by Addy Archer
We’re all drained and though I’m curious about the rest of the house, it will have to wait till morning. A quick shower—careful to keep the bandage on my wound on my shoulder dry—is all I need to fall into a clean bed, snuggle close to the man who gave me his heart, and surrender to a deep sleep.
C H A P T E R N I N E
– DREAMER –
I hate waking her up but she’ll be pissed if I don’t wake her to take this call.
“Coral, babe.” I gently shake her shoulder and she bats my hand away.
I swear there’s some growling before she buries her head into the pillow.
“Come on, I need you up and ready to take a call. Bruno isn’t a patient man and with Jace answering Stone’s phone since we were expecting the call, Bruno wasn’t very pleased he had to wait for you. So, you need to be awake when he calls again in exactly seven minutes. It’s your only shot to talk to your friend.”
She surges up, eyes wide and her hair is displaying a thoroughly fucked look. Though all we did is sleep last night. Yet having her wrapped in my arms was just as satisfying.
“I’m up,” she croaks and swings her legs off the mattress and pushes her body up to head for the bathroom.
When she’s dressed and we’re heading downstairs in search of Jace and Daniela, she asks, “Why didn’t you wake me the first time he called?”
“Wasn’t much time. Like I said, Bruno isn’t a patient man, but he’s also a curious one and he wanted answers about what happened to the clubhouse. He heard some highlights from Alaric and Jace said he would answer his questions if he let the woman call again fifteen minutes later.”
“He really sounds like a dick,” Coral mutters.
The corner of my mouth twitches. “A ruthless one. Though, Jace mentioned he could hear your friend cursing in the background. I don’t think I remember you telling me she was a feisty one.”
Coral snickers and there’s a bright smile spreading her face, making her so damn gorgeous. “She did mention something about becoming a pain in the ass to whomever would buy her.”
I shake my head. “From what I’ve heard it would probably intrigue Bruno. She’d do good to give him hell if he intends to make her his. Besides, the head of a mafia family doesn’t need a calm little lamb as a wife.”
She gapes at me. “You guys weren’t kidding about Bruno saving her for his benefit.”
“Remember.” I cup the side of her face. “She’s in good health and Jace mentioned something about Bruno being very protective all ready when it comes to her.”
She rolls her eyes. “Probably because he wants her and we’re trying to steal his property. You know, since he bought her and all.”
“There might be some truth in your statement.” I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her close to whisper in her ear, “Or just maybe she touched his heart the way you reached out and grabbed mine.”
Her careless giggle is fucking music to my ears when she smacks my chest playfully. “I thought you gave me your heart instead of me grabbing it. But you’re not getting it back either way.” Her face turns serious when she says, “But I do hope she grabs his balls instead of his heart and twists them.”
I’m prevented from giving her a reply when we hear a phone starting to ring in the living room. The both of us rush into the room and see Jace holding out the phone for Coral to take.
It’s clear Coral’s friend is the one who’s calling when she starts to rattle while tears fall from her cheeks. Happy tears. She shoots me a smile and settles onto the couch while Jace points at the door, indicating the both of us need to step out and let her talk while we discuss something in the other room.
Once the door falls shut behind us, Jace starts to talk in a low and hushed tone. “Bruno heard what happened from Alaric and with the shit what went down, the auction he went to, and the shit he saw happening there, he decided to help us along. I just received a few texts with information and I don’t know if it’s good news or bad news. Fucking hell, I wish Stone was here but instead every decision now falls on my shoulders.”
“Not just your shoulders, VP. I’m right here too and a lot of brothers with you. Besides, Stone might need to stay a couple of days at the hospital but he will be out soon enough. Nothing wrong with his mouth.”
Jace nods and rubs his temples. “I guess, but we need to decide now. As in within the hour. Nario is on the run. Kidnapping women and training them to be sold isn’t a spur of the moment, onetime thing for them. It’s been going on for years, moving from state to state once the auction has taken place. It’s the reason why they have been able to do it for many years, efficiently keeping out of the hands of the law because US marshals are breathing down their necks. They have no clue about Tito being dead but Bruno said both brothers are fugitives on the run. They have, or had, a small group of trusted men who worked with them.”
I rub the back of my neck. “Somehow that makes sense with the twisted out of proportion force they have been using. Both with the helicopter and blowing up part of the clubhouse.”
“Yeah. Bruno has inside connections with the DEA, FBI, and also the US marshals. He reached out and they want a meeting. Want us to fucking work together to catch Nario and bring him, along with the group of men who are all connected to him or those who are still alive after the few attacks.”
“Us? Working with US marshals?” Fucking hell. “Remember how Trigger Pull MC worked with the DEA and Rebel Rage MC? Some of us still ended up in jail while the DEA sorted shit out. What if things go to hell and we end up in jail for good this time?”
“Now do you understand why I need our prez with a working and clear head instead of lying in the hospital with a massive concussion?” Jace grumbles.
I grab his shoulder. “That’s why you’re the VP, Jace. You’ve known Stone longer than any one of us. Stop with overthinking and handle the shit as you see fit. All of us follow and trust you, brother.”
He takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out through his nose. “I need you and Ram with me when I’m meeting the US marshal. The three of us will talk shit through first.”
“I’ll call Ram when you know the time and place.”
He lifts his chin at the same time I hear a knock on the door before it opens and Coral strolls toward us. “Sorry, but Bruno wanted to talk to Jace.”
She holds out the phone for Jace who takes it and stalks to the other room Coral just came from.
Coral looks more relaxed than before the call with her friend. It’s clear why when she says, “Winter couldn’t stop raving about the asshole in question and the next second she’s mentioning the way he looks, how dirty his mouth is, and the way he makes her feel things she shouldn’t feel.”
“Is she putting up a good fight?” I question.
“I told her to stick to her promise.” The grin my woman is shooting me makes me crash my mouth against hers.
A mere kiss is never enough when I feel her tongue swirl against mine. Hands start to roam, hers underneath my leather cut, mine to her curvy ass to pull her closer and rub my cock against her belly.
“I want inside you,” I whisper against her mouth.
She moans and fists my cut while nipping my bottom lip before she whispers back, “As I need you inside me. Right. Now.”
The clearing of a throat doesn’t make me stop ravishing her mouth.
“Keep your cock in your pants, Dreamer. Call Ram. Club business before fucking,” Jace snaps and this does make me break the kiss.
“Cock-block,” I snap.
Jace chuckles. “All part of the tasks of a VP. Coral, can you find Daniela for me in the kitchen and stay with her? I need you two together since I’m calling in a few brothers for protection.”
Coral nods but her eyes beam question marks.
Jace sighs. “Remember, club business?”
“Yes. I remember. Mouth shut and all. I’ll leave you guys to it.” She gives me a kiss on my cheek while Jace raises his eyebrow at me and I know exac
tly what he’s asking.
I lift my chin to let him know I trust his judgement in the flow of information, and my old lady along with it.
“Nario and Tito have been at it for years. US marshals are hunting them. Bruno has contacts and has set up a meeting for us to discuss working together with the US Marshals.” Coral’s eyes go wide before she launches herself at Jace.
She hugs him tight and rushes out her words. “Thank you so, so much. I know you guys can’t let it go, and I thought a lot about what you said to me last night but hearing this? Maybe I’m overthinking this meeting, but I do hope it’s some kind of safety net for you guys to handle Nario.”
Jace quickly returns the hug before stepping out of her space. “And the rest of the guys who are working for Nario. Don’t forget those since we don’t know how many there are left since the two attacks.”
“How could I forget those,” Coral mutters. “I don’t know if the guy who pulled me over was a real cop or just dressed as one.”
“Also something we will mention during the meeting,” I tell her.
“Okay. I’ll go find Daniela. Maybe we can bake or make something else to eat for when you guys return.”
“Make a lot,” Jace says. “I’m calling a club meeting. Since the clubhouse is blown to shit we will all come here.”
He glances at me for approval. “Eh, mi casa es tu casa.”
“All right then. Let’s get this over with. Can you call Ram? The three of us will meet with the US marshal and talk shit through before I’ll call a meeting.”
I grab my phone. “We don’t get Stone up-to-date first?”
Jace shakes his head. “He needs to focus on healing. If I tell him what’s going on it will only make him worry and his brain doesn’t need the pressure. Once we have talked to the US marshal and talked to all the brothers I will give him a short recap. And that’s only if there’s shit to tell that doesn’t agitate him.”
“You’re right, the fucker doesn’t react well to being in the dark since he knows damn well shit has hit the fan the way the clubhouse was ruined.” Jace nods at my words while I shoot Ram a message. He replies instantly and I let Jace know, “Ram will be here in fifteen minutes.”
“We’re taking the SUV,” Jace says as we leave the house once Ram arrives.
“Do we have to?” Ram complains.
Jace gets behind the wheel. “The both of you keep a fucking eye out if we’re being followed. Now understand why we’re not taking our bikes?”
Ram doesn’t complain but takes in his surroundings. Suddenly I’m more on edge to head for this meeting. Not about the meeting but more about leaving Coral. Even if we have ten brothers inside the house keeping watch. Fuck. She really did take my heart because it sure feels as if I’m leaving a part of myself behind.
The meeting is in a tiny diner just outside of town. There are two families having breakfast with their kids, a man reading a newspaper, and another man is waiting for his coffee at the counter. We took a seat in a booth way in the back which allows us a full view of the diner.
Ram ordered a truckload of food for himself but Jace and I only asked for some coffee. The waitress is placing Ram’s food on the table when a woman dressed in nicely fit, dark blue jeans along with a tight red shirt, and a leather jacket stops in front of our table. Her copper hair is tied to the back of her neck in a ponytail that reaches her ass.
She doesn’t flare anything inside me but Ram releases a string of curses, shakes his head in disbelief before it all shifts and is practically salivating, and it’s not for the food being placed in front of him.
“Keep it in your pants, Ram,” Jace warns.
Ram picks up a handful of fries and shoots Jace a grin. “Now where’s the fun in that? But no worries, VP. I won’t stand a chance with this one.”
“Right, she’s too much brains for you when you eat like a pig,” Jace snickers when he sees Ram shoving the handful of fries into his mouth.
“Gentlemen,” the woman says as she grabs a chair from a nearby table, shoves it to the head of ours, and takes a seat. “I understand a mutual acquaintance set up this meeting because you have information which could lead to the apprehension of Nario and Tito Altibelli.”
“Apprehending Tito would be hard unless you’re into pieces of a skeleton, Elly.” Ram flashes the woman a grin and starts chewing again.
The familiarity of the way he calls her Elly makes it seem as if he knows her on a personal level. Her gaze slides to his pecs, checking out the patch before her eyes narrow on his face where recognition suddenly settles.
She checks the patches of both me and Jace before offering her hand to Jace. “Eisley MacRelly. Jace I presume? Might explain what that one there just insinuated?”
Ram swallows away his food and growls, “That one there goes by the name of Ram these days, Elly. As in Rampage.”
“And I go by ma’am, Miss MacRelly, or US marshal,” she snaps back with a frosty look that should instantly freeze over Ram’s balls.
Jace breaks the staring match when he says, “Ma’am, let’s ignore the dickhead for now and talk about why you came here in the first place. Whatever happened between you two should stay in the past since we have other, more pressing matters, to deal with.”
“A mere few weeks ago a woman reached out for help.” Eisley’s eyes land on mine and I continue, “She explained how she was taken and held captive to be sold at an auction. Those fuckers also placed a GPS tracker in her to easily retrieve their so-called property in case she went missing or escaped.”
“Let me guess, that’s how you managed to run into Tito?” she questions.
“Something like that,” Ram chuckles.
Jace shoots him a glare and takes over. “We tried to obtain more information but failed. Our mutual acquaintance was able to help retrieve another girl that was sent off to the auction. That’s how far we’ve gotten till now. The woman Dreamer was talking about has become his old lady. She has the protection of the club but it’s also how Nario managed to track her to the clubhouse with the GPS that was lodged in her shoulder blade.”
“I’m sorry to hear what happened to the clubhouse and your president, Stone. We’ve been tracking the two brothers for quite some time now. They were both arrested and convicted years ago for the same things you just mentioned, but they managed to escape. Though, I have to say, they didn’t use GPS trackers until now. They probably wanted to prevent how they got caught the last time, seeing a woman managed to escape. She led us straight to them.”
“My woman managed to escape once too but they caught her. We found out about the GPS when Nario showed up on our doorstep.” I barely manage to keep the anger out of my voice.
“I would like to speak with her.”
I slowly shake my head. “Not happening.”
“She could possess crucial information which—”
Ram leans forward as he cuts her off. “Old ladies are protected and respected. If my brother says ‘not happening’ it’s not going to happen, Elly.”
Eisley narrows her eyes but dismisses Ram with her next breath to give Jace her attention. “Why have this meeting if there isn’t any cooperation? The only information you gave was the mentioning of Tito not being alive anymore. Though I would need a body or some form of evidence instead of your word.”
“Want me to take you to see some of his bones?” Ram asks in a fucking husky tone.
“Ram,” Jace snaps.
The US marshal doesn’t give Ram one indication he said something, her gaze is still on Jace and she’s clearly waiting for him to give a reply to what she just told him.
“I just received information. Our mutual acquaintance mentioned he might be able to set up a meeting with Nario. But it would only be a one chance in a lifetime. We have the assistance of another MC but the kind of shit Nario brings to the table has only left us on equal ground. Hell, casualties on both sides with two confrontations and it led us to fucking nothing.” The last few words come o
ut as an angry snap. Jace grabs his coffee and slowly takes a few sips in an effort to calm himself.
Seeing Ram is just sitting back, ignoring the food while undressing the US marshal with his eyes, it’s up to me to keep this conversation going.
And I might as well cut straight to the point. “Are you guys willing to work together? Without any consequences for us?”
Her eyes trail over all three of us. She grabs a French fry off Ram’s plate and points it at Ram. “I’ll get back to you,” she says, pops the fry into her mouth and walks right out of the diner.
C H A P T E R T E N
– CORAL –
“What time will they be here?” I wring my hands and nervously wait for Dreamer to answer me.
He steps out of the bathroom and points his toothbrush at me. “Ten. I’ve mentioned this four times. The last time was about five minutes ago. Stop stressing.”
I get a sweet smile and a wink before he starts to brush his teeth and disappears into the bathroom again. A deep sigh rushes out of my body. He’s right. I should stop stressing but I can’t help it. It’s been three full weeks of nothing but basically being trapped in this house.
I shouldn’t be complaining since no one died and Stone is doing so much better. He’s still facing weeks of recovery and physical therapy, but he’s back in charge. And I don’t know if it’s a good thing they are keeping me somewhat in the loop of things, but I guess I should be thankful for not being in the dark either.
I don’t know all the details but the weeks that have passed have been filled with meetings. Two MCs along with Bruno—the freaking mafia—along with a US marshal task force, have been negotiating and working together with a plan to take Nario out.
This is why I am so freaking nervous since Bruno and Winter are coming here. From what Dreamer told me, Bruno has requested a meeting and he also mentioned things are getting close enough to finally be wrapped up once and for all. Whatever that might be.
But right now all I can think of is seeing my friend with my own eyes. I’ve been talking to her on the phone but I need to see her to know she’s all right. She sounds okay but really, the first week she was with Bruno she got her own phone and then a few days after I didn’t hear anything. No text, no calls, nothing. A week passed until I received a few texts, the first one explained how she lost phone privileges.
