Chapter 9 Luca
Luca
The brief flickers of emptiness have disappeared from Ford.
The emptiness has been replaced with focus.
The girl from last night has ignited something in him and I’m keeping a close watch to see if it’s a bad or a good thing.
Angel pulls out the chair opposite mine and tells me, “Ford’s mom so far seems to be keeping her mouth closed. I’ll keep watching her.”
I nod, catching Warren scowling in Ford’s direction.
“What the fuck is Warren’s problem with Ford?” I keep my voice low as I ask Angel.
I can’t work out if his huff is lazy laughter or a snort. “Warren’s been working on that woman Ford whisked up to his room last night. She’s been to a few of our parties, and he’s been all over her, not that he’s been getting anywhere.”
“Do you think it’s gonna be a problem, cause the way he’s looking at Ford right now, I’m thinking it will be.”
“I’ll have a word,” Angel tells me.
“You do that. I ain’t having brothers fighting over pussy. Ford has history with her, you tell Warren to stay away.”
Angel grins and my stomach tightens. “What?”
“I knew Victoria would make you soft.”
I smirk. “Nah, I can’t run a club that demands respect and fear, then have my boys crying over a woman.”
“Not sure we can tell them which pussy they’re allowed to chase or not.”
“You’re wrong. The club comes first and as president, I say how we run it. They follow or they don’t. Simple.”
My phone rings. Answering and pressing it to my ear, Ritchie’s voice fills the line.
“Luca, meet me at the café by the car park by the east river.”
The line goes dead.
Car park? He must mean parking lot in his British ways.
“Ritchie wants a meet. You’re with me,” I instruct Angel.
Tor is taking a nap while River sleeps so I shoot her a text so she knows I’m gone when she wakes.
Winter is creeping in fast, and I zip my hoodie up to my chin and wrap the black bandana around the lower half of my face. The thrill that runs through me as I bring my bike to life and ride through the city is euphoric. I come to a stop at the red light and the car next to me taps their horn.
A middle-aged woman is panicking, pointing to something over my shoulder.
I don’t know if I just take my time or if time slows down around me.
Before I can see what’s got her scared, Angel’s ridden up beside me and is yelling, “Floor it!” I don’t hesitate, I thrash the throttle, and Angel remains beside me as we luckily make it through the traffic and then he falls behind me as shots ring out.
My first instinct is stop and turn around, find out who’s shooting at us but if I stop too abruptly, I’ll cause Angel to come off of his bike. It goes against everything in me, but I continue riding until we’re free and clear of bullets.
The café comes into view, but I pull over and cut the engine. Angel follows suit.
“Who and what the fuck was that about?” I demand.
Angel stares off into the distance, his chest heaving with heavy breaths.
“Fuck knows. Whoever it was, was wearing a ski mask.”
“Text the others, tell them to watch their backs if they leave the club. We’ll see what his lordship wants then we’ll deal with this shit.”
While he gets busy on his phone, I take mine out and text Tor again. I warn her not to leave the club until I get back.
We set off and Ritchie’s stood at the water’s edge, overlooking the river. Angel hangs back and lights a cigarette.
“I was under the impression that you weren’t gonna be stepping on our fine soil that much anymore,” I say joining him.
“That was the plan, only my family thought it was best to deal with the Mayor face-to-face because he has a powerful platform. I’m only here for a few hours and then I’ll be gone.”
“That tells me I’m here for a reason.”
“It’s looking like he’s going to be re-elected and that means the city approves of him so he could cause unnecessary trouble for us. Which means trouble for you as you’re here permanently. Until we can dig out his weaknesses and any skeletons he has, he holds the power over us.”
That doesn’t sound right to me, but I keep my opinion to myself.
“What does this mean for my club?”
“Not much, but he’s pulled in his first favor.”
And this is why I’m here.
“He’s been receiving death threats and threats of his daughter being kidnapped. He didn’t take them seriously at first, said he was used to them. But last week, he received photos of his daughter as she went about her day, unaware she was being watched and followed.”
“He’s the fuckin’ mayor, surely he has power to protect her?”
“He doesn’t want to be seen spending taxpayers money, not this close to re-election.”
I know where this is heading. “He wants her protected on the downlow.”
Ritchie nods.
“So I guess she’s on the next flight out with you. Fuckers wouldn’t know where to find her in London.”
He laughs. “Not exactly, my friend.”
My phone rings and he looks away over the water.
It’s the prospect. I would ignore it but after been shot at not fifteen minutes ago, I answer.
“Yeah?”
“There’s a guy here with a woman, saying she’s to stay here with us.”
Looking at Richie out of the corner of my eye, I see the corner of his mouth hook up. The fucker laughs.
“Let her in. Don’t let her anywhere but the bar.”
I end the call and ask Ritchie, “How long?”
“Till the election is won. He said he ironically trusts the worst of society to protect her. Of course, you’ll be paid handsomely for it.”
“Of course,” I mutter. “What if this brings trouble to my door?”
“Then you handle it in the best way you see fit.”
“That’s what I wanted to hear, cause it’s what I was gonna do regardless.”
“Luca, we’re in a partnership with you and your club. Shit goes down, you don’t need our permission.”
“Wasn’t asking for it. Just wanted to see where we stood.”
“One day you’ll learn to trust us.”
I don’t see that day arriving, but I keep it to myself.
“I forgot to ask, how did you take Effie out?”
“We haven’t yet. Turned out Ford wasn’t dead, she was holding him captive all this time. I’m letting Ford put her to ground and he’s wanting to keep her locked up for every day he was.”
“Good plan in essence, you want to make sure it doesn’t blow back on you.”
“I’m on it. She ain’t going anywhere.”
He checks his watch. “I’ve got a plane to catch. We’ll be in touch, the next shipment’s coming up.”
We pound fists and I join Angel as Ritchie’s driven out of sight.
“What did he want?”
“We’re on babysitting duty until the Mayor wins his election.”
Angels’ frown matches my own.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart, we’ll be paid handsomely,” I mimic Ritchie.
He snorts. “Well, that makes it alright then.”
Straddling my bike, I tell him, “She’s at the club now. We’ll deal with her then we’ll look into who was shooting at us.”
“I text Darius while you were with Ritchie. He’s gonna get his crew listening out.”
I mull over the last hour, and it starts to give me a headache.
First the shit with Ford and Warren. Then we’re shot at.
Now we’re babysitters for a guy I’d rather put a bullet in.
I think of the cash it will bring in. One of my targets is to not only make the club financially stable, but financially flush.
I want us to be prepared for anything, and money is always the answer to problems. That or a bullet, but even then, it takes money to pay for those bullets.
It occurs to me I didn’t get a name for the Mayor’s daughter. I take her in as I walk into the bar, with Angel on my flank.
Besides the appearance of wealth in her expensive clothes and porcelain skin, she looks to be in pain. Her weary gaze tracks my every step until I reach the table she’s sat at with the guy who turned up with her.
“Are you hurt?” I ask her.
“No, I need to use the bathroom.”
Angel snorts. “Then fuckin’ use it.” As if the simplest solution is impossible to her.
“He…” she points at the prospect. “Wouldn’t let me.”
All eyes hit the prospect, and he shrugs. “What? Luca said she wasn’t to leave the bar. It’s not my fault she didn’t piss before she left wherever the fuck she came from.”
I keep my grin on lockdown. Between cutting Effie’s finger off and now this, his loyalty to me is shining through.
“Escort her to the bathroom and bring her straight back,” I instruct him.
The guy she came with watches me, but I turn my back on him and quietly ask King, “Tor? Has she been down?”
He shakes his head. “Haven’t seen her and I’ve been here since you left.”
She hasn’t text me back either so she must still be asleep.
I pull out a chair and I’m caught off guard when I go to light a cigarette. It’s been a while since I quit and it’s still my go-to move to relieve stress.
The Mayor’s daughter returns and sits closer to the guy she came with.
“What’s your name?”
“Annabel Green.”
The guy opens his mouth, no doubt to tell me his, but I hold my hand up.
“You’re irrelevant. I don’t need to know your name. I’m back now, you can fuck off.”
“I’m not going anywhere. I stay as long as she does,” he informs me.
“I’d say there’s a long list of reasons why that’s not gonna be happening but there isn’t. I say you’re not, so you won’t.”
Over my shoulder, I jerk my chin at the prospect. “Escort him out.”
The guy pushes up from his chair and steps closer to Annabel. “I’m not leaving her alone in a biker club, you’re out of your damn minds.”
“Funny that, her daddy’s more than comfortable to leave her here with us. Like I said, you’re irrelevant.”
The prospect takes him by the arm and overpowers every move the guy tries to make.
Trey opens the door ready for him and the prospects shoves him outside.
The door slams shut before the guy can try and get back inside.
It doesn’t stop him from trying to bang the damn thing down.
King whips it open and points his gun at him.
From what I can see on the security screens from across the bar, the guy trips over himself backing off and scuttles off down the street.
Now he’s gone, I give Annabel my full attention.
“Who is he to you? Boyfriend?”
“He wants to be, but no, he’s just someone I know.”
I glance at Angel. He could be a problem to anticipate.
“Do you know why you’re here?” I ask her next.
She nods.
“So you know you’re not a prisoner here, but you are in my home.
You’ll stay inside, you won’t have any contact with anyone in the outside world, and you’ll give us no grief.
Until your daddy says you can return home, you’ll fuckin’ behave yourself.
If your situation puts my family in danger, I’ll kill you all. ”
Her eyes widen but only briefly.
“Do you understand?”
She nods.
“I need to hear you do. Cause when I say I’ll kill you all, I ain’t fucking around. Bigger men than you have doubted me and met their maker.”
She swallows hard before answering, “I understand.”
“Good. Now that’s settled, there’s an area out back you can use for fresh air and to get the sun or whatever. Don’t go near the gates. If you…”
The stairs creak and Tor bounces down, minus my son but clutching the baby monitor.
She looks much better now she’s slept. I can’t stand the bags under her eyes, knowing I can’t take on all of River’s night feeds for her.
We’re a good team when it comes to being parents, but if I could do it all for her, I would.
I stand as Tor comes to my side. I sling my arm around her and press my lips to the side of her head.
“This is my old lady. Victoria. Babe, this is Annabel. She’s gonna be staying with us temporarily.” I look to Annabel. “If you need anything you find my wife. If she’s not around, you ask him,” I point to the prospect.
Tor takes my seat, and I jerk my chin toward the back room at the brothers. I take my place at the head of the table and the brothers file in and drop their asses in their seats. I slam the gavel down and catch, once again, Warren glaring Ford’s way.
Swinging my finger between them, I ask, “What is this?”
They both look at me like I’m speaking a different language.
It’s Warren who says, “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Anger simmers throughout me. “Treating me like a cunt will get you nowhere but out the fuckin’ door. All morning you’ve been glaring at him,” I say pointing at Ford. “What gives?”
“He rocks back up, and I’m glad he’s still alive, don’t get me wrong, but I put weeks into Phoebe and then he comes back, sees her, and she’s off limits.”
Ford clenches his hands into fists and leans forward on the table.
Before he can make my headache worse, I cut in, “We have business to deal with but instead we’re talking about pussy.
This woman is Ford’s business, you…” I glare at Warren.
“Stay the fuck away unless Ford tells you different. There is plenty of other pussy to go around. If this becomes a problem, I’ll be making it your problem, and I guarantee you won’t fuckin’ like it.
And while we’re on the subject of the opposite sex, no one touches the Mayor’s daughter.
I don’t need the grief of her crying to her daddy cause of one the big, bad bikers broke her heart. ”
Angel clears his throat, and adds, “It goes without saying, we all keep our eye on her without her knowing just how close we’re watching. Any move she makes that doesn’t seem right, you let us know.”
Brothers nod and I finally broach what happened this morning.
“Any of you fuckers have any run ins with anyone you haven’t told us about?”
Heads shake and murmurs of no float around the table.
“Someone’s out for us, or me, what the fuck ever. I wanna know who and why. I can’t be bleeding out at a stop light. If it weren’t for the driver beside me getting my attention and pointing the shooter out, I might not fuckin’ be here right now.”
My head is killing me, and I slam the gavel down and plan to track down some painkillers. I make it halfway across the bar when Harper’s blowing up my phone.
“Hey, what’s up?” I answer.
The line’s quiet and I check the call is still running.
“Harp’s? You good?”
Angel walks by me and I tap his arm, silently ask for his phone. I’m about to use his phone to call JJ when she says, “I’m outside.”