by K E Osborn
“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 t
o 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.
Mylee sways from side to side.
“Yeah, for a bit. We’ll be back later.”
Torque rolls his neck. “Keep an eye on your six. Any problems, call.”
Tension rolls through me with the Andrettis in strife and Everett looking for Mylee. This may not be the best of ideas, but Mylee’s been cooped up, and it was Torque’s idea to take her out. If he didn’t think it was okay, he wouldn’t let us go without a tail.
“Got it. I’ll let you know when we’re on our way back.”
Torque gives me a two finger salute. I smirk as he turns, walking off leaving me with Mylee. Mylee looks to me gnawing on her bottom lip like she’s worried.
I slump my shoulders with a heavy sigh. “What’s wrong?”
She winces. “Should we not be doing this?”
“Probably not, but I want to take you out. You deserve some freedom, Mylee, and where I’m taking you is safe. Nothing’s going to happen to you. I won’t let it.”
She grips onto my hand. “I know.”
“Good, let’s go.”
Having Mylee holding onto me while riding is exactly as I remember.
Fucking perfect.
She holds on with just the right amount of grip, moving with the bike at the exact right times. She’s made to be an Old Lady, and I swear she’s heading that way. We just need to figure out what the hell is going to happen when shit’s over and done with—with this fucking Everett character—and where Mylee’s going to be based. If I claim her, she’ll have no choice but to stay in Chicago. But I need to talk to Crest about that first. She, by all rights, is Notorious Knights’ property. She belongs to their club, not Defiance, so me claiming her is a big fucking deal.
She can’t swap clubs without permission.
I know that.
There’s a process.
It needs to be done right.
And if I’m going to do this, I need to make sure I do it the right way. But I have time, time to think this through, time to make a plan. Time to grow a set of balls and talk to Crest because taking his daughter from him is fucking massive.
I pull into the parking lot of Garfield Park Conservatory. Basically, it’s a massive greenhouse filled with exotic plants and shit. Not a normal place for a biker to hang out, but I know Mylee will love looking at all the unique crap. Plus, it’s a place full of people, usually school kids on excursions. So in my mind you can’t get much fucking safer than this, right?
Bringing my bike to a halt, I kick out the stand, the loud rumble vibrating to a stop as I switch off the engine. The buzz from the ride waning as Mylee slowly releases her grip and slides off the back of the bike. I grab my helmet, yanking it off as she stands up tall pulling hers off. Her hair is swaying from side to side like something from a Hollywood movie as she places the helmet on the back of my seat as I stand up. We attach the helmets to the bike securely as she looks over to the large building letting out a small huff. I can’t tell whether it’s a shocked huff or a disappointed huff. So I turn to face her to see a smile broaden on her face, and I’m instantly relieved as her eyes twinkle.
“Never thought I’d see the day you’d come to a place like this, Trax.”
I raise my brow. “Well, I’m just shit full of surprises, baby.”
I reach out pulling her to me making her let out a small squeal, and then she giggles. We start to walk toward the entrance. I can’t help but notice the teacher from the school tour that pulled up at the same time as us staring us down like we’re some thug lowlifes threatening to tear their world apart.
Who the fuck cares what they think. So we walk straight past them, the kids staring at my club cut in awe as I wink to them, the teacher gasping while we continue to step up to the entrance. I waste no time heading inside. There’s no admission fee, but you can make a donation, so I walk up handing over a fifty.
Mylee’s eyes light up as I grab her hand and we walk through the lobby. It smells fresh, like a rain forest, and we haven’t even gotten inside yet.
“Trax,” Mylee murmurs.
“Yeah,” I ask stopping at the door.
“Thanks for this.”
We step over to the door, and I push on it, the temperature difference in the room hits me first as we step inside to see a giant room decked out like a palm paradise. The massive room has a glass roof, the heated temperature mixed with the mass of palm trees makes it look like something from Jurassic Park. I glance to Mylee, the sheer look of awe on her face makes coming here worthwhile. Her bright green eyes sparkle with such luminous intensity as her mouth drops open taking in t
he magical sight in front of us. Watching her is far more impressive to me than looking at the scenery.
Her eyes dart all over the place taking everything in as her lips turn upward, making her dimples sink in further. Her perfect teeth glisten making her glow like a ray of fucking sunshine.
“Oh. My. God… Trax, this place is amazing.”
She turns to look at me like a giddy little teenage girl. I knew she needed something to make her smile. She needed something to get her out of the clubhouse, so coming here seemed like the right thing to do. I reach down grabbing her hand threading our fingers together as I start to walk us along further into the palm jungle. Her free hand stretches out wafting over the palm fronds jutting out from the path as she shakes her head in disbelief.
I love seeing her like this.
So happy.
So carefree.
It eases the tension about what’s happening in our lives. Sure, right now everything’s going okay, but eventually, something’s going to shift, something will happen. News of Everett will change the mood, and his efforts to find her will increase. Or something will be done about him, and Crest will want her to go back home. Eventually, this happy bubble we’re living in will come to a screeching halt.
Then what?
She leaves, and I go back to being that guy? That broken shell ready to take my vengeance out on the world and anyone in my fucking way. Hell, that guy even fucked me off. I like this Trax version better. I’m calmer around Mylee. I don’t know how, but she soothes me as much as I soothe her.
We make our way through to the Fern Room. Mylee’s eyes light up again as the sound of a waterfall trickles in the distance, and she tightens her hand in mine as her eyes widen in awe. “Trax, you’ve outdone yourself, bringing me here… this gives you big bonus points.”
I let out a small chuckle. “That’s the plan, to woo you with my suaveness, so then you’ll suck me off later,” I tease making her laugh.
Mylee slaps my chest with a roll of her eyes. “Trax, remember there’s kids,” she chides.
I smirk turning back to Mylee pulling her to me, leaning in I kiss her temple. “I still want a blow job when we get back, though.”
