32. Chapter 32
Chapter 32
Sylvie
The next morning at our family meeting, I broke the news. Luna planned to assist me with a body, so I asked her and Alexa to come early. Ezra sat behind his desk, and his face seemed a little tired and worn.
Kilian walked in and Fenn followed behind him, grumbling. “What the fuck’s going on now, Syl? It’s seven in the morning, and I haven’t had coffee yet. I might accidentally kill someone.”
Callum leaned against the back wall, yawning, and Declan blinked sleepily as he looked at his phone.
Unlike me, most of my family were not morning people. I decided to just rip off the band-aid. “Drakos and I are getting married.”
The room went silent and everyone seemed to go on high alert. Luna cleared her throat and stepped forward. “That’s… amazing. Congratulations?”
Fenn swore like a truck driver on black ice, and Ezra raised an eyebrow and smiled. Okay, that was an odd response.
Kilian studied me. “When?”
“Five days.”
Callum straightened off the back wall. “Are you pregnant?”
Everyone started yelling at once, and Ezra rose from his chair.
“What? No!” I yelled into the chaos. “Jesus, I am not pregnant.”
Fenn grabbed his chest like he was having a heart attack. “Thank you, God , for small favors. I can’t imagine the horror of looking into my niece or nephew’s face every day and seeing a mini Drakos.”
“Five days? You can’t plan a decent birthday party in that time, let alone a wedding,” Alexa grumbled.
Kilian tilted his head. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
“Yes, but it’s probably not what I should do.” I took a deep breath and let it out. “The truth is I’m scared shitless. There’s a Bible-spouting psycho after me, we haven’t discussed living arrangements or prenups, and I’ve got bruises and cuts over half my body that will make our wedding photos very memorable.”
“At least you’ll be sober and aware when you get married,” Luna muttered.
Fenn smirked. “If I ever get married, I’d rather not be sober.”
“Your bride is the one who shouldn’t be sober,” Declan shot back.
Kilian ignored them and turned to Alexa and Luna. “You two are the most pragmatic, level-headed people in this dysfunctional family. If you’ll spearhead the catering and flowers, I’ll be in charge of the equipment and setup.”
Alexa nodded. “I can do that. We’re on spring break this coming week, thank God.”
Luna stared at him. “Where are they going to get married on such short notice? It’s early spring, and I bet any decent wedding venue is long gone by now.” She pointed at me. “We’re also having a bachelorette party, so be thinking about that too.”
“She’ll get married wherever the fuck she wants.” Fenn turned to me. “Where do you want to commit this atrocity?”
Callum and Declan both chuckled, and I shot them a glare. That was the thing about my family, even if they all thought this was the worst idea since the Red Sox traded Babe Ruth to the Yankees to fund a musical, they’d support me. Fenn would give me shit the entire time, but he’d be there.
Then I thought about where we could get married and turned to Ezra. “What about here at the funeral home? Is that alright with you?”
The room went silent again, and I braced myself. Ezra’s eyes twinkled and he smiled happily. “I love it. You don’t need to ask permission, though.”
Kilian clapped his hands together. “That makes my job easier. The funeral home already has most of the equipment we’ll need.”
Fenn grinned, walked over, and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. I yelped in pain, and he quickly let go. “Sorry. I’ll take care of the open bar and the band. It’ll be my wedding gift to you. Declan and Callum, can you be in charge of security?”
“Yep,” Declan replied.
My heart felt lighter and I smiled at them. “Thanks. I love you guys, too. I think the partners will want in on the security since Luna and Alexa will be there.”
Fenn frowned. “Why Alexa?”
My lips twitched. “No reason.”
“Don’t give me that annoying, know-it-all grin. What do you know that I don’t?”
“Where do I start?”
He rolled his eyes. “Tell me.”
“It may be better if you figure it out on your own.”
Fenn shook his head and headed to the door. “I need to get out of here.”
When the cousins left, Alexa turned to me. “I don’t have any classes today. Let’s go look at flowers.”
“I can’t. Will you guys pick them out for me?”
Luna tilted her head, eyeing me suspiciously. “What color and what kind?”
“Surprise me.”
“What about a wedding dress?” Alexa asked.
My shoulders hunched. “I’ll look tomorrow.”
Luna put her hands on her hips. “I’m calling Aida.”
“Who’s Aida?”
“The Firm’s personal shopper. She’s like a young and hip fairy godmother. Now tell me what’s going on and what you’re planning. And don’t bother lying, we know you too well.”
“I need to take a field trip to the OutKast MC compound and tell the president exactly what LeBaron is up to. Then maybe he’ll get off his ass and clean up his own mess.”
Luna let out a moan, and Alexa shook her head. “You just can’t help yourself, can you?”
Later that morning, Xander walked out of the law office and got into Milo’s car. He slid into the back seat, and I turned to him. “Thanks for coming. I have a Glock in the glove compartment if you need it, and I have to put on the record that I’m still pissed at you for marrying Luna and Roman when she was high off her ass and injured.”
His lip tipped up a little. Xander’s longer dark blond hair brushed his collar, and his sleeves were rolled up. He was one of the most quiet, stoic people I’d ever met.
He buckled himself in and sat back. “Noted. Do you want me to officiate your wedding?”
“Yes, “ I admitted sourly. “And invite Gia. I like her.”
His smile softened. “I will. Tell me what we’re doing.”
Milo sighed heavily. “And tell me why Xander needs a gun. I thought we were going wedding shoe shopping.”
“I lied.”
Milo rubbed his face and started pulling out his phone, but I laid my hand on his arm. “The only reason you’re here this morning is that I promised Drakos I wouldn’t ditch you anymore. Please don’t make me break my promise to him.”
He glanced sideways at me and pocketed his phone. “I need a raise and a desk job.”
I patted his arm and turned back to Xander. “I asked you to come because, unlike your overbearing alpha-hole partners, you don’t speak much, have a level head, and according to Luna, you’re a keen observer.”
“Where are we going?” Milo asked carefully.
“The OutKast MC compound.”
“For the love of all that is holy,” Milo groaned, “Why do you want to go there?”
“When Terrance and his goons took me, he had a lot to say, probably thinking I wouldn’t be alive much longer to tell anyone.” That time in the back of his SUV was going to haunt my dreams for a while. “He bragged about taking out the MC president in the next few days and then taking over the Club. I want to avoid that for obvious reasons.”
“Have you told Grolier?”
“Not yet. I want to do it in person.”
Xander studied me. “Why don’t you have Drakos or a few of your cousins go with you?”
“Because he’s sarcastic, cynical, and won’t be able to help himself when Grolier starts being a dick to me. And Fenn’s head would explode before we even started talking. They’d also probably try and stop me, or worse, piss everyone off and start a war. Diego is meeting us there, and he’s the one who called the meeting and is getting us in. Grolier doesn’t know I’m coming.”
Xander nodded and palmed his knees. “You’ve thought this out thoroughly. Okay, let’s go.” Milo muttered under his breath, but Xander and I sat in comfortable silence until we pulled up to the compound.
Diego Rodriguez stood outside on the sidewalk next to his motorcycle. When he saw me, he flashed a wide grin that stood out in his beautiful latte complexion, and I remembered why I’d secretly crushed on him when I was in high school.
He wore a vintage leather jacket, and his matte black motorcycle probably cost more than my yearly salary. Diego gave Milo a chin lift and walked over to my side of the car. “What’s your plan, Morty?”
And that was why my crush died. The fucker had nicknamed me “Morty” when he found out I was going into mortuary science. I hated the nickname, and when Declan and Callum heard him, they started calling me Morty too. Until I slashed their tires.
I stared up at Diego. “Hey, Pendejo . I need to speak with Grolier without Terrance LeBaron around. My source tells me he typically doesn’t show his face until late afternoon.” My source was Alexa hacking into Ivan’s feeds.
Diego glanced at Xander and Milo. “Where’s Drakos?”
“At his office. We decided this would be a better combination.”
He put his hands on his hips and shook his head. “In other words, you decided.” I shrugged and he sighed. “Fine. There are a hundred ways this could go from sugar to shit fast, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a law enforcement mole in his ranks. Watch what you say, and keep your temper.”
I rolled my eyes. “Thanks, Captain Obvious, because I fell off the turnip truck yesterday.”
After a heated argument, I convinced Milo to stay outside, and we walked into the compound parking lot. Motorcycles and vehicles in varying states of repair littered the lot, and the large, faded metal prefab building sitting in the center sported a rusted OutKast sign above the door. When we walked inside, a few men in cuts milled around, and an older, hard-looking woman with thick blue eyeshadow manned the bar. The crusted windows needed a good scrubbing, and the faint stench of Chinese food and beer wafted through the space.
Billy Grolier and his younger brother, Axel, sat at the head of the long, mismatched tables where they usually held “church.” Billy absently stroked his gray beard as they talked. Axel Grolier was at least fifteen years younger, had a well-groomed beard, and full-sleeve tattoos over his muscular arms. Billy was also big, but he’d gone gray and soft.
The MC president glanced up, then did a double-take when he saw Xander and me walking in with Diego. He scowled, and Axel glanced over then leaned back in his chair. The clubhouse went silent, and I noticed a man at the bar pull out his phone.
“Why the fuck would you bring her here, Rodriguez?” Billy asked. “I guess you’re not really here about the Dyna Glide you have for sale.”
Diego grinned. “I’m here for that too.” He flicked his gaze between them, then settled on Axel. “But you’ll want to hear what she has to say—in private. Let’s take a walk.”
Billy Grolier looked me up and down, pulled out a cigarette, and lit it. He flicked his wrist to the woman behind the bar, who hurried to bring him a beer. While she walked over, Billy took a deep drag and blew smoke my way, looking me up and down. “What the hell happened to you? Did someone use their fists to shut that fuckin’ mouth of yours?”
My temper flared and I leaned over to him, murmuring low. “Terrance LeBaron did this, but I think you already know that. What you may not know is what else he’s planning. Find us somewhere private to talk or I’m walking.”
Axel studied my face, then pushed his chair back. “There’s a spot out back, let’s go there.” Billy stayed seated for a few seconds, then grudgingly got up and followed us. In the back of the compound, a surprisingly lush little patio area sat with a small gazebo and a picnic table. A few oleander bushes offered some privacy.
Diego and I sat on one side of the picnic table, and Axel and the president sat on the other. Xander leaned against a post and watched us impassively.
“Why the fuck are you here, girl? You tryin’ to cause problems again?” Billy asked.
I set my elbows on the table. “I’m trying to stop them. Did you know Terrance and a few of his pals kidnapped me yesterday?”
Grolier watched me impassively. “If they kidnapped you, how come you’re here? I heard someone stole his new SUV and wrecked it.”
Anger boiled in my stomach. This asshole knew exactly what happened, but I hoped he hadn’t sanctioned it. “Something like that. I also took out his garage door, ran over Ducky, and set Earl’s head on fire.”
Grolier’s eyes narrowed, but Axel chuckled. I glanced at him. “You can laugh, but it wasn’t funny at the time. I had to lay duct taped and gagged in the back of his SUV while they described in detail how they planned to rape, torture, then kill me.” I leaned forward. “And my cousins would have retaliated.”
Grolier didn’t look like he gave one single shit. He also didn’t look surprised. But Axel sighed and rubbed his face. “We need to do something about him.”
The president turned to Axel with gritted teeth. “Shut the fuck up until I ask for your opinion.” Axel stared at him impassively, and Billy turned to me. “You ain’t innocent after what you did to Carver. You and your cousins are sick fucks.”
Inwardly I sighed and wondered why I bothered to try and save this stupid asshole—except his potential replacement was an even bigger asshole, and a degenerate psychopath and rapist to boot. Better the devil you know.
Leaning forward, I pointed my finger at Grolier. “Eightball and Carver raped a young girl under our protection. She still has stuffed animals in her room, and she likes to play video games. So don’t talk to me about ‘sick fucks.’”
Diego stirred beside me, and I drew in a breath through my nostrils, trying to reign in my blazing anger and tamp down the acid churning in my stomach. “You know what else LeBaron talked about?”
The MC president eyed me disdainfully. “What?”
“Taking you out and becoming the new president.”
For the first time, something besides anger and derision stirred in Billy Grolier’s lined face. His left eye twitched as he smoothed his beard with his palm. “It could be that you’re just tryin’ to stir shit up.”
Tipping my head back, I pinched the bridge of my nose. “I swear to God. I’m trying to avoid trouble, you stupid fucking idiot. Has Terrance asked to meet you, maybe away from the club? Or do you have a meeting scheduled where he could ambush you? A regular appointment coming up that he knows about?”
Billy glanced at Axel. “You call me an idiot again, and I’ll forget that I don’t like to hit women.”
I shook my head. “We’re done. Good luck.” Standing, I started swinging my leg over the bench.
Axel leaned over and grasped my arm. Xander straightened and Diego growled, “Don’t fucking touch her.”
Axel let go and put his hands up. “Easy. I wouldn’t hurt her.”
“That makes one of you in this whole goddamn club,” I muttered.
Billy’s lip uncurled, and he sighed. “Tell me exactly what he said.”
I waited. Then waited some more.
“Please,” he finally bit out.
“He said by the end of the week they have a plan to take you and Axel out, and he’s going to insert himself as president. He didn’t say how or where. Then he spewed a corrupted Bible verse about killing anyone who breathed a word about it.”
“Who were the men with him?” Axel asked.
“Ducky and Earl.”
“Did they say anything else you think we need to know?”
I thought for a few seconds. “No.”
Axel stuck a toothpick in his mouth. “That sounds like him. The guy’s a fucking nutjob. He wants to take me out too, so I’m officially done messing around with this bullshit. Brother, either you pull your head out of your ass and do something about him, or I will.” He turned to us and stood. “I’ll walk you out.”
Billy stayed on the bench as Axel led the way back into the clubhouse. A few new faces were there, including Jolie, who stood behind the bar sporting a swollen nose and two spectacular black eyes.
When Jolie saw me, her eyes went wide, and she started fumbling behind the bar. With my luck, she was probably going for a gun, but instead, she pulled out a wooden baseball bat and ran around the counter.
“You broke my nose and gave me a concussion, you fuckin’ bitch!” she screeched as she came toward us.
Xander moved to step in front of me, but I held up my hand. “I’ve got this.” Picking up a chair, I waited for her to charge. When she swung the bat back, I held the chair up at the last second and blocked her swing. Then I twisted the chair and lunged forward, knocking her back on her ass. Before she could get up, I placed the chair on top of her, caging her in, then leaned down and grabbed the bat out of her hand.
I heard Axel suck in a breath and Diego laugh, but I kept my attention on the woman underneath me.
“Hey Jolie, how’s the nose? Does the Club know you and Terrance plan to kill their president and his brother?”
She froze under the chair. The older woman, who had charged around the bar, stopped short and stared down at Jolie. “Is that true?”
“What? No! This ugly bitch is lying.” Her shifty eyes and shaky voice gave her away. A few men stood and someone sucked in a loud breath.
“What the fuck are y’all talkin’ about?” one of the older men muttered loudly.
“Blondie here said Jolie and LeBaron are plottin’ to take out the Prez,” the older woman answered.
“And Axel too,” I added.
“Wait. You’re sayin’ Axel wants to kill the Prez? Now I know you’re lyin’,” the older biker yelled.
I sighed. “No, Terrance wants to kill your president, and kill Axel too.”
“Ohhh. Well, fuck. Who’d be the prez then?”
“Terrance wants to be your president. That’s why he’s planning a coup,” I explained carefully.
“What the fuck’s a coup?” another man asked.
Jeez, these people really needed to lay off the controlled substances.
Axel stepped in. “He plans to kill Billy and me and take over the Club. A coup is a takeover.”
“What the fuck? Where is Terrance, anyway?” Someone muttered.
“I haven’t seen him around lately,” the older woman answered.
Jolie tried to kick me and push the chair off, but I put my foot on her chest. “Do you want to tell them why?” I asked her loudly.
“Get the fuck off me, you crazy bitch. Someone help me!”
No one helped her, but a younger man with a patchy beard pointed to me. “I know you. You’re the one who blew up the bikes at that mortuary.”
Xander stepped behind me and Diego leaned in. “We need to leave. Now.”
I stared at the younger man. “They threw a Molotov cocktail at my front door. I could have aimed at them instead of their bikes.”
“That mighta’ been better. You don’t fuck with our bikes,” an older man muttered.
I stood and nodded. “Okay. Now I know.”
A few of the men shifted closer, the hostility in the room transferring from Jolie to me, but Axel stepped in front of me. “Terrance beat her up and kidnapped her, and it seems Jolie aided him. I’d say that compensates for the bikes. I’m walking them out, then we'll call an emergency church session. Spread the word.”
He turned to me, jerking his head to the exit, and I was thankful no one had connected me to Carver. We didn’t waste time getting out of there.
Milo paced next to the car, and he visibly relaxed when he saw me walk out.
Axel eyed me. “You didn’t tell us Jolie was working with Terrance.”
I shrugged. “You asked me who the men were with him. She’s the one who lured me out when they pretended to assault her. I lost my head and went out to help.”
He ran his eyes up my frame. “Huh. You’re a smoke show, but you don’t seem to care. Why did you bother to warn Billy?”
Blushing at his compliment, I straightened. “I don’t want to start a bloodbath with your club, but your brother is a lazy jerk, your club is in shambles, and your members are coming after me and my family.”
Axel crossed his arms and studied me. “You disarmed someone with a goddamned chair. I always hated Carver, and I voted against making him a member. The asshole had a fuckin’ swastika tattooed on his neck.” His gorgeous mouth tipped up. “I’d like to see you on the back of my bike sometime, Sylvie Spade.”
It took me a second, but my eyes went wide. I hadn’t seen that coming. “Uh, thank you for the offer, and I’m sure you have a nice bike. But I’m engaged to Drakos Creed.”
Axel stepped closer and lost his smile. The man was hot in that edgy biker kind of way. “Do you want to be engaged to Drakos Creed?” he asked softly.
Xander sighed and crossed his arms, probably worried about my answer. But I ignored him and gazed up at Axel. “Yes. I came to a startling realization not long ago that I do want to marry him, and I love the cynical, possessive smartass. I might even have a few little suit-wearing miniatures of him someday.”
His lip quirked and he raised an eyebrow. “Drakos is a lucky bastard.”
“I’m flattered you think so, and good luck. Will you let us know what happens?”
Axel nodded and glanced back at the clubhouse. “We can’t pick our family, can we?”
I thought about my father. “No, we can’t.” He turned and strode back inside.
Diego watched him go. “Axel is this club’s best hope.”
I looked up at the rusted sign. “Agreed. I did what I could, but if they keep targeting us, we’ll have to keep reciprocating.”
Xander’s lips tipped up into a rare smile. “Little suit-wearing miniatures? I’d like to see that someday.”