Plain Jane and the Bad Boy (Plain Jane Series)

by Tmonique Stephens

  His attorney stretched out a hand. He took it, clasped it between both of his and shook. “Mr. Russ.”

  “Mr. Geraldie.” He pointed to the Lincoln Continental and the driver waiting at the curb. “We should leave.”

  “Yes. We should.” But first, he turned and gave the prison the one finger salute. He beat Mr. Russ to the car and climbed in, forcing his attorney to walk around the rear and get into the car. “Get me out of here.”

  The car pulled away and for the first time in eleven months, Vincent relaxed. He closed his eyes, settled into the leather seat, and finally let the tension ebb from his body. When he opened his lids, he reached for the bottle of Belvedere and didn’t stop until his head and shoulders were swimming in his stomach. Only then did he ask, “You got what I need?”

  The attorney reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a manila envelope. He slapped it into Vincent’s outstretched palm yet didn’t release it. “We’re even.” A tug-of-war ensued. Mr. Russ held tight. “I said we’re even and I mean it. I hand you this and I’m no longer your attorney.”

  “Agreed.” Vincent yanked the envelope free. He ripped it open, spilling the contents into his lap. A brick of cash, a fake passport, and a disposable phone.

  “There’s a blue Kia Sorento parked at the bus station in the rear of the passenger lot. I had an associate buy it. No trace to you. No trace to me. I don’t want to know where you’re going, just text me on the burner that I’m fired after I drop you off at your house. Understand?”

  I ain’t dumb. “Get me home and no one will ever see me again.” Two hundred and fifty thousand would get him far in a third world country with no extradition treaty to the USA. Most of them in Africa. He needed to stock up on suntan lotion.

  Vincent heard the rumble of multiple bikes. He whipped around to look out of the rear window and panicked. Five bikes were bearing down on him. “Drive faster! Drive—” He spun back around to stare down the barrel of a Sig.

  “They found out and threatened my family. Sorry.”

  That’s what he got for picking a criminal who pretended he was an attorney. The car kept going for another two hours, but the destination became clear shortly after Russ pulled the Sig on him. It was the only place they could take him with complete privacy. He had one card to play, the only card he had, and it had better work.

  Or he was a dead man.

  The car slowed and turned onto a dirt road. It wasn’t long before it pulled up to an abandoned cottage. The bikes pulled in behind the car. Russ put his gun away and climbed out. Vincent waited. No need to rush the inevitable.

  The door opened. An arm reached in, fisted his shirt and flung him out onto the gravel. He’d braced for impact and it didn’t hurt too bad. He’d suffered much worse the first month in prison. A boot landed on his throat, the heel grinding into his trachea.

  “Get out of here, Russ, before I change my mind and kill you on principle.”

  From Vincent’s peripheral, he glimpsed the driver exit the car. He yanked off his jacket and clip-on tie. The button-down shirt came next, leaving the man in a wife beater. He pulled a leather cut out of the car and traded handshakes and pats on the back.

  Russ threw himself in the car and drove off with the brick of cash, the passport, and the burner. Fuck! Now, he looked up. No other choice but to face the music and Caleb.

  “Hello, bitch.”

  Vincent tapped Caleb’s boot and received the smallest reprieve. He managed a sip of air then said, “Hey, guys.”

  Caleb stepped back as Razor landed on Vincent’s chest and started whaling. He didn’t stop until Vincent couldn’t breathe out of his broken nose or see out of his eyes. The bloody haze covering the world wasn’t a manifestation of his anger. It was actual blood.

  “Your bitch ass thought you could hide in solitary and then get away. Well, I got news for your punk ass. We, the club, got you out. Took every bit of our club money to do it, but the brothers and I did it.” Caleb hauled Vincent to his feet by his hair and brought him close, not that Vincent could see any details of the prez’s face.

  “You can’t kill me. Need me to get the money.” Spittle ran down his chin.

  Caleb grinned. “Believe me, I know. There will be no killing. Not until we get every dime back.”

  Vincent laughed because once again he had outwitted, out fixed, and outclassed them. They had to keep him alive and healthy. “I told you before. I can’t get you the money. Not without—”

  “Sabrina.” Caleb finished.

  And she’s long gone. I made sure of it. Got her passports, and money. “Yeah.” Vincent coughed, spraying blood and spit all over Caleb. “Two signatures needed. Hers and mine. Without her, you got nothing.”

  Caleb wiped the blood off his cheek. His grin was slow, knowing. Vincent’s gut knotted. Denial twisted his insides.

  Razor flicked open his straight blade and pressed the sharp edge to Vincent’s neck. “We have your kid and know exactly where her bitch mother is. Once we get her, we get our money, and you, you get what you deserve.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Three sharp whistles yanked Liam out of a sound sleep. Mayhem. He eased Sabrina off his chest and crossed to the window. Downstairs, in the parking lot next to his bike, Mack.

  “Come back to bed,” Sabrina murmured, then looked at the digital clock on the nightstand. “That’s the time? Jesus. Anna’s gonna kill us.” She flopped back in bed and reached for her phone. It was dead and his was shattered.

  He banged on the window, catching Mack’s attention, and held up five fingers. “We gotta go.” He scooped Sabrina up and carried her into the shower.

  “Something wrong?” she asked as he flipped on the shower and took the brunt of the cold spray on his back.

  “Probably. Mack’s downstairs. Don’t know why.” He started soaping her, but stopped because the first touch of her slick skin had his dick hard. He washed quickly and left her to finish on her own. “Hurry up and meet me downstairs.”

  He dressed and took the stairs one flight down to meet Mack parked next to his Harley. Mack looked as if he hadn’t slept all night. “Bad news?”

  Mack nodded once. “It ain’t good. The house is gone.”

  Though Liam’s gut churned, Mack’s statement told him nothing. His house? Sabrina’s house? One of the rentals? “Which house?”

  “The vet’s house.”

  God, that hurt more than losing his own home. “Gone how?”

  “Burned to the ground.”

  He reeled back. “What the fuck happened?” Quickly, his mind ran through all the disaster scenarios.

  “Don’t know. Billy’s sister is a dispatcher. She got the call, knew it was one of our properties. She tried calling you, then called me.”

  He scrubbed his hand down his face. “I need to…to… Fuck! Was it the Black Dragons?”

  Mack nodded once. “The whole block smelled like the inside of an oil tanker.”

  “Fuck!” As he paced, Sabrina exited the hotel. “I gotta go take care of—”

  “Take care of your lady. There’s nothing to handle until the smoke clears. The house can wait.”

  But the veteran who needed it couldn’t. They’re gonna pay for this. He wasn’t gonna let this shit ride. He had insurance on the property and could take the hit. The vet that needed that home for himself and his family, they deserved not to be dragged into the middle of this bullshit. They deserved better.

  A quiet rage filled him. The Black Dragons had messed with the wrong guy.

  ∞∞∞

  Her chest to his sculpted back, her thighs to his rock-hard thighs, Sabrina wrapped her arms around Liam’s waist, slipped her hands under his shirt onto his brick abs, and held fast to Liam as the bike tore down the road.

  Traffic was light for a Sunday afternoon, made for easy riding, especially after everything that happened last night. Exhausted after the brawl and marathon sex, they’d slept late. Guilt gnawed her. Anna had to be furious. They’d pro
mised to pick Vivi up before 10:00 a.m. It was after one. With her phone dead and Liam’s screen shattered in the fight there was nothing they could do. Especially since neither had memorized Anna’s phone number because, hey, it was on speed dial.

  Sabrina prayed Anna would understand once they explained. Maybe we should skip the brawl part. She didn’t want Anna to think less of them, of her. Anna’s opinion mattered.

  Would Anna go into lockdown with them? How much did she know about Mayhem and the Black Dragons? Working for Liam with Mack, Billy, and others, she probably knew a lot. More than anyone suspected. For her protection she had to join them. That meant closing down the business. For how long was anybody’s guess. Could Liam afford to close the business indefinitely?

  And Mack showing up out of the blue. Liam wouldn’t tell her why, said everything was fine. Lie. He probably thought he was protecting her. She didn’t need protecting. She needed the truth, in all things. That’s the only way things would work between them. Anything less and she’d walk.

  She put all her rambling thoughts aside as they swung into the cul-de-sac. This was a quick pit stop to trade the bike for the truck, and pack the necessities, then they’d get Vivi and Anna.

  Liam slowed prematurely.

  She tried to peer over his broad shoulders and couldn’t manage it until he rolled to a stop and dropped the kickstand. Oh, it’s Anna’s Volkswagen. She climbed off the bike, excited to hold her baby, and rushed to peer into the rear window. The car was empty.

  Maybe they were in the house. But why would she have a key to Liam’s house? Both thoughts followed each other in rapid fire. Duh. She’s probably in my house because she certainly has keys to it.

  Sabrina started across the street, made it halfway when Liam called her name. She kept going. The drum of his rapid footsteps echoed on behind her.

  “Sabrina!” he hissed and grabbed her arm.

  “What?” She pulled away suddenly desperate to get to the house. “I want to see Vivi.”

  He took both her arms, his hands digging into her flesh. A wave of fear slammed into her, fear she didn’t have time for. She needed her daughter. “Let me go.”

  He didn’t.

  Determined to be free, she struggled against his hold. Liam caged her with his body. In the middle of the damn street he refused to release her, and she was too stupid to figure it out.

  No, she refused to figure it out. Denial, she clung to it. Dark clouds on the horizon of her mind, chipping away at the invented reality she threw up to protect her from the unimaginable. Vivi was fine, in the house with Anna, playing on the floor with her favorite cow blanket. And everything was right in the world.

  Liam eased back and held up the pink and white cow blanket Anna had knitted and Vivi loved. A muddy footprint stained the center. Sabrina met Liam’s dark eyes and the fear in the depths.

  NO!

  “They’re in the house, Liam.” She pried herself out of his hands and fled to her house as fast as her legs could carry her. He didn’t stop her as she fumbled with her keys, or when she burst through the door screaming, “Vivi! Anna!”

  Sabrina raced from room to room, Liam on her heels as each room came up empty. Kitchen, living room, master bedroom, Vivi’s bedroom, bathroom. She spun, searching yet finding nothing.

  Vivi! I have to find her. Find her. Find her. Find. Her. Terror, primal and blinding muted the world. Everything went black and white as if doused in bleach and black ink. Then blurred. The room tilted and her knees buckled, but she didn’t fall. Liam had her. She screamed. Didn’t stop until her air ran out and didn’t have the energy to inhale and repeat the process. She had a vague awareness of being carried, the wind on her face and crossing the street.

  Then mercifully, the universe went black.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Sabrina hadn’t moved from the couch he’d placed her on. She hadn’t said a word either. Since she’d awaken from her brief faint, she’d been one step up from catatonic. She stayed where he’d placed her without a fucking word. Willa sat with her, holding her hand and whispering a few words every now and then that Liam couldn’t catch.

  He should’ve seen this coming, shouldn’t assume Vivi would be safe with Anna. Wasn’t hard to figure out what happened with Nino half dead in the backseat of her car. The dog must’ve taken a turn for the worst and Anna was bringing Vivi home so she could take care of her pet. He had a patch member take the dog to the nearest veterinarian with express order to keep the animal alive. Whatever it took. He couldn’t have Nino die without Anna saying goodbye. If Anna was still alive. Liam raked his hand through his hair and focused on Finlay seated at the Church table.

  “I’ve sent members to scout all of their properties, we’ll know where the bastards are soon,” Finlay said.

  It had been six hours and they had nothing. The bastards weren’t anywhere, including they club house, the most obvious place to look. “They took an infant for a specific reason.” Liam studied the members sitting around the table. “Anyone know why?” No answer.

  “Leverage is the easy answer, but if Vincent is the father, he’s locked up.” Mack tipped his head at Sabrina. “Either she knows something or has something they want.”

  “They’re broke. They want the money Vincent stole.” Finlay shrugged. “No brainer. They will do whatever they need to get it. As would I,” he murmured.

  Liam almost reached across the table to throttle Finlay.

  “I wouldn’t steal a baby, if that’s what yae think. I’m not a monster,” Finlay grumbled. “I do understand their motives.”

  “Then tell me where to find them or we go to the police.” Which he started believing they should’ve already done. The only thing that stayed his hand was an armed standoff between the Black Dragons and police didn’t mean they’d get Vivi back alive. Fuck, an armed standoff between Mayhem and the Black Dragons wouldn’t get Vivi back either. There had to be a way.

  “How many people we have at the hospital with Billy and Sasha?” Finlay asked Snoop.

  “Three,” Snoop answered.

  Finlay scratched at the gray scruff on his chin. “Send another. The last thing we need is a newborn missing or worse. Right now, I don’t put anything past the bastards.”

  Snoop headed out of the room while Liam’s gaze crossed the distance to where Sabrina sat. She hadn’t spoken a word, instead choosing to tuck her head and curl in on herself. Slowly withdrawing to a fetal position. Willa rocked her. Liam had never felt more helpless in his entire life.

  His woman was in pain. The child he loved as his own was missing. And he… He’d never felt such rage and in the same breath, such complete impotence. “Who do you have watching the Dragons and where are they?”

  Finlay ran down the list, creating a visual map in Liam’s head. They had a few businesses by the beach—a dry cleaner and a corner store for money laundering. A pool hall and bar two miles from the beach, closer to their side of town. Plus, their clubhouse in the seedy part of town. Add in all their houses, apartments, girlfriend’s residences, and random safe houses, the list was endless. Vivi could be anywhere.

  Time to go knock down some fucking doors. You take mine. I take yours. Liam skimmed the room, his gaze touching each man. “Caleb. Where does his woman live?”

  “You do this and we’re at war.” Fists planted on the table, Mack leaned in and caught Liam’s eyes. The unspoken “Are you ready for that” passed between them.

  Liam nodded once.

  Finlay climbed to his feet. “We’re already at war. The moment he put his hands on that baby, he declared war. We get her back and we end it.”

  We get both back, Anna and Vivi.

  “This mean you back, Youngblood?” Snoop used the name Liam had all but forgotten. Focused, he hadn’t realized Snoop had returned.

  Finlay stepped between Liam and Snoop. “Let’s worry about that later. Right now, take four men and head to the Southside. Caleb’s woman lives in Deerwood, the new development. Secon
d house on the left. Red shutters. Very tacky.” He summed up.

  Mack grimaced and shook his head. “There’s no guarantee she’s there.”

  “It’s a gated community. She feels safe. And, she just moved a few months ago. Cost Caleb a fortune. He was tapped out when he bought it. Pride is a terrible thing.” Finlay huffed and shook his head.

  Two Sigs rested on the table in front of Liam. One at a time, he checked the clip on both. One went into the small of his back. The other went into a shoulder holster he’d yanked on. It fit perfectly under his leather jacket.

  The men filed out, leaving Liam and Finlay alone, with Willa still rocking Sabrina on the couch, her head now in Willa’s lap.

  “Yaer up for this? To do what yae got to do?” The look he gave Finlay had his father throwing up his hands in mock surrender. Finlay whispered in his ear. “Don’t worry about yaer woman. We’ll take care of her. Just bring the baby back, alive.”

  As if there were any other option. Liam dropped to his haunches in front of Sabrina. He took her limp hand, it was cold, and held it between both of his. There was so much to say, but none of it matter. Not I feel your pain, I understand what you’re going through, not I love you. Nothing fucking mattered except, “I’m going to find her. I won’t stop until I bring her back to you.” No response other than her eyes blinking and her chest moving up and down.

  “Go, Liam. I won’t leave her side. Not for a second.” Willa promised.

  He nodded once and leaned in to kiss Sabrina’s forehead. The Church door slammed open and Mack rushed in, his mouth curled in a snarl. “I need both of you, now.” He jerked his head twice to the room on the other side of the door.

  Sabrina’s hand gripped his with a surprising amount of strength. “What?” she croaked, her glazed eyes clear after a few hard blinks. “Is it Vivi?” She lurched into a seated position.

  “Stay here, I’ll find out.” He kissed her forehead again. Shared a silent keep her here with Willa, and followed Mack through the unexpectedly empty clubhouse to the parking lot full of club members, guns drawn, surrounding a souped-up black Civic—and one lone Dragon leaning against the rear quarter panel.