Authors: Ann Mayburn
Didn’t mean it wasn’t stupid of him to hide it, but I understood.
Rather than tearing into him, as Master at Arms for the founding chapter it was my duty to keep all of my brothers safe, I pushed that bullshit to the back of my mind for another day.
“You able to find out anything about Sarah or Billie?”
“Sure did.”
I sat forward, adrenaline pumping into my veins. “What?”
“We got footage on our security cameras of Sarah driving past the clubhouse a couple times, scoping it out, three days ago.”
Relief filled me. “How did she look?”
“Hard to say, she was in her car, but she hasn’t been back since that day.”
“Beach know?”
“Yeah.” He sighed and drummed his fingers against the table, his gaze distant. “We haven’t heard any mention of Billie, and I’ve gotta wonder why Sarah is so sure she’s here.”
“No connections to the area?”
“Not that we can find. Billie moved around a lot, not surprising considering she’s run a scam on everyone she’s ever met, but we can’t find any direct connection to the area. She grew up in Idaho and her parents passed away years ago. No brothers or sisters, and her family hasn’t heard from her since she was kicked out of her parents’ house at seventeen for stealing from her grandmother. Every man she’s ever been with probably wants the bitch dead, so I’m not sure where she’s finding a spot to hunker down considering she’s got a U-Haul full of missiles.”
I shook my head, marveling at how fucked up my life had become. “I’m gonna start looking for Billie tonight. Swan is stayin’ here.”
Breaker chuckled. “Oh, she’s gonna love that, you goin’ off on your own. Your girl was ready to gun down Khan’s ass for looking at you wrong. She had something in her pack, didn’t she? Saw the way she twitched before she went all Ripley on you.”
“Ripley?”
“Yeah, Ellen Ripley from the
Alien
series. Now that was a badass bitch.”
Ignoring Breaker, Khan studied me. “We’ll do everything we can to help you, but I gotta tell ya that you’re lookin’ for a needle in a haystack.”
“More like a dirty needle in a crack house,” Breaker added with a grin.
That fucker lived to push people’s buttons, so I didn’t bother to respond. “I got some contacts here that might be able to give me a lead. You also need to know that you probably won’t be alone in guarding Swan. I have no doubt her stepmom and dad are gonna want to help out.”
With a grunt Khan frowned at me. “Her daddy is Mike Anderson, right? We’ve dealt with him before. He’s crazy, but fair. We gonna have him in our clubhouse?”
I laughed and shook my head. “Nah. He’s getting together with some buddies to go to places he knows of where Billie’s hidden in the past. We’ll probably get personal attention from Swan’s stepmother. I think you know her. Used to go by Mimi Stefano, now known as Mrs. Mike Anderson.”
“Lady Death? Shit.” The color drained a bit from Khan’s face, and he sat back in his chair. “Is she gonna wanna stay here?”
“No, thank fuck. I doubt we’ll even notice it if she’s around. She won’t want Swan to know she’s here, but no way that woman is leaving her little girl unprotected. I’m warning you right now, don’t fuck with her.”
“You think I want to have my dick sliced open and my guts yanked out? No thanks. That woman is almost as crazy as her husband. I’ve seen my wife go into protective mama bear mode, and the thought of Mimi Stefano feeling like her cub is threatened is the shit of nightmares. You do not want to mess with an angry mama bear.”
“Especially one who can peel your skin off your hide with a good, sharp knife.”
Breaker made an uncomfortable noise and I met Khan’s gaze. “So what are we gonna do here to keep my old lady in one piece?
Breaker’s gold wedding band flashed as he leaned against the wall next to the windows, the light of the lamp catching it. “We’re gonna have a prospect and a brother guarding your old lady at all times. Not gonna say she’ll be totally safe ’cause shit happens, but we’re gonna do our best. Can your little girl really handle herself?”
Without hesitation I said, “Absolutely. Think about who raised her.”
“Good point. In that case, keep her armed. If I’ve got rats in my house they might try to make a move on her while you’re gone.”
A sudden thought came to me that I didn’t like one bit. “You using her as fuckin’ bait?”
“Keep your panties on,” Breaker muttered in a low voice. “We aren’t gonna let anyone get near her, but we will watch and see who is giving her special attention. I understand that you don’t like it, and I wouldn’t put your old lady in harm’s way unless we absolutely have to, but this is bigger than just her. If we don’t get that shit back from Billie, we, everyone—my family and my brothers—are in danger.”
I rubbed my face with a weary sigh. “I’m so fuckin’ ready for this bullshit to be over. And Swan ain’t gonna be happy about being stuck here without me. She already got into it with one of the sweet butts.”
“Which one?”
“Tila tried to mark her territory with Smoke in front of Swan.” Breaker crossed his arms with a shit-eating grin. “You know how Tila’s had a thing for his ugly ass for years. She laid a big, wet kiss on Smoke, then Swan ripped her off and threw her to the ground.” He turned to Smoke. “Thought your little girl might break Tila’s neck, old man.”
Khan’s lips twisted into a barely-there amused smile while I grimaced. “Keep the sweet butts away from my woman.”
“Don’t worry, brother, we will.” Breaker smirked. “Can’t say I wouldn’t be happy to see Swan kick some of these bitches’ asses. The Prez’s wife and my wife are sweet, kind, wonderful women who hate fighting. They understand that there will always be pussy for the brothers, and they also know that Khan and I don’t sample any of that used snatch, so they have no reason to come in here and clean house. It’s made some of the sweet butts, like Tila, think they run the place. You can bet that she’ll try to get back at Swan, so I’d tell your old lady to carry that big ass knife I saw pressed up against the side of her bag.”
I sometimes forgot how much Breaker noticed. His joking asshole persona made people see him as less of a threat, and I wondered if he’d make a good Enforcer. With this in mind, I switched the topic from Swan to the second part of the plan to keep her safe. “You serious about the Enforcer position?”
Breaker and Kahn exchanged a look, then Kahn nodded. He leaned forward and his silver mustache twitched. “I’m hoping you’ll consider Hulk.”
That surprised me. “Your Master at Arms? You want to get rid of him for some reason?”
With an intense look he nodded. “Yep, but not like you think. He’s the best Master at Arms a man could ask for, trust him with my life, but Denver ain’t no good for him anymore. Some bad shit happened with his family. His ex-wife drove wasted with their daughter in the car close to two years ago. Crashed and his daughter died instantly, but his ex lived.”
“Shit, I had no idea.”
“He wants it kept quiet. Doesn’t want to have anything to do with his ex, but he still sees her around town.”
“I’m surprised she’s still alive.”
“Would love to take that piece of trash out.” Breaker shook his head. “Can’t kill her, Hulk has forbidden it.”
“He what?”
Now it was Khan’s turn to shake his head. “Said he wants the bitch alive, grieving every day for the loss of their child like he is. Said, for a parent, losing a kid is hell on earth, and he wants her to suffer.”
We were all silent for a moment, and I sifted through my memories of the few times I’d met Hulk’s daughter. She’d been just a toddler, cute with big cheeks and a mop of curls. And to have his ex-wife be the one to have killed her…fuck. I’m surprised Hulk was even functioning.
With a soft sigh, Khan stood and stretched out, his thick muscles pressing tight against his t-shirt. “Too many memories here for him. Getting the fuck out of Denver and going somewhere to start over with a purpose and a new life to focus on is exactly what he needs.”
I sometimes forget that one of the reasons Kahn was picked for the President position of the Denver Chapter was because he honestly gave a fuck about his men. “You think he’d be a good fit?”
“Yeah, I do. He’s an honest man, smart as fuck with computers, and he’s loyal. Plus, his brother is down there south of Austin, and Hulk could use some time with him.”
“You will never, ever find a man more worthy of your trust,” Breaker added in an unexpectedly serious tone, “When the man makes a vow, he keeps it.”
“He got a woman to bring with him?”
“Nah. He’s different from what you remember. Man got his priorities in order and realized that he wanted to hold out for a quality woman. The marryin’ kind.”
“Not many of those around here,” Breaker said with a grin. “But if Beach and Smoke found those beautiful women of theirs down in Austin maybe there’s hope for Hulk’s old ass to grab some sweet young pussy as well.”
“Fuck off,” I muttered, glad for Breaker’s humor to lighten the mood.
Kahn rubbed the back of his neck and stared at me for a bit, then something seemed to settle in his gaze and he nodded. “We’re good for now. Go take care of things with your old lady, then find Hulk. He’s doesn’t know anything about this Enforcer shit, so I’d appreciate it if you keep it on the down-low. He’s gonna be your right hand man here. Figured that would be a good way for you to see how he operates. He’s great at tracking people down, so if you need someone, he can probably find ‘em. Listen to me good—you can trust him.”
I ran my hand through my hair, the weight of the day already pulling me down. “I want to get on the road tonight and scope some things out. What room is Swan in?”
Breaker motioned to me. “Come on, I’ll take you to her.”
Once we were outside the door and past the men standing guard, Breaker stopped me and looked around before saying in a low voice, “Hold up, brother. There’s some stuff you need to know. I think one of the sweet butts might be a traitor.”
“What? Kahn know this?”
“I tried to tell him,” Breaker said with a sour twist to his lips. “But the fucker is old school and honestly doesn’t think any of the sweet butts are smart enough to pull something on us. Me? I sit back. I watch things, and there’s been shit goin’ down that doesn’t feel right. If one of those bitches is a rat working for Billie’s crew, she’ll probably try to get to Swan.”
I snarled before I could stop it. “Over my dead fucking body.”
“Chill out. We have all the hangers-on checked for weapons before they come in the clubhouse, a precaution we’ve put in place after the time one of the brothers’ wives came after him with a gun when she caught him fucking around on her at the clubhouse. The chances of this bitch trying to kill Swan are slim to none.”
I gripped my hands into fists, trying to calm down. “You motherfuckers are going to use her as bait?”
Breaker didn’t look the least bit insulted. “Not really. Instead of bait, think of it as trying to attract sharks while she’s safe and sound in a shark cage. Ain’t no one touching her, I promise you that. While you’re running around with Hulk, I’ll be guarding your woman. She needs a chance to settle in tonight, but tomorrow you two are coming over to my place. Cathy, my wife, is gonna host a brunch with a couple of the other old ladies so Swan can meet ’em while we do some business.”
I knew Swan needed to hang out with other old ladies to understand how her role in the world had changed, but I didn’t like her leaving the security of the clubhouse. “Your place safe?”
“Absolutely. Gated community and all that shit. I stick out like a sore thumb among all the doctors and lawyers, but that works for us. Anyone who looks like they don’t belong in my neighborhood is quickly spotted, and all the housewives get on the phone with security quicker than you can blink.”
Taking a deep breath, I nodded, fighting my primal urges not to leave my woman with any man. No one could protect her like I could.
The racket of women shouting came down from upstairs, and all my senses went on high alert. Swan was yelling. “Touch me again, cunt. I fucking dare you,” Her voice was ice cold, dangerous. Breaker and I exchanged a worried look, and I ran down the hall with Breaker, laughing, at my heels.
“Gonna be fun having your old lady round.”
Knowing that the scene we were walking into wasn’t gonna be pretty I muttered, “Tell me how fun it is ten minutes from now.”
Swan
Hulk lingered in the doorway of the small, but tidy guest room, his bulk filling up the whole frame. He watched me with unreadable soft green eyes that were such a startling contrast to his dark, cinnamon-tinted skin, and I tried not to fidget beneath his gaze. It was like he was waiting for me to say something, maybe complain about how plain the room was, but I was just happy it was clean like the rest of the upper floors. The quilt on the queen size bed was faded, but a faint scent of dryer sheets came up when I plopped the backpack on the mattress and it looked like the scuffed oak floors were recently cleaned. A hint of disinfectant scented the air, and someone had tried to warm the room up with a big painting of bright red flowers beneath a neon blue sky.
When Hulk still didn’t say anything while he watched me futz around the room, and, my nerves tightened until I blurted out, “Why are you looking at me?”
That seemed to startle him and he blinked. “I was just curious.”
“About what?”
Coming into the room then closing the door, he made sure to not get too close to me. He leaned against the dresser then crossed his arms over his chest. His whopping biceps were like cut slabs of muscle that flexed as he shifted, not as defined as Smoke, but solid. Big. Sheesh, this guy’s mom must have had steroids in her breast milk. He reminded me of a professional linebacker. You know, a bulldozer with legs. Intimidated, I looked away and fiddled with my pack.
“Curious about how your mind works and how much of an asset you could be.”
Scrunching my brow, I returned my gaze to his, surprised by his answer. “Pardon?”
“I do a lot of shit with computers—my mind is just wired like that—and I work with lots of brilliant, eccentric people whose brains operate just a little different from everyone else. I think you’re one of those people.”