“Rodney, she’s been gone for days. We really—”
“It started when Diesel’s half-brother came stumbling up on our doorstep with his girl,” Bear said.
Rodney’s eyebrows rose. “I need to call that man more often. Diesel’s got a brother?”
I fought the urge to roll my eyes as I nodded my head.
“Yep. A half-brother named Cage. Same Dad, different Mom. His father, Patch, apparently tried starting up a crew in Nevada. The Night Outlaws. They got slaughtered by the mafia, and his father told him to find Diesel. The only issue is that the woman he brought along with him was the mafia man’s daughter,” I said.
“Shit,” Rodney murmured.
“Mhm. That’s what’s catapulted us into this mess. We vowed to protect them because Cage—that’s Diesel’s half-brother—is legitimate family. And Sutton—his woman—is the girl he loves. There was a shootout in a diner when she was taken the first time—”
“There was a first time?” Rodney asked.
Bear nodded. “Mhm. He came after us personally because his daughter fled with Cage, apparently. She went willingly to spare us, and we went after her. Killed a bunch of them, or so we thought.”
“Sutton, this girl? Her father survived. The man that’s the head of this mafia. And now, after laying low and trying to do this right, they ambushed us and she’s been taken again. This man is hellbent on killing this woman, and we aren’t having it. We need any information you can get. This man is ruthless, and for all we know—”
“Don’t say it,” Bear warned.
I sighed. “We just need to get to her sooner rather than later.”
Rodney paused. “You know, there’s been some purchases around the outskirts of town that have me scratching my head. Mostly, because I was staring at them for a time. I’ve been thinking about getting into the hotel trade part-time. You know, spiffing up some of the rundown motels that sit around Redding. It’s a goldmine of money waiting to be scraped up, but no one’s taken care of them in years.”
“Someone’s buying them up?” I asked.
“Yeah, and fast. There are ten or eleven that surround the town, and I had my eye on three. But, so far, all three of those have been bought up. Plus two more, and all in the past six or seven weeks,” he said.
“Saint,” Bear murmured.
“I know. I know,” I said.
“I take it that fits your timeline?” Rodney asked.
“Can I ask you a question?” I asked.
“Certainly.”
“Do these purchased motels have construction sites tacked onto them already?” I asked.
Rodney narrowed his eyes. “How do you know that?”
“Rock was right,” Bear said, sighing.
“Our recon tells us some shady organization has been purchasing up contract land. But we didn’t have the equipment or the time to pick it apart any more than that,” I said.
Rodney nodded. “Well, you’d be right. Only one of the motels that’s been purchased doesn’t have a construction site attached to it yet.”
“You think he’s buying the companies? Or just equipment?” Bear asked.
“I think this is the kind of man that would buy anything in order to keep people silent,” I said.
“All I know is that it’s a real estate firm buying up this property. So, you could be looking at a shell company that’s been established for a while. Men like the ones you’re talking about usually need a way to stash their money after it’s been washed. It doesn’t just sit in a bank account somewhere. They usually buy property and invest in things before keeping the rest of the cash close so they can be fluid,” Rodney said.
“That would make sense. He uses his casinos in Nevada to wash his money. Then, he uses real estate to stash it,” I said.
“That’s a very common tactic, actually,” Rodney said.
“Do you know anything else?” Bear asked.
“About this group? Or Saint?” he asked, grinning.
The two of them chuckled together, but I didn’t find the sentiment amusing.
“Okay, okay. Yes, I do. I’ve been keeping an eye on this real estate group because I figured they were new town competition I needed to bury. But there have been some weird things I’ve witnessed,” Rodney said.
“Like…?” I asked.
He sighed. “It looks like they are running girls out of those rooms.”
Bear paused. “You mean, like room-bound prostitutes?”
Rodney shrugged. “I’ve seen a couple of guys haul them away, too. If I had to take a guess, whoever this guy is you’re looking for isn’t just in the casino trade. He’s also selling sex these women can give, as well as the women themselves.”
“Shit,” Bear hissed.
“We really appreciate this,” I said.
I held out my hand and Rodney took it with a clap.
“If there’s anything I can do to help these girls, you let me know. I get we deal in the gray area when it comes to our jobs, but there are lines men should never cross. Ever,” Rodney said.
“Be careful what you wish for. Because I might just come knocking on your door,” I said.
“For these girls? You can blow it down if I don’t answer,” he said.
“Might be fun,” Bear said, grinning.
“You know, or just send him running through it,” Rodney said, laughing.
All three of us shared a lighthearted moment before he finally dropped my hand.
Then, he fucking opened his fat ass mouth.
“Hey, you ever hear from that girl?” Rodney asked.
Bear quirked an eyebrow. “What girl?”
“Amber, I think was her name.”
I shook my head. “No, I haven’t heard from Amberly at all.”
“Shame. All right. Well, let me know if you guys need anything else. And tell Diesel to stop by sometime soon. Sounds like him and I need to catch up,” Rodney said.
“Yep,” I said, nodding my head.
I wasn’t happy with him making that comment. I walked back through the hallway and into the foyer, where I ripped open his front door. I made my way back to my bike as quickly as I could. I slipped my helmet on and waited as Bear lingered at the doorway with Rodney. The two of them were talking, and I wanted to know what the fuck they were talking about.
“Bear! We gotta get out of here!” I exclaimed.
And after the two of them shared one last handshake, he started for me.
“I mean, I know you came from a different background than most of us. But I didn’t know it was this kinda different,” Bear said.
I sighed as he slipped on his helmet, turning on his inbound helmet mic.
“It’s really not that different,” I said.
“I don’t know. These are pretty fancy digs,” Bear said.
“I didn’t come from here. Just made a pit stop here.”
“Still, nicer than what most of us are used to.”
“Nicer than what I’m used to,” I murmured.
“So, who’s Amberly? A mutual friend or something?”
I struck up my bike. “We’ve got more important things to worry about.”
“Uh huh. And once we report back to Diesel, you gonna tell me who she is?”
“Not with that kind of attitude, I won’t,” I said.
But, the truth of the matter was, I had no intention of telling anyone who Amberly was. She was just some girl I hooked up with in high school. A semester’s worth of flirting in class. One moment after school. And I never saw her after that. I got kicked out onto the street by my damn parents because of that girl’s fucking hickies. If anything, I should’ve been pissed off as hell at her.
I would’ve settled for a simple update, though. From her, after all these years.
Just to know she was doing all right.
6
Amberly
I kept catching his eye in class. Those crystal clear blue eyes that reminded me of all the pictures of the ocean I’d seen on t
he computer. The new guy had a scowl on his face. Always. But that didn’t stop me from seeing how handsome he was. How kind he was with those deadpan eyes.
Especially when he winked at me.
All semester, he sat beside me in math class. Staring at his papers. Not really doing anything. He barely got by with his grades, and that seemed okay. I didn’t know how he did it, though. My parents would’ve killed me if I got anything lower than a B. I would’ve been grounded, at the very least, forced to study all weekend before asking the teacher for a retake with the test.
Oh, he’s looking at me again!
Sometimes, he winked. And sometimes, he smiled. And when he smiled, my heart stopped in my chest. I crossed my feet at my ankles, feeling warm in places I didn’t need to be feeling warm. My parents would kill me if they knew I felt this way about a boy. They caught me rubbing myself between my legs one time and my father took my bedroom door off its hinges. I had to get sneaky with it after that. Stay quiet in the shower. Steal some time away in the bathrooms at school.
But looking at this new kid beside me, I wondered what it might feel like if he was rubbing me.
Every day, I shook the thoughts away from my head. Every day, I struggled to pay attention. Thank the Lord math was an easy course for me. That made it easier to daydream and still pass my class the way my parents wanted me to.
Then, one day, he spoke to me.
“Amberly, right?”
His voice sounded like velvet against my ears. The soft twang of his country accent made me giggle as I closed my locker. I looked up at him, clocking just how tall he was. And the way he crossed his wingspan over his chest made me shiver.
I didn’t even know why. It just… did.
“Mhm,” I said softly.
“I’m Michael. But my friends call me Saint,” he said.
I giggled. “Why ‘Saint?’”
He shrugged. “I come from a church-going family. Not really my thing, though. It’s ironic.”
“Well, you and me both. But, I kind of like it. In a way.”
“You like going to church?”
“Mhm. My friends go, so it’s nice to hang out with them there. I can’t hang out with them any other time, so that’s where I see them.”
“Why can’t you hang out with them other than at church?”
I paused. “I don’t know, actually. That’s just the rule.”
“And you never questioned it?” he asked.
It was the first time I’d ever questioned what my parents told me. What they asked of me. And I turned that conversation around in my head for weeks. While Saint was still stealing glances at me and smiling at me in glass, my gut would knot up as my mind spun that question around.
Why couldn’t I see my friends other than at church?
“What the fuck do you want from me!?”
My eyes snapped open from my dream and I shot up in bed.
“Get the hell out of my way, now. I paid for my time. Now, I want it!”
“I’m not letting you in this room. Boss says you haven’t paid your full due for last time. So, you’re cut off until you do.”
“So help me God, I’ll bend you the fuck over if you don’t move!”
“What in the world’s happening out there?” Sutton asked groggily.
I scrambled over to her bed and slipped in with her, hearing the fear already rising in her voice.
“Just pay attention to me and try to get some rest,” I said softly.
“What’s he talking about? Money, and all that?” she asked.
“Now’s not the time—”
“Tell me, please.”
I pulled the covers over us and sighed as I cupped her cheek. I forced her to look at me. I talked her through how to make the voices fade into the background. And when I knew she was focused fully on me, I licked my lips.
“I don’t know about you, but I’ve been here for years now. I’m a sex slave for your father in this… thing he does. Men pay, I see them, and then they leave. No questions asked,” I said.
Sutton’s eyes grew. “Wait, are you serious?”
I nodded. “Mhm.”
“My father is selling women’s bodies!?”
I cupped my hand over her mouth as the yelling outside ceased.
“And women, in general,” I whispered.
Her eyes flooded with tears and I slowly moved my hand away from her mouth. I pulled her in close, feeling her sob against my neck. She kept saying things like, “when did my father become this monster?” and, “when did he get into the sex trade?” and, “how could he do this to a woman?”
My heart ached for her. Ached for the daughter of the man that took my life away from me.
“It’s okay. Sh-sh-sh-sh. I’ve got ya,” I whispered.
Sutton sniffled. “How many years?”
“You don’t want the answer to—”
She pulled back, gazing into my eyes. “How many years have you been here? And I don’t think I know your name. Unless you’ve told me, then forgive me. Because I don’t remember.”
I wiped at her tears. “It’s okay. I promise. I’m Amberly.”
“That’s right. People call you ‘Destiny’ though, right?”
I nodded. “Right.”
She sighed. “How long have you been here?”
I paused, counting the time off in my head. “Going on six years, I believe.”
Her eyes widened. “What!?”
I clapped my hand over her mouth again. “If you make too much noise and they have to come in here before breakfast? You’re not going to like what happens.”
She nodded her head quickly and that prompted me to slide my hand off her lips again.
“Six years?” she asked softly.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You have kind of an accent. Are you not from around here?”
I shook my head. “Nope. I’m from Louisiana, originally. A small town most people haven’t heard from.”
“How did you get roped into all this?”
I paused. “You sure you want that story?”
She scooted closer to me, then slid her arm around my waist.
“A story for a story?” Sutton asked.
It felt nice to have a friend. Or some semblance of a friend. So, I held her like she held me and shared a pillow with her watery gaze.
“Just after high school, I met a guy by the name of Vlad on the streets. He was kind. Courteous. Romantic. Said all the right things and took me under his wing,” I said.
“You were living on the streets? Or grew up on them?” Sutton asked.
“I was living on them. My parents kicked me out just before Christmas during my senior year.”
“That’s terrible. Why would they do that?”
I sighed. “Because I lost my virginity to a boy I shouldn't have.”
She paused. “Your parents kicked you out because you had sex.”
“They did. I… came from a very conservative home. Very traditional. I was actually attending a private Christian school for elementary and middle school before they hiked up the tuition prices and my parents couldn't afford it. Mom wanted to homeschool me, but Dad said they couldn't afford to go down to one income in the house. So, they kept very serious tabs on me while I attended public high school.”
“And they kicked you out when they found out you had sex.”
I nodded. “They did. It was one of the lowest points of my life. I had no idea what to do, and no matter how many times I went back and begged my parents to let me come home, they acted like they didn’t know me. Acted like they didn’t recognize me. I went to my church, and they turned their back on me. I tracked down homeless shelters, but those only go so far because you can only stay so many nights before you have to be somewhere else.”
“Did you not go back to school?”
“I guess I was ashamed. I was scared no one would help. Or worse, someone would try to help and I’d be worse off than I already was. But one day, while at a wom
en’s shelter, this man came in. Dressed well. Nice suit. Brown hair slicked back. He had a kind smile and gorgeous hazel eyes that melted me the second he looked at me. He came over and introduced himself, and that was that. He came and had every meal with me at the shelter he could, until one day he asked me out on a date.”
“I know that name. Vlad.”
I sighed. “I’m sure you do.”
“He’s my father’s right-hand man,” she said softly.
“That’s essentially how I got roped into this. There’s a lot more, but I don’t have the energy to go into it,” I said, sighing.
“No, no, no. That’s fine. You don’t tell me anything you don’t want to, okay?” Sutton asked.
I smiled. “Okay. So, how did you get into this position? You know, with your father being who he is?”
She snickered. “It’s simple with him. I chose not to stand at his side, so now I’m against him.”
“And you know too much about his work.”
“Exactly. The long story is that there was this motorcycle crew back in Nevada he tried to wipe out. They were skimming too much money from his casinos, and I was seeing one of the guys in the club.”
“Uh oh,” I said.
“Yep. Well, Cage—that’s the guy’s name—my father killed his father and it starts him on this journey to find a half-brother he never knew he had. And I was dead set on taking this journey with him because I cared about him. I didn’t want him doing it alone.”
“And when you went after him, you chose your side.”
“I did, yes. My father came after us hard, too. I guess he thought that if the crew we fled to here in Redding was willing to take us in, then they were his enemies, too. This is the second time I’ve been captured by my father, and I’m concerned it’ll be the last time. But not in a good way.”
“Do you think the crew is looking for you? And Cage?”
“Oh, I know they are. They practically hunted me down last time. But my father isn’t making it easy on them this time around.”
“What’s the name of this crew? If you don’t mind me asking,” I said.
She smiled softly. “I don’t. They’re called The Dead Souls. And they’re wonderful.”
Dead Souls MC: Prospects Series Books 1-5 Page 34
