by Harley Wylde
“All right,” she said. “I’ll think about it, but I can’t promise that I’ll stay. I still don’t think I’m right for you.”
“I can take that for now.”
She tucked her face against my neck and I held her tight. There were things we needed to share with one another, but I worried if she found out about my sister, then she’d think I was trying to right an old wrong by keeping her. That might have been what prompted me to help her in the first place, but after even spending an hour in her company, I knew it was more than that. She touched a part of me I’d long thought dead, and made me feel more alive than I had in a long-ass time. If I were a different man, I’d offer her forever. No matter how much she thought she wasn’t worthy of me, the opposite was true. She deserved far better than me.
My phone buzzed against my hip and I pulled it off the holder. It was Torch.
Church in fifteen.
I knew the meeting would be about Rin, and I wondered what Wire had been able to find. It was probably too much to hope that her half-brother wasn’t looking for her. A man like Joe Banner didn’t give up easily, and he considered Rin his property. After the years of abuse he’d heaped on her, there was no way she was walking away without some repercussions, or Joe Banner being buried six feet under. I was more than happy to help with that last option.
“Baby, I need to leave for a little while. You have the clothes Isabella sent over; there’s plenty of snacks and sodas in the kitchen, and I have about two hundred channels on TV. Make yourself at home and I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“Everything all right?” she asked.
“Yeah, just some club business. Torch called a meeting.”
She nodded. “You don’t have to babysit me, Wraith. I’ll be fine.”
I leaned in closer to her. “Last night it was Will. Now I’m Wraith again?”
“Will should be reserved for the woman who’s going to be a big part of your life, and I don’t think that’s me. It’s better if I call you Wraith like everyone else.”
She was going to leave. I didn’t know when, or how, but one day she’d be gone, likely without so much as a goodbye. I could see it in her eyes, hear it in her voice. I’d have loved to stay and change her mind, but I needed to haul my ass to the clubhouse. If I was late, I’d either be fined or face some god-awful chore like cleaning the clubhouse bathrooms. I’d much rather pay than clean.
She pulled away from me and sat back down, playing with her food again. With a sigh, I pulled my keys from my pocket and went out to my bike. I started the engine, then stared at my house for a minute. I didn’t know how to make her stay, not when I couldn’t give her everything she deserved. Still, even asking her to stay, to move in with me, was a huge step for me. I’d never wanted more than a quick screw up against a wall or wherever was convenient. Rin was the only woman I’d ever made love to, the only one I’d been tempted to keep. I didn’t know how to make her see the significance of that, or if it was even enough.
When I got to the clubhouse, it looked like all my brothers were already there, minus Saint, but Ryker was there. He wasn’t a Reaper even though he lived inside the compound with his woman, so if he was included, then something big was going on. Maybe even bigger than Rin’s problem. I turned off the engine, swung my leg over the seat, and made my way inside. The doors to Church were open and when I stepped through them, Torch gave me a nod. I scanned the room and saw that I was correct and everyone was present, except for Saint who it seemed was still unaccounted for, so I shut the doors and took my seat toward the end of the table.
“We have a few things to discuss,” Torch said. “The first is that Saint has been missing for two days. A woman came here seeking his help yesterday and that’s when we realized he wasn’t here, and he’s not answering calls. Wire tried to trace him and can’t get a lock on his location. Anyone heard from him?”
“Not since day before yesterday,” Flicker said. “He stopped by for a minute, and now that I think about it, he was acting a little strange. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but if he’s gone dark, maybe we need to look into it further. It’s not like him to hide shit from the club.”
Torch nodded. “Wire will keep trying to find him. In the meantime, if any of you hear something, pass it on. I’m going to assume he left of his own accord, but it’s more than a little strange he didn’t say anything to anyone and won’t pick up the phone. He hasn’t even responded to Isabella’s voicemail, and the two of them are pretty close.”
“He won’t answer Kayla’s calls either,” Preacher said. “She’s getting worried and I don’t want her stressed out right now. She’s not getting much sleep. The baby is up at all hours of the night.”
I saw a few of the daddies in the club wince and nod with understanding. Just another good reason not to have kids. If I want a sleepless night, it will be from having too much fun, not changing diapers and shit.
“You said that was the first order of business. What’s the second?” Savior asked.
“The woman who showed up at the gates yesterday asking for Saint is Joe Banner’s half-sister. Her name is Rin and she needs our help,” Torch said. “I’m going to let Wire tell you what he’s found so far.”
Wire flipped open a rather hefty file folder he had in front of him. “So, I think we’re all familiar with Joe Banner, local pimp and a giant pain in the ass. He’s lined the pockets of pretty much every official in town, both in town hall and the police department. I’ve actually got proof that quite a few of them use his services on a regular basis, including some county officials.”
Wire glanced at me a moment, and I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like what I was about to hear.
“The city manager and mayor are regulars, as are two judges. Some of the officers…” He slid some photos down the table and bile rose in my throat as I looked at them. It was my girl, and the things they were doing to her made me want to tear them in half with my bare hands. “Rin has a good reason to be scared. And that’s part of why I’ve asked a guest to come here today. Officer Daniels is the only one who appears to be squeaky clean in the department. He’s never broken the law that I can find, does his job, even received commendations at the last place he worked.”
There was a knock on the doors and Wire got up to open them. Officer Daniels walked in and gave everyone a nod. Wire motioned for him to take a seat on the bench along the wall, then Wire sat back down with his file folder.
“Officer Daniels is more than willing to help clean house, but it’s a town-wide epidemic and we’re going to have a really hard fucking time getting rid of the trash,” Wire said. “I have enough shit on some of them to have them hauled away by law enforcement.”
“But you said the cops are corrupt,” Venom said. “So who’s going to arrest them? Officer Daniels? Won’t the others just let them go?”
Officer Daniels stood up. “Permission to speak?”
Torch nodded.
“Wire found out that the police chief, as well as many of the higher-ranking officers, have a penchant for younger girls. As in fourteen- and fifteen-year-old girls. He has enough evidence to have them put away for a long time. The problem is that I don’t know we can trust the county sheriff’s office either, so I’m going after them at the federal level. Some of those girls came across state lines, which means the FBI can get involved,” Officer Daniels said.
Tank’s phone went off and he glanced at it, letting out a string of curses.
“Motherfuckers!” He stood up, his chair nearly falling over. “Those two pretty boys who helped out Josie heard what’s going down, and they’re on their way here.”
“Agents Drey and Logan?” Flicker asked. “What the hell does the DEA want with a prostitution ring?”
Wire cleared his throat. “That would be my doing. Joe Banner isn’t just into prostitutes. He’s been selling date rape drugs of various types locally and statewide. According to some intel I gathered, he’s planning to take things to the next s
tep and become a major distributor for the entire southern region. Drey and Logan came to mind, and I thought they could be of assistance, but why are they messaging you, Tank?”
Tank snorted. “They’re keeping tabs on Josie, making sure Jackal treats her right. I get a message once a month asking for an update. I think they’re waiting on him to step out of line so they can go kick his ass. I’ve been tempted a few times to lie just so I can watch them take that little shit down.”
“Don’t like the brother-in-law?” I asked. “I thought the two of you were getting along now.”
“We do, mostly,” Tank said. “Doesn’t mean I’m still not pissed about how he treated my sister in the beginning. I figure I should find ways to make him pay for at least the first ten years of their marriage.”
“Jesus,” Torch muttered. “It’s been a fucking year, Tank. Let that shit go. The boy is doing the best he can. At least he’s trying, and Josie seems content. Leave it be.”
Tank grumbled but seemed to settle down.
“I know the club isn’t exactly legit,” Officer Daniels said, “and you probably don’t want the FBI anywhere near this place, but we need somewhere to meet. The two agents I’m working with would like to hear things straight from Wire and Rin. If you don’t want the meeting to take place here, then I can set up something around town, but it’s not going to take long before that shit spreads through the gossip mill.”
“And just who are these agents?” Venom asked.
“Agent Lupita Montoya and Agent Paxton Hughes.”
“A woman?” I asked. “You want a woman to take down men who are known abusers and rapists of girls?”
“Can you think of anyone better?” Officer Daniels asked. “Hell, we’ll likely have to hold her back. It wouldn’t surprise me if she gelded them in front of everyone and saved the taxpayers some money when the assholes bled out.”
Tank grinned. “I think I’m liking this Agent Lupita Montoya. I say we let her deball them. I’ll bring the popcorn.”
“Of course you’d get off on that,” Venom said.
Tank shrugged. “I’m not the club enforcer without reason. Getting my hands dirty is half the fun. Watching a woman get her hands dirty while taking down a rapist? That would be like my birthday and Christmas all rolled into one.”
“Now that we’re reminded that Tank is a sick fuck,” Torch said, “any other surprises, Wire?”
“I don’t know that I would call it a surprise, but… when Joe couldn’t find Rin, he needed a replacement. The deal with the Mexican brothel was apparently already set. A woman with dark hair, petite stature, and close to Rin’s age was kidnapped from a neighboring town last night. She hasn’t been found, but I did locate an email from Joe to his contact that the package was on its way.”
“Son of a bitch,” I said, slamming my fist onto the table. “Rin can’t find out! If she thinks for one minute that someone else suffered in her place, she’ll turn herself over to Joe.”
Officer Daniels rubbed his jaw. “It’s not that I’m not grateful you’re helping out Rin Banner, but what’s in it for y’all? I mentioned a woman needing help and no one seemed to care, not enough to do something. That was over a week ago. Now you’re willing to go to any lengths to make sure she stays safe.”
“She’s Wraith’s,” Venom said.
Zipper rubbed his hands together. “When do I get to lay some ink on her?”
“You don’t,” I said. “I’ve told you I’m not taking an old lady. She’s mine, but…”
Torch leaned back in his chair. “Son, she’s either yours or she’s not. If she’s yours, then you need to ink her and we’ll order a property cut. If she’s not…”
I clenched my jaw until I thought my teeth might crack. What the fuck did it matter if I inked her or not? I wanted her, and she seemed content enough with me, if we could just get past the I-deserved-better-than-her bullshit. Why did everything have to have a fucking label? It was bad enough she was asking if I wanted her as a girlfriend, now my Pres was giving me an ultimatum? Claim her as my old lady or… or what?
“If she’s not, then what? You kick her ass out of the compound and she’s left to fend for herself?” I asked.
Torch folded his arms and the look in his eyes told me I’d crossed a line by snapping at him. I’d be lucky if all I had to do was clean toilets. Fuck! I looked around the table and every one of my brothers wore the same expression. I was in deep shit, but I wasn’t so sure it was because of my comment to Torch. No, I had a feeling it was because I didn’t want to commit to Rin. Seriously? These assholes wanted me to claim her for life after one night together?
“Is there a problem with claiming her?” Torch asked. “Is she not worthy to be your old lady because of her past?”
Something told me I was treading on thin ice.
“I don’t care about her past. I mean, I care. I want to beat the shit out of the assholes who hurt her, but no, it doesn’t bother me that she was a…” I clamped my lips shut. I didn’t want to call her a whore because it wasn’t true, no matter if she did say otherwise. Yeah, guys had paid to fuck her, but in my mind what they’d really done was pay to rape her, which just enraged me all over again.
“You can’t say it, can you?” Venom asked. “Can’t call her a whore?”
I saw Officer Daniels take a step forward out of the corner of my eye.
“You’re going to call that poor girl a whore?” the officer asked with a bite to his tone.
Venom raised a hand. “I’m making a point, officer. I’d suggest you step back before you’re assisted out of the clubhouse and not welcomed back. You’re here by invitation, but it can be revoked at any time.”
Officer Daniels’ jaw clenched, and I could have sworn I heard his teeth grinding. Nice to know Rin had people in her corner, even if I didn’t particularly like being backed into one when it came to her. I’d give my life for her if that’s what it came down to, but making her mine forever? Putting my name on her body, being responsible for her for the rest of my life? I’d faced some scary shit overseas, but I couldn’t think of anything that terrified me more than commitment, except maybe fatherhood. It wasn’t that I didn’t like kids, because I loved everyone else’s. I just didn’t want one of my own. I’d fucked up enough lives already.
“So what is it, Wraith?” Venom asked. “You can’t call her a whore, but you refuse to officially claim her. You want to what? Play house until you’re tired of her and kick her ass to the curb? What’s she supposed to do then?”
I shrugged. I honestly hadn’t thought that far ahead. I could see myself spending a lot of time with Rin, maybe even a few years if I were completely honest, but I knew a guy like me wasn’t meant for the long haul. I might not know much, but I did know that I was doing her a favor by not making her mine in every way that mattered. I wasn’t the one who deserved better. She was. She needed someone who would be there for her, who didn’t fuck up peoples’ lives and let their sister die in a gutter.
All right, so maybe my sister had more do with my shit with Rin than I’d acknowledged. She’d needed a better brother, one who was here when she was in trouble, and I’d failed her. What the fuck did it matter that I was serving my country when I’d come home to my only family being gone? If my parents had been alive, they’d have disowned me. They’d given me one job. Take care of my little sister. And I’d fucked it to hell and back.
Venom eased back in his chair. “I stand with Torch on this one. You either man up and claim her, the right way, or you stand aside and let someone else take over.”
My back went ramrod straight and my shoulders tensed.
“What the fuck does that mean?” I asked.
“Keep that sweet little thing permanently?” Bats asked. “Doesn’t sound like a bad deal to me. If Wraith doesn’t want her, I’ll claim her.”
Gears leaned his elbows onto the table. “And if she doesn’t want Bats, then I’ll take her. Hell, maybe we should wait for Saint to resurface. T
he two of them have history. Maybe he wants her as his old lady.”
I could feel my skin heating as fury flowed through my veins like lava. I glared at Bats and Gears, then turned my stare to Torch and Venom.
“Really? You’re going to auction her off like some plaything? Any brother will do, right? Doesn’t matter what the fuck she wants. You don’t think she had enough of that shit with her half-brother? Men have told her what the hell to do and when to do it since her mom died.” I glared at everyone at the table. “Fuck all of you.”
I stood so fast my chair toppled and before anyone could call me back, I stormed out of the room and didn’t stop until I got onto my bike. I gunned the engine and my tires spit gravel as I flew toward the gate. Diego was keeping watch and hastened to open it up before I went straight through the damn thing. I took a sharp right and headed out of town, letting the wind whip through my hair and not giving a shit how fucking cold it was. The highway beckoned and I accelerated until I was going at least ninety miles per hour. It was dangerous as hell, but right then I didn’t much care. Maybe an adrenaline rush would do me some good.
I rode for what had to be a good two hours considering how far I’d traveled, then I pulled off to the side. My lungs ached and I breathed hard and fast, like I’d been running instead of riding. My head wasn’t much clearer than it had been when I’d left but I knew one thing. I couldn’t let them decide Rin’s fate like that. She needed to make her own choice, and while I hoped she decided to stay with me for however long we lasted, if she wanted someone else I wouldn’t stand in her way. All I wanted was for her to be happy. After everything she’d been through, she’d earned that right. Hell, even if she’d had the happiest of lives, she still had the right to decide what or who she wanted. It pissed me off that they were no better than Joe Banner, trying to sell her off to the highest bidder. Money might not have exchanged hands, but they were treating her like a whore and not like a woman who had a mind of her own.
