The Tempted Series: Collectors Edition

by Janine Infante Bosco

  The door opened again and crazy came barreling through the door.

  Fuck my life.

  Maria Bianci walked through the door holding the boy. Talk about déjà vu. All she was missing was her nifty little frying pan. I guess frying chicken cutlets wasn’t on the menu tonight. Adrianna and Kitten followed, and I moved to make my way toward them but stopped myself. Anthony stepped inside, holding the door open for the next two stragglers. Adrianna’s sister, Nikki and her boyfriend, Mike. It was a fucking party at the clubhouse.

  For one fleeting second, I looked at the Bianci family and felt a sense of relief. I hadn’t realized it, never wanted it, but these crazy sons a bitches had become my heart. I might detest some of them but they were mine to protect until I found what made me tick. Until I found my heart.

  And they were here.

  Safe and sound.

  The whole crazy lot of them.

  Plus a few extra.

  My eyes locked with Lauren’s as I brought the beer to my lips and watched her turn her back to me.

  Lovely.

  I was too busy staring at Lauren’s ass to notice the door open again. At least her ass wasn’t mad at me.

  Wolf slapped me upside the head, tearing me away from Kitten and reminding me I needed to keep my head. I rose to my feet and followed him as Jack stared back at us, a grim expression on his face and Lacey at his side.

  Lacey, not Reina.

  “Where’s Blackie?” Wolf asked.

  “Gold has him and Reina,” Jack said.

  They were five words, representing a declaration of war. I had heard the rumors, listened to the guys tell stories, of times passed, wars fought and won but I had never been a part of one. I had never been a fighting Knight, but I was ready. Saddle me up motherfucker and put me in the zone.

  Maybe it was a good thing I hadn’t found my heart like Jack asked because there wasn’t anything stopping me from fighting for what was ours.

  We moved to the Chapel, Anthony and Mike too, because when you’re down a brother and your woman’s at the mercy of a crazy fuck, you need all the help you can get. I might give these gangsters a lot of shit but they earned my respect the minute they put themselves in our corner, willing to abide by our code and fight for a brotherhood they weren’t even a part of.

  Heart.

  They had it in shitloads.

  And they were still there.

  Brothers not by blood but by choice.

  The only type of brotherhood that was worth a damn.

  “A couple of months ago Pastore asked me to take care of a problem he had. A Fed was sniffing around one of Jimmy Gold’s bodies and they wanted me to make the Fed disappear. The Fed was my brother, Danny, and this guy over here…” Jack explained, pointing to Bianci who was leaning against the wall. “…was about to help me save my brother’s life but we were too late. Jimmy killed Danny and set his house on fire. Reina, the woman I’ve been seeing was Danny’s girlfriend, and she was in the house with Danny when he let the house go up in flames,” he paused, making eye contact with each of us before he sighed and continued.

  “I’ve been planning my revenge for months, figuring it was personal and so no need to bring it to the club. It’s not personal anymore. It’s not even about Danny anymore. Wolf, Pipe, you two have been around since Cain’s days, you guys remember the G-Man, right?”

  Pipe nodded.

  “Remember going to a lot of funerals at his hand,” he said.

  “Yeah, well, long story short, Jimmy has been working with him since the days of Val.”

  Val was Victor’s underboss and Mike’s old man. He was murdered, and this Gold character took his place. Jack continued his story, informing us that Jimmy was involved in Val’s death and every blow the Pastore’s had taken over the last few years had been premeditated. Jimmy was working with our nemesis, the G-Man, since Jack took the gavel.

  But that was just the tip of the iceberg.

  Jack and Blackie cut a deal with Victor to set up Jimmy for all the shit he was responsible for. Val’s death, Jack’s brother’s death, the demise of Victor’s organization and the drugs polluting our streets. With Victor in jail and Jimmy running the show, the son of a bitch was going to run drugs through Vic’s territory. He needed a supplier, and Jack and Blackie had it set all up, they would be the ones to get him the heroin.

  I wondered if Jack knew Blackie was dipping into that shit.

  I pushed the thought aside and continued to listen to our president, trying to make sense of this mess and figure a way for us to get through it.

  Their plan was to get Jimmy hooked on their product and when he needed more they would tell him only large quantities. Jimmy was in the market for a quarter of a million dollars’ worth of H—Jack had promised to deliver. They would set him up with the drugs and Victor Pastore would wait for him on the other side. But somewhere the plan went astray because it wasn’t even about the drugs anymore.

  We had no fucking idea what he wanted or why he took Blackie and Reina.

  We were riding blind.

  Victor knew something, tried reaching out to Grace, and that’s why she was at the compound but we couldn’t get a hold of him either because he got his ass thrown in solitary.

  Blind.

  “I’m sorry this shit fell on our doorstep. I’m sorry I didn’t bring it to the table sooner. You can vote upon my poor judgement but not now, that will have to be done some other time because right now you have a choice to make. I’m going after Jimmy Gold, I will put him in the ground and I will plow through anyone who stands in my fucking way. You’re either with me or you’re not, but I got a brother to find and a woman to get back, and a cocksucking weasel to bury,” Jack said, fire in his eyes, determination in his soul.

  “Ay,” Pipe said in agreement. “I’ve got you.”

  “We’re brothers, that shit isn’t temporary, it’s a bond you take to your fucking grave. Now you may have forgotten that but I haven’t and I will not let you forget it ever again. Got your back,” Wolf said, pausing for a moment. “Always.”

  Jack turned to me, raising an eyebrow in question.

  This was what I signed up for.

  This was what I was born to do.

  Ride or Die.

  Motherfucker, I’m going to ride.

  “I’m in but I want pie when your lady friend is safe and sound,” I said, lifting my head to meet Jack’s gaze as I brought my right hand over my heart. “And I’m not sharing it either,” I warned, my words teased but my actions were my vow.

  I’ve got you brother, and this club is my heart.

  Bones sat beside me, slapping my back in agreement.

  “Let’s bring this fucker to his knees,” Bones chimed in.

  We sprang into action, doing what men like us did best, and prepared for war. Even, Anthony and Mike gave their share, contributing to our warfare. We were dispersing responsibilities to each man when Jack’s phone rang.

  Every pair of eyes were on him as we waited for him to clue us in. They say Jack’s crazy. They say he’s a loose cannon. I had never seen it first hand, not until I saw his eyes flicker and the darkness take over.

  Crazy.

  “Son of a bitch,” he shouted, sliding his phone across the table.

  “What’d he say?” Pipe asked.

  “Nothing, just that he’ll be sending me a video including his demands,” he said, diverting his eyes toward me. “Get a wire on that thing and get it done fast,” he ordered, before pushing back his chair and storming out of Chapel.

  Everyone cleared out of the room and I grabbed the phone.

  “Riggs,” Bones called from the door.

  “Yeah?”

  “Whatever happens…” his words trailed off.

  “Stay safe,” I finished for him. “You too,” I added.

  He nodded in agreement before taking off with Pipe. I hurried up the stairs to get my equipment and work at tapping Jack’s phone. Before I could even get started the message c
ame through on his phone, missing the opportunity to trace it.

  Strike one.

  Shit.

  I ran toward Jack’s room and pounded on the door.

  “Come in,” he called as I opened the door.

  “Message came through before I could get a tap,” I said, handing him over the phone.

  The moment he hit play, the stakes in the game changed. I actually wished I wasn’t the only man in the room with him because I had no idea how to reel Jack in, but then again, he wasn’t Jack.

  Jack died when he played that message.

  A more vicious man emerged from the ashes.

  Now, he was the Bulldog.

  Heaven help us all.

  “Bulldog…” I started, mesmerized by the transformation. “Jack, man, come on, don’t go there,” I said, gripping his shoulders and twisting his body around so we’d be eye to eye. “You can’t lose it, not now,” I reprimanded.

  We needed a leader.

  He brushed my hands from his shoulders and shoved me out of the way.

  “Get your hands off me,” he bellowed, stalking out of the room.

  I ran after him, fucking man was pushing forty but he was a goddamn machine. I needed to lay off the cigarettes…and the pot.

  “Stop him!” I shouted, running down the stairs behind him. “Pipe! Wolf!”

  “Get out of my way,” he demanded, as they barricaded the staircase.

  Thank Christ.

  “Jimmy sent the video,” I explained in a huff, trying to catch my fucking breath as I handed the phone to Pipe. Bianci switched places with Pipe, blocking Jack from making a move so Pipe could watch the video. The second Jimmy’s voice sounded, Jack lurched for the phone and I grabbed the back of his cut as Bianci leaned his weight on Jack and we held him back.

  How’s that for teamwork?

  “Jesus Christ,” Pipe said, as Jimmy’s voice sounded over the phone stating his demands and threats, a quarter of a million dollars in heroin or they die.

  Ever see a bunch of bikers go into panic mode? Shit, ain’t pretty.

  Thankfully, Pipe was able to hold his shit together and forced us to pull our heads out of our asses and drag them into the Chapel.

  “We have twenty-four hours to give him what he wants,” Pipe informed everyone.

  “We can’t get the drugs,” Jack hissed.

  “I don’t follow, you just told us that was the plan from the beginning. You were going to supply him with the drugs and set him up. What’s the fucking problem?”

  And there went Pipe, cracking at the seams. He was doing such a good job at holding it together…until this.

  “The problem is that Blackie had the connection to the drugs with a club up north. He’s been controlling the deal with them. There isn’t enough time to go on a run, and even if there was, what are we supposed to carry the product in, our saddlebags?” Jack retorted.

  There was no time.

  No time and no drugs.

  We were fucked.

  Then I remembered my extracurricular activities and uncovering the Red Dragons’ stash house. Those naked bitches were cutting mounds of heroin. There was an easy three mill in product over there, if not more.

  The fucking place was wired with surveillance.

  Thanks to me.

  Good job, Riggs.

  I could probably cut the feed but that would take time and with all this back and forth at the table it seemed like we were stretching these twenty-four hours thin. We still needed to grab the dealers and get Jimmy away from wherever he was keeping Blackie and Reina. And then, there were the guns. The plan was go to Pops and dip into the shipment we were preparing for Wu.

  Poor guy, had no idea how hard we were going to fuck him up the ass.

  “That leaves the drugs,” Wolf said, and the room grew quiet again.

  “I know where we can get the drugs,” I said, breaking the silence and locking eyes with my president. “But if we do this, we might as well sign our own death certificates,” I added, shoving the dildo up the Red Dragons’ ass with my words.

  How’s that feel Wu?

  “I’d rather sign my own death certificate than either of theirs,” Jack replied.

  The words signed to the doctrine, contracting us to fucking kill the truce with the Red Dragons.

  A creed of bloodshed.

  A creed signed by yours truly.

  Love, Riggs.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Here, have a shot,” Nikki offered, taking a seat next to me and placing a shot glass in front of me. She’s been drinking and smoking since we arrived at the Dog Pound, taking the fact that we were on lockdown, in stride.

  I want to be her when I grow up.

  “A couple of these bad boys and I promise you’ll be rapping like Biggie Smalls’, “It was all a dream,”” she winked at me, filling the shot glass.

  “She’s not drinking,” Adrianna said, shoving back the glass her sister put in front of me. “She took a vow to stay sober with me,” my sister-in-law added.

  “She’s a better sister than me,” Nikki replied, taking back the shot and downing the both of them.

  “Yeah, she’s a keeper,” Adrianna said.

  I mouthed a “thank you” to Adrianna, and she winked back at me. I don’t know what I would’ve done without her the last two weeks. Since I found out I was pregnant she has been lending me her shoulder, and in true Adrianna form, she’s making me realize I only have one choice.

  I want my baby.

  She’s restored my faith in myself.

  I am going to turn this around.

  Because I can.

  Because I want to.

  Because I’m going to be a mother now and this heart of mine beats for two.

  Now, if I could just find the guts to tell Riggs.

  I’ve decided I will give him the benefit of the doubt even though he doesn’t deserve it. I will let him know I’m having this child with or without him and he can either step up or step down—either way, I’ve got this.

  My mother sighed as she scrubbed down the wooden bar, throwing the rag down in disgust and turning to Grace.

  “What do we do?” she asked, causing Grace to raise an eyebrow in response. “Do we just sit here and wait for them to come back? This is all you sister, my husband walked out and never returned but you, you’re the only one experienced in this kind of situation,” she explained.

  “Victor wasn’t a biker, I have no idea what they do or what we’re supposed to do,” she replied.

  “You used to cook a lot,” Adrianna reminded her.

  “Yes, they should have a meal waiting for them,” Grace agreed.

  “We’re going to cook for these scoundrels?” Maria huffed and Lacey fixed her with a look.

  “Those scoundrels are my family,” she warned.

  “What about the girl, and what’s his name…” Grace started.

  “Blackie,” Lacey supplied.

  “God only knows the last time they ate. We should cook for them,” Grace offered.

  “Fine, but try to find something in that refrigerator that isn’t expired,” Maria countered.

  “Make a list of what you need and we’ll send a prospect to the supermarket,” Lacey said, looking between the two matriarchs. They may have had two decades on her but it was clear Lacey was the lady of the clubhouse.

  The mention of food had my stomach turning, and I excused myself hurrying my ass to the bathroom before I emptied the contents of my stomach on top of the bar my mother had spent two hours scrubbing down.

  I don’t know how long I stayed in the bathroom, with my head in the toilet but by the time I was finished all I wanted to do was sleep. Another joy of pregnancy, when I wasn’t throwing up, I was sleeping. I’ll spare you the horrific truth of how a woman’s breasts react to pregnancy.

  I threw my hair up in a ponytail and stared at my pale complexion in the mirror. I tried splashing water on my face to hide the fact I looked like I was dying. I’d have to ask
Nikki to do something with me because I was a mess.

  I made my way out of the bathroom and Adrianna immediately walked up beside me.

  “Are you okay?” She whispered.

  “I’m fine…but why do they call it morning sickness if it happens all damn day?” I asked through clenched teeth while meeting her worried gaze.

  I took in my surroundings and noticed the sternos that lined the bar and the tablecloth draped over the pool table.

  “Jesus, what are they doing?”

  “Please,” Adrianna cringed. “Just go along with it.”

  I looked around the clubhouse, noting the prospects that guarded the door with their rifles strapped to their backs and Wolf’s three boys who seemed unfazed by it all. I wondered if our situation was different, if me and Riggs were an actual couple, would this be our life. Reina was Jack’s girlfriend, old lady, whatever you call it and Jimmy had taken her. What would stop someone from taking me?

  Then there was Lacey who had declared these men her family. It was clear she feared for their safety and not just her father’s but all of these men. I don’t know if I could live like that. I glanced over at Grace who carried a tray of antipasto to the pool table and couldn’t picture being that woman.

  I turned to Adrianna.

  “How did you do it for all those years?”

  “How’d I do what?” she asked.

  “Stand by while he risked his life doing God knows what?”

  “It’s not easy, Lauren,” she said, wrapping her arm around my shoulders, dragging me against her side. “But these men, whether they are in the mob or this motorcycle club, were just little boys once. I might be the wrong person to ask, but as a mother of a little boy, if my son lost his way, and found purpose on the other side of the law, I’d still hope there was someone who loved him despite his flaws, despite his bad choices,” she explained, pausing for a second as she looked around the clubhouse. “They’re not bad men,” she concurred. “Just good guys who lost their way and sometimes do bad things to protect their interests and the people they love. They’re flawed and some of them are scarred but they have loyalty. I dare you to find one of them that doesn’t look out for what is his. They have respect and honor, something half the law-abiding men in this world don’t know the first thing about,” she added.