Chapter Thirty-Seven #2
“No,” Christian says. It’s not surprising. I knew he’d want to protect Macy. James would do the same for me.
But if my instincts are right, then Macy and I are similar. We’re not fighters, but we refuse to be weak. We want to stand up for ourselves, even if we’re grateful to have men happy to stand by our side, ready to support us when we grow tired.
“Macy, no. You’re free from them. You’re not putting yourself in danger again.”
“I agree,” I say. “I’m not asking you to contact Robert or anything like that. But if he is a Romancer for the South Five, then you know them. And you know other women who were targeted by him or one of their other Romancers. Women who are still trapped.”
Christian opens his mouth to argue, but Macy gently touches his wrist. He looks down at her, anguish written all over his face. The guilt for asking this of them still exists, but it’s smaller.
I’ve wanted the chance to prove myself for weeks.
I’ve fought with James and June and the others to let me help.
And I know they all just wanted to protect me.
Just like Christian wants to protect Macy.
Maybe she too needs the opportunity to prove, to herself more than anyone else, that she’s no longer ruled by her fear.
“You don’t have to do anything or tell me anything that you’re uncomfortable with,” I add. “If you want to leave right now, I won’t stop you. But if you’re willing to hear me out, I’d be grateful.”
She nods, and I know my gut was right. Face wiped free of uncertainty, she asks, “How can I help?”
“Mace…”
“Robert made my life hell,” she says, looking at Christian now.
“If it wasn’t for Sadie and you, I’d either be dead or wishing I was right now.
There are dozens of women who don’t have anyone fighting for them.
Some of them were my friends. We kept each other sane.
The only reason they weren’t able to come to Sadie is because they never had the opportunity to get away without being watched like me.
But if we can get the plants to them, they can help themselves.
” She looks back at me. “That’s your plan, right?
Supply the women with poison to feed the other Romancers and Johns? ”
I nod. “My friends can figure out a way to smuggle small packets to women willing to help. Then they can all sneak berries, juice, powder, and capsules into the food, drinks, and drugs of the men. If done right, the poisons will all go into effect around the same time across the city. The men won’t think to blame the women, who they already underestimate.
They’d never expect their ‘whores’,” I grimace and make air quotes around the word, “to work together and attack like that. The South Five will panic. Hopefully, several of the men will die. The rest will be too sick to fight. It’s then that my friends will attack.
They’ll get the girls out, take them to safety, and destroy the South Five. ”
“Who are your friends?” Christian asks, eyeing me curiously.
Despite already deciding to trust them, I hesitate.
Ace investigated Christian for me. The man is a former Marine and now works as an electrician.
But Ace subtly suggested Christian hasn’t completely given up the darker aspects of his previous job.
Seeing that he paralyzed Robert, I don’t doubt it.
He’s probably familiar with the criminal underside of the city.
“The Saints of Purgatory,” I say.
His eyes widen for a flash before he schools his expression back into neutrality. “They’re small. Half of their members are practically children. They don’t stand a chance against the South Five.”
“Not alone,” I agree. “Which is why I need your help. And why they called in the other chapters.”
This time, he lets his surprise linger. “How do they plan on smuggling poison to a bunch of women practically kept imprisoned in strip clubs and whore houses?”
“Leave that up to them. All I need from you is a list of names of women who might be interested in helping. And if you want to help us contact them, I think that would go a long way. They’ll be more likely to trust you, Macy, than strangers.”
“No. She’s out of that life and she’s not going to risk herself for someone else’s fight.”
“Christian—” Macy starts.
“No!” he interrupts. “Please, Mace.”
The look she gives him is full of love and understanding. She stands so she can reach up and cradle his face in her hands. “I love you. And I trust you. I’ll be perfectly safe, but if I can help, I will. Sadie was there for me, now I can be there for her.”
“Don’t help me because you think you need to. You don’t owe me anything,” I say.
She chuckles softly. “I know that. I want to help. Talking to women who used to be my friends is the least I can do.”
Christian’s face is full of distress, but he doesn’t argue any further. Privately, I think he’d get along with the Saints well. Or they’d butt heads in a never ending ‘who’s the more protective alphahole’ dick measuring contest. Finally, he nods once.
“Okay.” Macy turns to me. “What do you need me to do?”