Cannon: Cerberus MC Book 12

by Marie James

  Shadow isn’t in South America with us, but he and Max are working just as hard at the clubhouse, keeping track of each of our movements via satellite GPS. It’s a safety feature I didn’t consider being invasive until just now.

  “No problem,” I say before ripping my headset off and pulling my goggles from my eyes.

  “Maybe smile a little when you get down there,” Rocker suggests unhelpfully.

  “Hey.” Hound grabs me by the shoulder before I can descend the stairs. “Your safety is number one.”

  I nod, knowing exactly what he’s saying.

  The light switch at the top of the stairs is turned on, but the single light hanging from the ceiling of the basement doesn’t provide much as far illumination goes.

  “Hey,” I say to the first woman I see, and then want to choke Rocker. She isn’t holding a stick. The woman is gripping what looks like the handle of an axe in her trembling fingers. “I’m not here to hurt you. All the bad guys are dead.”

  Unblinkingly, she stares back at me, raising the club a little higher when I walk closer. Like I’m approaching a terrified dog tangled in barbed wire, I hold my hands palm up and keep talking to try to sooth her.

  “We’re here to get you out of this place. It’s not a trick. We want to get you back to your families. Are you Esmerelda?”

  Chatter starts up behind her, and I realize it isn’t in English.

  “Do you understand what I’m saying?”

  More chatter, then the woman in front of me speaks, but she tilts her head, turning it to her shoulder as if she’s talking to one of the other women hidden in the darkness. She grows even more agitated, and it’s easy to see she’s arguing with someone behind her.

  I open my mouth to speak again, but another woman stands, leaving the darkness. She’s in tattered clothes, filthy and covered in bruises.

  “Oh, honey,” I gasp when I see her. “We’re here to take you home.”

  Esmerelda Gonzalez, the daughter of a very wealthy man in El Salvador who hired us, steps closer. The woman with the stick tries to keep the teenager from getting closer, but she shrugs her off. Her eyes glisten with tears as she limps in my direction.

  She doesn’t say a word, but one second she’s a few feet away and the next she’s crushed against my chest sobbing her pain and relief into my utility vest.

  As I hold her, assuring her with the sweep of my hand down her ratty hair, two other women come forward. One finally taking the club from the first woman’s hands and tossing it aside.

  I explain to them who we are and why we’re here. Esmerelda translates for me, and after an hour or so, they slowly climb the stairs to leave the basement. It’s hard for Esmerelda to finally let go of me, and if I’m being honest, it’s difficult for me to walk away from her as well.

  “And that’s how I ended up with Mia.” Scooter smiles at me, but I don’t feel the same connection that he does.

  “I appreciate you doing that,” Hound says when we have a minute alone.

  “I don’t mind helping out,” I turn to face him fully so he can see how serious I am, “but I didn’t join Cerberus to become the fucking social worker of the group.”

  He stops me by grabbing one of the straps of my vest before I can storm off.

  “I know emotions are running high right now, but talking to me that way, refusing to do part of the job will not be tolerated.” I clench my jaw, keeping still even when I want to rush away or throat punch him. “You did what was needed. You did exactly what every other person on this team would’ve done if those women allowed it. Let go of the anger, Rivet. There are plenty of men that could’ve been chosen for this position, but you scored it, in part because you are in fact a woman and sometimes that’s needed, just like tonight.”

  I walk away the second he releases me, feeling fully chastened. I made a bigger deal of it than it actually is. I’m not lesser than the other guys because I’m female. If anything, I have something they don’t in the literal sense. Those women would’ve never calmed down for the guys, but I was able to do that. I was able to help my team without further traumatizing those women. By the time we make it back to the hotel we’re staying in, I feel like a true member of the Cerberus team. Not only am I a good addition, but sometimes they actually need me to be there.

  Chapter 16

  Cannon

  “Not the greatest curb appeal,” I mumble as I climb out of the backseat of the SUV.

  Griffin scoffs and Ivy giggles. “They’re still working on it.”

  All the concrete is poured, but the brand-new apartments don’t have grass and foliage around the buildings yet. Right now it looks like a mix between industrial and commercial, not exactly welcoming as far as residential prospects are concerned.

  “Hey!” Delilah bounces over with Lawson not far behind her.

  Her and Ivy hug like it’s been years since they laid eyes on each other when they were together by the pool yesterday. We’ve been poolside almost incessantly since summer break began, but from the look of excitement in their eyes that won’t last much longer.

  “Hey.” Delilah wraps her arms around my waist for a quick hug before snorting as she pulls away. “Where do you get these stupid shirts?”

  I look down at my t-shirt. It has a construction excavator on it and the words YOUR HOLE IS MY GOAL to the side.

  “I think I got this one on Amazon, maybe?”

  “Good morning!”

  We all turn to watch a chipper, middle-aged woman walking toward us. “You must be Ivy and Delilah. I’m Candace.”

  She’s a smart woman reaching for the girls’ hands first, even when I know for a fact that Griffin was the one to call and set the tour up.

  I spent an entire class one semester about knowing and gauging your audience, and it seems this woman must’ve taken a similar course. She gives the guys’ hand a perfunctory shake before turning her attention back to Ivy and Delilah.

  Candace talks about the kinds of flowers that will be planted in the beds along the sidewalk as she urges us to follow her around the main office. She points at the pool which is surprisingly finished and already glistening under the warm morning sun.

  “And there’s an information center and gym right through there.”

  She points to a room that’s split in two, one half with two computers set up beside an industrial printer, and the other half has two treadmills and an elliptical.

  “Not exactly state-of-the-art equipment in there,” I mutter loud enough for Griffin to hear but low enough that Candace doesn’t think I’m insulting her facility. “The one back home is better.”

  “True,” Griffin says as we walk past. “Guess I’ll have to see you every day anyway, huh?”

  Griffin works out like he’s constantly training for a triathlon. He didn’t even skip a workout on his birthday or Christmas. I knew pointing out the lack of equipment was a good idea.

  Fuck, they haven’t even moved and I miss them already.

  “I hope you know I’m going to be hanging out at your place a lot.” He shrugs as if it’s a given.

  The longer we walk around the property, the more I begin to like it myself. Once we get inside of the first apartment, my mind is made up. I want to live here, too.

  “Nice,” I praise, stepping inside of the shower of the larger apartment Candace is raving about.

  “This is our biggest apartment. The Sierra is twelve hundred square feet, two-bedroom, two baths.”

  “And this shower is big enough to hold a party in!” I groan at the way Lawson and Griffin gaze at their women, and the sultry gazes rush me out of the shower. “Remind me to never shower here after you move in.”

  “Do we really need two bedrooms?” Delilah asks as we stand inside the smaller of the two bedrooms.

  Lawson’s hand flexes on her hip before roaming to the front of her stomach. Ivy gasps, not missing the action either.

  “Are you… is there…” She points to Delilah’s stomach.

  “N
o,” her friend says, but there’s hope in her voice. “At least we don’t know yet. It’s still too early.”

  Ivy squeals like Delilah just told her that she’s due in seven months, and they hug again, bouncing on the balls of their feet while Candace just watches with a wide grin on her face and dollar signs in her eyes.

  “And what about you two?” the realtor asks when Ivy finally steps back into Griffin’s embrace. “Will you be needing two bedrooms as well?”

  Griffin looks like he’s getting sick, and Ivy leans her head against his chest.

  “Yes,” Ivy tells Candace.

  Griffin chokes, sputtering loudly before covering his mouth with his fist.

  “I have a ton of craft supplies, and I think the guest bedroom is perfect for a craft room. Don’t you, babe?”

  Griffin turns, looking at Ivy like she just saved him from impending doom. We all laugh when he kisses her.

  “And you?” Candace holds out her hand. “We haven’t met.”

  I shake her hand and can see in her eyes the exact second she thinks her charm is going to work on me. Know your audience, remember?

  The crazy thing is these apartments sell themselves.

  “Just a one room for me,” I tell her with a smile. “But I won’t be needing one for another year. I don’t graduate college until next May.”

  And until those words came out of my mouth, I had no intention of settling down here. Getting out of Farmington for good has always been my goal, and I know that makes me hypocritical since I don’t want the others to leave home. The only difference is that I just want them to be there as long as I’m there.

  “We can always put you on the waitlist closer to time.” Knowing that she isn’t going to get a third rental agreement from me, Candace turns her attention back to the others.

  “Modems are provided, and the entire apartment is wired for optimum Wi-Fi, all you have to do is pay the bill. The kitchens in these units come with all stainless-steel appliances. Follow me to the kitchen ladies, and I can show you the pantry.”

  “You want one? What happened to living the good ol’ life with the parents?” Griffin asks as the women head toward the front of the apartment excited over stupid pantry space.

  I shrug. He doesn’t seem agitated or annoyed, just that he’s a little confused.

  “Have to grow up at some point. Right?”

  “Yeah.” He draws the word out like he’s still not understanding. “But that means paying bills and being responsible, having a job.”

  “It means taking life seriously, and making sacrifices when partying sounds like more fun,” Lawson adds.

  I can tell neither one of them doubt that I can do it. They just seem baffled that I’d even want to grow up and take on more responsibility, and that’s what irritates the shit out of me.

  “I know,” I answer and leave them standing in the guest bedroom.

  After the girls finish fawning over the pantry and the cabinet space, we head back to the main office so they can sign leases.

  It seems to take forever, and just the abundance of paperwork that has to be completed just to rent a damn apartment seems like more of a hassle than what it’s worth.

  “A background check?” I ask as we leave the office. “Really?”

  “They also check credit scores,” Lawson says as he walks past to catch up to Delilah who’s chatting with Ivy about furniture.

  “Wow. I don’t even know my credit score.”

  Griffin raises his eyebrow as if to say, See, you’re not even a grown-up.

  It rankles and rubs me the wrong way. I want to prove to them that I’m an adult, that I’m responsible, but when I open my mouth to offer to buy lunch, I realize I can’t do that either. I mean, I have money in the bank, money that’s accessible to me, but it isn’t technically mine. It’s money Mom and Dad put into my account for me while I’m at school.

  “Where are you going?” Griffin asks when I walk past the SUV.

  “I got some things to take care of.” I wave to them over my head, but I don’t turn back around.

  “Is he mad about something?” Ivy asks quietly as I make my way off of the property and head toward town.

  I’m not mad at anyone but myself. Mad that all the jobs I’ve worked are unpaid internships. The knowledge gained was my reward, and I’m grateful to have had those opportunities. I work with Dad, not on Cerberus stuff, but that’s another thing I’m open to considering right now. Any time he needs help, I’m there to lend a hand.

  But I haven’t made money on my own, and that’s something I need to change immediately.

  Chapter 17

  Rivet

  A late afternoon nap leaves me waking up to a nearly silent clubhouse. When I finally leave my room, only Jinx and Rocker are in the living room watching television.

  They argue like two little brothers over which baseball game they want to watch before they grow bored enough and just turn the television off.

  “Wanna go to Jake’s?” Jinx asks us.

  Rocker shrugs. “Sure. The other guys were heading there after their ride.”

  “They went for a ride?”

  Rocker peers over at me and nods. “Yeah, a couple of hours ago.”

  I’ve been here for months and I’ve never been on a ride with any of the guys before. I go out all the time by myself, but there’s just something amazing about riding side by side with others enjoying the day.

  “Hate that I missed it,” I mutter as I stand from the sofa and stretch.

  Neither guy looks at me. Even Jinx doesn’t let his eyes wander to the sliver of flesh showing on my abdomen when I lift my arms over my head. Thankfully, he’s managed to get over whatever attraction he had toward me. Maybe it was seeing me cut that guy’s throat last week, but whatever it was, I’m glad. He always made things a little weird.

  “Give me ten minutes?” I ask as I walk toward the hallway leading to our rooms.

  “What? You need to put on a fresh coat of makeup or something?” Jinx laughs at his own stupid question.

  I flip him off over my shoulder and head to my room to change. I learned my lesson about going to Jake’s in a long-sleeved shirt the last time, and I won’t make the same mistake again. It was stifling in the bar once the crowd grew, to the point of being insanely uncomfortable.

  I strip out of my sweats, pulling out a pair of jeans and a tank top. Once dressed, I head outside, climbing into the SUV idling in the parking lot.

  “Looking for a date?” Rocker asks, his eyes finding mine in the rearview mirror.

  “Hardly,” I tell him, but I don’t say another thing. These guys have seen me in a tank before. It’s hella hot under our gear, so it’s literally part of my uniform, but I keep covered up at the clubhouse and every time I’ve gone out with them.

  The radio gets turned up, and the conversation is dropped. Once we get to the bar, Rocker and I head to the back table because Jinx drew the short straw, meaning he flaked the last time we came out, and it’s his turn to buy the first round.

  Tug and Max, sans Jasmine are at the table with Grinch and a couple of the other guys.

  “Finally get a night away from your girl?” Rocker asks as we step closer.

  Both guys frown, and it makes me like them both even more. They aren’t going to nod and joke about Jasmine being a ball and chain, and that’s very respectful of them.

  “She went to the movies with Camryn,” Max tells us.

  “And both of you are here while they’re there alone?” Rocker grins, and the guys frown even more.

  “Samson has first watch. We’re here to support Scooter.” Tug points over my shoulder, and Rocker and I turn to see Scooter in the middle of the dance floor with Mia in his arms.

  She looks absolutely terrified, holding on to him like if she lets go, the floor will swallow her whole.

  “First time out?” I ask. I’m aware of Mia’s history, not finite details but enough to know the girl has been through hell and is a warrior t
o have survived it. Seeing her shake in his arms reminds me of Esmerelda, and I wonder how the young girl is doing.

  “First time at the bar. Scooter tried to talk her out of it, but she insisted. I don’t imagine they’ll be here much longer,” Max says.

  “Really?” Rocker asks when he watches Jinx walk up with two pitchers of beer in one hand and a stack of glasses in the other.

  “More for less,” Jinx says with a wide smile.

  “You can do your penny-pinching bullshit some other time, asshole,” Rocker says, but he grabs a glass and pours beer into it. He takes a drink, his eyes narrowing at Jinx. “This isn’t that shitty stuff.”

  Jinx grins. “It’s half-priced draft night. At least that’s what the kid told me.”

  “Kid?” Rocker peers around Jinx toward the bar. “Don’t tell me Simone isn’t working tonight. We had an after-hours date scheduled.”

  I look in the direction of the bar, only Simone, the waitress that had her eyes glued to Cannon not long ago, isn’t the one handling the bar. It’s Cannon himself behind the scarred wood doling out drinks to the thirsty patrons.

  “Cannon?” Rocker asks, sounding just as surprised as I feel. “Looks like the kid is growing up.”

  I busy my hands by pouring a beer. I figured I’d see him here with his friends since they weren’t inside the clubhouse after my nap, but I never anticipated seeing him sling drinks behind the bar. He does it with a certain flare, his constant smile flashing to every person who bellies up.

  “Is this that shitty stuff?” Grinch asks as he lifts the half-empty pitcher of beer.

  “Nope,” I tell him as I hold my nearly empty glass out in front of me for a refill.

  Max and Tug opt for the beer in front of them rather than fighting the crowd swarming the bar, and we settle in for a night of shooting the shit, filled with jokes, quick jabs at each other, and smiles all the way around.

  Before long, Max and Tug leave to go take over watching the movie theater for signs of trouble. Max was right about Mia and Scooter. They didn’t last but a couple of songs before they shot to the door, but from the expression on Mia’s face as they walked away, I don’t think she was scared any longer. It looked like they were leaving for someplace with a little more privacy.