Chapter Eleven
Cheshire
I was starting to second-guess my invitation to Park. The moment Eliza had walked into the room, he’d stared at her like some lovesick fool. All the warning bells that had gone off in my head when he talked about her before made perfect sense now. He might not have met her many times, but clearly, she’d made an impression, and the fucker was infatuated with her. I didn’t like it. Not even a little.
“I was happy to hear you were safe, Eliza. I wish I’d known you needed help,” Park said, holding her gaze.
She gave him a slight smile, and it made my gut twist. “Thank you, but you and I both know there’s nothing you could have done. If my dad thought you weren’t on his side, something bad could have happened to you.”
Park audibly swallowed. “Better to me than you. I’m so sorry, Eliza.”
She shook her head. “It’s fine, Park. I don’t blame you or anyone else, just my dad.”
I decided enough was enough and wanted to end their conversation. The sight of Park practically drooling over her was pissing me the fuck off. I leaned forward on the rough-hewn kitchen table, my hands clasped in front of me as I scanned the group. Hatter had Jo tucked tight against his side, but he met my gaze and gave me a nod. The floor was mine.
“All right, listen up,” I said, my voice a low rasp. “We made progress on this Sheriff Holmes shit. Dug up some intel that connected the dots between the missing girls, suspicious money moving around, and a couple of VIPs in his pocket -- Mayor Davis and Robert Lewis, as far as those in Warren go. But he has more outside of town.”
I paused, letting that sink in. Park, the deputy in our corner, leaned in. “How solid’s this info, Cheshire?”
A wry grin tugged at my lips. “Solid as my right hook, brother. Got the paper trail to prove it. These assholes were thick as thieves, all working to keep Holmes’ sick operation going and line their own pockets.”
As I laid it all out, my mind raced, slotting the pieces into place. The puzzle was starting to take shape, ugly as it was. These girls were snatched up and sold off like fucking cattle. My blood boiled at the thought. We had to shut this shit down and bury these bastards, whatever it took.
I glanced at Eliza, her face pale and her eyes haunted. She was holding it together, but barely. My heart twisted. Her own damn father had not only harmed her but had been selling girls. I wanted to reach out, take her hand, tell her it would be okay. But not here, not now.
“If we were going to hand him over to the authorities, then we’d need to keep digging. But I think we can all agree this one is going to get messy. Park is already aware we’re going to need to work outside the law, and he’s on board.”
Nods all around the table, jaws set and eyes flashing with purpose. Hatter met my gaze again, pride and trust shining in his eyes. I felt the weight of it settle on my shoulders, but I carried it gladly. For the club, for the girls, for justice.
Sheriff Holmes and his cronies wouldn’t know what hit them. No matter how dirty my hands were when this was over, at least I’d be able to live with myself. Letting people like them not only continue to live but reside in this town wasn’t something I could condone.
A folder lay open on the table. March had pulled some photos of missing girls, and he’d used camera feeds around town to show the sheriff and his men snatching them off the streets. Eliza reached for one.
Eliza’s hand shook as she gripped the photograph, her knuckles turning white. “I can’t… I can’t believe he could do something so awful.” Her voice cracked, barely above a whisper. “These girls, they were just kids. How could he…”
She trailed off, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. The anguish on her face hit me like a punch to the gut. I wanted to pull her close, shield her from all this shit. But I knew she was stronger than that. Stronger than she realized.
I leaned forward, my voice low and intense. “Your old man is a real piece of work, no doubt about that. But we’ll take him down, Eliza. Him and every other scumbag involved in this.”
I spread out the documents on the table, jabbing my finger at the damning evidence. “It went deep. The sheriff has his hooks in everywhere -- deputies, politicians, businessmen. A whole Goddamn network of corruption, all working together to line their pockets with blood money. It starts in Warren, then fans out not only in this state, but also into North Carolina and Virginia.”
Anger simmered in my veins as I laid it all out. The web of lies, the betrayals, the shattered lives left in their wake. It was a fucking tragedy, and it ended now.
“We have solid leads on their operation from locations and shipment schedules to key players. It’s time to plan our final move. But when the sheriff goes down, we need to handle the mayor and Robert Lewis as well.”
Jo snorted. “Of course, Eddie’s father would be into this sick shit. Like father like son, I guess.”
Hatter hugged her tight. “We’ll get them all, sweetheart.”
Eliza set the photograph down, her jaw clenched with determination. “Whatever it takes, I want in. I can’t let my father destroy any more lives.”
Pride swelled in my chest at her strength, her resilience. She had been through hell, but she was still fighting. And with the Underland MC at her back, she would come out on top. I’d make damn sure of it.
I nodded, my trademark grin spreading across my face. At this point, it was like a mask I wore, one I seldom took off. “Damn right, darlin’. We’ll burn this whole fucking thing to the ground and dance on the ashes.”
The room crackled with energy, a sense of purpose settling over us all. Sheriff Holmes and his cronies had no idea what was coming for them. But they’d find out just how far the Underland MC would go to protect the innocent and seek justice.
Watch out, you sick fucks. Because we’re coming for you !
As the others filed out of the room, their voices fading down the hallway, I turned to Eliza. She was still sitting at the table, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. I could see the tension in her shoulders, the weight of everything she had learned bearing down on her.
I pulled out the chair next to her and sat, our knees almost touching. “Hey,” I said, ducking my head to catch her eye. “You okay?”
She took a shaky breath, her gaze meeting mine. There was pain there, and anger, but also a fierce determination that sent a thrill through me.
“I will be,” she said, her voice steady despite the storm I knew was raging inside her. “When this is over, when my father and his monsters are dead and buried, I’ll be okay.”
I reached out, covering her hands with my own. Her skin was soft and warm. I couldn’t deny the pull between us, the connection that had been growing since the moment we met.
“I’m going to make you a promise, Eliza,” I said, my voice low and intense. “I will protect you, no matter what. I’ll stand by your side and fight like hell to bring these bastards down. You’re not alone in this. You’ve got me, and you’ve got the Underland MC. We take care of our own, and like it or not, you’re one of us now.”
Eliza’s breath caught, her eyes widening as she stared at me. For a moment, the world fell away, and it was just the two of us, lost in each other’s gaze. I saw the trust there, the faith she had in me, and it humbled me even as it filled me with a fierce protectiveness.
“Thank you, Cheshire,” she whispered. “I know you’ll keep your word.”
I squeezed her hands, a silent promise, before releasing her and standing up. “Damn right, darlin’. I’m going to kick some ass, and make sure the monsters in this world will never touch you again.”
As I reached the doorway, I felt the weight of Eliza’s gaze on my back. It was like a physical thing, a tingle between my shoulder blades that made me pause and glance back at her over my shoulder. She was still sitting there, her hands clasped tightly in her lap, her eyes fixed on me with an intensity that took my breath away.
For a moment, our eyes locked, and I felt the electric spark that seemed to ignite whenever we were together. It was dangerous, I knew. I should have given her a wide berth. Let her have a relationship with someone far better than me. But I couldn’t. I’d known from the beginning she was mine, and I couldn’t let her go. I wondered what it would be like to lose myself in her, to forget about the rest of the world and just be two people, coming together in a moment of passion and need.
I shook my head, pushing the thought away. Now wasn’t the time for distractions, no matter how tempting she might be. I had a job to do, and I’d be damned if I let anything get in the way… even my feelings for Eliza.
Giving her a final nod, I stepped out of the room, letting the door swing shut behind me. Regardless of my own turbulent emotions, I had a mission. For Eliza, for the girls in the photograph, for the club I had sworn loyalty to. I moved through the dimly lit hallway with purpose, my boots echoing on the concrete floor.
I found Hatter in his office, pouring over maps and notes scattered across his desk. The room was filled with the scent of old paper and whiskey.
“You got a minute?” I asked.
“What’s up?” He leaned back in his chair, the leather creaking.
“I think we both know that this battle we have coming up could be the last one for any of us. There’s never a guarantee we’ll make it out alive.”
He nodded. “I’m aware.”
“If something happens to me, I need to know the club will watch over Eliza.”
Hatter snorted. “As if you even have to ask. I also assume that if I ever die, y’all will take care of Jo.”
“And your kid?” I asked.
He narrowed his eyes. “Who said Jo is pregnant?”
I smirked. “Jo did. But if it’s any consolation, she said she told you first.”
He groaned and closed his eyes. “Does everyone know?”
“Nope. She only told me and Rabbit. Said she was too excited to hold it in. I think she wanted you to make the official announcement.”
Hatter rubbed his hands over his face. “And I will, once this nightmare is over. I don’t need anyone more distracted than they already are.”
“This thing with Eliza… I haven’t made it official, but she seems to feel the same way. I’m trying to give her time and not push too hard too fast. After everything she’s been through, well, I’m scared I’ll run her off.”
Hatter nodded. “I get it. She seems to be settling in nicely. She and Jo are getting along well. They’re even talking about making a book together. Something about art and poems. As long as it makes them happy… but I’m worried they’ll get discouraged when it comes time to find someone to publish it.”
I hadn’t known Eliza was doing that. It just showed there was still a lot we needed to talk about. I wanted to know everything about her. Not just the horrific parts of her past, but simple things like her favorite foods, what type of music she liked, if she had a favorite movie.
Hatter cracked a smile. “And that right there is the look that means you’re toast. You’re already in love with her.”
“Maybe. I know I like her. A lot.”
“You’ll figure it out. Just make sure you tell her once you do. Don’t hold that shit back for any reason.”
“Yes, Dad,” I said, giving him a mock salute. He flipped me off and I laughed as I left his office.
We weren’t going after the sheriff just yet. Until it was time, I needed to be with Eliza more, and learn everything I could about her. She was still in the kitchen when I went back in there, still at the table where I’d left her. She’d made a cup of tea and sipped at the steaming brew.
I poured myself a cup of coffee and gestured to the seat beside her. “Mind if I sit?”
“Go ahead.” She gave me a slight smile. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah. It’s quiet for the moment. Thought we could take some time to get to know one another better. If you’re up for it,” I said.
“Are we going to play twenty questions?”
I shook my head. “Nope. Although, I’m game if you are.”
“Um, I’d rather not.”
“Then why don’t we start with you asking me something? Obviously, I can’t discuss a lot of my military background, but I’ll truthfully answer anything I can.”
“All right.” She took another swallow of her tea and set the cup down. “Then, how old were you when you joined the military?”
“Eighteen, almost nineteen. I’d signed up for college, went one semester, and decided it wasn’t for me. So I dropped out and enlisted.”
“How long were you in?” she asked.
“I was dishonorably discharged after several years of service. Hatter, March, Absolem, and Rabbit all knew me from those days, even though they were enlisted longer. We all felt a little lost, so… Underland MC came into existence.” I drank more of my coffee, staring into the cup. “I guess we were missing that sense of brotherhood we’d had. Absolem had some money he’d inherited from his family. He bought this land, had the clubhouse built, and we all moved to Warren.”
“But the club has been here a while, right?” she asked.
“It has.”
“So, you’re how old?” She leaned in a little. “Are you robbing the cradle by being with me?”
I bit my lip so I wouldn’t laugh. “Well, since I don’t know how old you are, it’s hard to say if I’m ‘robbing the cradle’ or not. But I’m thirty-one.”
“I’m twenty,” she said. “Does that bother you?”
“Should it? From what I can tell, even though you’ve led a sheltered life in some ways, the hell you’ve survived makes you older than the average twenty-year-old.”
She nodded. “You’re right. Most women my age are probably off enjoying college, or trying to figure out their lives. I guess in one sense I’m doing that too. Since I never thought I’d be free of my father, I never made plans or dared to really dream. Only thing I knew I wanted and thought I’d never have was a family of my own.”
“Favorite movie?” I asked.
“My dad monitored what I watched, but I always liked the family movies about hope and resilience. Like Cinderella . I like the live action better, though. In the cartoon, the evil stepfamily looked ugly on the outside. In the live action, they’re all pretty.”
“Like your dad?” I asked. “He’s a decent-looking guy and has most people fooled into thinking he’s nice.”
“Right. Exactly like that. I think that’s why it resonated with me. What about you?”
I leaned in closer to whisper. “Don’t you dare tell anyone, but I like Top Gun . But if the guys find out my favorite movie is about a naval aviator, I’ll never hear the end of it.”
She smiled. “I can keep your secret. I guess that means you weren’t in the navy.”
“Marines. Me, Hatter, March, Absolem, and Rabbit. Although, Rabbit and I started out in the army. Served two years before switching to the Marines.” I drained my coffee cup. “These days, if you sign up for two years, then you’re expected to be in the reserves for an additional two years.”
“Favorite drink?” she asked, eyeing my cup. “Coffee?”
“Hmm. For non-alcoholic beverages, yes. When it comes to alcohol, I tend to stick with beer. But I’ve been known to drink the harder stuff. What about you?”
She tapped her cup. “I like hot tea, and for cold drinks I like sweet tea.”
“Then I guess we know a little more about each other now.” I reached over to pat her thigh. “We should do this every day.”
“Maybe twice a day,” she said.
“I’m game if you are.” Leaning over, I kissed her cheek. “I need to go check in with everyone and see what’s going on. Rest and relax for a bit.”
“Thanks, Cheshire. For everything.”
“Anytime, doll. Anytime.”