Chapter Twenty-One
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
IF TALIA TOLD anyone she felt the safest in a place where a man had held a gun to her head three days ago, they’d have her sanity evaluated. But that’s how it was. Curly and Brooke came by the apartment that night, promising Spec would not be an issue or a threat to either of them. She must be going soft because she’d believed the man. More importantly, Pulse did, too, so for the past three days, they’d stayed in the apartment on the Handlers’ compound. When she had to go to work, which she often did, a prospect tailed her. Pulse, on the other hand, went to work unguarded.
The DEA call had come and been ignored four times. Her home security cameras showed the local police and a government vehicle stopping by more than once. For some reason, they stayed away from the Handlers’ property.
The reprieve wouldn’t last. The Del Rios man who’d wormed his way into the DEA was not stupid. He had to suspect Pulse was on to him.
At what point would he make his next move, and would it wreak havoc on the Handlers’ lives?
As nice as having a place to stay on the club’s property was, today could mark the last time they were welcome to the apartment. Curly had wanted to let the dust settle before he brought the news of Pulse’s past employment to the entire club.
Today was that day.
Church would begin in five minutes, and Pulse would be in the hot seat while she sat in the apartment working on an ulcer.
She hated being stuffed in the corner, even if she understood why she couldn’t attend. She wasn’t a patched member, and they had their ways of running things. Fine, she could play by the rules, but she didn’t have to like it.
Typically, she’d dive into work to take her mind off her stress, but it wasn’t working today.
“Ugh.” She shoved her laptop across the table and flopped back in her chair. “This is pointless.” If she kept forcing herself to work, she’d make a mistake that could harm a client’s case.
Maybe a workout would help. Perhaps jog around the property, and if she happened to circle the clubhouse a few dozen times, so be it.
Knock, knock.
“Shit!” Talia jolted so hard she levitated off the chair. “Uh, I’m coming.” She hopped up and covered the short distance to the door. Liv and Harper stood on the other side. They were dressed casually in denim shorts and simple T-shirts, yet somehow, Liv still managed to look like a supermodel.
Her insides seized. How much did Harper know? Liv knew it all, or at least Spec’s version, where Pulse was a villain out to hurt the club, with Talia operating as his sidekick. They hadn’t seen each other since Liv stepped in front of a gun, sparing Talia’s life.
“Hey.”
Liv opened her mouth, but no words came out. The two stared at each other across a chasm of charged silence.
Harper’s gaze pinged between the two before she stepped forward. “We’re here to take you to Brooke’s. I have no idea what’s going on, but I know it’s serious. You belong with us for whatever is going on.”
“Oh…” She glanced at Liv before focusing on Harper. “Thank you, but I’m not sure my being there is the best idea. I’m not sure how much you heard, but—”
“Nothing. I’ve heard nothing. No one has told me anything, and it’s driving me nuts,” Harper said with a humorless chuckle. “Liv said it’s your story to tell. You’re one of us, so we’re here to listen and support you.”
“I don’t know…”
Liv stepped forward and pulled Talia into a huge hug. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice thick with regret.
“Are you kidding me? You pretty much saved my life.” Liv had nothing to apologize for. Talia would never hold Spec’s actions against her.
“I’m sure you were terrified.” Liv still held her tight.
“Yeah, a little. Or so much I’m surprised I didn’t pee myself.” She tried for a laugh, but no one joined her. Guess they were going with acknowledging their real feelings.
Ugh.
They broke apart, both sniffling and watery-eyed. Liv shook her head. “Spec wouldn’t have…” She shrugged. “He’s—”
“It’s okay, Liv.” She gripped the other woman’s upper arms. “He’s supposed to protect the club, and he felt I was a threat. He was just doing his job.”
“Yeah, well, that’s not how things are done in this club. Curly was furious. I’ve never seen him so mad. He threatened to rip Spec’s enforcer patch off his cut and shove it up his ass.”
Harper snorted. “Jinx mentioned Curly had some creative threats. He just didn’t know why they were being issued.”
“Don’t worry,” Liv said. “I expect Spec will be much more reasonable today.”
“What makes you say that?” Talia couldn’t imagine the enraged man had softened his approach.
Liv smirked. “I haven’t let him touch me in three days, and that includes sleeping his sorry ass on the couch the last few nights. The man is going through some serious withdrawals right about now.”
Harper’s eyes widened. “And you think that’s going to make him behave better? I made sure to give my man the BJ of his life this morning so he’s all happy and agreeable.”
“I, uh…” Talia blinked. These women were nuts. “I have no words.”
“You don’t need any.” Liv linked her arm through Talia’s. “Just know my man is desperate to get some, and he knows that will not be happening anytime soon if he loses his shit today. I got your back, girl. Now, slip your feet into those cute sandals and come with us. You don’t need to bring anything.”
It had to be better than sitting around and pretending to work while internally freaking out.
“All right. Let me grab my phone.” She hustled over to the counter, grabbed her phone, and then stuffed her feet into the cute sandals Liv referenced. Together, they walked out into the warm, late-morning sunshine.
“Want me to drive us over?” Harper asked. “I’ve got my car here.”
“I have my car, too,” Talia added. She might as well contribute somehow.
“Nope.” Liv marched around the barn-turned-apartments. “I have a much better idea.”
“Uh, Liv…” Harper hurried after her, leaving Talia no choice but to follow.
“We’re taking these.” Several ATVs were parked under an overhang alongside the barn.
“Oh, I’ve never driven one of them before.” Today probably wasn’t the day to start. Wrecking one of the club’s vehicles would be icing on the cake she’d already frosted with crap.
“No worries. You can ride with me.”
“Um… Liv, aren’t you banned from driving these?” Harper asked. She stood with her hands on her hips, assessing Liv.
“Sure am. Spec told me I couldn’t drive them anymore after he caught me racing one of the prospects.” Her grin didn’t hold an ounce of repentance.
“Okay, so…”
“Harp, that man is on my shit list. Until he’s off it, I don’t have to do a damn thing he says.”
“Okay, now you’re speaking my language.” Talia laughed for the first time that morning, and damn, it felt good. Leave it to these women to pull her away from her anxiety.
“Okay,” Harper said with a shrug. “It’s your funeral.”
“Nah.” Talia shook her head. “It won’t be your funeral. It might be your ass, though. I could see that man giving you a serious spanking after this.”
Liv climbed on an ATV and then peered over her shoulder with a sassy grin. “All the more reason to go for a ride, wouldn’t you say?” She winked and then faced forward. “Hop on, Tal.”
“Well, if I’m going to get my ass thrown off the property, I might as well go out with a bang.” She started for the ATV when Harper stopped her with a hand on her arm.
“It’s gonna be okay. I don’t know all the details, but I know this family. They can’t be broken.”
She was sweet, but Harper had no idea what her ol’ man was learning right then. “Thanks, but I’m afraid I put some pretty big cracks in the foundation the other day.”
“Cracks can be filled in. Our guys are experts at it. Have a little faith.” Harper gave Talia a quick hug before climbing on her own ATV.
Cracks could be fixed, but if Spec’s reaction indicated how the meeting would go, she wouldn’t hold her breath waiting for the welcome wagon to arrive.
THE VIBE IN the clubhouse was shit. There was no other word for it. No one spoke or ragged on each other like usual. Pulse’s brothers sat there casting side-eyed glances his way. Spec and Curly were the only two who knew the details, but everyone else knew they were there for something serious involving him.
Being the center of attention sucked.
He might as well have a neon sign flashing over his head and blinking the word ‘asshole.’
A phone chimed, breaking the thick silence. Jinx, who sat directly across the oval table from Pulse and who happened to be next to Spec, flipped his phone over. The big guy’s familiar laugh boomed into the quiet room.
“Shit, brother, I knew you were in the doghouse, but I didn’t realize your woman cut you off. No wonder you’ve been in a shit mood the past few days. Whaddya do?”
Spec sent Jinx a glare that would have incinerated most men on the spot, but not the club’s resident jokester.
“Wait, don’t tell me. Let me guess. You ran over one of her five-hundred-dollar shoes with your bike?”
The scowl deepened.
“No? Okay, you left the toilet seat up?”
Spec extended one middle finger into the air.
“Okay, that’s not it either. Did you bring her the wrong Starbucks order?”
Tracker snickered. “How are your balls feeling today, man?”
That had Ty chuckling as well, and soon everyone was laughing and calling out ridiculous reasons Liv would be pissed at Spec. Now, it resembled the chapel before any typical church session.
For everyone except Spec, whose face was practically smoking, and Pulse, who couldn’t unglue his tongue from the roof of his mouth to participate.
When Curly arrived and asked Pulse to tell his story, he’d probably open his mouth to speak and hurl all over the table. How had Talia had the balls to talk to Spec and Curly on her own?
She was so fucking impressive.
The worst part was the way his brain kept running to the worst-case scenario, which didn’t even involve someone pulling out a gun and shooting him point-blank. No, the worst case for him would be seeing a table full of horrified and disgusted eyes staring at him as though they didn’t know him.
Knowing his brothers saw his past as a betrayal would be a million times worse than any physical vengeance the club could dish out.
“Thanks, guys… sorry I’m late.” Curly strode into the chapel and then shut the heavy doors behind him. “Had a call from Copper up in Tennessee.”
“No worries, boss,” Jinx said. “I was just telling everyone how I learned Spec’s ol’ lady cut him off because he did something dickish.”
Curly’s gaze landed on Pulse for a beat before returning to Jinx. “I’d expect nothing less from you, Jinx.”
“You know me well, Prez.” Jinx sat back in his chair, folding his arms over his chest with a satisfied smirk.
“All right, I don’t wanna drag down the fun, but I gotta take shit to a serious place for now.” Curly stood in front of his chair at the head of the table. All eyes focused on him. The man had the respect, loyalty, and love of every man in the room. Never had someone been more deserving of the president’s patch on their chest.
“Before I turn this over to Pulse because it is his story to tell, I want to make a few things perfectly fucking clear, hear me?”
“Shit,” Jinx muttered. His typical snark disappeared, replaced by a solemn nod. “We hear you, Prez.”
“You asses stay in your seats, and your mouths stay fucking shut. We have a way of doing things in this club, and violence against a brother will not be tolerated. Is that clear?”
He stared straight at Spec as he spoke.
That’s right, asshole, he’s looking at you.
“Clear, Prez,” Spec ground out through clenched teeth.
Such enthusiasm.
This was fucked before Pulse even opened his mouth.
“One more thing,” Curly planted his palms on the table, leaning forward. “I wasn’t going to say this at first because I don’t want to sway anyone’s opinion, but I think you can all speak your mind even if you disagree with me, so I’m gonna say my piece. I have Pulse’s back, and I support him in this.”
Oh shit.
His chest tightened to the point of uncomfortable. He wanted to thank his president, but his lungs wouldn’t expand to draw in air so he could speak.
Across the table, Jinx frowned. “Think it goes without saying, Prez, that we all have his back too.”
“Might wanna wait till you fucking hear what’s going on,” Spec muttered.
Jinx’s expression went from concerned to downright panicked.
“We’re ready to hear it,” Ty said. “Whatever it is.”
“The floor is yours, Pulse.” Curly sat and reached for his scotch.
If ever there was a time for liquid courage, this was it. Pulse had been dumb to skip pouring himself a drink. Jinx must have sensed his unease because he pushed his whisky across the table. “Drink up, brother.”
“Thanks.” He slammed back the few swallows of whisky and then cleared his throat. “I appreciate you all hearing me out. I’m just gonna rip the Band-Aid off and say the shitty part straight- up. I spent about a decade, most of my twenties, working as a federal agent for the Drug Enforcement Agency.”
The only sound was that of jaws hitting the floor.
Everyone stared at him as though they’d never seen him before and with varying degrees of disgust.
Fuck it. Getting shot by Spec had to be less painful than this.
“Wanna run that by us again?” Jinx asked. He stuck a finger in his ear and mimed cleaning it out. “Couldn’ta heard you right. Sounded like you said once upon a time, you were a cop.”
Pulse’s shoulders slumped. “You heard right. I was a fed. DEA for ten years. I worked undercover mostly, infiltrating the Del Rios Cartel.”
The admission seemed to have stunned Jinx silent, which was no easy task.
But it didn’t last long.
“Well, fuck me in the ass.”