Sabrina swallowed, mindlessly leafing through some more pages of a gossip rag. After a good twenty minutes, she was beyond restless. Her mouth was dryer than the desert outside. Making a snap decision, she got up from the sofa and headed off in search of the kitchen.
“…it was the right thing to do, Ma.”
Sabrina stopped short when she overheard voices down a long hall. Silas must have left a door open. Unable to stop herself, she hid in the shadow and listened.
“It won’t jeopardize the strong ties we have with the Texas charter.” Silas’s voice was urgent, defensive and practically tripping over itself. “I’ve looked at it from every angle. It’s for the best.”
“Do you know how long this alliance has been in the making? To let Sophie go on a whim, for some human you don’t even know? I thought I’d done a better job raising you to take your father’s place.”
Sabrina took another step back from the half-open door in the hallway, pressing herself up against the wall.
“It was Sophie’s choice. And I support her request. Our friendship isn’t enough to make either of us happy. Our alliance is just as strong this way…as friends. I’d never let any harm come to her.” There was some shuffling and creaking of leather. Silas probably took a seat. “As for Sabrina, this decision has nothing to do with her. She’s going back to her old life in a few hours. We won’t see any more of her, except in passing, since she’s rarely included in the padrino’s business deals.”
“Bullshit. I call bullshit. Whether or not you can admit it to yourself, that woman has more to do with your choices in the past few days than you know, Silas. Open your damn eyes. If you can’t admit it to yourself or to her, admit it to me.”
Neither of them said anything else. Sabrina was afraid to breathe. Now was not a good time to tip-toe away on the pale, plush carpet.
“She’s not the worst choice you can make, son…for a human. She’s got solid connections of her own. Her mother was a fantastic lawyer, God rest her soul. Mind you, Sabrina’s a paralegal for now, but she graduated from Stanford Law. Her mother’s passing was hard on her… In any case, you never know. Once she gets back on track, we can use a decent law firm on our side.”
Sabrina’s hands went into fists, hot tears misting in her eyes as she squeezed them shut. There it was again. She was about to be put into a usefulness box, to be dehumanized and deconstructed to only represent what she could offer, not who she was as a person. Coming from Cindy, those words should have been no surprise, but they still stung.
Silas deftly changed the subject to focus on making sure Cindy got some rest, and Sabrina took the opportunity to sneak out of the hallway to find the kitchen. She didn’t want water anymore. She needed a stiff drink, but Cindy probably kept her stash locked up. After downing three glasses of ice cold water, she mentally convinced herself she could pretend the conversation never even happened.
No more delusions.
I’ll have my talk with Silas, get him to take Addison to his father, and after we all meet with Dad, that’s the end of it.
She was still silently repeating that to herself when Silas walked back into the living room. He rubbed a hand on the back of his neck and surveyed the spread of half-read magazines with a wary gaze.
“I’ll clean it all up,” she said, putting on a fake smile to avoid any suspicions about what she’d overheard. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Shoot.”
“Promise you’ll hear me out. I mean really listen.”
“One question. Then we roll.”
“Please don’t take Addison to this meeting with Lorenzo.”
“That again?”
“No, listen to me. If you do that, you won’t just be putting him in danger. You’ll put Lorenzo’s back against the wall, and he’ll make it look like your MC took Addison in the first place. By now, Lorenzo will know the panthers don’t have my best friend anymore. For all you know he’s already set you up as the kidnapper. The best thing you can do is get him to his dad. It’s a win-win. You get to collect the cash reward, and Governor Riley will know you had nothing to do with holding his son all this time, because the reward has been public knowledge for weeks.”
Silas raised his hand and stopped her. “Hold on. Back up for a second. That kid is Governor Riley’s son? Governor Riley as in the Governor Joseph Adam Riley, as in Jar Riley, the Governor of Nevada?”
“Yes.”
“Fuck. I heard about his kid being kidnapped. The man took a lot of heat in the media for offering such a big reward. It never occurred to me anyone local would have the balls to pull it off. I mean, I can see why someone would try, but Giovanni? The Governor is a billionaire, has serious connections to Middle East oil money, the airplane industry, and the US army. Trust that idiot fiancé of yours to be short-sighted.”
“You won’t get any disagreement from me, Silas. So can we get him home? Addison will vouch for the fact that you weren’t in any way involved in his kidnapping, especially if you keep him away from Lorenzo. And there’s the cash reward, which his father will gladly give to you, no questions asked.” Sabrina scrambled in her pocket for her phone. “Do you have a charger? I’ll show you what I mean about the reward.”
“Just go ahead and tell me the details. Tate can check it out in a second.”
“It would help if I can call his dad from this phone. I have a direct line to him in my contact list, right to his home. He’ll take the call…and no one else has to know. Plus the reward is just like I said. All cash, with a guarantee of anonymity to anyone who turns in Addison alive and unharmed. It’s half a million dollars, Silas… money that rightfully should go to you for freeing him.”
“I didn’t break him out of that shithole of a prison cell for profit. The kid’s a bear shifter. That makes him kin…well, extended kin. Crap, if he’s a shifter, it has to mean the Governor is also one…holy fuck.”
“You can ask him all about it…if you get Addison to his family instead of turning him over to Lorenzo. Tonight.”
Silas opened his mouth to speak but stopped what he was going to say when his phone started buzzing. He pulled it out of his pocket to check the caller ID. “Son of a bitch.”
“What is it?”
“Looks like you’re right about your fiancé. He just sent me a text.”
“Why? What did he say?”
“He’s called off our meeting tonight. Says he’s delayed and wants both of you turned over when we have the sit-down with your father.”
Sabrina gave him a knowing look. “He’s covering himself! My bet is he’ll accuse you of taking both Addison and me. Listen to me, Silas. Let’s get my phone charged. I’ll call my dad and Governor Riley tonight. Who knows what lies Lorenzo’s already fed them to pull them to his side.”
“Shit. Hang on. We’ll go back to the clubhouse. I’ll get Tate on it.”
29
Sabrina
Now we’re getting somewhere.
For the first time in months, Sabrina felt hopeful. They were back at the clubhouse, her best friend was in a room down the hall getting rest, and Silas had extended her some trust. She would right the situation with her father before Lorenzo poisoned the well for Silas’s MC. Her phone was charging beside her bed in the guest room thanks to Tate, and in a matter of minutes she would get it all straightened out.
Silas was not as calm as she expected, though. He paced around her room, swearing under his breath every so often, now that he finally realized his dealings with Lorenzo was one big trap. His pacing was starting to make her anxious, and with their time together coming to an end, she bit the bullet and shared what was on her mind.
“Was there another reason you broke up with Sophie? I mean, do you have…other prospects?” The words flew out of her mouth so fast she couldn’t take them back.
“I think the real question here, sweetheart, is why do you care?”
That was so like him to turn the tables just to avoid saying a word about how he felt.
/>
“You know the answer to that question.”
“Why, Sabrina? We’re not much different from what I pulled you from.”
She got up from the side of the bed and pulled a spare sweater from Jenny over her shoulders. “Because despite your stone age attitude toward me, I can be myself around you, and even here at the club. You’d know if you saw me hold my own since I’ve been here.” She stood close to the wooden dresser near the window, arms crossed and eyes fixed on the darkness outside. A million different emotions bubbled to the surface, making her throat tight. “Those people, your people…they’re free. I like that. I want to have that. Getting to unload on Sophie was one of the most freeing things I’ve done in a long time. I showed that other little twisted claw who she was dealing with when she tried to intimidate me, and I didn’t back down from Sophie’s threats. I’ve even stood up to your mom.”
“I’m surprised Cindy’s taken to you this way, but that doesn’t change anything.”
“You still think of me as this gussied up, spoiled little princess, but I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty. Just because I don’t want to be married off to the mob doesn’t mean I don’t respect your lifestyle. It’s in my blood, the core of who I am. I haven’t been running from that so much as I’ve been trying to run to some place where I can define myself, away from Lorenzo. Maybe you think I don’t fit in here, but the MC does that for me.”
“All along you wanted me to return you to your father, and now you want in at the MC? That’s a pretty big turnaround.”
“Well, to be fair, it was after you put me in the mafia princess box and before you saved my best friend…oh and before I got to swing a rare baseball bat at that crazy brunette twisted claw chick. Talk about liberating.”
Silas smiled briefly. “I’m not sure I want to know…and I haven’t put you in any mafia princess box, whatever that is, Sabrina Rizzo, daughter of Romano Rizzo, the padrino himself.”
“See what I mean? You did, Silas. You have, from the second you saw me. I’ve been this fragile thing you need to protect, lugging around in your pocket. If you trusted me, maybe you could see how competent I am in my own right…how much I can help the MC see all of this chaos from a different perspective.”
“Trust is a tall order for someone who’s going back to her old life in less than twenty-four hours. I’m giving you the courtesy of a call to your father and to Riley’s old man. Beyond that, it’s best if you get me and my MC out of your head.”
Sabrina pivoted to face him and gasped when she saw he was less than a foot away. “Give me a chance, please.”
“It could fuck up everything…” Silas’s hand wavered near her hair for a brief moment. He seemed to make some internal choice and then swept a lock behind her ear.
“We’re all screwed anyway. Why not do what makes us happy even if it gets us killed, right?” She allowed a tentative smile to break through even as she read the indecision in his eyes. “You know, you told me I was yours where it matters, that you owned me in every way that it counts. What do you really want, Silas?”
A deep groan rumbled out from deep in his chest. “After these phone calls, I’m returning the kid to the governor and then I’m taking you back to my bed. I’m not letting you out again until the meeting tomorrow. We’ll make the most of the time we have left.”
This time, she let a grin spread across her face and popped up on her tiptoes, kissing the tip of his nose. Silas pulled back with a bemused expression.
“That’s my fluffy little teddy bear,” she teased in baby talk.
“If you value your life, you’ll never say those words in that tone again,” he deadpanned, wrapping his arms around her waist to draw her in closer.
“Ooh, the teddy bear has a bite.”
“Yeah, this bear has a lot of ways to make you scream. I’ll show you as soon as you get your fine ass back in my room.”
Sabrina couldn’t think of a better reason to follow his orders.
What a difference a few hours could make. Sabrina had gotten in touch with her father and Governor Riley, Silas had reunited Addison with his father, and the MC was half a million dollars richer. The meeting was now moved up to noon at her father’s trade warehouse, which would throw Lorenzo off his game if he was hoping for more time to do damage. Overall, it put Silas at an advantage, and even if it wouldn’t last, she was relieved. For the moment, she stretched one leg outside of the blankets in Silas’s bed. She was under his solid weight, wrapped up in him like he was a living, breathing cocoon. Despite the crazy back and forth, they’d spent much of last night making love until she could hardly remember how much was still at stake. Even when reality flooded back, all she could think of was never wanting it to end.
Thirsty for a drink of water, she removed his arm from around her waist and slid out from under him. Silas stirred slightly, letting out a small moan from the back of his throat, but then rolled over onto his other side. One quick exhale later, she was out of his room and down in the kitchen. She grabbed two bottles to take with her upstairs, aware that their time would be up soon. The very idea made her shudder, remembering Silas’s hands trailing down her body and holding on to her for most of the night.
She went back into the room and this time, she didn’t have to worry about being quiet. Silas bolted up in bed, wiping the sleep from his eyes as one hand shot out to the nightstand for his gun.
“Hey. It’s just me,” she told him, throwing up her arms.
He nodded when he noticed the water bottles in her hands. “Okay. You’re up early,” he mumbled, scrubbing his hands across his pillow-creased face.
She kissed his cheek. “I am. Let’s not waste it.”
30
Silas
“No matter what goes down this afternoon, she’s your priority, got it?” Silas told Axe and nodded over to the prospect. He breathed in a huge hit from his cigarette and looked at all the faces of his brothers. “We keep her safe and out of Giovanni’s hands at all costs.”
Axe squeezed Silas’s shoulder and cleared his throat. “Uh, does this mean that things are finally official, my pussy-whipped Pres?”
Silas shrugged him off and glared at him. Now was not the time for levity. The executive members of the Beartooth Brotherhood, their officers, plus the Texas charter were standing a half-mile away from the warehouse where Silas was about to meet up with the padrino and Giovanni.
“Nothing’s changed, asshole.”
“Excuse me as I remind you, you wouldn’t give me the time of day to tell you about this reward idea, yet you sat and let her tell you about it. Not that I’m mad, bud. You just need to accept that women have influential ways.”
Silas exhaled and stamped out his cigarette. “The only reason I heard her out was because you warmed me up first, but whatever.
“Very noble of you,” Cole chuckled to himself and Silas rolled his eyes. “But remember her father will want an explanation.”
“And he’ll get one before we get down to business. Cole will roll with me. Everyone else, you have your places.”
“We’re all set,” Tate leered, chewing on a licorice twist candy. “I say we do a hands-in huddle and quick cheer to seal the deal.” Everyone glared at the brother.
“This is not that kind of meeting, kid. Get your head out of your ass.”
Silas walked back toward the group of parked bikes and nodded over at Sabrina. It was strange to see her getting along with Sophie today. He’d found them chatting together this morning over coffee as if they were old college roommates. The image was unsettling, but better that than at each other’s throats again.
“Time to head out, dollface.”
Sabrina came over to him and slid on the back of his motorcycle. “I don’t think I’ll get used to that. Then again, I may not see you again after today.”
“You like it that much, huh?”
“Maybe now’s not the time to talk about what I like, cowboy,” she whispered against the tip of his ear.
Silas started up the bike and drove off down the short stretch to the warehouse. If he had his way…
He cracked his neck and helped her off after he parked. “Is there any chance you’re going to let me do all the talking?”
“What do you think?” Sabrina cocked her head to the side, running her hands down his abdomen. She sure knew how to get her way. That was exactly how she’d touched him before she got on her knees last night and wrapped her warm mouth around his cock.
“Now is not the time to have me thinking with that head, Sabrina Rizzo.”
She smiled briefly then got a stern look on her face. “It’s my father. He’ll listen to me.”
“When it’s time for me to do the talking, you will step aside. Understood?”
She huffed out a breath. “Fine. Let’s get this over with.”
Silas headed toward the warehouse door, guiding her inside. Cole was right behind him. He didn’t bother looking back, already imagining the wicked grin on his VP’s face after hearing Sabrina’s bickering. All of that was forgotten when Silas came face to face with Mr. Rizzo, the padrino, flanked by Lorenzo Giovanni and more than a dozen bodyguards.
Predictable.
“So, how is this going to go down, Mr. Rizzo?”
“Let’s skip the pleasantries and get straight to business. I can respect that from a Corrigan.” The padrino took a step forward, buttoning his three-piece suit. “Now, if you’ll kindly give me back my daughter, everything else will go quite smoothly.”
“Dad, I wasn’t kidnapped. Not by Silas or his men, anyway.” His gaze snapped over to Sabrina, who took a deep breath and put on a child-like, imploring expression. “I’m fine. I don’t need to go anywhere.”
“He took you from your condo and has had you for almost four days.”
Outlaw MC Bear Page 16
