Hiding in Plain Sight

by Hornbuckle, J. A.

  "Reese isn't here?" Trey asked, removing his gloves as his eyes moved over the huge room.

  "Upstairs. She said she had things to do, and I would prefer her not to hear our conversation," Brand replied, going to the coffee maker and raising the half-full carafe in question. He tried to control his temper as the other man's eyes lifted to the staircase. Trey showed just a little too much interest in his new wife.

  "I put the feelers out this morning, and my contact who has an 'in' with the Milosevic's said that things in East Texas have heated up regarding that missing girl. Deschames is foaming at the mouth at how she can't seem to be captured and returned in spite of the fifty large he's offering," Trey said, seating himself at the dining room table as Brand handed him the mug.

  "How is he foaming at the mouth?" Brand asked, taking the chair directly across from his visitor.

  "I heard that he thinks her family is hiding her. Been trying to put the fear of god into them. The mother took off without a trace a couple of nights ago. In order to ensure he hadn't been screwed out of the money he paid to have his little bride, Deschames had his men offer the dad a little additional persuasion," the older man drawled as he sipped.

  "Persuasion?"

  "Looks like Daddy-dearest will be breathing out of a tube for a while. Set quite an example for his sons. All but one took off just like the mom did, scattering to parts unknown," Trey replied and while his face held a crooked grin, his eyes were cold. "How're you set for protection?"

  "The house and lands have both alarms and eyes," Brand replied, his mind moving fast as he absorbed this new info. "I have sufficient guns and ammo for the four out front, but I would rather not get into a pissing contest with Laza or his men."

  Trey nodded and seemed to study the other man. "Was the marriage for real or to keep Deschames out of her pants?"

  Brand stared at the man and raised an eyebrow.

  "From the lip-lock I spied when you first pulled in last night, I would've said real. But when you two left, it looked like she didn't want anything to do with you," Trey explained with a chin lift. "I need to know what's going on so we can figure out how to end the stand- off, you dig?"

  Brand nodded. "The girls at the club decided to enlighten my bride on some of my previous activities."

  Trey burst out laughing, chin to ceiling. "And it pissed your girl off, right?"

  Grinning abashedly, Brand nodded again.

  "Yep, nothing like a sweet bitch knowing about the pussy you've fucked before they get their pretty panties in a bunch! Jesus, but those women like to stir shit up," Trey shook his head. "Did she yell? Cuss you out?"

  "According to her I am a dirty biker, man-slut," Brand chuckled.

  Trey laughed again only louder this time. "That's one I haven't heard before."

  Brand shrugged and tried to hide his grin behind his cup.

  The quiet that settled around them was easy silence as both of them thought about what the other had said.

  "Does Deschames know you're married?" Trey asked.

  "Not to my knowledge." It hadn't even occurred to Brand to get the word out besides through Reese's mother, perhaps thinking they would somehow uncover it in an internet search. If he was keeping a bead on someone, he would be using every method available. But the Milosevics depended on others for information, not technology. Which was why Niko was so successful at obtaining intel and dissimulating it as needed without anyone being the wiser.

  "I'm thinkin' that by getting the word out, we change the rules of the game. Sure, it's going to ram a hot poker up Deschames tired ass, but it might force Laza out of the picture. The way I heard it, he was all for getting back the intended bride. So if said bride is no longer for Deschames, Laza might back his ass up." Brand had to admit Trey's reasoning was sound.

  "And, should Laza decide that he needs to even the score, his men will come at me directly," Brand continued the thought.

  "Better a direct assault instead of all this fuckin' pussy-footing around,” Trey said with a nod. "And, should the attack be direct, I can pull Zip and Big Duke into gettin' the club involved."

  There was wisdom in Trey's words, Brand decided.

  "I'll take care of that when I leave," Trey promised. "Now, the other thing we gotta get through is this thing on Sunday."

  The guns. Brand stood up and went to the coffee maker. They'd drunk the last of it, and he silently asked Trey if he wanted more. At the man's negative headshake, Brand grabbed a couple of bottles of water and brought them to the table.

  "What I say next has to stay right here at this table," Trey began and tapped a finger on the thick wood. "I've been working long and hard to get the club outta this illegal shit. It took a long time and a lot of fuckin' work to get the construction shit going enough to make the club some money. We got rid of the drugs and the girls, but Big Duke likes the easy cash of gun-running. I don't. It puts all of us at risk, including the families."

  Brand kept a tight rein on his facial expressionsm but he was shocked to his core. This wasn't anything he'd known. In fact, he'd been sure that the Hellions were still involved in a lot of illegal endeavors outside of just the resale of guns with their serial numbers filed off.

  "So, at the first sign of trouble, you gotta bail, Brand," Trey advised. "You've got a life that includes a new wife that you gotta protect even if that means you take off when things get dicey, understand?"

  Brand frowned, unsure if he was being set up. Had his cover been blown somehow?

  "I'm telling all the guys with wives or families the same. Get yourself out at the first hint of trouble," Trey went on. "It's not common knowledge yet, but Big Duke was just diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. It's a death sentence, brother, and one I wouldn't wish on anybody. That means I'm next in line, after Fats, to lead the club. If it wasn't for Fats, Zip and Brisk, I'd take the gavel this afternoon, but those guys are from the old guard. We'd still have an internal war on our hands regarding Sunday."

  Shit! This was huge and not something Brand could keep to himself. He was going to have contact Harvey, the fat pencil-pusher who didn't know his ass from a hole in the ground in the field.

  "And, if there is a struggle for power, I need to know you're on my side, Brand."

  Okay, that was the point of the conversation. Trey wanted Brand's backing in order to further Trey's plans in taking control of the HMC. This was going to change Sunday from a simple takedown to a whole different scene.

  Brand felt he had no choice but to agree. "Yes, I will stand behind you and will see myself safe if there are problems on Sunday."

  Trey gave the table another rap as he said, "Good."

  "Hey, Brand?" Reese called from the top of the stairs. "Okay to come down and start on lunch?"

  "Yes, my love," he said and saw Trey's head turn towards the stairs, the sharp burn of jealousy hitting him again. Undercover or not, he was going to have to do something about the interest Trey showed in his beautiful wife.

  Chapter Twenty Six

  We saw Trey off, standing together on the porch, Brand standing behind me with both arms wrapped over my shoulders. Even with the plume of dust that took a long time to settle at his leaving, I liked standing in the shade, seeing the army of trees that lined each side of the driveway and the feel of my man behind me.

  That was until he quickly pulled me inside and almost yanked me up the stairs as he jogged up each tread. "Faster, wife!" he called over his shoulder, dragging me to the bedroom door, quickly unlocking it and going to the computer monitors. He quickly brought everything up, and I saw different views of our house on the three screens.

  I watched as Trey turned left and pulled right next to the navy sedan before leaning towards the car. I could see his mouth moving and one man's reaction to his words. Then the man pulled his head back and glared at the house which I knew he couldn't see because of the trees.

  The motorcycle made a u-turn and went to a gold car which, because of the angle, was harder to watch the occupants
but as Trey rode off, he lifted a fist and opened then closed that fist as if signaling.

  "What was that about?" I asked aloud, not expecting an answer.

  "Trey told Laza's men that we are married," Brand replied, switching the view so one monitor held six views of our property. "I need to make some calls, my Reese," he explained as he reached to bring me close to where he sat in the large rolling chair. His forehead pressed into my stomach and I found my hands roaming over his back as his did the same only over my ass.

  "I love the feel of you beneath my hands," he murmured against my sweater, which made me smile.

  "We need to talk, baby," I advised, no longer willing to be put off.

  "About?" He lifted his head to look at me. I disengaged and moved to the guest chair, dragging it from the corner to sit next to him.

  "I called my mom before. Just like you asked," I started. There was a shake in my voice, and I could feel a light sheen of sweat begin at my hairline. "She said Louie's guys had been visiting. When I told her we got married, she got scared. Brand, she was terrified."

  He again caught my hand and started rubbing a thumb over my knuckles, which I took as a clue to continue.

  "I, ah… I told her where my brother, Tim's stash of cash was and told her to take some of it. Just $200 so she could get away from Louie and my dad." I still wasn't sure if that was the right thing to do. All I knew is that I needed my mom out of that house and safe.

  "Where did she go?" His eyes were on me, serious and weighty.

  "Uhm… I told her to get to Casper and then call me. In the meantime, I called Atin and asked if he and Vana could take her in." I swallowed, knowing that I'd overstepped my bounds by asking his family to help me and my mom without talking it through first with Brand. But I didn't know anyone else that would or could help.

  "And, of course, they said yes," he murmured, his face gentle.

  "Yes. Yes, they did." And I felt such gratitude in just retelling it. "Is that okay? I mean I know they're your family and all… "

  "My lovely, they are your family, too. You have every right to ask for help, and I think, from what you've told me, your mother and Vana would be good together."

  "Thanks, Brand. But I need to repay them. Could we go to town so I can do Western Union or something in order to pay them for her room and board as well as their trip to Casper?" I knew it was asking a lot, but it couldn't be helped.

  He turned back to the computer and with a few keystrokes, accessed his banking system. "How much, my wife? $500? $1,000?

  "Erm… a thousand? I don't know how long she will be there," I said on a dry gulp. "I'll pay you back with the cash I have in my backpack."

  He shot me a look that was both harsh and loving at the same time.

  A couple of key clicks later and he turned back to me with a smile.

  Whew! I had been so afraid to tell him But like always, Brand was understanding and gave me the confidence in my decision to see my mother safe.

  He leaned forward and I got a soft kiss and a cheek stroke before I heard him speak again after logging out of his banking screen. "I, too, have news about your family," he said, watching me carefully.

  I felt my frown with a head tilt as I wondered what he knew that I didn't.

  "After your mother left, Deschames had men again visit your father regarding your whereabouts," he said slowly. "Your father is in the hospital and in very bad shape."

  Why was I not surprised? My daddy was a blow-hard, always screaming for respect when he never gave an ounce of the same to anyone else.

  "Your brothers, all except for one, are missing much like your mother."

  And, I could bet the one that stayed behind was Clay, the oldest and as much of a loud-mouthed ass as my dad. For Clay, no one and nobody was going to 'get one over on him' even though he was dumber than a shoelace and just about as useful when you had a pair. Well, good luck to the others, was all I could say. As far as I was concerned, there were only three people in my family now. My mom, Brand and me.

  Wait! What?

  Brand was temporary. He wasn't my forever. Just someone that was getting me out of a fix.

  Wasn't he?

  As I let my eyes roam over his face, that strong face lit by his light green-yellow eyes, I felt something inside me soften and heat.

  No.

  I couldn't afford to love him. Didn't want to love him. God, I couldn't help but love him.

  No, absolutely not.

  Brand wasn't…

  But what if he was?

  Oh, I didn't like this at all. This was the exact opposite of what I needed right now.

  You could be happy with him. You already are happy just being around him.

  No, no and no!

  Shit!

  I stood up suddenly, startling both of us. "Got shit to do," I mumbled, turning to move the chair back, the legs squeaking against the hardwood of the floor. He caught my hand as I moved quickly to get away from him and the hope of the life he provided. There was more dream than reality in how we fit together, and it wasn't a pattern I'd ever known or planned on.

  He brought my palm to his lips as his eyes met mine. "We will go get your mother early next week," he announced, my heart taking another hit at the warmth of his tone and the feel of his mouth on me.

  It was gonna be so hard to let this beautiful man go.

  But I didn't have a choice.

  I had to leave as soon as it was safe to get rid of the 'we' in his last statement.

  *.*.*.*.*

  She loved him. Of that he was sure.

  Loved him as much as he did her. But she was unwilling to admit it. For the moment, he would give her time. Time hadn't been a consideration in what they had built in the few days they'd been together. If it was what she needed, though, he would give her all the time she needed to recognize the love between them.

  He texted the same message to both Niko and Atin, 'Need conf call or skype w/ new N-fo.'

  'Skype n 2 hrs,' came from Niko almost immediately.

  "NEtime, am open. Luv ur mother-in-law,' shot back from Atin, making Brand smile.

  He knew he needed to get in touch with Harvey, though he was having a hard time deciding how advising his direct report to the ATF would help. It was protocol and standard operating procedure so he didn't really have a choice.

  There was a thump from downstairs and Brand recognized it as the dryer door. In the last portion of their play from last night, he'd used baby oil and the noises she'd made at the slippery moves of their bodies had him hard with only the remembrance. But she was obviously washing the sheets after having pulled the linen closet apart and putting it back together in the 'Reese' way as he'd come to call her method of organization. It was well thought out and made things easy to find, but he still had to laugh at his little spit-fire's way of controlling her environs.

  'Mtg. @ back fence. 5pm,' he texted to Harvey, wanting to gag. It was only going to be a 'head's up' kind of meeting, just to advise of his situation. But he hated to do it even knowing the man didn't have either the balls or the experience on bumping the Intel up the chain of command. No knowledge was better than inexperience in Brand's book.

  As usual, there was no response from his ATF contact.

  He had shut down the computer and monitors before he heard Reese knock on the doorjamb. Swiveling his chair, he took in his new wife, the sight of her sending his heart into a singing overdrive just in looking at her.

  "Here's the $1,000 for my mom," she said, shoving a stack of bills at him.

  He made a point of looking in her eyes before glancing at the money. Without thinking, his hands were up by his shoulders, palms out. "She is a part of our family. I do not get repaid for taking care of my family," he said, enunciating his words very carefully and with meaning.

  "But…" his wife started, a pink-tinged flush blooming over her cheeks.

  "No, my love. What is mine I take care of. You and your mother are mine," he said firmly, pushing back his ch
air and standing.

  He stepped to the door and gathered his beauty, what was becoming his life, in his arms as she almost collapsed against him.

  "Oh, Brand," her voice was a soft wail as she pressed against him. He could feel the sharp edge of the stack of money against his back.

  "I love you, my Reese," he murmured against her hair, determined to make her see that what was between them wasn't the for-the-moment thing she'd thought it was.

  She needed to realize that what they had together was for always.

  *.*.*.*.*

  "Your daughter? She is happy," Vana said from the butcher block on the side counter, using her good knife to chop the rest of the remaining vegetables. She shot her eyes to Reese's mother standing at the stove. A woman whose daughter was the mirror image of her, only a few years behind in her youthfulness.

  But where Reese was brave, bold and smiling, her mother was hesitant, unsure and very quiet in both voice and movement. Vana had loved her on sight.

  "You know her husband?" came the soft question, mixing with the clouds of steam from the pan being stirred.

  "Yes. He is very good man," Vana avowed. She wished she knew English well enough to convey all that she knew of Brandimir and how Reese fulfilled him. If she'd known the words, she could have told her of his loyalty, the softness within his circle of protection and how the two of them fit together so well it made your heart believe in heaven.

  All she could do, though, was step to Ronnie—as Reese's mother called herself—and snaked an arm around her waist. "When come to Reese, our Brandimir best. Yes?"

  There was a shadow of a smile on the older woman's face when Vana pulled away.

  "I always knowed my Reese was gonna be happy," Vana heard the older woman say.

  "For daughters, we all want," Vana replied, unconsciously rubbing her tiny rounded stomach.

  Ronnie tilted her head to touch Vana's shoulder, so much like her daughter it brought a lump to Vana's throat.

  "Yeah," was said on a sigh. "That's what we all want for our daughters."

  *.*.*.*.*