by Jayne Blue
Joe pulled up in one of his moving trucks. He jumped out and you could see why people felt safe when he arrived. While the M.C. was populated with tattooed and leather bikers, Joe wore work shirt with rolled up sleeves.
Joe helped us carefully, but quickly get the girls out of the back of one dark cab into one that was decidedly safer and more comfortable. Dusty joined them. She’d argued that she wanted to stay with me and finish the entire cycle. I would not hear it. She’d been in enough danger doing what she did. And now I needed her to help Joe do whatever he needed to get the girls safely transported.
“You got this?” I asked Joe.
“I’ll take them where you said.”
“Don’t linger there long unless you want to explain this.”
“Go it.” As a former Marine, I knew Joe would be able to get his part of the mission accomplished.
The next part of ours would be the ugliest. I watched Joe drive out of site with the girls. I didn’t know what would happen to any of them but hopefully, we’d intervened before this group had been fully immersed in the Bratva’s trafficking situation.
Thanks to Stone’s surprise find, Raleigh’s computer work, and a little luck we found out exactly what shitty hotel the Bratva were using to do the worst part of the operation.
The Sunny Side Motel off the highway was recently acquired by The Bratva. They ran it like a motel but many days the rooms were the rendezvous point where the evil asshole client would meet the girl he’d ordered online.
Raleigh had learned that the main operations for the Bratva were now at the Sunny Side. We’d torched their operations at the storage place and they’d set up an office here.
It was oh so convenient really. They could make sure the end product got delivered and also provide a better set up for their customers. It was all about as seedy and evil as a crime could be.
We’d interrupted the delivery this night. There would be no new Grand City girls headed to the Sunny Side.
Steel, Ridge, and I made our way to the motel. I drove with Ridge next to me to mimic the two-man team. If they anyone looked through the driver’s window they’d not be immediately suspicious. Steel was in the back of the truck. We’d planned to strike hard and right away.
We pulled in and up to the office where three men approached the truck. I put it in park. As they opened the back doors, Steel opened fire. He struck one down immediately.
The other two tried to scatter. It was no use, though, Ridge had the guy who went right and I had the guy who went left. We didn’t ask if they were guilty, we didn’t tell them to put their hands in the air, we killed all three.
We knew that would alert whoever else was working in the hotel. That’s where the full force of the Great Wolves M.C. Grand City Charter put the hammer down.
From all directions, I heard the roar of the bikes. The headlines were off but the sound was some sort of iron dragon curling itself around the Sunny Side Motel.
There were going to be a half a dozen Russians or so, based on our surveillance. The leader, a dude named Demetri, would be the last out. They’d protect him.
The officers were all there except Larry, I wanted him to be around for the club if our perfect plans turned out not so perfect.
Every guy in the M.C. volunteered for this job but I needed two-dozen or so.
The gunfire came from the office area of the Sunny Side and so did three men. So many bullets rained down on them from so many directions it looked their bodies were popcorn on a skillet.
“They’re going to hold up there,” I yelled to the guys. There were three men inside and they’d make a stand.
“I’m going to smoke them out,” Stone said. He was never one to wait. Neither was his buddy Ryder. Ryder stood up.
“Hey you Mother Fucking Russians! Why don’t you come out there and fight?
A bullet whizzed by Ryder and he hit the dirt like he’d been dropped but I heard him laugh at how close that was. He was fine but too reckless by half.
Ryder’s little distraction let Stone do his part of the job. I shot a window out and Stone dropped a can of tear gas into the motel office.
“It won’t be long,” Stone said and he took cover. One by one the Russians filed out. They shot wildly at us but it was for nothing.
The Great Wolves were here to bring fatal judgment down on those that would hurt kids in our town.
When it was all done, we had eight dead Russians and one in the hands of Detective Murray.
As the customers arrived, they too were handled.
The evil asshole customer would arrive at the appointed room and walk in. As they did one of my guys greeted them to take a lovely picture as evidence.
Only one customer ran and he joined the eight dead Russians.
We did a thorough clean up job. We may not have needed 24 men to cut down the Russians, that took only a few of us. But we were 24 strong to search, clean our tracks, and dispose of the bodies.
It took the better part of the night but at dawn, the Sunny Side Motel was fully engulfed.
There would be not one shred of evidence that we were there.
We’d wiped out inventory acquisition, transport, and the meeting place for the Bratva’s trafficking operations in Grand City.
It was a violent and complete gutting of a snake in our midst.
We’d been clean and legitimate for a year in Grand City.
I’d never felt so good about getting dirty as when watched my bullets sink into their flesh.
The Mother Country would find out and think twice about preying in Wolf Territory again.
Chapter Nineteen
Bess
It was a tense night but in the morning, I had a part to play. I got a pre-dawn phone call to wake up and get over to the group home.
The call was from an unlisted number and the voice was unfamiliar.
Shortly after that, Mrs. Williams awoke to the blare of horn that faded quickly. No one could say they saw the vehicle that honked to wake her.
She ran out just as I drove up.
In the yard of the halfway house, carefully covered with blankets were six, mostly unconscious, girls. Waifs really. She’d called 911 and then me. In fact, I got there before the police and medical teams.
No one saw how they got there and the girl themselves were all in various states of drugged out fog.
It was chaos to sort out but we got them all in ambulances.
Detective Murray and I took statements, did our best, but they didn’t know how they’d gotten to the group home.
Figuring out who was who, where they should go, how to help them would take weeks. Many of the girls were already broken before they were kidnapped. It was scary to think we might yet fail them even after getting them out of trafficking.
But at least, we’d done that. Gotten that far.
Detective Murray suspected I knew more and cornered me at the hospital after we’d gleaned as much as we could from the girls.
“You don’t know where the other Russians are?”
“I can give you a location on Georgie. He’s in your jail. That’s it. I wish I could give you the rest. We’ve got the girls. That’s what I’m holding on to.”
“What about Kirstin Jones and the newer name, what was it?”
“DeAndre Parrish,” I replied.
“Are they in this group?”
“DeAndrew Parrish is. Cassidy was working with her. She will be very happy about that.”
“What about your Kirstin Jones?”
“Your leads are as good as mine on that.” Kirstin was still missing. She was still out there. Maybe she always would be.
“I could haul Sawyer in,” Murray was testing me. He believed I knew more.
“For what?”
“Bess I sure hope you know what you’re doing.”
“I’m working to find catch these girls that fell through the net. Do you want to help me or chase after middle-aged biker who runs several successful businesses in Grand City?
”
“I want to help you.”
“So make sure the case against Norm is solid and pray I don’t get fired.”
“You know I’ll go to bat for you if I have a chance.”
“I know. Thanks, Murray. Let’s help these girls.”
I literally did not get home for 24-hours after the girls appeared on Mrs. Williams’s doorstep. Sawyer texted me that he was okay.
And Chris texted me that he picked up Henry.
Sawyer had done it. With an assist from me. I didn’t need to know the details. I saw in the paper the next day there was a fire that destroyed some crappy motel.
Sawyer quite literally knew where the bodies we buried and I wasn’t about to ask.
He’d gotten the job done, evil men had been stopped, and innocent children saved.
I trusted Sawyer with my life and so could dozens of other people.
He wore leather and a cut but he was a hero in my eyes.
Chapter Twenty
Sawyer
I had my beautiful Bess curled up, head in my lap, reading the paper while I passed the time doing nothing but watching her do it. I was worried about her, though.
“How’s Cassidy doing on all the placements?” Bess was on paid leave while an investigation into her department was underway.
“She’s okay, overwhelmed.”
Bess was surprisingly calm about the very real possibility that her career at Children’s Services could be over.
“I know you’re itching to get back in there and help her.” Bess put the paper down and sat up. I mourned the loss immediately. She turned to face me.
“Sawyer, the thing is I don’t regret for one minute the things we did to save those girls.”
“Which in a court of law you know nothing about.” I had a lot of regrets. I brought trouble to Bess Geary in the form of bullets, career suicide, and not the least of which complications to her custody agreement.
“Right. Here’s the thing, I’m going to resign, even if they don’t fire me.”
“You love it there. You’ve worked your ass off to get where you are. The kids need you. I could go on.”
“I’ve done what I can there. I made a difference, to some kids at least. But there’s a tougher battle out there now. And I want to go where I think they need me even more.”
“Where’s that?”
“I’m going to take a meeting with the Michigan Human Trafficking Taskforce. I’m going to work wherever they need me. However they need me.”
“You’re an amazing woman Bess Geary.” I leaned in and kissed her. She moved forward and I sank back into the couch. She nuzzled her head just under my neck.
“So are you going to make it official?”
“Are you sure?”
“You’ve tried to dump me for my own safety or because I’m a smart mouth or because I have more baggage than your average M.C.hanger on but I’m right here.”
“Well, I want you up here.” I slid her up and we were lip to lip. I kissed her. And noticed her robe had slipped from her shoulder. Lucky, lucky Sawyer. I nudged it along and kissed her shoulder.
“Sawyer McCall.”
“Bess McCall.”
“What?”
“I insist.”
“Sawyer I didn’t mean that. I...I...”
“What? Bess Geary McCall? That better?”
“I didn’t mean to force you into marrying me. I just wanted it biker official. Like officially your old lady. Something like that? I know you’re not the marrying kind of guy. I promise.”
“I am if it’s you.” I stopped her next round of protest with my lips.
“Sawyer, I just wanted you to buy me like a sidecar or something.” I rolled her onto her back and slid the robe completely open. Her nipples were pebbled and asking me to put them in my mouth. But Bess had not stopped protesting.
“Are you saying no? Second thoughts about being Mrs. Sawyer McCall?”
“No, I am not. I want to be your old lady or the first lady of the MC or Mrs. M. all of it.”
“Good, now be quiet while I kiss your gorgeous tits.”
“Such rough language Prez.”
She was willing to ride sidecar no matter the consequence. It wasn’t going to be an easy ride. Being the Prez of an MC never was. I had learned Bess didn’t want easy, she wanted hard, crazy, messy even, just as long as it was real. And that I could promise.
Bess
“How am I going to do this without you?” Cassidy and I hugged as I carried a box of stuff out of my office.
“I’m not leaving town, just this office, you know I’m a text away for anything you need.”
“I know, still.”
“How’s DeAndra?”
“Better I think. Some days she’s better. Others...” Cassidy trailed off.
“That’s the way of all of this.”
“Right, well expect a million texts. Good luck, the mediation is this afternoon right?”
“Yes, I thought I’d pack all my stress into one day. After that, I’m going to the accountant.”
“No!”
“Kidding, root canal.”
“Stop. Good luck and call me after the mediation, no matter what.”
Chris and I had a date with the judge over changing the custody. He wanted too much. I was prepared for a fight.
I didn’t want Henry to go through this but I also didn’t want to lose even a second. We were at an impasse.
I packed the car with my office stuff and made a short trip around the corner to the courthouse.
Sawyer and I were engaged now. The ring was still new on my finger. He didn’t think it was a good idea to be at the hearing but I did. I was proud of him and Chris could go to hell.
Sawyer would protect Henry and me with his life and I was done letting Chris threaten me. I wanted the court or Chris or anyone who cared to know that I was going to marry Sawyer McCall.
I sat at one table with my lawyer and Chris and Candice sat at another.
I turned around and saw Sawyer in the row behind me.
I almost didn’t recognize him. He’d pulled back his hair and was wearing a business suit. My jaw dropped. He looked sexy as hell and entirely different, dangerous in leather, and devastating in a suit. Lucky Bess. He winked at me and I turned back around.
The judge came in and we stood.
“Be seated,” the judge looked at Chris.
“Mr. Geary you’re asking for a significant change in the arrangement and you’ve argued that your ex-wife works long hours and has a criminal for a boyfriend?”
“He’s in a biker gang, your honor! I am an upstanding member of one of the oldest families in Grand City. My wife is home full time. Henry would be much happier if he was with us the majority of the time. Not to mention safer.”
“Okay, that’s enough. I can read the file.”
“Ms. Geary, what about your work hours.”
“I’ve recently resigned from my position as a director of a department. I agree that my work was grueling. I will always work but my new situation will be more flexible so Chris has nothing to worry about.”
“I see here, this is a statement from your new employer. Good work they’re doing.”
My lawyer had sent over the letter offering me a position with the Michigan Human Trafficking Taskforce. I would be setting up a satellite office in Grand City. It was a smaller job than I had but one that I couldn’t wait to start.
“So you’ve addressed the work complaint. No how about this criminal he says you’re going to marry.”
“Yes, Sawyer McCall. And he’s not a criminal.”
“Sawyer?” And the judge dropped his reading glasses to look up and behind me.
“Almost didn’t recognize you in the suit!”
“Judge Terry.”
“That changes things a bit. Sawyer McCall is a business owner, not a criminal Mr. Geary. In fact, let’s see here. A background check reveals that McCall has a few speeding tickets, but nothing more se
rious than that.”
“Your honor we’ve also added some character references if you’d like to peruse any of those.”
“Yes, let’s see, Detective Murray says McCall was instrumental in helping him locate a runaway. Oh, here’s one from our movie star Craddock Flynn, McCall helped him advance his career when he was starting out. Good friend to have,” Judge Terry laughed at his own joke.
“And then here’s a familiar name, Sawyer McCall, and his Great Wolves Security Firm have been the single biggest factor in helping the Five Points Shopping District establish a safe environment where our small locally owned businesses can grow. Signed Otto Terry, Owner of Otto’s Jewelry Store.”
The judge put down the file and closed it.
“Mr. Geary, Otto Terry is my brother. It is clear to me your concern over Sawyer McCall’s influence on your son is unfounded. “Mr. Geary, you’ve failed to provide clear and convincing evidence that a change in Henry’s already established custodial environment would be in his best interests.”
“Sawyer McCall in a suit. Glad, I came to work today.” The judge chuckled as he walked out of the courtroom.
“I’m done?” I asked my lawyer.
“Yep, you won. And it will be exceedingly hard for Chris to try this again after failing and wasting the court’s time.”
“Thank you.”
“Well, congratulations. If I see even one biker...” Chris was snarling at me under his breath.
“Chris,” Candice, out of the blue, spoke up. Chris shut up at her command.
“Bess. I hope we can put this behind us. Henry is a beautiful soul and I am honored to have a small role in his life.”
You could have knocked me over with a feather. Candice was the unlikely voice of reason in what had been a tug of war over my son.
“Thank you, Candice. That means more than I can express.”
“Let’s go, Chris.”
Chris gave me one more look and followed his wife. I felt infinitely better about Henry going to them on weekends now that I saw Candice could be that amazing.
“What do you know about?” Sawyer put my hand in his and kissed me on the cheek.
“I guess it shows Chris has good taste in second wives.”
“Pretty great taste in first wives too.” Sawyer pulled me closer.
