by L. Wilder
“What am I supposed to think, Seth? One minute you’re telling me you’ve come to Seattle to prove you’re one of the good ones, and then you actually make me think you are. You made me think there was something special between us, and now that you’ve pulled the wool over my eyes, you’re asking for help. It’s total bullshit, Seth.” Her anger quickly turned to heartbreak as she continued. “I hate what the club has turned into and would like nothing better than to see them pay for all the horrible things they’ve done. You didn’t have to make me think you cared about me to get me to help you.”
I’d heard enough. I got out of the truck and walked over to the passenger side door. Determined to show her how I felt, I opened the door and reached for her, pulling her towards me as I stood between her legs. “I can see where you might think that I was just playing you, but you’re wrong, Zoe. Very wrong.”
My hands dove into her hair as I leaned forward and covered her mouth with mine, kissing her deeply. It wasn’t one of those soft, tender kisses. It was full of passion and need. The caress of her lips made me hungry for more, and I wanted her to know exactly how I felt as I delved deeper into her mouth. Her fingers ran down my spine, pulling me closer until there was no space left between us. As she held onto me, I could feel the heavy beating of her heart against my chest, and when a slight moan escaped her lips, I knew I’d made my point.
My hands slowly drifted to her waist as I pulled back and looked into her lust-filled eyes. “I want this. I want you, Zoe. And whether you help or not, I’m going to deal with Slider. His days of fucking with you are over, and in a matter of time, the club will take down the Chosen. You will be free of them. I’ll make sure of that.”
She stared at me, studying my expression for several moments, then said, “Do you really mean that?”
“Absolutely,” I assured her. “In my eyes, you’re mine, and no matter what happens from here on out, I’m not letting you go.”
“Seth.” She wrapped her arms around my neck, hugging me tightly as she whispered, "I’m sorry I doubted you.”
“There’s nothing for you to be sorry about, beautiful.”
She eased herself out of the truck and asked, “So, how exactly do you plan on shutting the club down?”
“Let’s go inside, and the guys and I will explain everything.”
Big, Clutch, and Stitch were waiting for us when we walked through the door. I could tell they were eager to know why I’d brought her there, so I wasted no time telling them everything that had transpired between Zoe and the club. None of them seemed surprised when I told them about her suspicions surrounding her father’s death, and while she hadn’t said anything, it was clear she was still struggling with it.
Seeing the pain in her eyes, Stitch turned to her. “Lucky was a good man. He had good intentions when he started that club, and no one holds him at fault for how things turned out.”
“I hope you’re right about that,” she answered.
“I know I am.”
“There’s more,” I told him.
I spent the next half hour telling them about the bullshit with Slider. Once I was done, Clutch smiled. “Hold up. She drugged him?”
“Can’t say I blame her, can you?” Big snickered.
“Fuck no. I think it was brilliant.”
“If you ask me, the asshole had it coming. That and more.”
“Well, after hearing everything, it should be no surprise that Zoe has agreed to help us. She’s here now to find out what you need her to do.”
“Are you sure you’re up for this?” Clutch asked.
“I’m more than sure,” she answered adamantly. She never failed to amaze me. She’d been through hell and back, but she never stopped fighting. “I’ll do whatever you need me to do, but why do you need me? I mean… you’re Satan’s Fury. Nobody messes with you. I figured you’d just go in and wipe them out after all they’ve done.”
Clutch hesitated. Under normal circumstances, there would be no way they’d tell her. Club business was kept under wraps, especially when outsiders were involved, but this was different. She was putting it all on the line to help us, and we owed her the truth. Before he could answer, Stitch took a step towards her. “We don’t want the wrong people getting hurt. You’ll be there to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
“Okay. That makes sense.”
After fucking around with his laptop, Big had already gotten into the shop. He’d hacked into their security system and managed to access the cameras and sound. It was the other locations we were having issues with. The systems were old, and he wasn’t able to get the sound to work. “Big will give you microphones to hide at Nudie’s and at the clubhouse. Those are places we know they will be talking.”
“So, you’re bugging them?”
“Yes. We’ve already accessed their security cameras, but they’re older or just junk, and we’re having issues with the sound. Seeing them does no good if we don’t know what they’re saying.”
“And once I’ve done my part?”
“We will use all the information we get from the mics to take them down. That’s all I can tell you.”
I could see the wheels turning in her head as she wondered what we would do to her father’s club. We couldn’t tell her that we planned to burn down the strip club and the shop. The shop was something her father had established as a means for the club to make legitimate money, but that had changed. Big discovered that over the past year, it was strictly used as a means to distribute drugs and guns. We would’ve already burned them both down, but we hoped to use the intel from the microphones to locate their distributors and shut them down as well. Losing the club’s means to make money would be a hit—a hit that would make it harder to keep going.
After a brief pause, she replied, “And Slider? What’s going to happen with him? I won’t be able to do anything if he’s around.”
“We’ll take care of that. He won’t be an issue,” he assured her.
“Okay. I’m in.”
Big grabbed his bag and carried it over to her. He reached inside and pulled out one of the small microphones. “These are small enough to put just about anywhere. Just be careful. We don’t want there to be any way they can tie any of this back to you.”
“Sounds easy enough. I’ll do it before we open tomorrow.”
“There’s nothing easy about it. All it takes is one wrong move, and you’re done,” Big cautioned.
Hearing his warning gave me second thoughts. He was right. If anything went wrong, her life would be on the line. The thought shook me to the core. She meant something to me, more than I even realized, and the last thing I wanted was to put her in harm’s way. While I had my doubts, I had faith in my brothers too. I knew they’d do everything in their power to keep her safe.
It was well after midnight and I knew she must be exhausted, so I pointed out to them, “It’s getting late.”
Big looked down at his watch and then handed her the bag. “Get some rest, and let us know as soon as you’ve gotten them set up.”
“Okay.”
I reached for Zoe’s hand and led her out to the truck. Once we were settled inside, she asked, “Where are we going?”
“That’s up to you. I can take you back to your car, or you can come stay with me for the night.”
“Oh.”
As I started the truck, I said, “I want to spend as much time as I can with you, but if you need to go—”
“I’d like to stay with you, if you’re sure that’s okay.”
Relieved, I told her, “It’s more than okay.”
Neither of us spoke as I drove us across the street to my hotel. I had a million thoughts running through my head, mainly her, and for the first time in my life, I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know how to tell her how she made me feel, how I wanted to keep her close, protect her, love her. It all seemed to be happening so fast, and I didn’t want to fuck it up by saying too much too soon. I kept it all bottled up inside, hoping tha
t the right time would come along so I could tell her everything that was on my mind. We still hadn’t spoken when I showed her into my room. Silently, she took off her jeans, leaving on her t-shirt and panties, and crawled into my bed. I quickly undressed and got in the bed next to her. We laid there staring at the ceiling for several minutes before she finally asked, “Is everything okay?”
“I’m not sure I want you to do this,” I confessed.
“It’s going to be fine.”
“I know, but that doesn’t stop me from worrying.”
“We can’t worry about what might go wrong. We need to focus on what could go right. I can do this, Seth. I promise I’ll be careful.”
I rolled to my side to face her, and she quickly did the same. With my eyes locked on hers, I whispered, “You better, because I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you.”
Her touch soothed me as she ran the tips of her fingers down my arm. “When you were laying in that hospital bed, I would try to imagine what it would feel like to be wrapped in your arms. I never could’ve dreamed it would feel this good. This… right.”
“You and me both.”
When I saw the swirl of emotion in her eyes, I couldn’t resist. I pressed my lips against hers, kissing her tenderly. The kiss eliminated every thought. The world around us disappeared, and it was only her and me. It was a kiss that marked a beginning, a promise of much more to come. Overcome with desire, my hands slipped under her t-shirt, caressing her soft, smooth skin. Her breath quickened when I reached for her breast, brushing my thumb across her nipple. A little whimper vibrated through her chest, urging me on as she squirmed at my side. She wanted this just as much as I did, and I was going to give it to her—over and over again, until she fell asleep in my arms.
I was completely exhausted. I’d barely gotten any sleep, and every muscle in my body ached. But there I was, sitting in class listening to the longest lecture ever, and yet I couldn’t stop smiling. I was happy. It seemed incomprehensible that one person could change my outlook on everything. He'd become a stable force in my chaos-filled world, someone I could truly trust, and I so needed that in my life. I needed him—more than I cared to admit. I’d always been one to handle things on my own, mostly because I’ve always had to. I’d become accustomed to it, but the thought of having someone at my side, helping me and taking on the burden with me, gave me a sense of happiness I hadn’t felt since my father died.
Apparently, my good mood hadn’t gone unnoticed. When I glanced to my side, I noticed Josh was staring at me. Deciding to ignore the strange look on his face, I whispered, “Hey. How’s it going?”
“Not as good as you.” He motioned his hand towards me. “Looks like you’re doing well.”
“Yeah, I guess I am.”
“It looks good on you,” he said with a smile.
“Thanks, Josh.”
“I gotta say… I wish I was the reason you were smiling like that.”
I’d often wondered if he’d been interested in me, but until now, he’d never said anything. Seeing the way he was looking at me with those big, sad eyes made me feel terribly uncomfortable. I wasn’t sure how to respond, so I stammered, “Umm… I… I think you’re great, Josh, but…”
“I know. You don’t have to say it.” He shrugged and scoffed. “Someone beat me to the punch.”
Not knowing what else to say, I told him, “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. It’s just good to see you smiling.” He pointed to my notepad and asked, “Can I see your notes from Monday? I was a little out of it and missed what he said about human nature after Darwin.”
“Sure.” I handed him my notes.
After he finished jotting them all down, he handed them back to me. “Thanks, Zoe. I wrote my phone number down. If you ever need anything—anything at all—just give me a call.”
Before I could respond, the professor dismissed class and everyone started to leave. Josh grabbed his things and gave me a quick wave as he headed for the door. I gathered my books and purse and headed out to my car. I wanted to get there early so I could set up the mics. I hoped there wouldn’t be any issues as I placed several of the mics in my front pocket. With Kat and Scotty keeping an eye on things, I assumed everything would be fine when I got to work.
I was wrong. Apparently, a fight had broken out, and there were overturned tables and chairs and broken glass scattered all over the floor. The smile I’d been wearing all morning vanished when I spotted Kat. There was a large bruise on the side of her face and her bottom lip was busted. She was busy cleaning up the mess and hadn’t even noticed that I was in the room.
As I started towards her, I asked, “What the hell happened?”
“Things got a little out of control last night.” She grimaced when she bent down to pick up another chair. “A fight broke out, and Dad got pissed when I tried to intervene.”
“Hawk did that to you?”
She wouldn’t look at me as she replied, “Yeah, but it was my fault. I shouldn’t have—”
“I can’t believe the nerve of that asshole! What was he thinking?”
“He didn’t mean it, Zo. He lost his temper, and I can tell he feels bad about it.”
“He should feel bad. He should’ve never put his hands on you!”
“I told you he feels bad about it, Zoe.”
“He should feel like the scum of the earth!” I stepped closer so I could get a better look. “Does it hurt?”
“No. It’s really not that bad.”
“Did you at least put some ice on it?”
“Stop. Seriously. I’m fine,” she fussed. I knew she was embarrassed and didn’t want to talk about it anymore when she said, “We need to get this cleaned up before the guys get back.”
I lifted one of the tables back into the upright position. “I thought it was going to take a couple of days.”
“I did too, but Scotty just got a message from one of the guys saying they were on their way.”
“Oh.” Panic washed over me when I thought about Slider coming back. I needed to get the mics planted before they returned. I tried to be inconspicuous as I took one out of my pocket. As I picked up one of the toppled over chairs, I stuck the mic under the seat. “Well, crap.”
“I know, girl.” With an aggravated sigh, she continued, “And if the run went well, they’ll probably be looking to party.”
“Damn. Another long night.”
“You mean like the one you had last night?” she asked with a mischievous grin. “Are you going to tell me about it, or do I just let my imagination run wild?”
I could feel the heat rush to my face as I blushed. “It was… nice.”
“It was nice! That’s all you’ve got?” She sat down on the edge of one of the tables and crossed her arms. “I don’t think so.”
I sighed. “I think things are going really well.”
“I already knew that. It’s written all over your face, sweetie.”
“It scares me a little,” I confessed. “I’ve never felt like this about anyone, and there’s a lot at stake.”
“Just be careful, especially with the guys coming home today. The last thing we need is them finding out that you’ve been seeing—”
I glanced over to the corner and saw the red light flashing on the security camera, and I suddenly became wary of discussing Seth. I wasn’t sure if the mics were up and running yet, so I figured it was best for me to keep my mouth shut. I coughed loudly, overpowering her next few words and giving her a warning look. I started picking up the remaining chairs as I told her, “We better hurry up and get this mess cleaned up.”
I had just knelt down to pick up another chair when Scotty walked through the front door. His blond hair was tousled around his eyes, and he was wearing a pair of torn jeans and a dark gray t-shirt with his cut. Kat gave him a big smile and in her best flirty voice said, “Hey, there Scotty boy. How’s my favorite prospect this morning?”
“I’m making it.” His eyes skirt
ed over her bruises as he reached for a chair. “Thought you two might need a hand with all this.”
Ignoring the pity in his expression, Kat smiled and said, “That’s very thoughtful of you. Thanks.”
The room fell silent as we all continued to clear the mess. Once we were done, Scotty turned to us. “If that’s all y’all need, I’ll leave ya to it.”
I nodded at him. “I think that’ll do it. Thanks for your help, Scotty.”
Once I was done placing the rest of the mics, I slipped into my office and sent a message to Seth letting him know that Slider and the others were on their way back home. I’d been so busy floating on cloud nine, I hadn’t stopped to think about what was coming. Slider would be home soon. It would take time for Seth to deal with him, which meant I’d have to put on another show, making everyone think I was really falling for his bullshit. I didn’t have a choice. When he got home, he’d expect me to be happy to see him.
With each tick of the clock, my stomach tightened with dread, and by the time the boys started making their way into the bar, I was a complete wreck. My hands were clammy and my heart was racing as I watched Slider walk through the door. Grease and grime covered him from head to toe, but he didn’t seem to mind as he headed over to me with a big smile. “Hey there, baby. Did you miss me?”
I tried not to frown as he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me flat against his chest. He reeked of gasoline and cigarette smoke, and I almost gagged when he started kissing along my neck. Trying to hide my repulsion, I answered, “Yeah… I did. I’m surprised you made it back here so fast.”
He looked down at me, and before I could react, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine, forcing his tongue into my mouth. I tried to pull back, but he held me firmly in place, refusing to let me go. When he finally released me, my mouth was covered with his saliva, and I was left with the horrid taste of an ash tray mixed with bad breath. As I wiped my wet mouth, he snickered, “Don’t worry, baby. There’s more to come, but I need a beer.”
When he turned and headed for the bar, I reached for the closest drink, not caring who it belonged to, and tried to drown the disgusting taste in my mouth. The boys were all gathered around talking, so I decided it was time for me to hide out in my office. As I walked by, I glanced over at the security camera and wondered who was watching. It didn’t take long for me to get my answer. I’d barely sat down at my desk when I heard the burner phone vibrating in my purse. I quickly reached for it and found a message from Seth.
