7. Dax
DAX
Irolled over and my face was flooded with sunlight causing me to groan pulling the pillow over my head.
“Fuck Harper, I told you not to mess with my room.” I mumbled to my bed.
Not being a morning person I had turned my room into a cave.
Working late nights at the shop and dealing with shit for Two Tricks sometimes kept me out until dawn.
So I needed to be able to sleep late into the day and the California sun was a worthy rival to beat.
I groped around the bed trying to find my phone so I could see what time it was.
Unable to find it I peeked out from under the pillow cautiously.
What I saw had me chucking the pillow across the room and sitting up in shock.
“Where the FUCK am I?” I demanded the strange room.
The room was simple with a queen size bed, plain wooden dresser, and matching night stand.
The room had no personality with white walls and nothing hanging on them.
The sheets and the comforter were cream colored but they felt soft, not cheap hotel sheets.
I slipped out of the bed and found that I was still in the dress that Harper had made me wear to the party.
Like sparks to kindling the memories of last night came blasting back to me.
I raced over to the window hoping that I might know where I was.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me!” I yelled seeing open fields and mountains.
The view was stunning but it was nowhere near being close to downtown LA. Spinning on my heel I started yanking drawers open trying to find my wristlet that had my phone in it. I looked down and saw that I still had my watch but it said that it was disconnected from my phone.
“Fuck, fuck, fuckity fuck, fuck,” I swore and I paced around the small room. “What the fucking hell is going on?”
As I paced I went over what happened last night. “If those assholes think that kidnapping me is going to help them with Tricks they epically fucked up. This definitely doesn’t help them in making their case if I have anything to say about it.”
“I don’t know if I’ve ever seen something so small so angry before,” A voice drawled.
My eyes snapped to the door where I found the intrepid leader of the Phantom Saints, Enzo Rossi, leaning against the door jam. Behind him I could see the cold eyes of his enforcer watching his back like a good minion should. Hmm wonder what gave them the idea I might be dangerous?
“You're forgetting Gaby’s chihuahua Phee-Phee, she was a damn angry ankle biter.” Void mused moving further into the room.
I could see his arms were covered in cuts from our last encounter. It made me smile to see my crazy idea had almost worked. Next time I would have to make sure he didn’t grab onto me when I sent him through a sheet of glass.
“Cute, never heard that before.” I deadpan. “Now I’m not a genius by any means, but to me kidnapping someone you need help from wouldn’t be my first choice. Speaking from the limited experience I have, I’m not feeling all that helpful.”
Enzo rubbed the scruff on his chin taking me in as if I was a zoo animal or something. I wasn’t used to being on this side of things. Normally I was the one doing this shit to others.
“See I have this feeling that you mean way more to Tricks then people think you do. My money is on you being his old lady,” Enzo said cocking his head to the side to see if the idea fit.
I couldn’t help myself. I burst out laughing at the idea that I was Tricks’s lover. Then I continued to laugh when I caught the looks on both their faces. It was gold.
“Oh man I haven't laughed that hard in a long time,” I said wiping the tears from my eyes. “Shit I needed that.”
Taking a moment to collect myself I turned my back to them and looked around for something to wipe my face with.
Not seeing Klenex or anything I grabbed the edge of the cream sheet.
Finally composed, I looked down to see a dark shmear from my makeup on the sheet.
Not really giving a shit I focused back on the two men still looking at me wearily.
“I can assure you that I’m not Tricks type, and would never be his lover,” I said watching them do with that information what they will.
Void looked away and rubbed the shaved side of his head before he turned back to me. “Fine, you might not be his old lady but we know you have his ear. You are one of the only people he lets around him regularly. That means you’re still valuable and that’s good enough for us to keep you.”
Keep me? What the hell does that mean?
“What Void is trying to say is that we would like for you to be our guest until Two Tricks decides he is willing to talk to us in exchange for getting you back,” Enzo clarified.
Fuck.
This is so not my day.
“We tried to use your phone to call the person you talked to last but it seems that everything had been wiped. I must say you have thought of everything to cover your tracks, even the GPS in your car is blank.” Enzo said.
This information made me smile because it meant Wes knew what happened and where I am.
He would have made sure to get all he needed before covering our trail.
Moments like this is when having a hacker best friend was so much more valuable than you would’ve thought.
Now it was my turn to do my part and get the fuck out of dodge.
“So what you’re saying is that I’m your prisoner until Tricks decides to show his hand.” I asked.
“No, not a prisoner,” Enzo started, all while Void nodded behind him, yes I was. “A guest is more like it. You are allowed to go anywhere you like around the compound just so long as you don’t try to run away.”
“Great, well then you should just skip to the part where I run away, you catch me, and then lock me away because I’m not a very good guest.” I point out using air quotations. “I’m just being honest here.” I added, shrugging my shoulders.
Enzo frowns at me, clearly not used to a woman ignoring his alpha status. “You want me to lock you up?”
“God no. What I’m trying to tell you is that the moment I have the chance, I’m outie five-thousand. If I don’t want to be found I won’t be.” I said and perched myself on the foot of the bed. “You're going to need to give me an extremely good reason why I shouldn’t make your life a living hell.”
“Fucking little demon,” Void mutters. “I told you this nice bullshit wasn’t going to work.”
“How does a GPS tracking anklet sound for motivation?” Enzo asked, pulling one out of his back pocket. “This one and the one on your ankle have been modified though to shock you with the force twice of a police taser if you cross out of the zone we set up.”
I blinked a few times looking at the thing then looked down at my own foot.
Sure as shit there was a matching one of my very own wrapped around my leg.
Would Wes be able to hack into that? Probably but I would have to figure out a way to tell him about it first. With this I wouldn’t be able to get far before I was knocked on my ass.
I’ve had a few too many encounters with tasers being an enforcer that I didn’t relish the thought of having one strapped to me at all times.
Enzo was smarter than he looked, I’ll give him that.
“You have my attention,” I said, looking him right in his commanding gaze.
Enzo smirked looking far too pleased with himself. “Did you hear that Void, I think she’s getting the picture.”
“I wouldn’t get to cocky there Mr. President,” From the glimmer in his eye I could tell he liked me calling him that. “You have no idea what you signed up for asking me to stick around. I do have a few requests though.”
“Do share,” Enzo said, crossing his arms as if he was preparing himself.
Oh he is going to be so much fun to play with.
“First off, if I could get some clothes to change into. It seems that I wasn’t allowed to pack a bag for this sleepover,” I gestured to the cocktail dress I’m still wearing.
“I’m sure we can find some childs clothing around here somewhere,” Void offered.
I took a deep breath as I ran my fingers through my hair trying to control my irritation.
Popping to my feet I wandered over until I was toe to toe with Void looking up into his hard frozen gaze.
He peered down at me with a smile that was more teeth then lips.
It sent a shiver down my spine in excitement.
“I’m so very impressed with your observation skills Void!
I had no idea that I was small enough to fit in kids clothes,” I said in a super peppy voice then let my face fall into bitch mode.
“Yes I‘m five foot nothin’, also referred to as bite-size, shortstop, tater tot, half pint, pipsqueak, shrimp, hobbit, smallfry, and my personal favorite gobblin. Now that we’ve covered that let's move on shall we.”
As I talked, his smile only grew wider and more genuine, not at all bothered with my attempt at putting him in his place. Fine I’ll try something different if words don’t seem to do the job. Snapping my knee up I watched him crumble as I stepped back removing my knee from his dick.
“No? How about now? Let’s grow the fuck up and leave out the jokes about me being vertically challenged, okay?
” I asked then turned my back on him to continue my conversation with Enzo.
“Where were we? Oh yes! Clothes would be lovely. I also need to call the tattoo shop and let them know I’ll be out of town and that I need to move my clients.
Of course I’m happy to leave out the whole kidnapping and being held against my will part and all. ”
“Not gonna happen. There is no way that we can make sure you don’t let Two Tricks know what's going on.” Enzo said.
Point for the president.
“Okay what if I send a text and let you approve it before it’s sent. Then there is nothing to go on but the simple few words,” I counter. “You're a businessman yourself, surely you can understand my position.”
This is my only shot to get any information to Wes, before he comes in here guns blazing to get me. This is going to take a more subtle approach being on their home turf. We had secrets to keep and I wasn’t going to let them use me to find them out.
“Fine,” Enzo agreed. “Anything else?”
“Have you lost your fucking mind Eagle?” Void barked now back on his feet glaring at me. “She all but told us she would do whatever it took to get out of here and you're going to give her a phone?”
Enzo turned on Void pinning the big man up against the wall of the bedroom with a forearm to the neck. “Are you challenging your President?”
Void looked like he wanted to push the issue but then thought better or it. “No.”
“I didn’t fucking think so, because you of all people should know what happens to those who go against my judgment.” Enzo said, pulling his arm away. “Go get a burner phone so we can get this done.”
As Void left the room, I could feel my eyebrows raise in shock.
There was more to this president than meets the eye if he could make a man like Void come to heel with a question.
Seeing this gave me a new perspective on the man before me and I was more than pleased with the challenge it presented. Now it was my turn to poke the bear.
“Would now be the wrong time to tell you the final thing?” I ventured stepping closer to him.
He waved a hand gesturing to me to continue.
“It's actually more of a statement if I’m being honest,” I said distractedly as I let my fingers run over the patches on his leather cut.
“Spit it the fuck out already,” He said the fire still in his eyes but now for a new reason.
I gripped his t-shirt and pulled him down so I could reach him. Leaning in I let my lips brush against his ear as I talked.
“I’m not one of your members, I’m not a hang about you can fuck, and your not my fucking President.
” I whispered and kissed his neck right below his ear before he jerked away from me, eyes wild.
“Don’t expect me to fall in line like everyone else around you.
I have my loyalties to another person and that isn’t you. ”
Enzo didn’t speak he just looked at me breathing fast like he was trying to hold himself back from either killing me or fucking me.
The second option I wasn’t entirely opposed to, it’s been way too long since I last got my itch scratched.
Just when I thought he was going to make his move, Teo walks in.
“Void said you wanted a burner phone,” Teo said, holding it to him totally ignoring the rampant sexual tension going on in the room.
This seems to snap Enzo back to reality. “She’s allowed to send one text and it can’t be longer than a tweet. I have other things to deal with, you can be her keeper today.”
Done giving orders, he stalks out of the room letting me know that the choice he made wasn’t to kill me. Unable to keep the smile from my lips I focused on Teo and the phone in his hand.
“How did you get him to agree to this?” Teo asked as I took the phone from him.
“Every prisoner is allowed one phone call.”
“Not one that is second in command to a guy like Two Tricks. You don’t get that spot by being a model citizen, no that is for someone who has more than a few tricks of their own up their sleeve.
” Teo said, frowning at me. “As his counsel we agreed that you wouldn’t have any outside contact and within fifteen minutes of talking to him, he goes against his better judgment. ”
“Was there a point to that statement or are we just sharing our thoughts?” I quipped as I wrote out my text to Wes. “Sorry I just wasn’t ready for us to reach girl talk level friendship already.”
“Damn that’s some mouth you got there sweetpea,” Teo chuckled.
I grimaced at the pet name he chose. Not much about me was all that sweet and I hated peas. Who decided we should eat the little green fuckers anyways.
“Yeah, that nickname isn’t gonna happen,” I said, handing him back the phone to look over the text.
Teo looked over it then glanced to look at me searching my face as if I would spill all my secrets that easily. Wes and I had developed a code throughout our years of friendship filled with inside jokes and connection no one else would make.
“That’s all you needed to tell someone?” Teo asked, then read it. “Taking a few days off, feed the cat and water the plants. Don’t fuck up running the shop while I’m gone.”
I batted my lashes at him channeling my inner damsel. “What else would I tell my manager? Like I told Enzo I just needed to make sure the tattoo shop knew I was going to be gone. He’ll contact my clients and handle things for a few days.”
“Whatever. It’s sent, I’ll hang on to this and let you know if your manager has anything to say back.” Teo said, slipping the phone into his pocket. “Let’s get you something to eat, by then Sprocket will have found some clothes for you.”
I padded after Teo but he stopped at the doorway and turned to look at me over his shoulder. “I would also advise you not to call Eagle by his given name. He doesn’t like when people call him that. Same goes for me, Picasso is the only name I’ll respond to.”
“Duly noted,” I said, not making any promises.