Chapter Fourteen
Mitchell
“How’d you find me?” I ask as Ghost, Venom, and Reynolds step through the motel door, their presence filling the small, dingy room.
“Because Knox is one scary motherfucker,” Venom says, flopping onto the edge of the bed as if he owns the place. “Did you know our faces are scanned every time we stop at a gas station, hit an ATM, or cross a damn intersection? That man’s got tech that’s borderline illegal. Hell, it is illegal.”
Ghost leans against the doorframe, arms crossed, his sharp gaze cutting through the tension in the room. “What the hell are you doing, Mitchell?”
“I’m handling it,” I reply curtly, refusing to meet his eyes. Instead, I focus on the peeling wallpaper as if it holds the answers to all my problems.
“Sure as hell doesn’t look like you’re handling it,” Reynolds says, his tone calm but full of judgment. “Looks more like running.”
I bristle, the accusation hitting too close to home. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Ghost straightens, his imposing presence bearing down on me. “Don’t we? You think we don’t know why you’re here? Why you’re hiding out in this dump instead of handling shit with Evie?”
I turn on him, anger bubbling to the surface. “You don’t know anything about Evie.”
Ghost’s face hardens. “I know you’re trying to protect her by pushing her away. And I know it’s bullshit. She told us that you think Viktor was staking out your house. Instead of pulling the dumb shit you did, you should have come to us. We’re your fucking family.”
“Maybe so, but leaving everyone was the best option. At least until I get this shit dealt with,” I snap, my voice rising. “My uncle’s not just dangerous. He’s a damn nightmare. It’s bad enough that he knows about all of you. If he even suspects she matters to me, she’s as good as dead. You think I’m gonna let that happen?”
Venom whistles low, breaking the tension. “Man’s got a point, Ghost. When danger lurks, our first thought is always to get our precious ones to safety. Even if it means that safety isn’t with us.”
Reynolds steps forward, his gaze steady. “But running won’t fix it. You think he won’t find you here? That he won’t find her? You think that by running away, he’ll leave all of us alone? All you’re doing is giving him time to plan his next move.”
I shake my head, the weight of their words pressing down on me. “He’ll use her to get to me. If he finds her and takes her away from me, I swear, Ghost, I’ll do whatever the fuck he wants for him to let her go. Morals be damned.”
Ghost steps closer, his voice low but firm. “Then we make sure he can’t.”
I look up, meeting his gaze for the first time since they walked in. There’s a fire in his eyes, a promise that burns brighter than my fear. “You don’t know what you’re getting into.”
“Don’t I?” Ghost counters. “We’ve all got demons, Mitchell. And we’ve all got people we’d die to protect. That includes you and Evie. You think we don’t get it? You think we wouldn’t do the same thing in your position? I’d burn this world down to keep my woman safe. I get it. But, we’re your brothers. Your fucking family. Lean on us. Let us help.”
Silence hangs heavy in the room as I weigh his words.
It’s been six weeks since I walked away from Evie. Six long, torturous weeks. But she’s still alive. And, according to Emily, she finally received her new leg.
I wish I could have been there to see her face when she first tried it on. I wish I could have been there to see her smile as she took her first step.
“Evie’s got her leg,” Venom says, his tone nonchalant but his eyes sharp, as if he’s been paying attention to more than just the usual shit. “But she doesn’t like it much.”
“Why not?” I ask, not able to stop the question. I’m still too damn invested in her, despite everything. “And why do you even know that?”
Venom shrugs, his eyes avoiding mine for a second. “Because she’s been at the clubhouse every day since you left. Just hanging out with Emily. Sometimes, she just sits in the corner, reading or working. Other times, she helps around the place. She often stays over in your room. Don’t worry. There’s always a sleepover when she does. She’s been trying to get used to her leg, but it’s hard for her. You know, adjusting to all the changes.”
“Her pain has been worse since wearing it,” Reynolds continues. “One day, it lasted for nearly ten hours. We wanted to take her to the hospital, but Doc said that they wouldn’t be able to do anything. So, she took some sleeping pills and slept through some of it.”
My chest tightens. The knowledge that she’s been around all this time, suffering quietly, pushing through the pain, maybe even hoping I’d come back makes everything feel ten times heavier.
“Why the fuck are you letting her hang around?” I ask, my voice biting, anger sharp at the edges. “The whole point of ending shit with her was to keep her the fuck away from everything about me.”
Venom meets my eyes now, no longer avoiding the conversation. “You think we’d just shut her out because of you? You think we’re gonna let her suffer alone? We learned our lesson with King and Maddy. Evie’s part of this family, whether you want her to be or not.”
I take a step forward, my frustration building. The fucker knows that I want her to be part of my family. “She doesn’t belong in this world, Venom. You know that. And I don’t want her to be involved in any of this mess.” I gesture around the room as if the grimy motel walls could contain all the danger I’ve brought into her life. “It’s dangerous. For her, for me. For all of you. I can’t do this to her.”
“Then you shouldn’t have dragged her into it in the first place,” Reynolds mutters from the corner, arms crossed, but his voice has a weight of truth to it. “But she’s here now. And she’s not going anywhere, Mitch.”
I run a hand through my hair, the stress pulling tight across my chest. “I never wanted this for her,” I mutter, frustration bleeding into regret.
“Yeah, well, she’s made it pretty clear she wants to be here,” Ghost says, his voice firm but not unkind. “You made your decision, but now she’s making hers.”
I lean back against the wall, eyes closing as the weight of their words hits me. She’s been coming around, trying to keep some normalcy in her life, and all I’ve done is shut her out. I don’t know how to fix this. Hell, I don’t even know if I can .
“She doesn’t deserve this,” I whisper, more to myself than to them.
“Maybe she doesn’t,” Venom says, his voice softer now, “but she’s here anyway. And if you don’t fix this, man, you’re gonna lose her. For good. She can only fight for the both of you for so long.”
“She asks about you every day,” Ghost adds, crossing his arms and leaning back against the doorframe. “Of course, you’re a sneaky bastard and avoided all forms of satellite feed, so it took us a while to find you. Now, we can tell her that you’re not dead.”
“I broke her heart, brother,” I sigh, my voice thick with regret. “Why does she even bother with me?”
“Because for some stupid reason, she loves you.”
Her sudden voice from behind Ghost causes my heart to race. For the first time in six weeks, I can feel some of the darkness leave my body as the source of my light steps around Ghost.
She’s standing firm, using both of her legs. She uses a cane for support, but there’s an undeniable sense of pride in her posture.
“I’m still nowhere near as tall as you, Goliath,” she says with a small smile, though her eyes are guarded. “But now I don’t have to slouch all the time to keep my balance on those crutches.”
The sight of her standing there, despite the obvious effort it takes, knocks the air from my lungs.
Our eyes connect, and I feel that familiar pull in my chest, the one I’ve been trying so hard to ignore.
“All I have to use is my cane,” she adds, her voice more relaxed than it was the last time I saw her. “It’s nowhere near as bad as the crutches. And I feel more like myself when I use it.”
I swallow hard, taking in the woman who’s managed to survive so much on her own, yet the same woman I’ve pushed away for her own safety. “Evie...” My voice cracks, but I force the words out. “I didn’t want to hurt you.”
She tilts her head, eyes narrowing slightly as she steps further into the room. “I know you didn’t. You wanted to keep me safe. I get that. It took me all of ten minutes to work through everything after you left. I came straight to the clubhouse to give you a massive piece of mind, but you never showed up. You were already gone. And, so, I waited. So, again, I understand why you did it. I understand why you left us all behind. But the way you’re going about it isn’t helping anyone. Least of all you.”
I open my mouth to respond, but she’s already shaking her head, cutting me off before I can speak.
“I’m not some fragile thing you need to protect, Mitchell,” she says, her voice soft but steady. “I’ve made it this far without you protecting me. But I can’t keep pretending I’m okay with you pushing me away.”
“Evie,” I say, my chest tightening as the weight of the situation crashes down on me. “I can’t.”
“You can’t what?” she challenges, her eyes defiant now. “You think you’re the only one who has something to lose? You think this is just about you? You’re wrong.”
She limps a few steps forward, her cane tapping against the floor with each stride. It takes everything in me not to reach out and steady her, but I don’t.
“While trying to protect us, you’re only risking your life even more.”
“Exactly,” I start, but she holds her hand up, stopping me mid-sentence.
“And that’s selfish,” she continues, her voice steady but tinged with a mix of frustration and understanding. “I get why you broke up with me. I get why you left your family behind. But it’s stupid, and it’s selfish. You’re so worried about us that you’re forgetting what we would go through if something happened to you . Do you honestly think we’d be okay? Do you think we would just go about our lives like you never existed? Do you think your brothers would sit idly by knowing Viktor killed you and not seek revenge?”
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I want to argue, to say something to justify my actions, but I can’t. She’s right. I’ve been so caught up in trying to protect everyone that I haven’t stopped to think about what it would mean to lose me.
“I’m not walking away, Mitchell,” she says, her voice softer now, but the pain is still there. “What we have growing between us is real. It’s strong. And I’m not giving it up. I’ve told you once before, and I’m telling you again, you’re worth the risk.”
Her brows pinch together, but I don’t know if it’s from phantom pain or the pain I’ve caused her. Either one makes me want to punch something.
“Look me in the eyes and tell me that you don’t feel it,” she says, taking a step closer. She’s so close now that I can count the tiny freckles that spread across her nose. “Tell me that you don’t want me, and I’ll walk away.”
It’s so easy. A few placed words, and she’ll leave my life and the danger for good.
“I can’t,” I whisper after a few seconds. “I love you, Evie. And I’m so fucking scared you’re going to get hurt.”
Tears glisten in her eyes, but she doesn’t let them fall. Instead, she lifts her chin, her strength shining through every inch of her. “Then stop being scared for me, Mitchell. Be scared with me. We’ll face it together. All of us.”
Her words wrap around me, grounding me in a way I didn’t know I needed. “I don’t know if I can do that, Evie. Every time I close my eyes, all I see is the worst-case scenario. You deserve more than a man who’s constantly looking over his shoulder.”
“You’re right,” she says, surprising me. “I deserve a man who will fight for me. And you deserve a woman who will fight for you. This is me fighting, Mitchell. And I have no intention of tapping out.”
Her words are a gut punch, raw and honest. She’s fighting for me. They all are.
“I don’t want to do this on my own anymore,” I say, my voice rough. “But I don’t know how to do it without putting everyone in danger.”
“You were never alone,” she says, her voice steady now. “You’ve got me. You’ve got your brothers. Stop carrying all this by yourself.”
I look at her, standing there with her cane, her vulnerability on display, and her strength shining through. She’s right. I’ve been so consumed by fear that I’ve been blind to the people around me. Blind to her.
I reach for her free hand. She doesn’t pull away. Instead, she laces her fingers with mine, her touch grounding me.
“I don’t deserve you,” I whisper, my voice thick with emotion.
“Too bad,” she replies with a small, soft smile. “Because you’ve got me, whether you like it or not.”
Her words crack something open inside me, and for the first time in weeks, I feel like I can breathe.
“Okay,” I sigh. “I’m going to kiss you now.”
Her eyes soften, and for a moment, I swear I see relief mixed with anticipation. “Took you long enough,” she murmurs, a hint of a smile playing on her lips.
My free hand moves to cup her cheek. Her skin is warm, her breath hitching as my thumb brushes lightly against her jawline.
I lean in slowly, giving her time to stop me if she wants to. But she doesn’t. Instead, she tilts her head, closing the distance between us.
When our lips meet, it’s like the world fades away. Her kiss slowly heals the brokenness inside of me.
Her cane clatters to the floor as she grips the front of my shirt, pulling me closer.
The kiss deepens, and for the first time in six long weeks, I feel whole. She tastes like hope, like home, and every fear I’ve been holding onto melts under the heat of her touch.
When we finally break apart, we’re both breathless. Her forehead rests against mine, her eyes closed.
“I don’t mean to interrupt, but can we talk about your uncle now?” Reynolds asks.
“Kings have beheaded people for less, Reynolds,” Venom says. “Best be careful with those interruptions.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to once again remind them that I was just a Prince to a not-very-important family, but Evie’s laugh stops me.
“I’m going to go back outside with King,” she says. “You guys talk. And when it’s time to go, I expect to see you walking out of this motel, ready to go home.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I smile.
“Good, now, Knox said that King always carries chocolate in his pocket,” she mumbles to herself as she walks away. “I’m going to see if I can bribe him for a piece since I know for a fact my chocolate-hating man never has any hidden away.”
“Hey, Princess,” I say, causing her to glance back at me. “I love you, baby.”
She doesn’t respond, but her smile tells me everything I need to know.
“Alright,” I tell the men. “My uncle is a fucking idiot. I’ve spent the past six weeks tracking the traffic going into his warehouse.”
“How did you find him?” Venom asks.
“It was easy,” I admit. “He’s not trying to hide. I just googled his name and I had three addresses. Two of them were empty lots, and the third was a warehouse thirty minutes from here. Anyway, for the longest time, I thought he was bringing in containers of weapons and drugs.”
“You’re sister mentioned it was part of his business,” Reynolds says.
“It is,” I snarl. “But these weren’t weapons or drugs. They’re animals.”
“Animals?” Ghost asks, his voice sharp as he leans forward. “What kinds of animals?”
“Exotic,” I reply, my jaw tightening. “But he’s using the animals as a front for the bigger business. By the time they reach the port, the animals are swapped out for the real cargo. People. Which is also something Seraphina said he dealt in.”
Venom lets out a low whistle. “Damn. That’s a whole new level of sick. Smuggling people disguised as a wildlife shipment? Your uncle’s more twisted than I thought.”
“Twisted doesn’t even begin to cover it,” I mutter. “From what I gathered, none of these people are American. My guess is he’s buying people from overseas and having them shipped to him. The animals are just collateral damage. Half of them don’t even survive the journey. The ones that do, he sells off to private buyers. Zoos, collectors, anyone willing to pay.”
“And the people?” Ghost presses.
“They’re shipped to the highest bidders,” I reply, my voice barely above a whisper. “From what I’ve pieced together, he’s got a network that stretches across three countries. Once they’re in his system, they disappear. My sister thought as much. He’s trying to earn the money to pay that shark. He must owe millions.”
The room falls silent, the weight of my words settling over us.
“Do you have proof?” Reynolds asks, his tone cold and calculating.
“Not yet,” I admit. “I’ve mostly watched from a distance. But when the last truck delivered the container, I followed it back to a shipping dock. A few threats and a handful of bills later, I have myself an inside man. I’ve been tracking my uncle’s shipments with this company, but he’s smart. Nothing leads back to him directly. It’s all shell companies and fake names. But I know when and where his next shipment’s coming in. If we can intercept it, we might get enough to nail him.”
Ghost nods, his expression grim. “Where and when?”
“Two nights from now. Port of Charleston, Terminal C. Midnight.”
Venom stretches, cracking his knuckles. “Sounds like a party. I don’t think I’ll be there, though. Xander wants to play.”
I smirk. Xander is bloodthirsty. He’s also one of Venom’s alters.
“This isn’t going to be easy,” I warn. “He’s got eyes everywhere. And if he catches wind that we’re onto him, he’ll burn everything to the ground and vanish before we can blink.”
“We’ve handled worse,” Ghost says.
Reynolds smirks, his hand resting casually on the butt of his gun. As a fellow bodyguard, I know that it’s not the only one on his body. I have three on myself and two knives.
I glance around the room, the weight on my shoulders feeling just a little lighter.
“My sister has someone on the inside,” I remind them. “My inside man is just a delivery driver, so I can’t get more from him than tracking information. Do you think Knox can come up with some sort of thing that can copy files on a computer? If we can get it to Seraphina’s contact, maybe they can get what we need to get him arrested.”
“I’m sure he can,” Ghost says.
“But, I have a better idea,” King says from outside. “Let’s just kill the fucker. Or, you know, let me play with him. It’s been too long since I’ve had a plaything at Hotel King.”
“Bloodthirsty bastard,” Venom laughs. “Xander wants to join.”
“Fine by me.”
King walks inside the room, shoving what I can only assume is chocolate into his mouth.
“Why not do both?” Evie says from beside King, she too chewing. “Have the files copied so that we have information on the buyers. They can’t be good people if they’re willing to buy a person. Get the info so we can pass it on to the police….after we kill your uncle.”
“A bloodthirsty mini King,” Venom smiles. “A woman after my own heart.”
“You’re married, fucker,” I say, smacking him in the back of the head. “And she’s taken. You shouldn’t be thinking of killing people, baby.”
“Oh, I don’t plan to do the actual act,” she smiles, holding her hand out expectantly at King. Grunting, he places another piece of chocolate in her hand. What is it with these people and chocolate? “I’ll be somewhere eating pizza while you all take care of the bloody parts. Also, can we go? Wearing this thing for too long makes the dang phantom pains worse, and I can already feel it kicking in.”
“It’s a good thing you decided to hide close to home,” Ghost says. “Let’s go, boys. I have my woman and a beer waiting for me.”
Yeah, I couldn’t make myself go too far away in case Evie needed me. But I don’t tell them that.