by Marie James
“The guys have master keys. You can lock the door from the inside, but their key overrides it.”
That’s a scary thought. I know the doors don’t lock unless we lock them from the inside. My last sense of safety in this place has just been torn from me. I know now I have to see if there’s anything in the room I can use to block the door at night. I know they can come inside anytime they want, but if they have to shove furniture out of the way, it at least, gives me time to wake up.
“Fuck,” I mutter. “Do they have cameras in the rooms too?”
She angles her head to the front door. “No. The only camera I’ve seen is the one on the other side of the door.”
“Thank God for that,” I say.
“You should give it a try,” she coaxes me. “Vito does this thing with his tongue…”
“I’ll pass,” I say quickly before she can go into detail about her time spent with the man who is single-handedly holding me captive.
Besides, what man sleeps with a hooker and performs oral sex on her? Isn’t that just for men who want to please the woman, rather than a sure thing he’s paying her for?
Chapter 11
BT
Six hours in the air plus the one-hour layover in Dallas did nothing but give me time to run worse case scenarios through my head. I’m exhausted by the time I make it to Albuquerque and get behind the wheel of my rental car. I asked for an older model car at the crappiest car rental place I could. I’m hoping they keep shitty records, and it will be even harder for the people in Vegas to track anything back to Tampa and inevitably Aviana.
What I didn’t expect was this horrible clunker which I’m not even sure will make it to Farmington. The three-hour trek across New Mexico turns into four and a half hours with how easy I have to go on the damn hunk of metal. I don’t have the time to spare, but I sure as shit don’t have time to be stuck in the middle of the damn desert.
It’s late by the time I knock on the door of the Cerberus MC Clubhouse door. They’re expecting me. I spoke with Shadow late yesterday evening and explained exactly everything I knew and what my plans were. He called me a stupid mother fucker, but I knew he was willing to help.
I know the Cerberus guys from my lengthy stay at Walter Reed in D.C. Both Blade and I were there for quite some time. These guys visited him often when they were on leave. I’m lucky to have Blade; hell the world is lucky to still have Blade. We became friends, which happens when people are trying their best to get through the worst in their lives. We’ve kept in touch ever since.
I knew Shadow was the man I needed to talk to when going to Vegas to track down Aviana became my plan. He’s an expert in all things digital. I know I need a new identity, and he’s the only guy I trust to help me out with this. Hell, he’s the only guy I know with the ability to do it. I don’t associate with people who do things that even border on illegality, much less this, which is felonious on so many levels.
Cerberus MC consists of all former military men. They don’t talk about what they do, and I’ve never asked, but I know they are some sort of sub-government contract group. I know that Shadow doing this favor for me is not something he’d ever get in trouble for. I wouldn’t put a friend in that situation, but man am I glad to have them.
“You mother fucker,” Shadow says as he pulls the door open wider to allow me to step through.
He pulls me into a manly, back-slapping hug before releasing me and giving me a slight shove out of his personal space. Nothing better than being around like-minded men. You can smell the testosterone in the air around these guys. They’re patriots, same as me, and one of the best group of men you could have the privilege to meet.
“I got you all set up, but Kincaid wanted to talk with you. You gonna hang out here for the night?” He asks as he closes the door and starts to walk deeper into the room.
“If you have a place for me to rack up and don’t mind,” I say. I’m completely exhausted. I was going to get a hotel room for the night and head out in the morning, but the idea of climbing back into the piece of shit car again tonight has my body hurting more than it already did.
“You’re welcome as long as you need, brother.” Shadow slaps me on the back. “Sorry to hear about your girl, man,” he says as we head into a room with a huge oval table in the center.
“Thanks,” I say because I don’t want to have to explain that I’m chasing after a girl who kissed me a few times and not my actual girlfriend. I never said she was, and he assumed, so I leave it alone. Besides, these guys would laugh me out of the fucking clubhouse if I told the true story of how I was the one to put the brakes on and she was the one pushing for sex.
Her not being my girlfriend doesn’t matter, and I’m certain these guys would agree. The principle fact is, a woman was abducted and is suffering through God knows what because of her piece of shit father. That’s not going to be okay with any of these guys.
Kincaid stands as I make my way into the room. I reach out and shake his hand in greeting. It seems the guys were either waiting for me, or they have just finished a meeting of their own. Kincaid introduces me to the other guys around the table. I recognize Snatch, but the other guys must have never come to Walter Reed because their faces aren’t familiar.
“We’re just waiting on,” Kincaid begins as the door to the room swings open.
“Whose fucking jalopy is that out front?” the young guy says falling down dramatically into a chair. He’s in sweats and a t-shirt, both soaked from a recent workout.
Several of the guys around the table chuckle at him and shake their heads. He’s young, twenty-five max. I don’t know why, but I like him already.
“This is Kid, BT,” Shadow says with a big smile on his face. “Have a good workout there, fella?” Shadow taunts as I reach across the table and shake hands with the man.
He sneers at Shadow but returns my handshake. Clearly there’s an inside joke going on with these guys, and most days I’d be interested in hearing about it, but there’s bigger shit going on for me right now.
Kincaid clears his throat and the room quiets immediately. The power this man yields in this club is outstanding. I sweep my head around the room and realize it has nothing to do with power and everything to do with respect.
“I’ve filled all the guys in on what you told me,” Shadow says.
I nod. “Are you sure you don’t need our help?” Kincaid asks.
I’ve spent a ton of time thinking about this, and help would be greatly appreciated, but if this shit went south, the last thing I wanted was injured or dead men on my conscious. I have enough of that shit to last a lifetime.
“It will be just a quick in and out. I can handle it.” He gives me a look that says he’s not buying my bullshit. “I need to do this,” I emphasize.
“You want to be her hero,” Kincaid counters.
I shrug because honestly that’s a part of it too.
“I want to send at least one man with you.” All of the guys shift their weight so they’re standing taller in their seats. Short of raising their hand saying “pick me, pick me!” it’s a clear sign they all want to head to Vegas with me. I cut my eyes across at Kid who seems more stuck in his own grumpy world rather than paying attention to what Kincaid is saying.
“I could use a little help,” I concede. It’s always nice to have a second man on the ground, especially when you’re having to shovel through surveillance.
“Kid’s going to be your best bet,” Shadow says from beside me.
Kid jerks his head up so fast the table shakes slightly. He glares at Kincaid rather than Shadow, even though he’s the one that spoke the words. The man knows the order is coming from the top.
“Don’t give me that look,” Kincaid chastises. “You need to get your ass out of New Mexico for a while.”
“But, Khloe,” he begins.
“Khloe. Exactly,” Kincaid says and gives him a stern look, and true to his name and prior behavior he looks like a heartbroken child.
Shadow slides an envelope in front of me. “This should be everything you need. Driver’s license, prepaid MasterCard. There’s ten grand on it now but let us know if you need more.” I nod my head. I won’t take that with me; it doesn’t fit into my plan. “We have a couple of cars in the garage you can use. If they run the plates, it comes back to the guy on the license.” He has a huge smirk on his face.
I realize why immediately when I pull the identification from the envelope. “Mike Hawke? Seriously?” Everyone around the table gets a good laugh at that.
Mike Hawke. My Cock.
“Very funny,” I mutter but can’t help but smile. Shadow has always had a sick sense of humor, and I love him for it.
“It’s a great conversation starter,” he says and slaps me on the back. “Let me show you to a room so you can get some rest.”
I stand from the table and shake everyone’s hands again. “Leave about eight in the morning?” I say to Kid as he stands up.
“Sure, man. It’s your show,” he grumbles before walking away.
I hear him mutter something about being around hookers and having no self-control as he leaves the room.
I raise an eyebrow at Shadow. “Girl trouble,” he says with a smile on his face.
“Apparently,” I comment back.
Chapter 12
BT
I haven’t slept well in days. Last night was no exception, even though I was exhausted. The flight and the drive from Albuquerque in the piece of crap car weren’t even enough to tire me out so I could sleep. I have a feeling that until this situation with Aviana is resolved, I won’t get much sleep at all.
If I were going alone, I would’ve left last night. I fought the urge to track Kid down and hit the road. He didn’t seem very happy yesterday about the idea of going to Vegas. As a matter of fact, he was the only one who didn’t seem eager to tag along.
He didn’t show up at dinner time when it seemed like everyone else in the MC was there. I got to meet Kincaid’s girl, Emmalyn. She’s probably one of the sweetest women I’ve ever met. I couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to find someone you just can’t live without.
I date, but I’ve just never felt that spark with anyone… well until my lips met Aviana’s for the first time. I’m not going to say it was love at first kiss, but there was something there that’s never been with another woman before. I know that it’s part of the reason I’m risking everything to track her down, that and the fact that she was abducted. Her abduction isn’t something I could just turn a blind eye to, and I couldn’t hand it over to the police and wish for the best.
I had every intention of leaving the credit card Shadow gave me on the dresser of the room I stayed in last night. Ten thousand dollars isn’t much for them, and it’s a drop in the bucket compared to what is owed to the SINdicate by her father, but it’s a hell of a lot of money to me. An amount I’d struggle to pay back at any rate. I do know, however, that it may be necessary at some point.
I do leave behind all evidence that BT Urruela exists. I may have walked into this clubhouse as one man, but I’m leaving as Mike Hawke, even as ridiculous as the name is. I shake my head and grin as I close the door to the room and make way to the living room in search of Kid. It’s time we head out; we have an eight-hour drive ahead of us today, and I plan to hit the casino as soon as we make it to town.
Laughter draws me into the kitchen where the majority of the crew from yesterday is having breakfast.
“Grab some grub,” Shadow says when he notices me standing in the doorway.
I’d rather be on the road, but I know I have to eat. I grab a plate and load it up; hoping Kid eats a big breakfast as well. The fewer stops between here and Vegas the better.
I sit beside Shadow and begin to shovel food into my mouth. “In a hurry?” he asks with a chuckle.
I just nod my response.
Kid is across the room sitting beside a young girl who can’t be any older than fifteen or sixteen. They have their heads down, talking to each other.
She looks incredibly young, and it makes me wonder if she’s the daughter of one of the guys in the club. I’m certain they aren’t keeping teenagers around this place.
The other guys all seem to be lost in conversation as well, most sidled up to one of the women I found out were “club girls.” I discovered last night that the ladies that hang around the club were pretty much up for anything. I can’t pull my eyes away from a redhead and the member who was introduced as Snatch yesterday. He’s leaning far back in his chair, and although I can’t see what she’s doing, both of her hands being under the table and the glassy look in his eyes are a pretty good indicator.
Shadow’s laughter makes me pull my gaze from them. “You regret the offer from last night?”
“Naw,” I answer slightly embarrassed at getting caught staring at them. Shadow offered me the company of one of the club girls last night. Apparently they were pulling straws to see who got me the minute I walked in the door. Him relaying the information was strange, but I can admit that it was also flattering. Had I not been heading across the country to rescue a girl I can see staying in my life a while, I might have taken one of them up on the offer. Every one of the girls are beautiful, so it’s not like it would’ve been a hardship.
I narrow my eyes at Kid and the girl he’s sitting beside. He has his hand around her shoulder, and I’m suddenly disgusted at the idea that she may be a club girl. I can’t even fathom this club doing that.
Shadow must sense my apprehension. “She’s older than you think,” he says from beside me.
“Eighteen?”
“Seventeen is the age of consent in New Mexico,” he answers. “But he won’t touch her until she’s eighteen. Kincaid is sending him out with you to make sure of it. Her birthday is in a few weeks.” He laughs again and gestures with his head toward the young couple. “He’s going out of his mind here, and she’s not helping the matter any.”
The girl wraps her arms around his shoulders and leans in to kiss him on the cheek. He almost looks pained at the situation. He pecks her on the cheek and stands from the table. I don’t miss the adjustment of the front of his jeans as he walks toward us.
“You ready?” he asks.
I laugh but stand from the table. “Yeah, man. Let’s go.”
“Thank fuck,” he mutters. “I have to get away from that girl before I do something that lands me in jail.”
***
The trip to Vegas wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. The further we got from Farmington, the better Kid’s mood got. By the time we passed the “Welcome to Vegas” sign, he was one of the funniest fuckers I’ve ever met. I found out he was a Marine, and as much as he thought going in he wanted to make a career out of it, he realized very quickly it wasn’t a long-term thing. He served one four-year enlistment and got out close to the time Shadow and Kincaid did. He served with them for one tour with Special Forces.
Special Forces is pretty elite, but the jobs he’s working now seem to be a better fit for him, at least that’s what he says.
Even on a Wednesday night, the Strip is packed with tourists. As much as I want the thick cut fries from Fat Burger, I drive right past to a decent hotel off the strip. We grab a couple rooms there; then head over closer to The Golden Dragon and get a room in a shitty motel within walking distance. Mike Hawke is a sad excuse of a man, down on his luck. He wouldn’t have a pot to piss in much less a car to drive.
Kid is taking the car back to the nicer hotel and will grab a cab over to the casino. I sway and stagger through the front door of the casino shortly after stowing Mike’s meager belongings in the motel room. I ran water in the shower and mussed up the bed to make it look like someone had been staying there. I even brought in the fast food trash from our trip and put it inside. It may be a few days before I even have to stay there, but I still need it to look lived in.
I have to k
eep my wits about me, so pretending to be drunk at first arriving is easier than actually drinking to get drunk once I’m here. I sit down at a blackjack table with a handful of other seedy looking guys. I’m hoping my dirty, ripped t-shirt, crappy shoes, and Walmart brand jeans are enough to convince whoever it is handing out loans that I’m desperate.
I dropped everything in Tampa and headed this way within twenty-four hours of finding Aviana’s father, so there was no time to let my beard get shaggy. I had to shave it. I’m going to fuck these guys up even harder just for that. I can still taste the shaving cream and bitterness as I toss back a shot of tequila.
“Hit me,” I tell the dealer on eighteen. It’s a stupid fucking move, and everyone at the table knows it. I get the king the next guy would have hit twenty-one with.
“Stupid fucker,” he grumbles as the dealer throws down a six on his eleven.
Ten hands later and I’m “broke” and sitting at a now empty table. My shitty hands have made everyone around me get up and find a table where people who actually know what they’re doing are playing.
“Fuck,” I grumble and get up from the table. I head to the teller to make a withdrawal knowing I won’t have any luck there either.
I stand before the ATM for fifteen minutes, swaying back and forth, cursing it for all it’s worth because it won’t spit out money. I’m hoping I’m putting on a good enough show because I’m starting to feel like a schmuck.
“I can’t get this to work,” I slur handing the teller my card.
“How much would you like?” She asks as she swipes the card into her computer.
I laugh loudly. “How much can I get?”
She frowns at her screen. “This says you have thirteen dollars and forty-eight cents in the account.”
“I’ll take it!” I say with an excited slap to the counter.
“I’m sorry, sir,” she says handing the card back to me. “We can’t make withdrawals less than twenty plus the fee.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I yell louder than I ever should speak to a woman. My dad would kick my ass if he saw this. She shrinks back slightly, and I feel like a total asshole now. Poor thing, it’s not her fault.
