“No,” she replied immediately, but I recognized the exact moment she decided to be honest with me because her expression changed. “Two men on motorcycles passed me on the street the day I had lunch with Becs. They slowed down, and one of them smiled.” She dropped her hand and swallowed hard. “I’ll never forget that smile.”
Anger raced through me at the thought of any of those bastards near her, but when the timeline of her admission settled in, my anger intensified. “That why you went to Manny?”
She lifted her chin in defiance. “I needed to protect myself.”
“You needed to come to me so I could protect you,” I crowded her against the side of her car. “You’re no longer Bull’s responsibility,” I growled. “You’re mine.”
“No.”
I leaned down. “What the fuck do you mean, no?”
She narrowed her eyes. “If I need protection, I want Bull. He’s doing a good job.”
I clenched my teeth, feeling pain shoot through my jaw. “It’s my decision who offers you protection.”
She scoffed. “No, Bear, it’s my decision who I accept protection from. I agreed to Bull. If it had ever been the option of you, I would’ve declined.” She laid her hands against my chest and pushed. “And after that little show in there and how you spoke to me, I’m done with you.”
When I took a step back, she shifted to the side, unlocked her car door, and dropped onto the seat before closing the door. I stood completely still and watched her pull out and onto Main Street before I threw my leg over my bike, but I didn’t start the engine. I just sat on my bike and thought about her last words to me, knowing that again she was right.
She should decline my protection.
She should be done with me.
But no fucking way was I done with her.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
BEAR
Sitting back in my chair, I watched as the last of the officers shuffled into the conference room and found their seats. Race was the last one to arrive, and he closed the door behind him. My eyes flicked over the men around the table, and when they landed on Bull, the anger I thought I’d worked out last night shot through me again. I’d spent a good portion of last night in the gym attached to our clubhouse, working through shit in my head with my fists.
It helped.
But only temporarily.
Gunner took the seat beside me and leaned his elbows on the table. He had a lot of shit to say, but he knew when to sit back and let me work through my own anger before interfering. We’d known each other a long time, and this was far from the first time he’d seen me pissed. But this felt different. I’d been angry in the past. Angry with my club and myself, but I rarely got or stayed angry with my men.
Sitting forward, I placed my elbows on the table and began the meeting. “Got some news yesterday. News I should’ve had days ago, and because I didn’t, we’ve been put at a disadvantage.”
“What news?” Tank spoke up first.
“There’s new Widow blood in town.”
“Who?” Ritz asked.
“His road name is Hawk, but for now, that’s about all we know.”
“We need to find out who he is and why he’s here,” Tank said.
“Can’t exactly call up the Widows and ask,” Ritz pointed out.
I shook my head. “Nope.”
“When did he get to town?”
“No idea.” I exhaled heavily. “He approached Josie but didn’t say anything to her. She saw the name on his vest.”
“She told me.” When Bull’s voice sounded in the room, my jaw hardened, and I shifted my attention toward him. “I reported it to Gunner, who looked into it, found out he’s a Widow, and he’s running the show.”
Ritz faced Gunner. “How do you know that?”
“Talked to a few Widows,” Gunner replied.
Tank narrowed his eyes. “Didn’t know any of them still talked to you.”
I wasn’t surprised to hear the suspicion in his voice. I was the only one who knew Gunner was Viper’s son until about six months ago when Viper had plans to come after both Gunner and our club. Gunner had information that could send Viper to prison for a very long time, and that was the only thing that had kept Gunner safe from his father over the years, but everything changed when Viper threatened Maggie. We chose to get the members involved when we knew the threat could potentially harm the club, but the fact that Gunner had kept his identity to himself for so long still hung heavy over our group.
“I wasn’t sure they would,” Gunner admitted. “I took a chance, considering they weren’t shy in telling me how much they hated Viper when I was a member.”
“They told you they hated your father?”
Gunner grunted. “You see now why I thought they might be willing to share a little information?”
“Because you got rid of the trash running the show,” Bull surmised.
Gunner nodded. “They said after he was killed a few months back, a younger member had proven himself and was voted in, but that’s all they’d tell me besides his name is Hawk.”
“Where the hell did he come from?” Race asked. “Never heard that name before.” He turned to look at Pop. “You?”
Pop shook his head slowly. “No. Never heard of him. How young is he?”
“Josie guessed he was in his thirties,” Bull answered but was facing Gunner. “What the hell is he doing in New Hope?”
“No idea, brother.”
“If he’s running shit,” Pop said, “my guess is he’s here because Snap called him in.”
Ritz tilted his head to the side. “Why would he do that?”
“Because we didn’t respond to their threat,” I replied, and Pop nodded. “Snap thought we’d retaliate in some way, but we didn’t, and now he’s wondering about his next move. But more than that, he’s probably wondering what move the national club will back.”
“Snap knew what Viper would allow, what he encouraged, but this is new. He’s not going to war with us without the entire Widows club committing to that war,” Gunner added.
“Hawk’s a bigger threat than Viper was to us,” Pop added.
Ritz’s eyebrows drew together. “Why?”
“We knew Viper and had the inside information on how he worked. We had the luxury of watching him for years,” Pop replied. “We don’t know this kid. Don’t know where he came from or what his plans are for the club, which makes it hard to guess his next move.”
“Makes sense.” Ritz agreed.
“We’re gonna do some digging.” I gestured back and forth between Gunner and me. “Might ask Kyle to get involved.”
“Think it’s smart bringing in an outsider?” Bull asked.
My spine straightened, and my eyes locked on Bull. “You questioning my judgment?”
He narrowed his eyes. “Just pointing out the obvious. The more people involved, the more people we answer to when shit explodes.”
“I don’t answer to anyone,” I declared.
“You involve the Dimarcos, you answer to a lot of people.”
I pushed out of my seat to stand, laid my palms on the table, and leaned my weight onto them. “Let me be clear when I repeat, I answer to no one. Not the Dimarcos. Not the police. And never to someone holding a seat lower than mine.”
When Bull slowly rose from his seat, Gunner stood and slapped his hand against my chest, forcing me to look at him when he spoke, and I knew his words were only for me. “Not a choice you wanna make, brother.”
My eyes slid to the side and locked on my VP. “Not sure when you decided you could make decisions for me.”
His expression hardened. “When you started making decisions without using your head.”
Standing straight, I glanced between Gunner and Bull. “Every decision I make is what’s right for this club.”
“I’d have agreed with that until a short blonde found her way into our club,” Gunner spit out.
“This has nothing to do with Josie.” I scowled. “This
is about respect.”
“You got a problem with Josie and me,” Bull spoke, and I jerked my attention back to him. “That’s on you. You gave me an assignment to protect her, and I’m doing it.” He smirked, and I knew he was going to say something to piss me off further. “Can’t help that she likes who’s providin’ that protection.”
We held each other’s stares for a moment until I made the decision I needed to make for my own sanity. “You’re done.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Done with what?”
“The assignment,” I replied. “I’m taking over.”
“You sure that’s a good idea?” I shifted my eyes toward Pop and saw that he was also standing just like every other officer in the room. They expected a brawl. Bull and I weren’t all that different when we were angry, and they probably thought they’d need to intervene.
I jerked up my chin in Pop’s direction, encouraging him to continue. “She’s cloudin’ your judgment.”
“No one’s cloudin’ my judgment.”
“No?” Pop’s eyebrows shot up. “There another reason you’re facing off with your brother? A brother who has proven his loyalty to you and the club time and time again? A brother willing to go to war at your direction, no questions asked. A brother who followed your orders and protected the woman who was a victim to the bullshit surrounding us.” He gestured around the room. “Ain’t one of us in this room who hasn’t been in the spot you’re in right now with this woman, but Bull’s not your enemy.”
I put my hands on my hips and let his words wash over me. He was right, and I fucking hated it. I knew what I had to do, which was exactly what I didn’t want to do but was necessary for her safety, Becs’s safety, and the safety of every member of this club who, when sworn in as president, I swore to protect.
Nodding once at Pop, I faced Bull again. “Stay on Josie.” I gestured toward Gunner. “Gunner will be your command, report to him.”
Bull didn’t nod, but I knew he’d do as directed, so I continued. “I’ll find out everything we need to know on Hawk, and we’ll meet to discuss our next move.”
I waited for questions, and when there weren’t any, I adjourned the meeting. After the room cleared, I sat in my chair and leaned my head back to stare at the ceiling. I let her get under my skin. A woman I wasn’t even sure I liked had started to become more important to me than my men. And the worst part was she hadn’t done anything to encourage it. It had been all one-sided.
“For what it’s worth, you made the right decision.”
Recognizing Gunner’s voice, I slowly lowered my head and faced him. “Needed to be done.”
“For you and the club.” Gunner sat down in his seat next to mine and leaned back before crossing his arms over his chest. “What do you want for her?”
“Have him to stay on her,” I replied. “She told me last night that besides seeing Hawk, two Widows drove past her the day she had lunch with Becs. One of the bastards even smiled at her, and she recognized him. I don’t want them that close to her again.”
He narrowed his eyes. “She see any of them since then?”
“No.” I leaned my elbows on the table. “Tell Bull to keep bringing her around so everything stays the way it’s been. It’s obviously working, considering the Widows haven’t made any attempt at contact.”
“You gonna be able to handle seeing them together?” he inquired.
It was a fair question, considering I hadn’t handled it very well up to this point. “Just keep me updated on when they’ll be around.”
“I can do that, but you know the others will get suspicious if you’re never here when they are.”
“We’ll make it work.”
Gunner grinned, and I knew what he was about to say was going to piss me off, but I still waited to hear it. “Gotta admit, brother, never thought I’d see you act like this over any woman, but especially a woman who seems a little uptight for your taste.”
“Me either.” I admitted the one thing I wouldn’t admit to anyone else except him. “And it really pisses me off.”
“Seen a different side of her as I’ve gotten to know her,” he said.
My eyebrows drew together. “What do you mean?”
He dropped his arms and exhaled heavily. “Just that when I met her, I had an impression of her. Snotty, uptight, unwilling to see us as more than a stereotype. But since she’s been around, I’ve seen shit that makes me respect her.”
“Yeah.” I ran my hand over my beard. “Know what you mean.”
“That the woman you want?” he asked. “The woman who fights for those kids and who helped Becs, but still looks at us as a club full of outlaws.”
I considered that for a moment before I came to the realization that it had the power to destroy me and my sanity. “Just want the woman, brother; however she comes.”
He slapped his hand against the back of my shoulder and grinned while he stood from his seat. “Then I wish you luck because I have a feeling we’ve only learned a small amount about Josie Carmichael.” He started toward the door and called back over his shoulder. “Who the hell knows what other sides to herself she’s hiding?”
CHAPTER TWENTY
JOSIE
“Ms. Carmichael?”
I was startled when I heard Nancy’s voice fill my office. It had been a relatively quiet afternoon, and after the morning I’d had at the middle school, I’d welcomed it.
Pressing the button on my phone, I answered. “Yes, Nancy?”
“There’s a Lucy Reynolds here to see you.”
“Send her in,” I replied immediately.
I’d left her a voicemail when Dominic failed to come to my office for the appointment I’d called out to him when he was leaving Joe’s the other night. I asked if she could check in on him and his sisters and let me know if she had any concerns. When I never heard back, I assumed everything was fine, but the fact that she had personally come to my office had my nerves on edge.
There was a short knock on the door before it was pushed open, and a young woman with blond hair poked her head in. “You have a minute?”
Standing, I motioned for her to come in. After she closed the door, I walked around my desk, held out my hand for her to shake, and smiled. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Ms. Reynolds.”
She shook my hand and returned my smile. “Call me Lucy.”
“Lucy.” Still smiling, I gestured to the two chairs across from my desk. “Please sit down.”
“Thank you.” Lucy nodded, and we both moved to sit, facing each other. “I’m sorry I didn’t return your call. I was actually off work the day you called, and yesterday, I made the trip out to the Colson’s after school to check on the kids.”
I frowned. “Can I assume you being here means you didn’t like what you saw?”
Lucy crossed her legs and settled back in her chair. “Arie and Kyla seemed fine. They were quiet, but since I’ve known them, they’ve been very quiet little girls. We drew pictures and colored, which has always been how I get them to chat with me, and nothing was unusual.”
I breathed a sigh of relief, but she’d only spoken about two out of the three kids, and Dominic wasn’t doing well there. “And Dominic?”
“Dominic wasn’t home,” she answered. “The girls told me he comes home around dinnertime and hangs out with them until they go to bed.”
“Okay.” I tilted my head. “What aren’t you telling me?”
Lucy sighed and brushed her long, blond hair back off her shoulder. “Kyla whispered that he sneaks out every night after everyone’s in bed and that she knows that because she was in the bathroom one night, and when she left, she saw him leaving his room fully dressed. She quietly followed him, and he went outside.”
“And you don’t think that was a one-time thing?” I concluded.
She raised an eyebrow. “Do you?”
I shook my head and sat back in my chair. “Dammit.” I grabbed a pen off my desk and began tapping it against my palm. “I met w
ith him a few nights ago and knew something wasn’t right. I asked him to come to my office after school the next day, but he never showed.”
“How was he in camp this summer?”
“Not great at first, but he really began opening up toward the end, and I’d hoped we could keep that going. He has so much potential, Lucy, but I feel like we’re going to lose him in the system.”
“Me too,” Lucy admitted. “He’s been on my caseload for about a year, and when the district started the camp, I thought that would be the best thing for him. He’s also only been placed with this family for a year, but he’s never gotten along with Brian, his foster dad, and I thought the summer break for Dominic and the girls would be a chance for everyone to get a break from each other. But it almost seems like it’s more hostile since they’ve come home.”
“Do you have concerns they’re being mistreated?” I inquired.
“By Sue, their foster mom, no. But I can honestly say I’ve never liked Brian much. He’s arrogant, and the obvious head of the household with Sue always singing his praises.” Lucy sat forward and rested her elbows on the desk. “I’ve always gotten the sense that he feels competition with Dominic, but there haven’t been signs of that. It’s just a suspicion I’ve had.”
“Dom hates him.”
Lucy’s eyebrows shot up. “He told you that?”
I nodded. “Basically. But he’s staying so he’s not separated from his sisters.”
“I always figured that,” Lucy acknowledged. “He’s eighteen now, but since he’s still in high school, he can remain where he is until graduation.” Lucy shook her head. “If he wants to stay with his sisters, why is he risking it all by sneaking out at night?”
I sat forward as well. “My best guess is he’s doing something to earn money.”
Lucy blinked slowly as if she hadn’t thought of that. “I bet you’re right.”
“What are the chances it’s legal?” I asked the question we both knew the answer to.
“I’d guess slim to none.”
“Could we move them? Do you know of any foster homes that would accept three kids right now?”
End Game (Sinners MC Book 2) Page 15
