Grey (Storm's Soldiers MC Book 2)

by Notaro, Paige

“I’m standing up for myself right now,” I said, feeling my face rise to a simmer. “I’m choosing to date Vaughn and he’s choosing to be with me.”

  Darryl looked even more disbelieving. He glanced to Vaughn. “So what? You’re reformed or something? You sure don’t sound like it. You disavowed yourself of what you painted on you?”

  “I’m…I’m with your sister,” Vaughn said. Some of the fire had left his voice. “That’s all that matters.”

  “Not to me, it doesn’t,” Darryl said. “I didn’t take care of my girl there all these years just to let some prick abuse her.”

  My mind flashed to the memory of Rico. I thought about bursting the truth out, but it wouldn’t help as much as make both of them feel down.

  “Listen, man,” Vaughn said. “I don’t know what Meagan had planned for this. I got nothing to say to you, but you better know that I would do nothing that doesn’t bring joy into that woman’s world.”

  His hand clapped protectively around mine and I felt his heat burn up into me.

  Darryl nodded thoughtfully. “How exactly does that jive with your little jacket there? With your own ideas?”

  “I’m still working that out,” Vaughn said, voice almost level now. “I’ll send you a postcard once I know.”

  Our scene had settled down enough for our waitress to scuttle on back and take Vaughn’s order for bacon and eggs. The table lay in silence when she left, both men staring past us. I ran circles through my head looking for something to bring conversation back.

  “So Vaughn…” Tara said with a voice like daggers. “What do you do anyway?”

  Vaughn looked at her blankly. “I’m with the Soldiers.”

  Darryl snorted. “That’s it? That’s your whole life?”

  “His brother and dad are in there too,” I jumped in. “That’s why he joined.”

  “I was encouraged to join,” Vaughn said. “But I still made the choice.”

  “Well, ain’t that nice,” Tara said. I threw a look at her, but she just shrugged.

  “It’s a life,” Vaughn went on, his head suddenly dipped a bit. “I’ve been with them four years.”

  “Ah, so you’re a senior then,” Tara said.

  “I’m not leadership or anything, but yeah, I’m pretty high up.” He shrugged. “It’s worth something.”

  “Yeah?” Darryl asked. “You guys think you’re an army or something with that name?”

  “Yes,” Vaughn said square in his face, but then he added. “Some of us think we are.”

  Darryl’s brow finally settled, flipped from anger to curiosity. “And you?”

  “I know my history,” Vaughn said. “We’re no soldiers.”

  Another quiet settled over us, but much calmer. I saw my chance.

  “Vaughn’s really into military history,” I said.

  Vaughn threw a tired glance at me and shrugged. “Yeah if you want to sell it that way, sure.”

  “I’m saying cause Darryl’s ex-army.”

  Vaughn’s eyes lit up. “Oh yeah?”

  Darryl nodded. “I used to be an MP.”

  “Military police.” Vaughn rolled his eyes. “Come on, man, that ain’t the real shit.”

  That stoked Darryl’s fire. “You wanna know real shit? Tell me, what’s harder. Shooting at some camel herder in a desert or trying to take down a 300lb private who’s hopped up on drugs without doing lethal damage.”

  They launched into an argument. The two were squared off against each other, but the anger had been converted into some other energy. It was their mouths at war; their bodies were easier than I had ever seen.

  Vaughn had a surprisingly detailed knowledge of the history of policing in the armed forces and I could see Darryl become more and more thoughtful as they whacked each other’s words around. I could barely follow the lingo, but once Vaughn broke off in a laugh and Darryl smiled and shook his head.

  I squeezed my hands and looked over at Tara in glee. She rolled her eyes, but her smile said something more.

  The food arrived and we all tucked in. In the middle of the meal, Vaughn suddenly looked at Darryl and said. “So was that what happened to your face? Some soldier clocked you?”

  “Maybe he was a soldier, I dunno. I’m out of the army. This was just a match.”

  “Huh?”

  “I fight in the ring once in a while.”

  “Underground?”

  “Yeah.”

  Vaughn’s eyes lit up again, and before long the two were talking UFC. I hadn’t heard this side of him, and after hearing about some of the bone breaks, I was glad. But heck, I could not be happier. Them talking about anything was like a dream come to life.

  I was pretty high sipping on my apple juice and content to watch my two guys, but then my phone buzzed. I recognized the number from before: Rico, again.

  In my bliss, I flipped it open just to see what that bastard could possibly want. He had a simple message.

  I’m tired of saying I’m sorry. Let me make it up. I can get you back into Emory.

  I snapped the phone shut, but even as the meal went on like a charm, even as Vaughn and Darryl tossed a stern nod at each other while we left the diner, my mind had been taken over by a new desire.

  Maybe it was because things had gone so well, that I thought that they could go higher yet. Here was something to take my life from great, to absolutely perfect.

  I can get you back in Emory.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Vaughn

  The sun blared down on the quarry, lighting up the white stone slopes penning me until they were blinding. Even with my shades on I had to keep my eyes on the ground.

  My gaze drifted naturally to my chrome watch. Two thirty. The little hand raced around the edge faster that seemed possible.

  “Where the fuck are these guys?” I asked. The newest additions to the Soldiers, Leonidas, was my backup today. He shrugged his big shaggy head from in front of his bike.

  Fuck, why had Thurge picked today to be busy? He couldn’t peer into the future and see when we might be done, but he might just work up an excuse to have Calix let me go, maybe send me on an errand. My brother stood propped against the car a few feet up, smoking out into the wind. It would be too obvious to ask him direct, and besides, without Thurge, he needed me here.

  Thing was, Meagan needed me around at four to keep an eye out for her too. She was meeting with some ex about some college thing. In her words, she didn’t need me, but she just wanted me to see she was on the level about the whole thing.

  As if I didn’t trust her intentions. As if I didn’t know her enough by now to look into those dark eyes and see them tight with sadness. I didn’t know exactly what had passed between the two, but it wasn’t good.

  My blood boiled at the idea of her alone with him, even in a public place. I needed to be there.

  A whistle rang out in the air above - Asher letting us know the payload was here. I should have been pissed that he gave away a tactical position, but I was too relieved to give a shit.

  The faded sedan rumbled down the winding roads into the pit from another side, kicking up dirt and gravel. It dropped to our level and drove up to us before turning and stopping. The head honcho climbed out from the passenger side and stretched his flabby body. His driver popped out, tense and fixed on us.

  Then, two more guys popped out of the backseats. They had dark oiled skin, tattooed and scarred - real fighters.

  My thoughts scattered. This hadn’t happen before. I landed on my piece but didn’t pull it out. I signaled to Leonidas to hold back. We had Asher. No need to cause incident yet.

  Calix crushed out his cigarette and met the Cartel boss as he strode out in shorts and sandals. He pursed his lips and took a long gander at my brother.

  “We have considered your proposal,” he said finally.

  Calix had shared what this meant. That’s what his little mission had been about – requesting a bigger payout from the Cartel for the increased risk we were taking.


  “Good,” Calix said and nothing more. He knew just how to play this.

  “You are right,” the Mexican said. “You do deserve more money.”

  He ticked his head to the side, and the three aides went around to the trunk and came back with a satchel each. It was three times our usual payment.

  “Fuck yeah,” Leonidas grunted.

  My eyes were on Calix though and he seemed puzzled. A tripling in our pay didn’t seem right to me. I kept my grip tight on my piece as he looked through a bag. His face seized with anger.

  “The fuck is this?” he asked, pulling out a stack of paper that was distinctly blue.

  “Pesos,” the Cartel man said calmly.

  “We can’t use these in America.”

  The man shrugged. “You said you wanted more money, so here you are. More money.”

  Calix looked from bag to bag, but I knew exactly what that shithead Cartel guy had done.

  “This is your usual payment,” the cartel boss said, spreading his arms out, “But now there is more of it.”

  Calix marched up to him, but there were metal clicks and the three lackeys had guns in their hands.

  I pulled out my piece, my heart pounding. I hoped to god that Asher could read the situation right over the radio. Too early and my brother would be the first in line to get shot. Too late, and he’d already be dead.

  “What the fuck is this?” Calix asked, stabbing a finger at the guy’s face.

  “It is what we are offering you.” The Cartel man said, his face losing warmth word by word. “Who do you think has the power here, gringo?”

  “You’re in America, senor. You’d do best to remember that.”

  “I do. The saying here is money talks, yes?” He spat on the rock. “We are the ones with the money. Take what we let you have and go on home, little boy. Hand over your toys and go play with your little bikes. You are dealing with men.”

  He stared down Calix and time slowed to a crawl. Meagan’s face crawled across my mind and kept me from doing anything nuts.

  Calix opened the car trunk and heaved out the parcel of gear. I stayed ready, but he hauled it over and dropped it in the earth. One of the men took it and went back.

  The boss turned around and walked back to the passenger seat. The three men got in, and they drove back up the dusty road, leaving us to our bags of Mexican money.

  I stalked up and pored through a bag. The bills were all crisp, and they smelled real enough, but it would be a fucking pain in the ass to get it converted.

  Calix stood in his spot, smoking another cigarette and looking up the way the Mexicans had left.

  “Should we go after them?” I asked.

  “No. Not now.”

  Asher’s voice crackled through the radio. “I can take out a tire or something.”

  “No.”

  Calix grabbed a sack and tossed it into the car. Leonidas and I followed his prompt. He got in without another word and started back up our side of the road. We were headed home. It had barely been ten minutes. Then again, this was far from over.

  We got back to the bar and Calix went straight for the liquor. I pressed up at his side watching and waiting for orders. He went through two glasses without a word. I tried to stay shut, but the stress ground me down.

  “What’s the plan, hoss?” I asked.

  “There’s not one yet,” Calix said. He glared at me. “I know you got other shit on your mind, so just get out and leave me be.”

  “I’m here for you.”

  “You ain’t. You’re on call, but you’re not here.”

  He signaled for another glass. I watched a bit longer, but he had no more words.

  “Fuck it,” I said. “Fine, then. You sulk. Call me before you do anything.”

  “Yes, sir,” my brother sneered.

  Asher and Leonidas were seated at stools nearby, and I had to see them as I pushed off. They’d heard the same words. They probably thought the same thoughts.

  My mind boiled with anger. Raw, ruthless rage. Was it justified? No. They had my number right, better than I even knew myself.

  What had I become?

  My watch clicked as it rounded to four. Fuck, needed in two places at once. I’d always be needed in two places at once.

  I roared out to the city. Viper thrummed with the anger I poured into it. Why was shit so messed up? Even letting go of my dilemma, what was Calix thinking arguing with the Cartel? They weren’t fucking Walmart to negotiate terms and shit.

  My phone buzzed in my pocket and I pulled it out.

  Where are you??? - Meagan

  It just made me more stressed. Why was she meeting with that fucker of a boyfriend anyway? He had done some shit to her, and she knew it better than me. Was she pining for some shit in her past? Was that what it boiled down to?

  The sky was dark by the time I rolled into Little Five. The place was all foaming with light and drunk people, just milling around on a Friday night.

  Friday fucking night and I was here to see my girl talking to her ex. Fuck me.

  I parked in some gravel lot that warned me my ride would be towed if I didn’t visit their shitty little cupcake stores. Let them try.

  The café Meagan had texted about was quiet. My colors stood out stark against the sweaters and polos of the kids working in here, but I didn’t give a shit. I got a coffee plain with buckshot and spotted Meagan outside about the same time she spotted me.

  Her face glowed amber in the outdoor lighting and her ruby lips looked plump, but it wasn’t enough to still my mind. She didn’t look to be all that calm either. Much of her was hidden by the back of another guy, broad, with slick dark hair over a striped grey sweater. Her eyes returned to him. I knew it was so he wouldn’t look back for me, but I didn’t like it anyway.

  I eased out the side door and took an empty seat facing away from the two of them. I sipped at my diesel and listened in.

  “Ok,” Meagan was saying.

  “Good. Great. I’m so happy to hear that.”

  “I mean I’ll talk to the registrar.”

  “Ok, good, and, uh…”

  “Rico, that’s it. What the hell else are you expecting from me?”

  “Nothing, nothing.”

  His voice was so full of shit. And he had this accent that pissed me off too, real faint, real girly.

  Rico. Sounded Spanish.

  “Uh uh,” Meagan said. “Don’t pull that shit. You promised me that this was about making amends.”

  “Sure, yes. But you make amends to move forward.”

  “Yeah, move forward separately.”

  “If you want to start off that way, sure, yes, but we’re going to be back on the same campus. We will be right next to each other. “

  Meagan snorted, and I could hear the smoke coming out. “You really think that I am ever gonna give a man who beat me up another chance? We are never going to be together. Get that through your head.”

  The guy must have said something, but I didn’t hear it. I knew this guy was a piece of shit, hell, maybe he had even slapped her. But the idea of this Mexican prick, beating the shit out of my girl…

  My hands pulled into fists. Hot coffee boiled over my skin, and I didn’t flinch. It was all I could do to stay rooted to my metal chair.

  “Well, thanks for putting in a good word for me, Rico,” Meagan was saying. “I do appreciate it.”

  A chair scuffled away, and I heard her purse rattle as she took it.

  “Meagan, wait,” the guy murmured, his voice suddenly serious.

  “I’ll see you round.”

  Her footsteps scuffled my way, and I waited for that glorious sight to slip into my view, draw me into its magnetic pull. She lived right around the corner and I needed to let some serious steam off.

  Metal scrapped back along concrete, and then suddenly Meagan yelped. “Hey!”

  I bolted up. Rico was tugging her back towards the table. His dark face was calm but his eyes were filled with anger.

  “
Hey, hombre,” I said, pulling up to them. “Get your hands off her.”

  His beady eyes turned on me, surprised. I walked right into him, and wrested Meagan’s wrist free.

  “The fuck is your problem?” the guy asked.

  I chuckled even as my vision went brick red. “My problem? I’m not the prick grabbing women.”

  “I just wanted to talk,” he said, speaking very slowly and trying to edge around me.

  “The lady’s done talking.” I blocked his view. The patio was mostly empty in the cold, but a couple passing people were enjoying the show

  “Meagan.” His arm reached out under me.

  This fucker. He thought the world was his. That he could get everything he wanted just cause he was rich. Well, not today.

  I grabbed his wrist and shoved him back. He went staggering into his chair.

  “Go fuck yourself, you spic,” I said.

  The air seemed to spin around me. His face went wide.

  Behind I heard someone gasp. There was no one near me though.

  No one but Meagan.

  Oh, shit.

  Rico stayed stunned, as if I had socked his face.

  “So this,” he said slowly. “This is the guy you’ve chosen to be with?”

  “It…is.”

  Meagan’s words came out solid, but there was an edge to them that unnerved me. I looked back at her and saw her eyes wide, rounded, like she were seeing something new. It was like I was something other than the man who had her heart. Something not much different than this other man who had beat her up.

  She was looking at me like I was a monster.

  Thanks for Reading!

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  Paige

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