Saving You Losing Me

Chapter 30

CHAPTER 30

ATOM

W e head home and prepare for our visitor. I’m not stupid enough to deny the Reaper our assistance. If anything, it will work in our favor because if it is Michael he’s come for, everything will change.

The men are in high spirits despite what happened, and even Razor is calling it a badge of honor to have gone one round with an actual Twisted Reaper. Their fights usually end up differently and Razor can now live and tell the tale of when he went fist to fist with an assassin.

When they arrive, the loud jeers and sounds of arguing are the Reaper’s welcome as he heads inside holding Lucy’s hand.

She looks fucking terrified and I’m guessing this isn’t her usual environment and part of me pities her for that.

The Reaper says nothing. He moves through the crowd like he owns the place and cuts quite a figure in his battered leather jacket and torn jeans. His hair’s cut close and his eyes sweep the room, looking for trouble at every turn. His face is set in a mask of cool indifference, and his body language warns anyone to mess with him at their peril.

I watch their approach with interest. Razor stands beside me and my sister takes the other space. I’m guessing she is curious and will waste no time spilling our secret to her new love interest. Dominic Riley.

The woman holding the Reaper’s hand is none other than his last mistress and I wonder if that’s why the Reaper came calling. Is Dominic Riley his man and if so, I wonder where that leaves Michael?

When they reach us, I smile and step forward, offering him my hand. “Welcome to the Darkside, Reaper.”

“Call me Jet and this is Lucy.”

I nod. “I’m Atom and you’ve met Razor.”

Razor grins. “No hard feelings, man. Welcome. How can we help?”

I drag in a deep breath, desperate to get Tanya as far away as possible from our conversation. “Tanya, look after Lucy. We have business to discuss.”

Lucy glances at Jet in alarm, who says softly, “You’ll be fine, Lucy. They know better than to harm you in any way.”

The men nod and Tanya says, “Come with me, Lucy. I’ll get you a drink to steady those nerves of yours.”

As they walk away, Jet faces me with a hard expression. “I don’t need to remind you that if anything happens to that woman, I’m holding you personally responsible.”

Fuck! This is the last thing I need, so I stare at the girl’s retreating backs and say firmly, “She will be safe here. We mean you no harm and want to help.”

I jerk my thumb toward my office door.

“Perhaps it’s best if we continue our conversation in private.”

I’m wary because a Reaper’s reputation proceeds them and if one is in town, it means shit is going down and I hope like hell it’s not anything we’re in the frame for. They are known as assassins and go in hard and fast.

I waste no time with pleasantries and as he takes a seat in my office, I say coolly. “So, how can we help you, Jet?”

“What can you tell me about Michael Santobello?”

I catch Razor’s eye and say carefully. “What can’t I tell you? A small-town mobster who runs this town. He’s into everything and anything and has more people working for him than any large corporation in the city. He’s low-life scum and we keep well away. Why, what’s he done?”

“He’s hassling Lucy to work for him. If she doesn’t, he’ll make her life hell.”

Razor looks surprised. “Why does that concern a Reaper?”

I lean forward. “He makes a good point.”

Jet shrugs. “Personal reasons.”

Razor grins. “I see.”

His expression doesn’t change. “Dominic Riley. What’s his story?”

I raise my eyes. “Dirty politician in the making. Tight with Santobello and just as unscrupulous.”

He says gruffly. “Tell me something I don’t know. Something I can use to bring them down.”

Razor whistles. “Man, that girl must be something else for you to want to face that shit storm.”

“She is.”

There’s a tense silence and I lean forward. “I’m not sure what information you think we have, but all we can do is offer back up. Those creeps leave us alone all the time we stay out of their business. Now, we respect your club, but won’t start a war unnecessarily. You’ll leave us behind with trouble we don’t want or need.”

He stares me straight in the eye. “What if they both go down and leave this town open? I’m guessing life would be a lot easier for you then.”

I laugh softly. “Like I said, we keep ourselves to ourselves. We don’t want any trouble and don’t deal in the shit they do. If it’s not them, it’s someone else and sometimes it’s better the devil you know.”

I sense his frustration because it’s obvious we don’t want to get involved, and I say with a sigh. “We run a small operation and mind our own business. We don’t start wars that could continue long after you leave town. We are here at your disposal, but that’s all. I don’t want any heat on my club. It’s not worth the risk.”

Jet appears frustrated and, to be honest, I don’t blame him. He’s here for a reason, but if he wants help, he has a clubhouse full of bikers back home. It’s not in my interest to take Michael on because I wasn’t kidding. If it’s not him, somebody else will take his place and won’t be so ignorant of our activities.

“Come. Let us drink to your success and if you need information, we can try to help with that, but that’s all there is on offer. I’m sorry.”

We head back to the bar and make small talk while we down a beer and then Jet sighs and glances around him.

“Thanks, Atom, but I’ll be leaving now. Fetch Lucy and we’ll leave you good people to your evening.”

I nod and snap to a nearby prospect, “Fetch the girl.”

The guy races off, eager to make the step up to a club member and I stare at Jet keenly. “Send my regards to Ryder.”

He smiles as the prospect races back, looking agitated. Immediately, I sense something’s wrong and say angrily, “What is it?”

He stutters, “She’s gone.”

Jet snaps. “What do you mean, gone - where?”

I roar, “Fetch Tanya.”

Then we hear, “You’ll be fetching no one. I’m here already.”

I glance at her irritably. “Where’s the girl?”

She shrugs. “Made a break for it when no one was looking. She pretended to drink too much and went outside for some fresh air. Tricked me into leaving her and when I checked on her she’d gone.”

I roar, “You stupid bitch.”and shout, “Find the girl.”

The men scramble and Jet says angrily. “She’s lying.”

Tanya looks angry. “Fuck you. I don’t care who or what you are, I’m telling the truth. Perhaps she had second thoughts about the company she’s keeping. Look around you guys, you’re all hardly Prince Charming. She’s no fool and probably thought better of a life in hell and made a break for it.”

Jet yells, “If something happened to her, I’m coming back for you. I don’t buy a word you just told me.”

He hisses angrily, “If she’s not found, I’m holding you and your club personally responsible.”

Shit, this is all I need.

I turn to Razor and bark, “Razor, lock this joint down. Tanya, you had better not be lying to me because you’ll suffer the consequences if you are.”

I watch the blood drain from her face before she frowns and says angrily, “Fuck you, Atom.”

Then she spins on her heels and stalks away.

Jet watches her go with a frustrated, ‘fuck’ and now it’s obvious there is no way in hell we ain’t getting involved in this shit.

Along with all my Dark Angels, we search everywhere. The studio, her apartment, and every bar and diner in the vicinity. The one place we haven’t checked is The Starlight Club, and as we sit outside in a ring of steel, I consider what’s inside.

“If we go in there mob-handed, we start a war. Are you sure she’s worth that?”

“She’s worth everything.”

“Then what’s your plan?”

“I go in alone. If she’s there, I’ll find her.”

“You’ll never make it out alive. You should think this through.”

He glares. “Fuck thinking. You can sit on your bike and think about what a fucking pussy you’ve turned out to be. I’m getting my girl back and to hell with the consequences. Now get the fuck out of here before you blow everything.”

I merely shrug and signal to my men to leave and as we move away from the club, I wonder if one man can really bring down an empire.