“You can ask The Judge about it,” he replied, nodding toward the folder. “When you give him this and the cash. Which reminds me.” He walked to the safe and opened it up. “The money is in here,” he said, holding up a large padded envelope. “Ten thousand dollars. Make sure he gets all of that or we’re fucked.”
Tank whistled. “You sure you don’t want me to take care of Breaker? I’ll do it for half.”
“Sorry, but we just can’t risk it.”
Tank frowned but didn’t say anything.
“Ten thousand, huh?” I said, as he handed the package to me. “So, does he know about me?”
“Yep.”
That knowledge kind of pissed me off. “He knows about me. So, why don’t I know about him?”
“I made a promise to your mother. Hell, she pretty much begged me not to say anything to you. She wanted to wait until the right time to tell you herself.”
“And when would that be?” I mumbled. “On her deathbed? I don’t have any contact with her as it is. Fuck, I don’t even know where she is.”
“She’s in town, actually,” he said.
I didn’t say anything for a while. The bitterness I felt for Mavis abandoning me still gnawed at me at times. I didn’t even want to hear any more about her. “How come Jordan’s never tried getting in touch?” I asked, changing the subject to him.
Slammer took a few seconds to answer. “Let’s just say that I don’t think Acid was an easy man to live with and now Jordan doesn’t have much empathy for family, and from what I can tell, he’s a cold sonofabitch himself. He even refused to meet your mother.”
“From what I’ve heard, he’s a loner,” said Tank. “In fact, I heard that he hates people. All people.”
“Maybe not. Maybe so. Whatever the case may be, he is a mercenary and having friends and family would be more of a liability.”
“Yeah, I get it. So, who all knows about him?” I asked, wondering where the leak was coming from.
“Up until a few weeks ago, only your mother and I knew who The Judge really was. But, then she showed up here, asking me to set up a meeting between the two of them. To be honest, I think she wanted to have him do a job for her. Anyway, when he said ‘no’, she got drunk and whined about it to a couple of our brothers. Later that night, they approached me about it, and I had to come clean. I told them to keep their fucking mouths shut, though. Obviously one of them didn’t. Horse. Well, he told Chopper, and Chopper told Buck, and you get the idea… Anyway, the last I checked, everyone but you two knew about it.”
“Fuck,” said Tank, shaking his head. “That got out of hand pretty quickly. And why the fuck didn’t you tell me? I’m your second-in-command. Not to mention your son.”
“I just did.”
Tank snorted. “Still, it’s easy to see how Mud learned about it. I doubt there’s a fucking conspiracy.”
“They all gave me their solemn word that nobody else would find out about it. Nobody. And that they’d keep their fucking mouths shut,” said Slammer.
“They probably told their Old Ladies, and that’s how it leaked,” I said. “You know most of them are always running their mouths about this thing or that.”
“Exactly and that’s why I warned them about keeping it quiet. From what I gathered, none of the Old Ladies know about it, either.”
“Still, I don’t know,” said Tank. “They may have promised, but shit happens. People get drunk and talk shit. Do we have a traitor in our group? I don’t know. More than likely, it’s just a couple of guys who can’t hold their liquor. Don’t get me wrong, I’d kick their ass if I found out who leaked it.”
Slammer sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I know. It’s why nobody else is going to learn about the hit on Breaker. Nobody. Got it?”
“Of course,” I said.
Tank nodded.
“When did Mavis find out about The Judge?” I asked.
Slammer frowned. “Well, to tell you the truth, I fucked that up myself a couple of years ago. She was over at the house and we were sharing a bottle of Cuervo Gold. We started talking about you and then Jordan and Acid. Said she didn’t even know if Jordan was alive, since he’d basically disappeared off of the face of the earth. That’s when I told her.”
“Mavis was over at our house?” asked Tank. He looked at me to see my reaction. “Thought she was the one who’d disappeared off the face of the earth.”
“No, shit,” I said.
“I know. I know.” Slammer rocked back on his chair. “Look, there’s something I never told you, but Mavis dropped by quite a bit, asking about you.”
“I didn’t know that. Funny, she could have just come to me directly,” I said dryly.
“She was scared and confused.” He sighed. “I hate to say this but with all of the beatings your mother took over the years, she’s not the same person I once knew. I mean, she always had a drinking problem and hung out with some real assholes, but now… let’s just say that she’s not all there. Not mentally.”
I gave him a disgusted look. “I wouldn’t know the real Mavis. She kept her distance from me, even when I was a kid,” I muttered, thinking back to my childhood. The fighting. The drinking. Even the drugs. The closest thing I had to a real home was living with Slammer and Tank. I certainly wasn’t going to hold a grudge against him because he never said anything. He had his reasons.
I sighed. “So, where is she living now?”
“I guess she’s been staying with a girlfriend.”
“And she wants to hire ‘The Judge’ for a hit?”
“That’s what I’m guessing,” said Slammer.
“You know who?” I asked.
“Not too sure. You hear from Butch lately?” he asked, smirking. “That would be my first guess.”
My old man, Butch, was in prison for drug smuggling. “Nope. Just that time two years ago when he asked me for some money. Said I owed him because he gave me life.”
Tank grunted. “What a fucking prick. You didn’t give him any, did you?”
I shook my head and smiled. “I gave him what I felt he deserved. My middle finger.”
Slammer’s cell phone went off. He picked it up and looked at the screen. “It’s Frannie. I need to take this call.”
“So, how do I reach Jordan?” I asked.
“He’ll contact you. I gave him your number. And, for fuck’s sake, don’t call him Jordan. Call him Judge. Hey, darlin’,” he said, answering the phone. I had to smile when I noticed his voice rise to a higher tone.
Tank nodded toward me and we got up and left the office.
“Remember what I said about keeping your mouths shut!” hollered Slammer as we walked down the hallway. “And don’t miss church!”
“You want me to head out with you?” asked Tank, as we stepped back into the bar. “Make sure that money stays safe.”
I patted the envelope. “It’s safe with me. Besides, didn’t you want a piece of Misty?” I asked, nodding toward the bartender, who was waiting on a couple of regulars.
“Fuck no. You heard what the old man said. I’m not going near that shit. Not after Breaker infected it.” He sighed. “In fact, I’m going to call Krystal. Make sure it’s still on for tonight. You still want to go and hunt that fucker down, don’t you?”
“Jason? Yeah. He needs some guidance counseling.”
Tank grunted. “No shit.”
“I’ll meet you at the clubhouse,” I said, walking toward the doorway with the file. “I’ve got a couple of errands to run, first.”
“Okay, brother.”
Chapter Eighteen
When I finished putting my makeup on, I slipped on a pair of black pumps and a lightweight overcoat. Then I locked the house up and walked over to the garage where my Verano was parked. When I started the engine, I noticed I was getting low on fuel, so on the way to Dazzle, I stopped at a fuel station. I’d just started pumping gas when I noticed that a big, black truck had pulled up behind my car. Ignoring it, I continued
filling my car with gasoline.
The person in the truck got out and I heard footsteps come up behind me. “Darlin’, I thought that was you,” said a gravelly voice.
I turned around to find myself looking up into the cold, flat eyes of the biker who’d been harassing me at Griffin’s. Breaker. I tried to remain calm.
“Sorry?” I said, pretending I didn’t know him. The guy was even scarier in the daylight, the scar on his face standing out like a warning sign. Something told me that he’d probably deserved it.
“You’re the hot little number from Griffin’s last night. You must remember me, darlin’.”
My heart was pounding as I pulled the nozzle out of the car and shoved it back into the machine. I’d barely filled my tank, but I wanted to leave as quickly as possible. Knowing that he’d gone to prison for rape was terrifying. Especially since he was obviously still interested in me. “Sorry. You must have me confused with someone else,” I answered, laughing nervously. “I get that all the time.”
He smirked. “I don’t think so.”
Ignoring him, I pulled out my receipt and tried getting into my car.
“You know, I’d never forget a face like yours,” he said, blocking my way.
“Excuse me. You’re in my way.”
His eyes went to my necklace. “Fuck me, is that a real sapphire?”
I put my hand over the stone. “No. Of course not. It’s costume jewelry. Now, if you’d please get out of my way, I really have to be somewhere.”
“Are you okay, honey?” asked a little old lady, pumping gas across from me.
“Mind your own business, grandma,” said Breaker, stepping out of my way.
The woman quickly turned away and continued pumping.
“Nosy old bitch,” he muttered and then turned back to me. “You meeting up with Raptor?”
I ignored him.
He chuckled. “You look like you’re going on a date. He’s not going to be happy knowing that you’re seeing someone on the side.”
I was about to tell him that I wasn’t seeing anyone, including Raptor, but caught myself. That would have been asking for more trouble. I forced a grin. “For your information, I’m going to work but I will be seeing him later.”
He grinned slyly. “Work, huh? Where you work, darlin’?”
I couldn’t help it. I was tired of his questions. “It’s none of your business,” I said, slamming the door shut. I quickly started the engine and locked all four doors. As I backed away, I noticed that he was laughing.
“Asshole,” I mumbled, turning the car around. I drove out of the parking lot and headed down the road, still shaken. The light ahead turned red and I slowed down to a stop. As I waited for it to change, someone revved their engine behind me. I looked into my rearview mirror and my blood ran cold. Breaker was behind me, in the truck, and only inches from my bumper.
I swore under my breath, hoping that he wasn’t following me and just heading north. But, common sense told me that was not the case.
When the light finally changed, I began to drive forward, but didn’t head toward Dazzle, which was only a few blocks away. The last thing I needed was for him to learn where I worked. Instead, I continued forward, not exactly sure where I was headed. Frustratingly enough, he stayed behind me for the next five lights.
Shit, he must really be following me, I thought, deciding to take a right at the next light. As I put my blinker on and changed lanes, I noticed he did the same. We both turned on the green arrow, and I looked back at him in my rearview mirror. I couldn’t see his face because the windows were tinted, but something told me he was enjoying this. Tightening my hands on the wheel, I sped up and took the next exit, this time turning left. He quickly followed.
“Dammit,” I snapped, my heart racing. I reached into my purse, which was sitting next to me on the seat, and grabbed my cell phone. Trying not to get into an accident, I quickly dialed Trevor.
“Hey, Kitten,” he answered, a smile in his voice. “I didn’t expect to hear from you until later.”
“Breaker is following me,” I said quickly.
He swore. “Talk to me.”
I told him about seeing Breaker at the gas station and how he’d tried talking to me. “Now he’s on my tail.”
“I’m going to kill that fucking asshole myself. Swear to God,” he growled. “Okay. Where are you?
I gave him my approximate location. “Should I drive to the nearest police station?” I asked, still seeing Breaker’s truck in my mirror.
“He’ll just drive away if you do that.”
“Isn’t that the point?” I exclaimed loudly.
“I want to confront the fucker. Let him know that nobody follows my girl.”
I’m not your girl, I thought, although I had to admit that part of me was giddy at the comment. “Seriously, I don’t want to be part of that. I just want him to go away and never see him again.”
“I know, but shitheads like Breaker won’t go away unless someone stands up to them. Look,” he said, “why don’t you head on over to Griffin’s? You’re only ten minutes away. I’m in the parking lot, now. I’ll make sure that pile of shit never bothers you again. You feel me?”
I was feeling more frustrated than anything as I stopped at another light. This time, however, Breaker got into the right turning lane. “Wait a second,” I said, looking over at his truck. “He’s turning away. Thank God.”
Breaker rolled down his window and the menacing smile on his face gave me the chills. He blew me a kiss and then drove away, his tires squealing as he whipped around the corner.
“Asshole,” I mumbled, sighing in relief.
“What’s going on?”
“He’s gone.”
“Good. Now, meet me at Griffin’s. I’ll take you to lunch.”
Yuck, like I’d ever eat there.
“I can’t. My mom’s expecting me at the store. I’m surprised she hasn’t called me yet, complaining.”
He was quiet for a while, obviously mulling things over. “Okay. You get your ass at work and don’t worry your pretty little head about this jerkoff.”
“Thanks,” I said. “He scared the crap out of me.”
“Don’t let him, Kitten. In fact, he won’t be bothering anyone soon.”
“Oh yeah? Why?”
“I can’t get into it. Just, go to work and I’ll see you later tonight.”
I bit my lower lip. “About that…”
“I’ve gotta go. There’s a call coming in. I might even meet you at Dazzle, later.” He chuckled. “Surprise your mother.”
“But –”
“Later, babe,” he said and then hung up.
Sighing, I tossed my phone onto the passenger seat and headed to the shop, checking my rearview mirror frequently. I couldn’t believe the last twenty-four hours, I’d had strange encounters with three very different guys. As far as I was concerned, every one of them was a threat. Even Trevor.
Chapter Nineteen
“This Raptor?” asked the voice on the other end.
“Yeah.”
“You’ve got a package for me?”
I glanced at my saddlebag. “I do.”
“Meet me at your house. In twenty minutes,” he said and then hung up.
He knew where I lived. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. Yeah, we were brothers, but he was still The Judge and something told me that blood meant nothing to him, unless he was getting paid to spill it.
Sighing, I got on my bike and tied a red and white bandana around my head. Then I headed home.
***
“Oh good. You’re here,” said my mother, as I stepped into the busy shop. She was showing a young couple some diamond engagement rings. “I sent Gerald home already. Could you help Mrs. Jacobs clean her jewelry?” She nodded toward the back of the shop where and elderly woman was waiting. “Tim and I are both just too busy at the moment.”
I looked across the room at Tim, who many said looked like Zac Efron’s twin broth
er. He was surrounded by three teenaged girls who appeared to be interested in both the charm bracelets and the young guy behind the counter.
“Sure. No problem.”
“Hi, Adriana,” said Tim as I walked by him. He looked at me over his shoulder and gave me dimpled smile.
“Hi, Tim.”
“You look lovely today. Hey,” he squinted. “Is that a new necklace? It’s gorgeous.”
“It’s not new. By the way, you’re looking pretty swanky yourself. Tell whoever’s dressing you that they have amazing taste.”
He winked. “I certainly will.” As usual, he was dressed to the nines in a black tailored suit. His boyfriend, Juan, worked at Macy’s, and had excellent taste in fashion. From what I understood, he selected all of Tim’s clothes and wouldn’t let him step out of the house without approving his clothing choices.
I hung up my coat on the hook behind the counter, and began helping Mrs. Jacobs. When her jewelry was cleaned, she asked to look at some earrings that were in the case.
“These are so lovely,” she said, trying on a set of pearl ones. “I keep looking at them every time I visit your shop.” She sighed. “I should just get them.”
“I would. They’re beautiful, and they’re not lab-created,” I told her. “Hence the price. You’re going to pay for quality and Vanda goes to great lengths to make sure we sell the finest pearl earrings in Iowa.”
“Yes, I believe it. I do know that you get what you pay for, too. I’ve learned that over the years.”
I nodded.
“The price is reasonable. I keep waiting for them to go down, though.”
“We had a sale last week,” I whispered, leaning forward. “Twenty percent off. If you want the earrings, I’ll do what I can to get you that same deal. I know the owner and I’m pretty sure she’ll okay it.”
She smiled. “If you can do that, I’ll take them, for sure.”
I winked. “Let’s wrap them up so you can take them home.”
“Thank you, Adriana. I’m going to tell your boss that you’re a ‘keeper’.”
Taming The Biker (MC Biker / Bad Boy Romance) Page 24
