STEADFAST

by Shirleen Davies

  Letting out a weary breath, Tessa lowered herself onto the sofa, burying her face in both hands. “My life has become a nightmare.”

  Taking a few moments to compose herself, Tessa thought of the last few months. She’d become engaged, learned she was pregnant, and lost her fiancé to her best friend—both now dead. If someone had told her she would now have a group of outlaw bikers watching her, she’d have laughed. Nothing about any of this was funny. Slapping her hands on her thighs, she stood.

  “I’ll pack. Please help yourself to coffee or toast.” Her movements stilled at the sound of a motorcycle.

  Wrath looked out the window. “It’s Rock. I’ll go out and talk to him while you pack.”

  Cara followed her into the bedroom. “I’m truly sorry about this. I can understand if you never want to see me again after all this is over.”

  Placing a large bag on the bed, Tessa began to fill it with clothes and toiletries, then stopped. “You and the baby are the only rays of light in my life.” Zipping up the bag, she placed a hand on her waist. “Since we’re having a sleepover and Wrath will be gone, can we make s’mores?”

  “Does everyone understand your assignment?” Wrath looked around at the men riding escort for the transport. Raider would be staying to monitor their progress and report to him if he spotted any threats. Ghost, Rock, Gunner, Tracker, and Fargo, as well as a few of the newer members, would be part of the group.

  “Raider, I expect to be notified immediately if you spot any obstacles.”

  “Roger that, Prez.”

  “We are certain the Bloods have a traitor planted in their gang, and it makes sense he’s from the Devils. The clubhouses of the Brethren and the Bloods will be vulnerable. The Devils know this, so it’s critical everyone positioned here be on high alert. This is supposed to be an easy run. The Bloods transfer the cargo to us, our men drive the truck to the drop point, pass it off, then we leave.”

  Ghost tapped his fingers on the conference table and snorted. “There is no easy mission.”

  After a few guarded chuckles, Wrath continued. “He’s right. On paper, it appears to be no problem. I guarantee the reality will be different. Now, Team One, you are with the main transport. Team Two, you’ll be on the perimeter of the drop point. We don’t want any surprises like the last time. Let’s synchronize our time.”

  After a moment, the room grew silent, each man mentally going over his assignment, the same as they’d done on countless missions before this one.

  “No identification and burner phones only. Good luck, gentlemen.”

  Ghost and Rock were the first to stand.

  “Team One, you’re with me.” Ghost sent a chin lift to Wrath.

  “Team Two, you’re mine.” Rock hitched a thumb toward the front. “Go is in ten minutes.”

  Watching as the men left, Wrath felt an unease he couldn’t shake. They’d completed in-depth planning, coordinated their intel with what Grayson provided, but something felt off. At some point, you had to put your faith in the plan and go forward. They were all at that point.

  “The two men guarding Cara and Tessa are in place, Prez. Anything else before I head down to the dungeon?”

  Wrath clasped Raider’s shoulder. “Nothing else.”

  “You’ve got this, man. Don’t doubt yourself.” Raider gave him a quick nod before disappearing downstairs.

  Checking his 9mm, feeling his ka-bar strapped to his leg, Wrath followed the men outside. Everyone was ready, the two teams as well as the men staying behind to guard the clubhouse. He’d given Ethan a heads-up, a slight grin forming when he thought of his brother’s four-letter response. All of them.

  Rock’s group powered their bikes. He held a hand in the air, fisting it when all the men were ready. Bringing it down as if it were a hammer, he and his team headed out.

  Exactly five minutes later, Ghost did the same with Team One. As per their agreement with Drago, neither club president would be participating. A test of how well their respective crews performed. Wrath had full confidence in his men, but Drago had some leaks in his club. Both hoped this would be a way to ferret out the traitor.

  An hour later, Wrath got off his bike on top of the low hill with an expansive view of the country road below. After a quick check with Raider, he settled in to wait. This was the worst part of any assignment. Most times it was done with a team around you. Hidden, but still close enough to provide defensive measures. Not tonight. His men were out there, and he couldn’t be with them.

  “Yeah, definitely the worst part of any mission,” Wrath mumbled to himself, wishing he was in the lead.

  “All clear. I repeat. Clear and secure.” Rock’s steady voice came through the radio.

  “Roger, all clear,” Wrath replied.

  An instant later, Ghost did the same, followed by Raider.

  He didn’t waste time riding back to the clubhouse. As before, the teams split up into groups of two or three, each taking different routes. If all went well, they’d meet in an hour, debrief, and put this mission behind them.

  Wrath went over the mission in his mind, already dissecting each element. It had all gone according to plan. Not one piece out of place. Still, the gnawing feeling something wasn’t right clawed at him.

  Pulling into the clubhouse lot, he took in the men still holding their positions, as well as the teams who’d returned ahead of him. He couldn’t see anything amiss. An instant later, a loud explosion tore off one side of the building.

  He tried to recall if any of his men were positioned in the area of the blast. His gut clenched, remembering he’d seen two as he rode in.

  “Eagle down,” a hoarse voice yelled.

  “Hold your positions,” Wrath called out, his weapon drawn. Bending low, he ran to the location of his downed man, kneeling next to Fargo and Doc, their resident medic.

  “How is he?”

  Doc’s experienced hands roamed over the man sprawled out on the ground. “He’s got a gash on his leg, possible broken ribs, and head trauma. I’ll know more once we get him inside.”

  Wrangler ran up to them, motioning for Gunner. Fargo and the two of them lifted their injured comrade, carrying him inside while the rest of the men kept watch.

  Wrath stayed crouched outside, his gun ready as he studied the area of the blast.

  “They hit the damn storeroom. Either they didn’t know what they were doing or it’s another of their warnings. Whoever they are.” Ghost spat out the words, along with a string of curses. “I’ve got men checking the perimeter…again. This has to stop, man. The next one might not be a warning.”

  Wrath knew he was right. There’d been a breakdown in surveillance, intelligence, or both. Definitely a breach in their security.

  “Raider’s doing all he can. We need to post more men around, Wrath.”

  Feeling the anger bubble within him, he nodded. “Make it happen. I need to report to Grayson and check our man.”

  Wrath rushed inside, pulling out his phone. His chest began to squeeze, body tensing after four rings.

  “Wrath?”

  He blew out a breath, forcing his voice to remain calm. “Yeah, it’s me. How are you and Tessa doing?”

  “Great. She loves your place. We saved a couple s’mores for you.”

  Entering his office, he closed his eyes. She sounded normal and safe. So far removed from what was going on at the clubhouse right now.

  “Are you ready to head home?”

  “Not yet, babe. This is going to be a long night. Don’t wait up.”

  A short silence followed. “No problem. I’m bushed. Will you or Rock be here in the morning, or should Tessa and I drive to work?”

  “You are absolutely not to drive to work alone. Rock and I will be there. Do not even consider leaving until we arrive.”

  Again, another stretch of silence. “Are you all right?” The concern in her voice stabbed through him.

  “All is good here, babe. Just ready to get home and see you.”

&
nbsp; “Same here. Take care of yourself, Caiden.”

  She hung up, leaving him staring at the phone a few seconds longer than normal. Clearing his mind, he picked up a secure line and called Grayson.

  The admiral’s response didn’t surprise him. It mirrored his own, bringing more questions than answers. They had to consider one of their own men had turned. Neither wanted to believe it. His boss’s last order had Wrath hanging up on a terse oath. Grayson would be sending a new, temporary nonoperational member of the team. He heard the hidden door open.

  “Prez, there’s something you need to hear.” Raider’s voice indicated the serious nature of whatever he’d discovered.

  Following him downstairs, Wrath wondered what else had happened on an already disastrous night. The explosion, a wounded man, and the admiral’s decision to send someone to monitor his men didn’t make for a successful day.

  Raider slipped the headphones onto his head, listening a moment before whipping them off to give Wrath. “Listen to this.”

  He slid them over his head, concentrating on the broken conversation. It didn’t take long for him to understand the shouted voices. Pulling them off, he handed the headphones back, his features twisted in unease, his voice calm, controlled.

  “The Bloods were hit the same as us. Have you heard anything about their casualties?”

  Raider gave a terse nod. “At least two injured. Sounds like Drago is rounding up all his men. Whatever he decides to do, it’s not going to be pleasant.”

  “Any chatter about the Bloods knowing about the explosion here?”

  “Nothing. I’ll keep monitoring and let you know what else is said, Prez.”

  Heading back upstairs, Wrath mentally ticked off the names of his men. He’d trust each one with his life. His instincts insisted he and Grayson were searching for the culprit in the wrong place.

  Shutting the concealed door behind him, he ran a hand through his hair. If this couldn’t be stopped, a war between the clubs was inevitable, and the Eternal Brethren would be smack in the center of the storm.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “The barbeque is being moved to here?” Cara stood in the kitchen the next night, slicing tomatoes while Tessa rinsed lettuce. “Isn’t it this weekend?” Wrath had already told her about the gathering at the clubhouse on Sunday, extending an invitation she’d accepted.

  Wrath leaned his hip against the counter, glad for the peace his home offered. It had been over eighteen hours since the explosions without answers. No one could figure out how anyone breached their defenses, getting inside their compound to plant an explosive. He had Fuse, their resident expert, working on it, but he needed more time. The destruction meant changing the location and cutting down the number of people to only those he could trust implicitly. Other than Wrangler, that excluded anyone not a part of the Posse.

  “The remodeling at the clubhouse is taking longer than expected, so having it here would be better for everyone.” He hated lying to Cara any more than necessary. “Tessa, you’ll definitely be staying here that night.”

  She stopped spinning the lettuce to look at him. “I thought I’d head home, give you and your friends a chance to be alone.”

  His sudden bark of laughter had her jumping. “Trust me, we don’t need any more alone time. It’s not a big deal. A few of my close friends are coming. They may or may not bring someone with them.”

  He didn’t say it would be a small, select handful of his men. They needed time to talk without worrying about unwelcome ears trying to listen. The rest of his crew would be working to repair and guard the clubhouse.

  “Rock will be here, and you already know him.” He turned away to grab a chip from a bowl, not seeing the slight tinge of pink creep up Tessa’s face. A flush Cara didn’t miss. “Unless you want some help, I have a few calls to make before dinner.”

  Cara waved the knife in the air. “Go ahead. We’re about thirty minutes away from eating.”

  Meaning to place a quick kiss on her cheek before leaving, he lingered, nibbling the sensitive area below her ear. “Don’t plan on getting much sleep tonight,” he muttered before leaving her ready to follow him now.

  Tessa waited until he was out of earshot. “Are you sure I should be here on Sunday? I’d feel out of place and really don’t want to field questions about my pregnancy.”

  Setting the knife down, Cara faced her. “I’ve only met a few of the guys, so I’m not much better off than you. These types of gatherings have always made me nervous, but this will be a great opportunity for us to learn more about the club. And for you to get to know more about Rock.”

  Tessa’s hands stilled. “Why would I want to do that?”

  “No reason, other than it’s good to know people willing to help when you need it. He’s one of Wrath’s closest friends, and from what I can tell, a good guy.” Cara moved closer to her, lowering her voice. “Look, I’d feel better if you stayed here a little longer. The bikers who came into the restaurant know where you work and may know where you live. It’s worth a few days away from your place to make certain you’re safe.”

  Biting her lip, Tessa nodded, then jumped at the sound of Wrath’s angry voice coming from the living room. When he returned to the kitchen a couple minutes later, his mood had shifted to one of quiet rage.

  Cara walked up to him. “What is it?”

  He stared at her a long moment, calming his reaction to the latest news from Grayson. Information he couldn’t share with Cara. She’d find out soon enough. He would have to deal with the fallout then, hoping she’d understand. Placing an arm around her shoulders, he pulled her to his side.

  “Nothing that matters.” He knew Cara didn’t believe it when he felt her stiffen against him. Looking down, Wrath couldn’t miss the disappointment in her eyes, wishing he could share what was going on. But his job didn’t allow full disclosure to anyone outside a select group of people. A group where Cara would never belong.

  Not responding, she moved out of his arms, grabbing plates from the cupboard. “Would you mind putting these on the table while I get the enchiladas out of the oven?”

  Hesitating to study her bland expression, he took the plates from her. “Sure.”

  For the first time since they’d met, Wrath wondered if what they had would be enough to hold a relationship together. Maybe he’d been fooling himself from the beginning. He’d never expected to feel such a deep attraction after such a short period of time. With the latest challenges being hurled at them, doubt began to crowd his mind, mess with what he’d thought could be a future. A ball of ice formed in his chest at the thought of losing her. He needed to think and didn’t have a spare minute to do it.

  Their lovemaking that night had been tentative, almost heartbreaking. Cara closed up, knowing he’d brushed aside her worries, kept another secret from her. Putting himself in her place, Wrath knew he’d feel the same if the roles were reversed.

  And there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it. He had no idea what she’d do when she learned of the latest change in the Brethren’s membership. Wrath certainly hadn’t responded well when the admiral laid it out for him.

  Absently stroking her shoulder while staring at the ceiling, he knew Cara wasn’t asleep. He wanted to lift her chin, place another kiss on her lips. Instead, he kept silent, dreading the day they’d have to confront their demons and make some tough decisions.

  Afterward, he hoped they’d find a way to stay together. Right now, with the chasm building, he didn’t give them much of a chance.

  Wrangler checked his watch for the third time since entering his brother’s office. “Maybe the admiral changed his mind and hasn’t had a chance to update you. You know how these types of orders change in an instant.” He stared at Wrath, who’d been working at his desk since before dawn, sifting through every sliver of intelligence Raider had uncovered since the second attack on their club.

  Setting the papers aside, Wrath leaned back in his chair. “I’m not that lucky. Not latel
y, anyway.”

  “How is this going to work with Cara?”

  Wrath shook his head. “She doesn’t know.”

  Wrangler blew out a slow curse. “You need to tell her. If you don’t, you might as well wave goodbye right now. Women don’t like surprises.”

  Or secrets, Wrath thought, not voicing the biggest threat between him and Cara.

  A knock sounded before Ghost shoved the door open. “The intel officer is here, Prez.” The look on his face told Wrath and Wrangler exactly what the club’s vice president thought of what Grayson had thrust upon them.

  “Thanks, Ghost.” Before Wrath could stand, the new arrival burst into his office, a broad smile flashing at the leader of the Brethren.

  “Intelligence Officer Levitt reporting for duty, sir.”

  The tense silence grew until Wrath could no longer ignore the one person he never wanted to see again. “Glory. Welcome to the Brethren.”

  “What do you think of this one?” Tessa’s gaze flicked to the big man a few feet away, seeing his discomfort at being given the job of babysitting them.

  “It’s a watermelon, Doc.”

  Lifting a brow, she set it back down. “Of course it’s a watermelon. Do you think it’s big enough for the number of people who’ll be at the house tomorrow?”

  Fighting the grin tugging at the corners of his mouth, he stepped next to her, picked up the melon, and placed it in the cart. “Yes, it’s big enough.”

  “All right. That should be everything.” Cara placed packages of ribs and chicken in the cart, checking the items off the list. “You two ready to get back?”

  “Hell yes,” Rock growled, making the women smile.

  “You’ve been a good sport.” Tessa touched his arm, feeling him tense. “I’ll make sure you have an extra serving of ribs at the party tomorrow.”

  Glaring at her, Rock took control of the overloaded cart, pushing it to the front.