough of a distraction if the assholes aren’t listening for us.
We’re all moving slowly in a one-line formation, edging down the tracks until we see a giant shipping container. Ace points to it, and I stop the line.
It looks unguarded.
Can it really be this simple?
“Okay, so it looks like our guns are in that shipping container. Vibe’s waiting with the truck for the go ahead. I say we get Ace to check out the container, make sure it’s not wired, then we go in and take what’s ours.” My voice is hushed. Everyone nods, and I signal for Ace to step forward.
He moves up to the container and uses some of his whiz-bang tech equipment to check for tripping wires and other shit I don’t understand nor give a flying fuck about.
Then nods giving me the all clear.
I motion for the guys to all move along with me, and we step up to the container as Ace opens the unlocked door. As the giant metal door swings on its hinges with a loud creak, a fluorescent light inside the container flicks a few times, then fully illuminates showing a stool with the tracker sitting prominently on it.
No guns.
“Fuck!” I murmur as I bring my Glock up sensing danger in the air as the screeching sound of car tires on gravel alerts me. We all spin to see six Lamborghini Diablos squeal up to the container at high speed. I tense up and aim my Glock instantly as the cars pull to a stop. Men hanging from the windows just like the attack when we were trading with Linn, their rifles aimed at us. We’re gathered in a group like sitting fucking ducks, and it would be so easy to take us all out.
My anger bubbles to the surface as my men look to me, and I grit my teeth as the Asian men all smirk, and I shake my head as we standoff, their guns aimed at us, our guns aimed at them. But they have the protection of their cars. If their guns went off, we’d be fucked. Royally.
Shit!
“Lower your weapons, brothers,” I murmur through gritted fucking teeth.
I hear an audible grunt from Trax, but everyone lowers their guns as the muscles in my neck flex with my anger. I place my gun at my feet and raise my hands in the air.
I hear an echo of laughter and the car doors open, and the men hanging from the windows step out. Their guns aimed directly at us. Then another six men round the cars, all of them wearing perfectly tailored suits looking very dapper and suave. Very businessman-like.
The five men seem to be all surrounding one man in particular. His hair is gray. Showing his age of probably around fifty as he thrusts his hands out and adjusts his sleeves, trying to appear well-kept. He looks spotless as he approaches us.
The hair on the back of my neck raises instantly. My stomach is twisting as he approaches looking straight at me.
Like he knows I’m in charge.
Like he knows more than he’s letting on.
He’s intimidating, and I’m not intimidated easily.
He clicks his jaw, stopping right in front of me, and looks up as he’s shorter than me. “The name’s Aiko Ishikawa.”
Sensei tenses beside me, his arms falling to his sides in shock as he stares at the man, his eyes wide in horror. I glance to him and furrow my brows, but Ishikawa doesn’t even batter an eyelid or turn his eyes away from me as he continues, “Oh, I see some of you have heard of me? I guess you should have.” Ishikawa’s eyes finally divert to Sensei. “Being Asian has its perks.”
Sensei turns white. Nerves filter through me. Sensei obviously knows who this guy is, but I’m still very much in the dark.
I figure I need to shed some light on this. I’m not going to let him intimidate us. “So, who are you? Triads?” I ask.
His deep-seated laughter filters through the darkened night sky as he shakes his head. “Triads? No, they’re small time compared to us. You see, with Obama sanctioning others in the States, a new Oyabun had to step in to take over.”
I shake my head. I’m baffled.
What the hell is an Oyabun?
“What are you talking about?”
Ishikawa smiles while straightening out his suit jacket. “I am Aiko Ishikawa. Oyabun of the Ishikawa Yakuza, and we’re here to take Chicago. Then we will move on to the rest of America’s underworld.”
Tensing my body, I shake my head looking to Sensei who still appears somewhat shell-shocked.
What the hell is wrong with him?
I’ll have to figure that out later. For now, I have the motherfucking Yakuza in town, and that cannot be good.
Tensing my body, I grit my teeth. “That’s not gonna happen. We run Chicago. And what we don’t, the Andrettis hold.�
��
He smiles. “That’s going to change, Torque.” How does he know my name? “From now on… you answer to me. I don’t know whether to keep it that way, or whether to make an example of your insolence right here and now,” he sneers gesturing to one of his men as he angles his gun right at Sensei’s head and flicks off the safety.
I grit my teeth as the man begins to squeeze the trigger. Tension ripples through my body. I glance to Sensei, and his eyes fill with anguish, a longing look at me, like a brother about to say his goodbyes, when suddenly, the roar of bellowing laughter fills through the back of the rail yard, and the unmistakable clicking of riffles loading ready to go off sounds through the darkness.
“I wouldn’t pull that trigger if I were you,” a familiar voice calls out and all our heads snap to see Enzo and the Andrettis standing in huge numbers on the mound, rifles aimed at us all, with giant grins adorning their faces.
“And who the fuck are you?” Ishikawa calls out.
“The motherfucking cavalry.” He chuckles like that’s the funniest thing he could have ever said, and I shake my head as Ishikawa grunts signaling to his men to lower their guns.
I stand a little taller and let off a small grin. "You didn’t think you were gonna catch me sleeping twice, did you?" I scald Ishikawa.
His head, along with everyone else, snaps around to look at me.
“You did this?” Sensei asks, and I nod.
“Thanks for joining the party, Enzo, appreciate you stepping in when you received my cryptic message.”
Enzo snorts out a laugh. “Have to admit, getting your text threw me. I thought it was a trap. But I was intrigued and thought I should check this shit out. Seeing the new player in town really had me itching at the balls to get one over on them,” Enzo laughs, and I raise my brow.
“Itching at the balls?” I grin.
“You know what I mean. Anyway, our job here is done. We saved your asses. Now go, before I change my mind and turn our guns on you.”
Jolting my head back, I give him a two-finger salute as I look back to Ishikawa who appears like he’s fuming. “You still have our guns.”
