Center of Gravity (Marauders Book 3)

by Lina Andersson

  “No,” Mitch answered. “None of them, and they’ve had their guys double-check. I’ve checked the ones that don’t have good enough tech guys.”

  “I didn’t expect him to mess around with anyone else, either,” Brick said. “I know what you said about Hump not knowing enough about computers, but he doesn’t have to be alone in this. He must’ve gotten help. Do we know what his accounts looked like and how much he might’ve had left?”

  “We emptied them,” Mitch answered. “We went through all of it, and even found an offshore account, but I’m not saying we can’t have missed something. And if he’s got a hacker friend, he could be making money now.”

  “Wouldn’t he need medical help?” Sisco asked. “We chopped off his hand.”

  “Not necessarily,” Bull said. “People survived that shit during the Middle Ages, so there’s not much needed once the bleeding stops as long as he didn’t get an infection or some shit like that. Has anyone called Russ on this?”

  Russ was the Nomad President, and practically a living legend in the Marauders. He’d joined in his early twenties, and he was the only member ever who had started out, and stayed, in the Nomads. He had a base in Vegas, a house he owned with his Old Lady, and she lived there with their four kids. Veronica-Lynn, or Ronnie as everyone called her, was actually Wolf’s niece. Mitch had some vague memories of a bottle blonde who wore an enormous amount of makeup who used to hang at the club when he was younger. He’d never heard the full story about how Russ and Ronnie ended up together, but he had a feeling it was something because Brick’s jaw still tensed up for a second when Russ was mentioned.

  Bull, on the other hand, had always been close to Russ, probably because they were both crazy as fuck.

  “No,” Brick said with a laugh once the tension in his jaw released. “Give him a call, Bull. No fucking idea why we didn’t think about that. We’re obviously too fucking focused on computers and shit when we don’t even think about calling our own damn members. He’s coming to Englewood for the meet there. Give him a call now, and he might have some news for us next weekend.”

  The rest of church was mostly practical stuff. Mitch was meeting up with Sisco once the meeting was over, and they were going to work on the finances, but he took a beer by the bar with Brick and Bear while he was waiting for Sisco.

  “You know he’s gonna wanna come here,” Bear chuckled.

  “Yeah, I know,” Brick said.

  “It’s been over a decade, might be time to let that shit go.”

  “I have. Just… fucking hell! She was Wolf’s niece and he nailed her in secret for five years.”

  “On the bright side,” Bear said with a smile. “His visits don’t empty the clubhouse of strippers anymore.”

  “What? Russ used to empty the clubhouse?”

  “He’s got some… preferences… tended to bruise them up a little. Not too bad, but you know how strippers are about bruises.”

  Most of the girls didn’t mind some kink, some spanking, or even being tied up, but the strippers didn’t like getting bruised. Bruises usually meant they lost money. It was a huge turn-off for most guys who visited the strip clubs, so they tended to get a bit pissed if they had handprints all over their ass after a night with a member.

  Mitch noticed Sisco coming out from his room, so apparently he’d had his dick sucked and was ready for some work. Mitch turned to his dad.

  “I’ll see you later.”

  “Sure,” Brick said.

  He was about to ask if it was okay if he came by the next day, but then realized it was just odd. Things might be tense between them, but there was a good chance Brick would get more pissed if he asked. He’d never made sure it was okay that he came by before, so why start now?

  -o0o-

  It was Anna’s birthday, and it had started out at her place, with Irina and Lisa. He’d taken her up to Brick and Mel after they’d had some weird cake that he was suspicious about, since it was named after Pavlov, and he fucking knew who Ivan Pavlov was.

  He and Anna had sort of reached an agreement. He was paying all the bills, he’d insisted on that one, and she was keeping him informed. He got her a maternity pillow for her birthday. It was the most insane thing he’d ever seen, but Vi had said that Anna would need one. The weird-looking pillow was the only reason Vi had able to sleep during the nights when she was alone, and since Anna was going to sleep alone—at least he hoped she was, unless she was with him—she would need the huge pillow.

  Those hours in Irina’s kitchen, when they’d discussed how to deal with her being pregnant, had confirmed that he was still insanely attracted to her, and she to him. He didn’t want to push it, though, because he didn’t want a quick fuck. He wanted all of her and unless he thought he could have that, he’d drop it and go with her insane ‘friends’ idea.

  Bringing Anna to his dad’s place would show him that he’d taken care of business. And if she was gonna have Brick’s grandkid, it was best she got used to him. Mitch wasn’t worried; Brick had a way with younger women, and he’d win her over in no time.

  “Are you sure about this?” Anna asked with a worried expression. “I don’t want them to feel bad. I mean, it’s not like they knew it was my birthday or… you know. And if they ask about us…”

  “Anna, I’ll take care of this. They won’t feel bad, and knowing what Mel, she’s gonna bake you a cake in less than an hour. And it won’t be named after a crazy Russian mind-controlling scientist.”

  “What?” Anna stared at him and then she started to laugh. “It’s not named after Ivan Pavlov! It’s named after Anna Pavlova, a ballerina, and I’m named after her!”

  “Suuure it is,” he muttered as he got out of the truck. “I know women, this is all about ‘conditioning,’ making men do what they want you to. Drooling as soon as you come near us.”

  “You think I’m using the Pavlov technique on you with the help of a meringue and fruit cake?”

  He halted. “Fuck! That was meringue?”

  “Yes,” she smiled. “And you missed it. I’m gonna eat all of it when I go home tonight.”

  “Damn!”

  “And that’s is how you use a Pavlova to train men,” she giggled as they walked up to the door.

  She was right. She totally had him, he was still obsessing about missing that cake because he loved meringue. Next time they put some weird food on the table he’d just eat it.

  “Don’t push it,” he grumbled as he opened the door to the house. “Anyone home?!”

  “Woof,” she said to him.

  He really wanted to just grab her and kiss her, both for the barking referring to Pavlov and for being her usual funny and cute self. Things had been a bit weird and tense between them, but so far that day she’d been like she had been before. But back then he could kiss her. He really missed kissing her whenever he felt like it.

  Mel was the first to come and meet them.

  “Oh, hi!” she said when she saw Anna. “Welcome.”

  “It’s Anna’s birthday. Thought I’d bring her by.”

  “Of course!” Mel smiled and gave Anna a hug. “Happy birthday.”

  “Hey!” his dad yelled as he came down the stairs. “And the ballerina! Good to see you and happy birthday.”

  “Thank you,” Anna mumbled.

  Brick grabbed her and gave her a hug. “Let me know if I need to talk to him again.”

  “No!” Anna exclaimed. “No need at all. It’s all fine. We’re great.”

  “Woof,” Mitch mumbled as he walked past her.

  As suspected, Mel and Eliza immediately started on a cake. A normal, American, chocolate cake. Anna immediately told them about him not eating her cake, because he thought it was named after Ivan Pavlov, which Mel of course found hilarious. They continued to mock him, and he concluded that Anna would fit right into his family.

  They didn’t say anything about Anna being pregnant. He didn’t seem to be able to find the proper opening for it in the middle of all the ‘Mo
cking Mitch,’ and he thought it might be easier for Anna if he told Mel and Eliza when she wasn’t there. Instead they had cake and talked, and if Brick had told Mel about Anna being pregnant, she didn’t mention it either. When it started to get late, he stood up, and Mel walked Anna to the door while Brick stayed behind.

  “I’m just gonna take her home,” Mitch said to his dad. “I’ll be back afterwards to talk to the rest of you about it.”

  “Good,” he nodded.

  He dropped Anna off and then went back to his dad and Mel’s. They were waiting in the kitchen with serious faces.

  “Don’t think for a second I missed that bump,” Mel said and glared at him.

  “I didn’t think you would,” he said as he sat down.

  “Is it yours?” Mel asked. Brick must’ve grimaced or something because her next line wasn’t to Mitch. “What? Do you need me to introduce you to your own son? It’s not such a weird question! I mean she’s nice, but steady relationships are not really Mitch’s thing, and he’s usually pretty up front about that.”

  “It’s mine,” Mitch said, leaving no room for any doubt. “I know it is.”

  He rubbed his face and leaned his elbows on the table with a sigh. It had been a long day. In some ways a really good day, but in others it had been pure hell. He wasn’t used to having to restrain himself around Anna, and he had been forced to restrain himself not to jump her. He honestly hadn’t thought she’d been serious about the ‘friends’ thing, but she obviously was, and he was wondering how the fuck this was going to work if they were going to be ‘friends’ until the kid turned eighteen.

  “So you and her…?” Mel wondered.

  “Friends,” Mitch answered with a dry chuckle.

  “I’d say that’s going well,” Brick laughed.

  “It’s awesome. Now that you know, I’m gonna go home and jerk off and take a cold shower.”

  Now it was Mel who laughed. When he looked at her she tried to hide it by putting her hands over her mouth, but it just made her bright red instead.

  “Why is everyone so fucking amused by this?”

  “It’s just…” Mel started and dried her cheeks. “So not you to pine over someone and… I’m sorry. Mitch, I know you, you’ll figure this out.”

  “Thanks. If you manage to say it without laughing your ass off, I might believe you.”

  Mel got up and walked over to his side of the table. She sat down and put her arms around him, giving him a sweet hug. He still remembered the first time she’d hugged him. She’d been with his dad for maybe six months, and he’d been in a fight at school. Brick’d had a go at him, yelled about him being an idiot, and once he was out of the room, Mel had hugged him and told him that the reason Brick was pissed about him being an idiot was because he knew how smart he could be. He’d realized then that the woman had magic hugs, and fuck it if they still didn’t work. He leaned his head against her and patted her arm.

  “Honey,” she whispered, “this is going to sound a little high school, but she likes you.”

  “She’s scared we’re gonna mess it up and thinks it’s better if we stay friends so we can raise the kid together. “

  Mel laughed again, and she didn’t even try to hide it. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.” She kissed his cheek. “Don’t worry about it. Let her get used to being pregnant and just be there for her. I think you might need some time to get used to the idea, too.”

  “Probably, but I’m looking forward to having a kid.” He looked straight at Brick when he said it. “I am.”

  “I know,” his dad said. “I know you like kids, and I get that this isn’t how you wanted one, but it’s still your kid, and that woman is your kid’s mom.”

  “I’ll take care of her, Dad. We’re figuring this out.”

  “Good, because you need to keep her close, and you need to keep your head clear.”

  “I will.” He would. He had no idea how he’d keep her safe, but he would.

  “Gotta say,” Mel giggled. “Really looking forward to another grandkid!”

  “Yup,” Brick agreed. “If it’s a girl, gonna let her dance ballet?”

  “They have cakes named after ballerinas on their birthdays. I doubt I’ll have anything to say about that.”

  “Smart man,” Mel said and patted his cheek. “Ask your dad, when it comes to girls, you’re just along for the ride.”

  “Think your sister would be a crazy feminist who yells ‘death to the patriarch’ while she beats up her date if she’d listened to me?”

  “She what?” He hadn’t heard about that, but it did sound like something Eliza would do.

  “A boy took things a bit further than she was comfortable with. She beat him up,” Mel explained.

  “Who?”

  “We’ll get to that,” Brick said with a nod, meaning they’d talk about it when Mel wasn’t around.

  “Not strange that she beat him up,” Mitch said with a shrug. “That’s what we taught her.”

  “Oh, it’s not the beating I have a problem with,” Brick smiled. “It’s what she yelled that kind of gets to me.”

  Mitch couldn’t stop laughing, but he was really proud of his baby girl. He’d never admit it to his dad, but Mac and he had probably had something to do with her being very ‘female rights.’ Sure, he liked having willing girls around, but he didn’t want his sister to be one. And if he ever had a daughter, he’d do the same.

  -o0o-

  His frustration around Anna didn’t subside. On the good side, it didn’t get worse, but he wasn’t sure that was even possible, because fucking shit he wanted to touch her. He wanted to stroke her belly, his baby, and he wanted to touch her everywhere else, too. The urge to kiss her was fucking killing him at times. To the point where he was glad to get out of town for the big meeting with the Smiling Ghouls MC in Englewood.

  It didn’t take him long to spot the massive Nomad president, and Russ met them with a big grin.

  “How’s Fertile Myrtle?” Bull asked him with a hug. “Knocked up again?”

  “Nah. I think she’s done,” Russ laughed, and then he turned to Mitch. “Doesn’t feel like all that fucking long ago you had pimples, but I heard you’ve knocked someone up, and that you’re managing to piss off a seasoned ex-member.”

  “Heard anything about Hump?” Brick asked.

  “Let’s get inside. I’ve talked to Chucky, we can use their chapel for a while. Say hello to everyone, and let them get drunk while we talk.”

  Mitch wasn’t really paying attention, but he greeted everyone, managed to have a quick word with Dutch, and then he went to the Chapel to wait for the others. His dad was the next one in, and he sat down next to Mitch.

  “How are you dealing with this?”

  “Honestly, it’s getting frustrating as fuck. I can’t find shit about him, and I’d feel a lot worse about it if it wasn’t for the fact that Mech can’t either. I’ve asked a few of the other clubs’ geeks for help, but he, his old lady, and his daughter are all gone.”

  “That worries me,” Brick mumbled.

  “No fucking shit. No one should be able to disappear that completely, and he definitely shouldn’t be able to. Even if Russ has heard something, it doesn’t mean—”

  “Yeah, take it easy,” Brick said and shook his head. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I’m not worried we won’t find him. Sooner or later we will.”

  “I’m worried what he’ll do before we find him,” Mitch said. “And I’m wondering why he’s waiting.”

  “He’s messing with your head,” Brick said. “Like the hacking, it’s all to fuck with you, and if you don’t keep cool, he’s won. Keep that in mind and stay sharp.”

  At the same time, Russ walked into the Chapel. He sat down and lit a smoke with a smile.

  “I talked to Wolf the other day. He sends his best.”

  “How is he doing?” Mitch asked.

  “Think he’s tired as hell. Ronnie was there last week with all the kids,”
Russ chuckled. Russ and Ronnie had four kids, which was why the other members tended to call Ronnie ‘Fertile Myrtle.’ “He’s putting an ear to the ground regarding Hump, too.”

  “What did you find?” Brick asked.

  “Not much, which hadn’t struck anyone as strange until I started asking questions. The assumption so far has been that Hump got with the rules and didn’t try to contact anyone and even moved out of Emporia. But staying out of touch and disappearing from the face of the earth are two different things.” Russ turned to Mitch. “Is there more to the story?”

  “Like what?” Mitch asked with a laugh. “Like, did I fuck his daughter in the ass?”

  “Would anyone be surprised if you’d done something like that?” Russ said with a crocked smile.

  “Have you seen his daughter?” Mitch asked with a wink. “I wouldn’t fuck her wearing a full rubber suit.”

  “Yeah, I know what you mean,” Russ laughed. “If he was so shit with computers, how did he steal money from us?”

  “He was shit with computers, but great with numbers,” Mitch said.

  “More than one way to skin a cat,” Russ nodded. “I found two leads that could be something. Looks like he’s been in Texas for a while, and there are rumors he made a new friend. Or rather, he sent out his daughter to make a new friend.”

  “So did you find his trail or his daughter’s?” Brick asked.

  “His daughter’s, but I suspect he’s been there, too, because I found his ex-wife,” Russ smiled.

  “What did she say?”

  “Nothin’. I found her behind the tool shed on the farm where I assume he used to live.”

  “Buried?” Mitch guessed.

  “Yup.”

  “What did you do?”

  “Reburied her.” Russ shrugged. “Just wanted to find out if he’d dumped his old lady or his ex-wife.”

  “Jesus.” Brick shook his head. “So he skips town with his old lady and ex-wife, kills the ex-wife and sends his daughter out to find new friends. Why the fuck is the daughter helping him with that?”

  “We don’t really know what order he did those things in,” Mitch pointed out. “He might’ve killed the ex-wife after his daughter had done what he wanted her to do. What friends did he have his daughter make?”