by K E Osborn
Mylee looks to me lovingly, and for all intents and purposes, we have figured our shit out. I finally feel like we might be in a good place.
CHAPTER TWELVE
TRAX
Six Weeks Later
The last month has been fucking perfect. Mylee and I have been in a good place, and everything seems to be running smoothly as I sit with her in the clubrooms eating our lunch peacefully.
Sensei’s been working with me using the art of Zen to help stream my thoughts and let them pass without becoming physical. He told me suppressing my anger is as bad as letting it out, but that somehow I need to tone it down. Using Mylee as my muse, he’s been able to find a way for me to think differently. Think about her when my demon decides to show it’s ugly fucking face.
Sensei said that my anger is a cover for the explosive feelings I had toward Mylee leaving, and as such, it manifested as a physical reaction. So, when the demon begins to take hold, Sensei came up with the idea of not allowing the anger to surface. Instead, I envision Mylee’s face and some deep breathing techniques to calm me the fuck down—so far it seems to be working. Hopefully, now things will even out. He’s been supportive and helpful and shit appears to be back on track. It’s funny how the thing that made me angry in the first place is also the one thing that can bring me to true Zen.
Talk about irony.
Along with my visualization and breathing techniques, I’m also using boxing to help with the physical side of my demons. It helps get my physical stress relief out, so I’m not bottling up my emotions. I’m dealing with it. Even talking about when Mylee left with Sensei seems to help. A kind of therapy, I suppose. He should think about becoming our wise one if Surge ever wants to give up the role in the club. Sensei’d be good at it.
Suddenly, I’m broken from my thoughts when Torque strides over with a stern look on his face. He reaches out grabbing me by my shirt and hoists me up.
“What the fuck?” I blurt out as my sandwich drops from my mouth.
“Come with me,” he instructs as Mylee chuckles seemingly unfazed by my brother’s obnoxiousness.
I walk with him toward the chapel and note that Sensei, Surge, and Chains are already in here, and I let out a long huff knowing something’s up. My thoughts immediately go to Mylee, and this Everett douche as Torque shuts the door behind me.
“Has he found her?” I blurt out, all breathing techniques and Zen out the fucking window. They all look at me furrowing their brows.
“No, this isn’t about that,” Torque replies cracking his neck. “The Andretti’s are coming in for a meeting.”
Opening my eyes wide, a breath catches in my throat. “They’re what?”
“Not to discuss business, but about returning the damn favor we owe them. They’ve helped us a couple of times. Apparently, Enzo has something he needs help with… urgently.”
Tension rolls through me as I glance at Sensei and Chains. “And you guys are okay with this?”
Chains shrugs as Sensei exhales. “They helped a great deal with my family, Trax. I feel we owe them… whatever the cost,” Sensei replies.
I wince. “What if it’s women? We know they deal in trafficking, that’s not our scene, brothers. Honestly, I want nothing to do with that shit.”
Torque nods. “That’s why it’s a meeting, and I haven’t agreed flat out, but they’ll be here any minute. I just wanted you to know before they arrived that they’re gonna be asking for our help with something, and we should be prepared to give it.”
Groaning, I nod once as a knock on the door thuds, and Chains opens it to Zane. “Italians are in the clubhouse,” he murmurs.
Torque exhales. “Best behavior, boys.”
Chains opens the doors to the chapel, and we all walk out to see the Andrettis filing into our clubrooms. I’ll never get used to seeing them here in their immaculate pinstriped suits and shiny fucking shoes. Those gold chains, though, those things are just crazy. They look like a mixture of corporate business associates and a gangster music video. Fuckers.
I’ve also noticed that everyone who doesn’t need to be here has vacated. It’s only the patched members and the Andrettis as if it were a church meeting in the chapel, only the Andrettis aren’t allowed in the chapel. We need to keep some things sacred.
“Torque, thank you for meeting with us at short notice.” Enzo steps up to Torque and shakes his hand, but there’s no humor in his tone or playful banter like normal.
Something has him rattled.
“A pleasure as always, Enzo. Let’s have a seat, and we can discuss what’s going on.” Torque gestures for the wooden benches that Foxy always calls the summer camp seats. We sit down like normal, brothers on one side, Mafiosos on the other, and I take a deep breath looking over Enzo’s features. He appears tired. Worn. Defeated.
This isn’t the Enzo we know.
Someone’s getting to him.
“Tell us everything,” I demand.
Torque looks to me raising his brow in a look of surprise, but seeing Enzo like this has me rattled. I want to know what has this man, who’s normally so full of vigor, so full of vengeance and venom, alarmed.
He’s shaken.
Agitated.
Exposed.
Enzo exhales placing his hands on the table linking his fingers together in a tight ball. “The thing is, Torque, I know you know about our… darker endeavors.”
I sit up a little taller as Torque sits forward. “Go on…”
“Women trafficking isn’t the most…” he pauses but looks straight at Torque like he’s unashamed, “… honorable of transactions. I know this, Torque. I know where you stand on it, too. But you have to understand, and I know you do, that family tradition is of the utmost importance in our kinds of associations.”
Torque shifts uncomfortably as he glances at me, and I take a deep breath knowing exactly what he’s saying. We followed in our father’s footsteps for most of Defiance’s endeavors, including our war with the Andrettis. He’s saying he’s just doing what his father did, and that includes trafficking women.
“So you’re saying you don’t want to traffic women, but you do it because of your legacy?” I ask, and Enzo looks to me with a mild smile.
“You honor Guiness’s name every day in the things you do, Trax. I try to do the same for my father.”
Torque lets out a long exhale. “We ended our war, that wasn’t in your father’s legacy. You can stop this too, Enzo.”
He sits back nodding his head, a forlorn look on his face as he rubs his brow.
He looks defeated.
I’ve never seen him this way.
“Enzo?” Torque softly states his name, and Enzo sits back up looking Torque in the eyes.
“They have Zia.” His voice comes out like a breathy murmur.
Furrowing my brows, I glance to Torque who sinks down like he understands what he’s saying. “Who has your daughter, Enzo?”
In shock, I jolt back a little. I didn’t even know Enzo had a daughter. I knew he was married, but as far as I knew, he didn’t even like his wife let alone have a child with her.
“The Scarsi Dettagli. They’re another division of Mafiosos running the underground in Illinois. They were the ones helping us get the women down to Miami, then onto a speed boat to Cuba, to be… distributed.”
I shake my head. “Why would they take your daughter?”
He sighs. “That’s why I need your help. I thought with the changes we’ve been making like joining forces with you, changing the way our fathers have been doing business over the years, that we could attempt to get out of the trafficking market. The Scarsi Dettagli didn’t want the Andrettis leaving the business, and so I had to pay a debt.” His lip curls up as his fists clench together, his knuckles turning white. “They didn’t tell me what that debt would be.”
Torque groans. “It was Zia?”
Enzo cracks his neck. “And now my eleven-year-old daughter is somewhere in transition, and I have no idea what those
fuckers…” he takes a breath, “… are doing to her.” The last four words are almost a whisper.
My hands ball into fists, and I stand up suddenly, my knees hitting the table with force. “We’ll get her back, Enzo. She can’t leave the country.”
Enzo glances to me as Torque raises his brow in a look of surprise. I’ve never been an Enzo fan, but fuck if I’m going to let an innocent eleven-year-old girl suffer for the sins of her fucking father.
“We have time, they groom the girls before they take them to Miami for the boat. But I was thinking if we go in all fire and brimstone and take her, they will just come after her again. Then us. Then you.”
I sit down rubbing the back of my neck. “What if we played them at their own game?”
Torque and Enzo look to me like I’ve lost my damn mind. “What the hell does that mean?” Torque asks.
“What if we trade them a girl… for Zia? They get a girl, we get yours back?”
Torque scoffs as Enzo raises his brow. “We’re not finding some poor girl to trade, Trax.”
I smile. “Not some poor girl, a willing girl. Someone who will go with them to get Zia back, and knows we’ll buy her when she’s up for sale. Someone who knows we will do everything to make sure she’s safe. Well, as safe as she can be. It has to be someone who’s got something they need, and will happily exchange.”
“Do you have a girl who’s gorgeous and can cage fight?” Enzo questions.
Everyone opens their eyes wide as if they’re contemplating this idea.
“Yeah, that could work. Probably not Hayley, she can fight, but she’s too timid to pull it off successfully. But Cindi could definitely get the job done. She not only has the acting skills, but she’s one hell of a fighter,” I advise.
“Yes, girl can move. I’ve watched her train,” Sensei states.
Enzo winces. “They’ll probably demand sex from her.”
We all grimace as Torque nods. “I’ll talk to her. I won’t tell her to do this, though, Enzo. She has to agree to of her own accord. I can’t make her, you have to understand that?”
Enzo nods. “I understand, and if she can’t?”
Torque looks to me, and I smile. “Then we go in with hellfire and fucking brimstone.”
Enzo rolls his shoulders. “I want that as our last resort. If we do that, they’ll just keep coming.”
“I hear you. We’ll play this right. We got your back, Enzo.” Torque leans out shaking Enzo’s hand.
“Siamo una famiglia, Torque. It’s taken us a long time to get here, but your family is my family.”
Torque nods. “We are family,” Torque replies, and I take a deep breath as we all stand.
“I’ll get back to you as soon as I’ve discuss this with Cindi. If she says yes, I’ll have your guys prep her for everything the Scarsi’s will put her through. Then we need to find a buyer. Someone who isn’t linked to the Andrettis in any way. Leave that part with us.”
Enzo straightens out his suit and sighs. “I’ll wait to hear from you.” He turns signaling to his men, and they all walk out of the clubhouse as I turn to Torque along with Sensei, and we collectively let out a long exhale.
“Holy shit.”
Torque looks to me and nods. “Holy shit is right. I have no idea how the hell I’m gonna sell this to Cindi, but she loves this club and will do anything for us. Though this… this might be one step too far.”
I roll my shoulders. “She might actually be able to pull this off without it affecting her.”
Sensei nods. “I agree. Cindi is strong, and one thing I learned from my times with her is that sex means nothing to her. Her skills as a fighter are second to none. She’s the best match in this case. I don’t think this will be an issue. Just a role to play.”
Torque shrugs. “Well, I guess I’m gonna find out. In the meantime, keep the club running normally, go about your daily routine. I don’t want shit to fall apart. We need everything here to run smooth, especially for Mylee and the other women. No one should know about this, other than the patched members.”
I nod. “I appreciate that. Mylee doesn’t need any damn drama, especially with the threat of Everett already lingering.”
“Take Mylee out today, she deserves it. She’s been cooped up here for too long. Take her somewhere nice before things get hectic,” Torque adds.
“Right, will do.”
“Do you wanna prospect on your tail?” he asks.
“Shit no. I got this, bro. I want some alone time with my woman.”
He smiles slapping my back as I turn. “Now Sensei, I want to talk to you about your father, Hiro,” I hear him saying as I walk off heading for my room where I know Mylee will be.
Opening the door, I can hear Mylee’s on her cell. I step inside trying my best not to listen in to her conversation with who I assume is her dad, Crest, but it’s hard when we’re in the same room. Not that I’m complaining. This is where she belongs. Hell, if I had my way, all her stuff would be in here, but she’s kept her room down the hall in case she needs it for work or whatever. I get that. But nights she spends with me as it should be and as much of her time as possible during the day.
Having Mylee at the club has made me feel calmer, less on edge. Even Torque’s said he’s seen a noticeable change in me. It fucks me off that one woman can have that much power over me. I knew when Mylee left, it broke something, but having her back makes my world complete. The two years without her was hell. I honestly don’t know how the fuck I survived. Having her here now is a whole new kind of pleasure. I’m a man on cloud motherfucking nine, and I don’t care who knows it. Plus, Mylee’s fitting in here at the club so damned well. Already, it’s like she knows and is close with everyone. She just fits.
Mylee’s still talking to Crest, and I can’t help but overhear. “Yeah, the tech guy, Ace, he’s been looking into the Scotts while you’re dealing with your shit, but so far he’s not come up with anything substantial, there’s nothing out of the ordinary. They’re pretty much aboveboard from what he can tell,” Mylee relays to her father which grabs my attention as I lean on the edge of my desk. I watch her as she sits on the bed staring out the window. I sigh, standing up and walking over to the bed taking a seat next to her. She turns to look at me. “Yeah. He’ll keep looking. Don’t worry, Dad. We’ve gotta find something, somewhere, to get Everett off my tail.”
While I need this Everett guy to take a long fucking leap off the closest cliff, so Mylee’s safe, what I don’t want is for her to go back home to Grand Rapids once the coast is clear. My chest fucking aches just thinking about it. The thought of losing her again once this mess is sorted makes me tense, so for now, I need to make the most of the time I have with her. I need to let her know how much she means to me. And after hearing Enzo’s daughter is missing, it only brings home how quickly things can change.
“Okay, thanks, Dad. I’ll keep you posted. Talk soon.” She hangs up her cell, looking at me as I reach out for her hand.
She laces her fingers with mine and sighs. “Dad’s worried I’m spending too much time away, that you’ll get sick of me being here.”
I snort out a shocked laugh. “Are you kidding? If I had my way, you’d never leave.”
Her beautiful face lights up like a fucking summer’s day while she leans in pressing her lips to mine, then she kisses me briefly before pulling away. She purses her lips like she’s deep in thought. It’s fucking cute.
“What’s going through that mind of yours, Mylee?” I ask.
She relaxes her shoulders. “Why were we all made to leave the clubroom when those suits came in?”
“Club business, nothing for you be concerned about. We need to help them with a little problem they’re having. Okay, time to get out of those pajamas. I wanna take you somewhere,” I tell her. “Get dressed… jeans, a leather jacket. We’re going for a ride.”
She bounces slightly on the bed and smiles. “Oh my God, Trax, I haven’t been on the back of your bike in so freaking long.
I always loved the feel of being behind you.” All her thoughts of the Andrettis vanish as she bounces in excitement.
“Then stop talking and more getting ready.” I slap her thigh while standing from the bed as she giggles excitedly, rushing up to run from my room at the fastest pace I’ve seen her move. She heads down the hall to her room to get dressed as I chuckle and gather my shit. I know exactly where I’m going to take her.
I gather my things together, grab my cell, and head to her room. I look through the door to see her jumping around yanking up her jeans. Warmth floods through me as I lean against the doorframe, just watching her. She’s so fucking cute completely oblivious to my voyeurism. Then she rushes to the closet grabbing her leather jacket, flinging it on. I can’t stop grinning as Mylee races about like she’s in some fucking marathon. She runs back into the closet reaching out for a pair of ankle boots then flops on the bed lifting her foot up in the air. I let out a small chuckle which makes her head jump flip around in shock, and she gasps.
“Shit! You scared me.” She giggles while continuing to pull on her boot but at a slightly slower, more normal pace.
I fold my arms over my chest. “You’re fun to watch when you’re excited.”
She snorts, grabbing for her second boot and pulls it on. “Well, I haven’t gone out anywhere since I got here, and getting on your bike as well… so yeah, I’m a little freaking excited, so sue me.” Once she’s done, she throws her arms out to the sides beaming wide. “Ready!”
I stand up straight. “Then c’mon, woman, let’s get the fuck outta here.”
She bobs up on her toes then races past me out of her room into the hall, taking off in front as I walk behind her, looking down at her round ass in those tight-as-fuck jeans she’s wearing. Christ. My cock jolts in approval as I look up before I change my mind and take her back to my room instead.
We walk into the clubrooms, and I see Torque off to the side. I grab Mylee’s hand leading her toward him. She understands, following my lead as we step over to my blood brother.
He looks up nodding as we approach. “You heading out now?” Torque asks looking us over.
