Maddog (Black Reign MC #10)

Chapter Seven

Jax

Mechanic landed the big Osprey in the courtyard of the Black Reign MC compound. We were met by every patched member and old lady who were in the compound. Wrath and Fury were the first two on the aircraft.

“What the fuck happened, Jax?” My dad, Fury, wasn’t angry, just genuinely curious. “You and Holly good?”

“We’re not hurt, sir.”

My dad gave me an impatient look. “You don’t have to be so formal with me.”

“No, sir. But If I practice with you, maybe I won’t forget my manners with Wrath.” I tried to keep the grin from my face but failed miserably.

“Good plan, pup.” Wrath huffed out an irritated grunt but slapped me on the shoulder good-naturedly. “Being your father-in-law is gonna be so much fun. Especially since I’m gonna insist you call me sir . All the fuckin’ time.” The big bastard grinned but looked like he was only half joking. “Now, where’s my daughter?”

I jerked my head toward the shut door. “We had some… developments.”

“Yeah.” Fury looked past us where the other women and Alistair were. The women had beat the shit outta the man for the better part of an hour. He was somewhat the worse for wear but I doubt he’d be complaining about how he got beat up by a bunch of women for a variety of infractions, not the least of which looked like trafficking. He wasn’t the kind of man to appreciate a strong woman, or any woman at all really. Especially if she fought back. “Heard you rolled up on an attack. How many killed?”

I shrugged. “Not exactly sure. Some of the women didn’t even realize they were all together. I’m tellin’ you, this kid did a real good number on all of them.”

“Holly too?” Wrath was all business now.

“Yes, but not in the same way. And it wasn’t Alistair who played her. It was Andrea.”

Wrath’s gaze narrowed and he let his gaze track to the other women in the back. I saw the moment his gaze locked on Andrea. It was a predator’s stare, the kind you saw right before he nabbed his prey. “I’ll be right back.”

I snagged the other man’s arm and stepped in front of him. “Not now, Wrath. Talk to Holly first. Reassure her you’re not angry with her. Coddle her for a while, then we’ll deal with this. Andrea and Alistair aren’t going anywhere.”

“Where’s my Holly Sweetness?” El Diablo and his wife, Jezebel, hurried up the ramp in back of the aircraft, the anger and worry in El Diablo’s voice echoing inside the aircraft. Mechanic hadn’t unlocked the back hatch immediately after landing to make sure Chris Alistair didn’t get out of the aircraft with one of the women, hoping we’d leave him alone and not risk hurting an innocent. We wouldn’t, but we’d also never let him leave this place until we knew exactly what part he’d played and doled out a punishment to fit the crime. We just happened to believe the best defense was a good offense. Keeping Alistair contained meant he couldn’t hurt anyone else in the compound. Of course, in the shape he was currently in, I doubted he was able to do much.

The fact El Diablo hadn’t entered at the forward hatch of the aircraft with Wrath and Fury meant he intended to go in from the aft cargo hatch. Any question as to whether or not Shotgun had kept our president up to date on the information he was getting from Alistair’s phone was answered as he passed the man in question. As El Diablo approached Chris Alistair, he lashed out, crushing Alistair’s nose with the heel of his hand in one hard, vicious strike. Unfortunately, he didn’t knock the man out with the blow.

Alistair screamed, covering his nose with his hands. Blood poured through his fingers and dripped onto his lap. All the women hurried down the ramp except Andrea. She was closer to the front of the aircraft, a couple seats up from Alistair. She had her eye on El Diablo -- who didn’t spare her even a dirty look -- and completely overlooked Jezebel. I doubted it was a mistake Andrea would make again. I could have told her she was fucked either way. Jezebel was more bloodthirsty than El Diablo, and she had no qualms about hitting a woman. As was proved when she landed a hard, open-handed slap to Andrea as Jezebel passed her. Andrea whimpered, but didn’t say anything in her own defense. Which was probably a good thing, since anyone could see Jezebel wasn’t in the mood for it.

Holly chose that moment to open the door. She gave Andrea only a passing glance before looking away. I saw the pain in her eyes. No doubt everyone else could see it too. She gave El Diablo a small smile before going to Wrath. “I’m so sorry to have worried everyone.”

Wrath didn’t hesitate to enfold her in his arms. Celeste shoved her way onto the plane at the front where her husband and my father had boarded, then she hugged Holly from behind. Effectively, Wrath and Celeste surrounded Holly with their love where no one could get to her or hurt her anymore. All three of them stood there, clinging to each other. Wrath didn’t even try to hide the moisture shining in his eyes.

“Your mother was worried, honey. We’re both really glad you’re back home safe and sound.”

“ Mom was worried, huh?” Holly chuckled through her tears.

“Yeah. She was.” Wrath sounded gruff as usual. If his voice was a little scratchy… well. It was dusty where the Osprey kicked up dirt when we landed.

“Tough guys don’t worry?” She was obviously trying to put her father at ease, but I knew Wrath could hear the distress in her voice because he squeezed her tighter.

“Yeah. Tough guys worry too, kiddo. At least this one does. You, your mother, and your sisters are my entire world. I know you’re not supposed to have favorite children, but you’ve got a special place in my heart no one else can touch, Holly.” Wrath cleared his throat. “Might have been because you were sick when I met you, but I’m pretty sure it was more the way you busted my balls for hurtin’ your mom’s feelings. Even at four years old, you didn’t let me get away with shit. Your sisters think I’m always right and never question anything I do, but you always keep me honest.”

That got a startled laugh from both Holly and Celeste. “You’re so full of shit,” Celeste said through a watery smile.

“What? They do! Just ask them. They never tell me I’m wrong or that I’m too overprotective, or that they want to date boys or some shit. They are my precious angels, and they love me as much as I love them.”

“No doubt about that last part, Daddy.” Holly smiled up at her dad. It was a genuine smile, even though there was still a world of pain in her eyes. She was enjoying this brief respite from the dumpster fire this day had been. “They manage you,” Holly said, patting Wrath on the chest in commiseration. “That way they can do whatever they want, and you don’t even realize they’re not where they’re supposed to be.”

“They do not.” Wrath sounded scandalized, even gave Holly a fierce scowl like she’d affronted his dadhood or something.

“Hate to break it to you, honey,” Celeste chimed in. “But she’s right. I tried to tell you early on, but you wouldn’t listen.”

Wrath narrowed his gaze, looking from one of them to the other. Several times. Slowly, his face morphed from irritated, to confused, to stunned realization. “Well, I’ll be Goddamned.”

“Yep.” Celeste urged Holly closer to Wrath and steered them toward the front of the plane. Obviously, she didn’t want any issue with Andrea or Alistair and likely knew exactly what Wrath knew. I was sure Wrath was very aware of what his wife was doing. In fact, I’d bet that whole conversation had been staged to lead her in the direction her parents wanted her to go, both physically and mentally. Keep her distracted and she’d be less likely to panic. Just like when she was a kid.

I let Celeste lead Holly away, knowing I needed to meet with El Diablo and Shotgun to decide what was going to happen next. Wrath stayed. Probably because he wasn’t sitting by and let everyone else punish the people who’d hurt his daughter. Everything inside me told me to follow Holly, but I knew she’d be safe with her mother until I could get this straightened out. Hell, she probably needed time with her mother to get a better perspective on… well, many things. But most of all, me. Above all, I had to have the blessing of her mother and father to make my claim valid. That was going to take them being certain I was who Holly wanted.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” El Diablo marched toward me, a look of utter fury on his face. Wrath closed in on the other side of me. Same look.

“El Diablo…” My dad, Fury, stepped between me and our president. I think it was pure instinct on his part and, even though I trusted El Diablo with my life, and, more importantly, Holly’s life. If he and Wrath were getting ready to throw me a beating, I wanted to know what I’d done to screw up. You know. So I didn’t make the same fuckup again.

“What’d I do?” I was a grown-ass man in my thirties, but I felt like a green prospect under El Diablo’s displeasure.

“Get your ass inside the clubhouse and get my Holly Sweetness settled, asshole,” he snapped, using Holly’s nickname for me, likely on purpose. El Diablo could certainly come up with more creative derogatory names to call me than asshole.

“I wanted to check in with you and Shotgun first. Once I shut myself in a room with Holly, I don’t intend to leave it until we have a plan firmly in place for the two of us. She has more grieving to do, and I intend to let her get it all out. No matter how long it takes. She knows I won’t be long.” Now that I knew what the problem was, I was totally throwing both him and Wrath under the bus. “Unlike some people on this aircraft, I’ve been as straightforward with my woman as I can be about my activities and why and how long I intend on being away from her. Only misunderstanding we’ve had was in me not recognizing how my feelings for her changed over the years. She didn’t realize I no longer saw her as a kid sister, and I didn’t explain because I wasn’t sure she was ready.”

El Diablo glared at me for long moments. “Show-off.” Was it possible for him to sound equal parts disgruntled and proud?

“Yeah. Agreed.” Wrath gave me a sheepish grin as he scrubbed the back of his neck. “I’d tell you not to tell Celeste what happened, but I know you well enough to know that’s a futile request.”

I chuckled. “Hey. I may be an asshole, but I’m not a dumbass. I learned from your and El Diablo’s mistakes. Mainly because I make enough of my own without repeating someone else’s. Your secret’s safe with me. You know. Unless I need leverage.” There was no way to keep the grin off my face.

“That’s my boy.” Fury clapped me on the shoulder, sharing a proud smile with me. I’d only gotten to know my dad over the last eight or so years but I kinda felt like this one moment was when me and my dad finally came together as father and son.

He met my gaze. I was fairly certain I saw a sheen of tears in his eyes. I grinned. “Rotor dust can be a bitch when it gets into your eyes, old man.”

“Fuckin’ allergies,” Fury grumbled, but still smiled at me like the proud father I’d been determined to make him when I first came here to live with him after my mother died.

“Sure, allergies.” I smirked back at him. The banter was a welcome relief from the tension of the past few hours. It wouldn’t last long, but I needed the break before going into this meeting with the officers of my club. We all shared a quick chuckle before sobering.

I sighed, knowing this was gonna be messy. I was simultaneously looking forward to the carnage about to ensue next, and dreading coming back to Holly with blood on my hands. I knew she’d be OK with it, but I still didn’t like it. “Nothing like this shit should ever fuckin’ touch her.” The muttered comment came out before I could censor it.

Turning back to El Diablo, I scrubbed a hand over my face, suddenly wearier than I could ever remember being. “So, what now?”

El Diablo flashed a small grin, his dark eyes burning into mine, and I knew whatever he and Shotgun found left him little doubt how to continue. “First things first -- we need to figure out what the hell Alistair’s game is. How deep does this betrayal go?”

“And does his father know about it?” I was remembering the conversation Chris Alistair had had earlier. “Little punk called his old man about halfway through the flight home. I figured he’d called to complain so his daddy could ruin our lives and shit. Could have been something more to it.”

I half expected everyone to tell me I was crazy, but they all looked deadly serious. “Did Holly say anything about it?”

“No. I don’t think she suspected anything like this. All she knew was that she had a bad feeling about Chris and Andrea wouldn’t listen to her. So, she made herself her best friend’s protector.”

“Why was she there?” Wrath stroked his short beard in agitation. “Why did she insist on going on this trip in the first Goddamned place? Then not tell me or her mother? I’m upset she ran off on her own and tried to hide it from me, but I’m more upset that she didn’t come to me if she thought something was off with this guy.”

“Already talked with her about that.” Even though I knew Wrath would rather chew off his own arm than say anything to intentionally hurt Holly’s feelings, I was feeling super protective of her at the moment. A combination of her running away from me straight into danger and the newness of our romantic relationship. And I can’t believe I even thought the word romantic . That alone could get my man card revoked. “She said all she had was a feeling and that she didn’t want to call out the big guns until she knew for sure there was an actual problem.”

“Sounds like Holly.” Wrath met my gaze.

“And before you ask, I’ve already made sure she knows to bring things like that to one of us in the future. I’ll go a step further and tell her to keep going to someone in the club until she gets someone to listen and help her investigate until she’s satisfied she has the answers she’s looking for.”

Fury smirked, lifting his chin at me. “Always knew you were smarter’n this lot.”

El Diablo clapped me on the shoulder. “He’s always been perfect for our little Holly Sweetness.” He glanced back over his shoulder. “Rycks and Warlock have secured a, shall we say, safe area for these two.” He indicated Chris and Andrea.

“My… father… will ruin… you.” Chris Alistair was beaten and bloodied. I’m pretty sure his testicles were singing a very sad song. More than one of the women had been slightly disgruntled at how he’d played them.

“Senator Christopher Alistair the Second won’t be interested in fighting me for anyone. Even his own son.” El Diablo’s mocking chuckle let me know exactly what was going to happen to Christopher Alistair the Third.

Alistair smirked -- or tried to. He wasn’t in shape to spar with anyone. Verbally or physically. “My dad will do anything to protect me.”

“He won’t protect you from this. Not if he wants to continue his cushy life as a United States Senator.” El Diablo gave the man a false sympathetic look. “I’m afraid having his son disappear on a relief mission to Columbia plays far better in the news than having him imprisoned for human trafficking.”

“Just because I have a few girlfriends doesn’t mean I was trafficking them.” There was still the ghost of a smile on his lips. “Besides, I’m sure this will all have disappeared by the time my dad gets here. He’ll take me home and yell at me a little, then I’ll have to behave for a few months.”

“Hmm…” Fury raised an eyebrow. “Maybe bring Archangel in to question him? Sounds like there’s a pattern of bad behavior here.”

El Diablo waved him off. “Archangel will be especially valuable in questioning Andrea, but there’s really no need for him to talk with this one. Unless Shotgun finds something compelling on his phone to explain this to my satisfaction, there’s nothing he could say to justify what we’ve found so far.” He shrugged. “We’ll give it a few days. See if Shotgun and Eden find anything that tells them the phone data was manufactured in any way. Until then, we’ll see to it Mr. Alistair here has the best accommodations.”

“You’re bluffing.” Alistair looked from El Diablo to me and back. I hadn’t said anything to the motherfucker, so I had no idea why he was looking at me.

“About what?” El Diablo’s crisp British accent made him seem more civilized than he actually was, but that was all part of the mystique that was El Diablo.

“You can’t keep me here. I have rights.” He was sounding stronger now. Probably because there was just that inkling of doubt. El Diablo was good at this kind of warfare. Mental torture. There was no doubt Alistair was guilty. El Diablo wanted to ferret out everyone Alistair knew to be involved in the supply chain. Once he did, he’d destroy them all. I wasn’t being dramatic, either.

“All evidence to the contrary.” El Diablo smiled brightly. “I can honestly say that I’m not sure I’ve ever looked forward to an interrogation more.” The bastard sounded cheerful.

Samson and Tank walked up the ramp, both of them looking grim. “Got a place all picked out for ‘em.” Tank and Samson were both big motherfuckers. If nothing else, their sheer size was a deterrent against shenanigans. Samson spoke for both of them since he was the vice president for Black Reign.

“Ah, good.” El Diablo rubbed his hands together in glee. “You and Tank see Mr. Alistair to his new accommodations. Me and my lovely wife will escort Miss Andrea.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” Andrea spat out.

Jezebel grinned. “Sure you are. Only question is, will you be coming conscious or unconscious?”

Andrea shook her head, looking at each of us, her gaze resting on me. “You can’t let them do this to me. I’m Holly’s best friend.”

“Why do women always think those big, pleading, doe eyes will get them anything they want?” I frowned at Andrea. “You’re not Holly’s friend, Andrea. You lost the right to claim that protection when you helped your boyfriend hurt her.”

“But I didn’t mean for anything to happen.”

“You didn’t mean…” I took a step toward Andrea. Woman or not, I was about to beat the shit outta her.

Jezebel stepped between me and Andrea. I thought she might have pushed me back or warned me to not hit the woman. Instead, she lashed out herself, landing another open-handed slap across Andrea’s face. “Now.” Jezebel smiled down at the other woman like they were having a pleasant conversation. “You’re going to come with me. We’re going to have a talk. It’s not going to be pleasant and you’re not going to enjoy it. But you will give me what I want, or I’ll see to it what was going to happen to Holly, happens to you.”

“You can’t do that!” Andrea looked more than a little scared but still defiant. “You’re lying to get me to cooperate.”

“Oh, you’re going to cooperate.” Jezebel practically purred her words. “The only question is how long it takes to break you. Now personally, I’m looking forward to the task. I’m not sure you’re going to feel the same way. Oh!” Jezebel grinned as though she had a big surprise and had almost forgotten to tell the other woman. “Shotgun found out the cartel leader you promised your… merchandise… to put out a capture order on you and your lovely boyfriend. They’d like to know what happened. Also, there was something about showing the greedy Americans what happens when they cross La Familia Rosa .”

Andrea paled and shook her head, fear etched in every line on her face. “Do you know what they’ll do to me?”

“Yep. Absolutely. You might want to consider what they’ll do to you, too, baby girl.” Jezebel grabbed Andrea’s upper arm and forced her to her feet. “Because what they will do is a bit tepid compared to what I’m gettin’ ready to do.” She gave Andrea a wicked smile. “You think about all the horrible things you imagine they would have done to you and multiply by… oh, say five. Ten, if you piss me off further.” Jezebel’s expression hardened, and I began to understand now why she and El Diablo were so perfect together. “No one messes with my family and gets a happy ending. Every person inside these walls is my immediate family. My brothers and sisters. My children. My husband. The people in the city around us are my extended family. You’re in deep shit for what you did to young women and children in the community. For what you did to Holly, the rest of your life will be miserable and way too long, and if you don’t understand what that means, you soon will. When the miserable part starts.”

Andrea sobbed loudly as Jezebel dragged her off the plane with a handful of the other woman’s hair to a waiting Explorer. Hardcase was driving while Iron was in the passenger side. He got out and opened the back door for Jezebel who, instead of going around to the other side and getting in, shoved Andrea over and pushed her way inside the vehicle next to Andrea.

El Diablo’s lips thinned into a hard line. “My lovely Jezebel is feeling a bit vicious this afternoon.” After several seconds as he seemed to think about something, a slow, eager smile spread across his face. “I love it when she gets vicious.”

“And that’s my cue to get my jump kit ready.” Fury turned and headed to the door. “Go see to Holly, Jax. I’ll call you when I’m ready to leave for the interrogation. You can ride with me and Noelle.” Fury was the club doctor. During intense interrogations, he was called on to keep their subject alive. Sometimes it worked, others not. Fury told me once the theory was, if they didn’t need to be taken apart, El Diablo wouldn’t take them apart. I hadn’t really understood what he’d meant back then. I believed a person needed to think for themselves and not blindly follow orders. Now, I realized no one in Black Reign MC was blindly following El Diablo. They trusted their president to do the right thing because he’d proven time and time again he wanted what was best for the members of Black Reign. Not just the club in general, but the individual men, women, and children within the compound walls. They trusted him to say someone needed to be tortured because he’d earned their trust. So yeah. Dad was going to be OK with what was about to happen. I was too.

But first, I needed to go to Holly. El Diablo was also right that I didn’t need to spend any more time away from her than strictly necessary. Now, it wasn’t necessary.

Even given the gravity of everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours, there was a lightness in my soul. Holly… was mine. She always had been. I just hadn’t grown into my feelings and neither had she. She was right. We knew way more than enough about each other to make a definitive decision about our future together. And I knew without a doubt there was no future for me without Holly in it.