Brotherhood (10 page)

CHAPTER 12

He was gone when she woke up. Melissa felt different. In a good way. Almost euphoric. She knew it'd been a long time since she'd had sex, but it wasn't that. She could have had sex with anyone and it wouldn't have affected her this way.

It was him. Something about Asher Hudson had gotten under her skin. The way he overpowered her. Mentally, emotionally and physically. The way he softened up when he told her his story.

She believed him. She realized that. He wasn't the person she thought. She didn't know why he was committing crimes, but he wasn’t the insane psychopath his files made him out to be. He cared for her. His feelings were evident when he touched her, when he looked at her, and when he'd held her afterwards.

This left her worried. How was she to handle this? She was an ATF agent. She was sent to capture him. She was sent to show him that his crimes did not pay off. Yet she was letting him fuck her and listening to what was on his mind.

That was clearly not acceptable for her job. But what could she do? She trusted and believed in this man.

It was a scary scenario. She was literally in the middle of a line that was drawn in the proverbial sand. If she went with the side of her job, her life's mission, she would lose the first man to break through her walls. The only man to make her long for more than the cold and empty life she led. The only person she wanted more than she wanted to avenge her brother's death.

If she didn't, if she went with him, she would become one of them. She would turn her back on the agency. She could easily avoid them. She knew their tactics. But she'd never be able to return to normal life again. She'd forever be away from all that she knew.

It wasn't like she had family. Her parents had both moved on. They didn't speak to her. She was too much of a reminder. They wanted peace and Melissa had been so full of anger and hatred she'd never given them any. She wanted revenge. They wanted to forget.

They all parted ways when she joined the agency. Her parents couldn't handle her obsession with Timmy's death. Her desire to target people and block them from harming others. Unhealthy they'd called it. She might agree if she didn't know she was right.

She could leave that life, join the club as an old lady and live happily with a man forever. But would it be enough? Lying in his bed and satisfying his every need. Would she be okay with that?

If she left, would she be okay with that? Then it dawned on her. She could help him. She could research. She could take down Logan and in turn take down the other bad cops that had caused this.

The problem was she'd have to take down Asher too, for his criminal actions. A scarred boy was sad. A vengeful man was dangerous.

She decided she had to do something and she wandered out into the hall. It wasn't long before her trained eye spotted a shelf that looked abnormal. She knew these older houses had passageways, she just wasn't sure why. But it was how she'd ended up in a closet.

A few movements of the shelf and she found her answer to what lies behind the bookshelf. A hallway leading to a set of stairs. She followed it and found herself back inside the basement. Amazed at her luck, she realized she had been gone a while. She had to escape when he left or she wouldn’t have time to get away before she was caught. And if she was caught trying to flee, she wasn’t sure she’d be alive to find out what else might happen.

She took her time looking at the closet but couldn’t seem to find the passageway out. Disheartened, she headed towards the stairs to search for another escape route. Before she started climbing the stairs, she heard a noise and turns her head around, terrified that she’d been caught. Instead, she caught sight of a mouse heading into a doorway that she didn’t realize was there.

Following the mouse, Melissa found another closet. A bigger one with a door in the back. One that she could only assume led into the same tunnel system she'd used to get inside. Well, that was good. She wasn't going to harm Hudson. She wasn't sure he was committing crimes. At least that's what she told herself until she spun around and saw what the closet held. Stacks of drugs. More packages than she'd ever seen. They were piled next to a large wooden container. She pushed it open and saw assault rifles packed neatly inside.

No. No! No! NO! He was just a thug after all! Just another criminal! And I fucked him, thought he loved me, listened to him lie to me! NO!

She backed her way to the stairs and began to climb again. It wasn't until she was near her floor that she heard voices. Holding her breath so no one heard her, she leaned towards where the voices were coming from and listened, her heart breaking at every muffled word.

"You're going to fuck it all up for us. You've got your eyes on her and that is all that matters."

"Are you fucking kidding me? You guys think I would fuck this up? I'd never do that. Not for anything."

"Tell me. When have I ever put you guys in danger?"

"How about when Manny was here? You told him that the bitch was dead. He expects her to be dead. But no, her ass is upstairs.
Alive
. We’ve got no use for her. Why the fuck is she still here?"

"Dakota. You know it's good, right?"

The man named Dakota started. "Guys—"

Another voice interrupted him. "She has everything to do with this. Every fucking thing."

"How?" Asher asked.

"She's a goddamned fed. She was hiding in the fucking closet when we found her. She's not here because she wants your dick, Hudson.”

"Well, she does.”

***

Looking around the room he realized none of the guys believed him. They knew. They knew that he was too involved with her. They didn't know just how involved. But they knew it was a safety concern. None of them wanted her around.

The hard part of this was that Asher knew he had feelings. But he knew his brothers. They'd made a pact that anyone who threatened the mission would be taken out. It was the cost of achieving their goals.

Fuller was the biggest threat as far as they were concerned. If he even showed a hint that he cared about her, he would turn into their biggest concern. Nothing blew up a plan quite like battling over whether or not to kill a man’s girl.

Not that she was his girl. Not yet.

"You either make her one of us." Nelson offered. "Or we do what we should’ve done weeks ago."

"No.” Asher. "Out of the question."

"Why the fuck not?" Charlie asked.

"Don’t you fuckheads see? He doesn’t trust her either. Ain’t the right?" Mike inserted.

Asher had to think quickly. He didn't want her dead. He didn't want himself dead. He wanted them to exist together. But the guys wouldn't hear of it. So he had to think about a way to answer that and keep them from killing her. He knew what to do, but it tore his gut apart to do it. Fortunately she couldn't hear him from upstairs otherwise he couldn't have done it. Just saying the words made him feel sick.

"I need her.” He paused and then added. “For my plan.”

***

Melissa waited in her spot to see what he would say. To her, he seemed to be avoiding the question. Plan? He needed her for some goddamn criminal plan? Was that all she ever was to him? Just some part of an elaborate plan?

"You mean you are lying to protect her?"

"No. Okay look," Asher’s voice started up again. "Big picture. What’s our goal here?"

"Get ATF out of town." A chorus of voices rose up.

"And it so happens that I have a fucking ATF agent in my bedroom. Someone who knows the inner workings of the agency. Someone they trust."

"And?" Dakota asked.

"And she thinks she’s in love with me."

***

Even though he wore a smile on his face for his brothers, every word out of his mouth was a lie. There wasn’t any plan. He was just making things up to keep the heat off her, to keep her alive, keep her safe. He prayed that somehow she didn't find out he'd said that. He'd lose anything he had with her. And what he had with her meant more to him than anything. She'd never understand that he was protecting her. Not with the way he was talking.

"Aren’t they all?" Dakota laughed. “Prosecutor Carruthers, Judge Olin, every cunt that you’ve ever buried your dick in.”

"That’s right."

"So then why...." Charlie began.

"Spend so much time with her? Did you really think a tough ass ATF agent from Jersey was going to be as easy as the damned prosecutor who’s spent more time on her knees than in the court room? Hell no. She took work. She took confessions. She took a lot of goddamn care and concern."

"Thank God," Mike blurted out. "You had us worried."

"There was never anything to worry about." Asher spoke. "But I need her alive. She's going to help us do away with the ATF, at least long enough for us to hightail our operations before reinforcements come in from up top. She's going to help us get to Logan."

"And then we can kill her?" Nelson asked.

"I don't give a fuck what you do." Asher lied.

***

Melissa slowly climbed the remainder of the stairs to her floor and slid back outside the shelf. The tears in her eyes wouldn't stop. She could still hear the words.
I don’t give a fuck what you do.

How could she have been so dumb? She knew that was what he did. She had been told this. He wins through romancing the women. She swore she wouldn't be one. And she had gone against her own warnings.

She had fallen for him.

I don’t give a fuck what you do.

But she knew how to get out of here. She was going to do just that. And she was going to find Logan and help them take down Hudson and his club once and for all.

I don’t give a fuck what you do.

***

She was sleeping when he walked into the room. He wanted to wake her and tell her what had happened, but he figured it best to leave her asleep. He would tell her tomorrow. Make sure she knew why he'd said that. And that he loved her. It could wait a few more hours.

CHAPTER 13

She heard him leave before she woke up. At least before he thought she woke up. It had taken all she had not to scream when he'd crawled into bed with her. His arm draped over her body wasn't romantic. It was creepy. He didn't give a shit about her. That piece of shit.

She jumped up immediately and started to walk out of her room, his room, their room. Whatever. She checked around and noticed there was no-one upstairs. So she made her way towards the shelf.

The good part was that being held captive meant she was traveling light. She had nothing but the clothes she wore and if she'd thought hard enough she'd have changed them. They weren't flattering, but most of all, they were noticeable. But she'd run out of time at this point.

She could hear voices below her, but she didn't want to hear what they had to say this time. She stepped into the hallway and pushed the shelf closed behind her. The pathway to the stairs was dark and she was almost afraid of what might be lurking along it. But she trudged through.

Melissa hadn’t thought the stairway to be as dark as it was. This would cut into her time. She had to move fast, but she couldn't risk falling and being discovered. The only way this would work is if she got back to the agency before the bikers realized she was gone. Easier said than done, since she had no clue where she'd pop up and even where the office was in proximity to where she was.

Her heart broke with each step, and she cursed him under her breath with the next one. She hated him. He was gorgeous. Perfect. Amazing. She loved him. And he'd been playing her. She was nothing but another pawn to him. And that hurt her more than anything else in the world, more than even seeing Timmy’s broken bloody body at the playground. She'd let herself believe his stories and trust in him. And now she was here. Angry and heartbroken. One of the bad guys, had destroyed her again.

Melissa knew she'd never be able to trust again. Not another man. Ever. And now that she knew one could fool her and control her so easily, she wasn't sure she trusted herself. She'd go back to the office, help take down this vile thug and then mozy on her way. Away from this. Away from the job. To a place where she could be happy.

What the fuck was happy anyway? A promise that nobody kept? Before she answered that she was in the closet she'd found in the basement. The tunnel out of the house was long and dark. She wasn't sure where she was headed or how in God's name she would get there. She only knew that she had to leave.

Once she felt safe, Melissa began to run. She couldn't get out of this dungeon fast enough. Her legs were sore. Her ass was sore. Her nipples were sore. All of it reminded her of how good it had felt. She didn't want the reminder, so she pushed past the pain.

She’d run about three miles of tunnel when she saw a light in the distance. Running kept her head from going back and thinking about all the shit she just heard, kept her head pre-occupied so she couldn’t think about Asher.
No. It’s Hudson. He’s always been Hudson, a goddamn Nomad Devil, a lying piece of shit biker scumbag.

The light gave her hope and she slowed her pace to a fast walk. She needed to conserve energy because she wasn't sure how far she had to go once she was out. She only knew that she needed away.

This would be a good time to have a goddamn phone number. Hudson had taken her phone along with her clothes. Another moment of shame and humiliation at the circumstances she'd allowed herself to fucking enjoy.

The light got closer and her hope blossomed. She started jogging again. Within only minutes she was at the end and saw a place to climb up. She made her way up and suddenly open air greeted her. The problem was, she wasn't sure what to do from there.

A quick glance around didn't tell her much. Where in the hell was she?

Fortunately, someone stopped a car nearby and she walked over to him.

"Excuse me," she asked as she approached.

The guy in the car was short, balding and kind of plump; but he looked friendly enough.

"Yes ma'am?”

"Where am I?"

The guy looked at her with a confused gaze that pushed her to explain herself.

"I've been jogging. I got lost. I'm kind of new here."

"Where are you trying to find?" he asked. "Do you need a ride?"

"The ATF office." she asked. "And if you don't mind that'd be great."

"Hop in," he offered. "I'll take you."

She tried to explain that she lived near the office as she slipped into the passenger seat. She leaned back, buckled her seatbelt and hoped for the best.

"So you're that missing agent?" the man asked and she felt her heart drop into her stomach.

"Yes," she nodded and hoped this man wasn't about to take her back where she'd just come from to meet her death a little early.

"Well, I'll be god damned. I thought you'd be dead.” He extended a meaty hand her way. “Detective Larson. Your friend Andy will be glad to see you. "

***

"What do you mean gone?"

"I did what you asked boss," Charlie was stammering. He was terrified of trouble. "Went up to see if she wanted to join you for breakfast."

"Is she in the library?"

"No," Charlie answered. "She's nowhere, boss. She's fucking gone."

Asher's face dropped and his heart sank. Had she been playing him? Was he a fool to have fallen for her? All the while she was gaining his trust, she was learning how to escape?

"Where the fuck is Dakota?" Hudson slid his plate away and stood up. "Get him in here. Now!"

Asher paced the floor. He wasn't certain if he was more hurt that he'd been that dumb or angry that he'd been that dumb. He just knew he was something. And he had to find her. He had to hope like hell that she hadn't convinced him to get close to her only so she could get out.

"What's up?"

"Did you lock the tunnel?" Asher slung the words like a knife at his face.

"The tunnel?"

“Behind the shelf, twist. There's a pathway to stairs that lead to the basement. From there you take tunnel out. Did you lock it?"

“I…" Dakota stammered.

Asher closed his eyes and whispered, his voice dangerous and low. “Get out. All of you.” When Dakota made the motion to join the other guys shuffling out, Asher grabbed him on the shoulder. “Not you.”

When all the other guys were gone, Dakota asked. "You love her?"

Asher wasn't sure what to say. The truth? He was an idiot. He loved her. He wanted her. Or a lie? No, she was just too smart for him. That was all. Yet…

"Yes," he confessed. "I do. Did. Thought I did. I don't fucking know anymore."

"Were you protecting her last night?" Dakota asked.

"What do you think? The boys would’ve gutted her if they had the chance. Of course I was protecting her. And all the while she was lying to me."

"I’m sorry, Asher."

"Do you think she played me?"

"What else could it be?"

"That fucking bitch." Asher whispered. "Worthless no good lying fucking bitch!"

"What now?" Dakota asked.

"What do you mean what now?" Asher looked at his friend.

"C’mon, man. You gotta get your head together. We’ve got an ATF agent on the loose that’s been missing for weeks. If nothing else, they got us on that one. We’ve got a goddamn Mexican drug lord thinking that the same goddamn agent is dead, and he’s about to find out that she's not. That we lied. That she's taking you down and possibly him as well."

"Send Charlie to check the roads to the field office," Asher said. "Call a meeting. Immediately. I'll be back in fifteen."

He waited to hear Dakota ascend the steps before he broke down. The tears flowed down his face. How could she have done this to him? Why would she have lied? Why the fuck was he crying? But he knew the answer right away, even if he didn’t want to admit it. He finally found a woman he loved and she was using that to get her way. Like he did with plenty of women in the past. Under other circumstances, he might’ve been laughing, but Asher Hudson only felt tears welling up in his eyes.

Alone with his back against the wall, Asher took a deep breath, wiped his eyes, and walked out to where the other guys were waiting. No way in hell was he going to keep crying a female player. He was the idiot. He was the loser.

"Charlie saw her walk into the field office." Nelson said as soon as Asher walked in. "Ten minutes ago."

Goddamn bitch
.

"We need a plan," he said to the guys and grabbed a chair to sit down. "We can't let this bitch win."

Over the course of the next half an hour the guys sat and debated what to do. They had to face both the ATF and Manny. Neither were a picnic and both could end them in a heartbeat. Dakota proposed that they leave town, but it wasn’t a possibility. If the ATF didn’t find them, Manny sure as hell would.

"Why'd ya do it boss?" Charlie asked.

Asher looked at his brother with surprised. "Do what?" he asked.

"Lie about it," Charlie said. "You love her. She was playing you, but you love her anyway."

"I wanted her to be safe. And you guys were making that damn near impossible."

"Wish we had now?" Nelson smirked.

"No," he answered. "I wish she was who I thought."

"They never are." Dakota mentioned. "They never fucking are."

"So we wait?" Asher asked the guys and they all nodded. "Fan-fucking-tastic. We all wait, and hope like hell we aren't waiting for our own deaths."