Chapter 16
Sixteen
brOOKS
Watching Darcie take charge of the crowd was sexy. She’d met with every person and spoke with them about their skills and how they could help. Not everyone was made for the front lines, but it didn’t mean Darcie gave them any less attention. She was amazing.
“Hot, right?” Grayson asked around a mouthful. He’d been eating nonstop since we’d arrived.
“The chips or our girl?”
He stuck out his tongue with mushed-up chips, and I rolled my eyes. He was so immature at times. He shoved my shoulder and smiled, easing the tension I hadn’t noticed. His eyes twinkled, and I realized he’d done it on purpose.
“Thanks.”
“Anytime, Baby Brawler.”
I snorted and shook my head, but secretly, I loved that nickname. I’d been so worried I’d be the weak link in our group, so to feel like I had a handle now felt good. Real good.
“I just heard back from Bones,” Maddox interrupted.
“And?”
“Let’s grab the others.” Maddox’s jaw was tight, and my gut sank. That couldn’t be good. “Princess.” Darcie turned from the group she was with and smiled at the three of us.
“Hey.”
“Where’s Bubba?”
Darcie glanced around. “Um, I think he’s with Tiny. Why?”
“I have news.”
She didn’t hesitate to jump off the table she’d been perched on. “Let’s go.”
I took her hand when she offered it to me. I loved how she could read what each of us needed. I’d always believed this type of relationship would work, but I hadn’t known the mechanics. Darcie somehow had the manual for us and instinctively knew how to operate when we needed extra attention.
And I’d just used a car metaphor to describe a relationship. Damn. I’d been in the garage too long if it was my go-to now over horses.
“Something wrong?” she asked, proving my point.
“No. Just thinking it’s been a while since I rode. I miss my horse.”
Her face softened, and understanding entered her eyes. “We’ll have to go when we’re back. I’d love to go riding with you. I’ll be terrible, but I want to.”
“I’d love that.”
Smiling, I felt like I’d won the grand prize as we found Bubba. It was the middle of the afternoon now. We’d taken shifts sleeping, but no one had slept more than a few hours. Tonight would be rough, but I didn’t believe any of us could sleep until this ordeal was over.
“Bubba,” Grayson shouted, capturing the ginger’s attention. Maddox motioned for us to sit around a firepit off to the side. It was about as private as you could get at the barn.
I glanced at it again, amazed at how decrepit it looked. Mack had explained it was an illusion. They’d painted and nailed rotten wood to the outside to give it a rundown look. It was something Kiki had learned at college, how in history when dignitaries visited foreign countries, the host country would hang something over the front of buildings to make it look fancy or even paint it up to resemble a modern building. But if you looked to the side of the building or ventured inside, you’d find the actual state of it. So they’d done the opposite. There was also something about Doctor Who, but I’d already been lost at that point.
“Bones is keeping Becca close to the chest. He didn’t say anything, even when I dropped I’d met up with JJ.”
“Do you think he’s bluffing that good, or do we have it wrong?” Darcie asked.
Maddox scrubbed the fine hairs on his head. “Not sure. But until we know more, we’ll continue with the plan. Maybe if we succeed, he’ll pretend like it never happened.”
“That’s pretty risky,” Grayson said.
“Yeah. But that's all I got.”
“Did he say anything about tonight?” Maddox nodded, but it was off.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Something isn’t adding up. If Bones knows as much as he says, why hasn’t he arrested him already? Why use us?”
“Because it’s not an official operation,” Darcie countered.
“What do you mean?” Bubba barked.
“He’s gone to all this trouble to ensure we capture Stanley. He got Maddox out, and they put away Destroyer. But then he went and kidnapped Becca and followed him to us. He’s gotten desperate. It doesn’t add up.”
“But he got me out of prison.”
“I’m not saying he’s a fake. We checked him out, and he’s a real agent. So my best guess is he had clearance to get you out and put Destroyer away. But for whatever reason, they didn’t back him on Stanley. Weren’t there more agents around for cornering your dad?”
Maddox chewed over the information. “Yeah. There were. So, this is off the books?”
“Or Stanley does have agents in his pocket, so to ensure the success of it, he came to us. If it fails, he chalks it up to an MC brawl. If it succeeds, he’s the hero at the bureau.”
“Hmm, and Becca’s his insurance card if we decided not to follow through?”
“Yep. He can’t send you back like he threatened since you already fulfilled your deal, so he’s using her instead.”
“Fuck.” Maddox stood and paced back and forth.
“It doesn’t change anything. It just means we know his agenda,” I argued.
Maddox paused, digested my words, and nodded. His shoulders relaxed, and he met my eyes, his blue ones filled with gratitude. It struck me how, at the beginning of this journey, I was the one in need of the assurance, and now I was giving it to him.
We were a brotherhood, ready to step in when the others needed us. That felt good.
“Everything is in place to make our move tonight. Let’s stick to the plan. If it fails, we regroup, but as I see it, there’s no point in delaying. Hank won’t last much longer,” Grayson said.
Darcie nodded, her eyes distant. I knew she was worried about her dad but couldn’t focus on it. So we’d all agreed to do it for her. We’d make sure her dad was a priority and get him out of there. No matter what.
The rest of the afternoon floated by in a flurry of movements as everyone prepared for the night. Everyone knew their role and had time to go over their part, spend time with their loved ones, or blow off steam. The five of us had flitted between all three activities.
Darcie had run through the plan backward and forward until Grayson had pulled her away to the fighting ring. We’d all gone a few rounds until we were sweaty and, well, a little horny. Waylon won the time with her and didn’t waste a minute picking her up and carrying her to the secluded room we’d been given. It was almost torture to listen to Darcie’s moans and not be able to join in. The relaxed expression on her face afterward was worth it, though.
“You ready?” Maddox asked me.
“I am. I thought I’d be more nervous, but I’m not. Maybe it will hit me when we get there, and I’ll freeze up and be useless.” Shit. Would that happen?
“Nah. You’re good, Baby Brawler. I watched the recap of your tests, and you were calm and cool. You got this, Brooks.”
My heart slowed, and I took a deep breath. “Yeah. You’re right. I do.”
Maddox laughed, slapping me as he headed to his bike. We’d been using the truck so much to get around; I was looking forward to riding. Darcie walked out looking like sin personified. My knee-jerk reaction to having her change left me as quickly as it came. She was using everything she had in her arsenal, and that included looking hot.
Agonizer was the type of man who dismissed women, especially beautiful ones. Her looking like a badass biker chick was needed.
And if it gave all those assholes a boner, it made it harder for them to ride. And perhaps, an easier target for us to hit. This was street fighting rules. Anything went.
“I’m not saying goodbye,” Darcie said, staring me down like she’d fight me if I said it.
“Good because it isn’t.”
Her shoulders relaxed, and she smiled. She stepped closer and pulled the sides of my jacket. Her sugary scent invaded me, and I groaned as my cock hardened. Dropping my head to hers, I held her tightly and breathed her in.
“Just the smell of you makes me hard, sweetheart.”
“Really?” I nudged her, and she smiled wider. “Good. Motivation to hurry back to me and our bed.”
Cupping her cheeks, I stared into her blue eyes. “Darcie, even if you never touched me again, I’d hurry back to you. Just to hold you in my arms and be around you. You make my life better by being in it, not because you’re sexy as hell and turn me on. You are those things, but it’s only a small part of what I love about you. Seeing you take charge and lead these people has been amazing. I have no doubt we’ll succeed tonight because you’re the most amazing person I know.”
“Wow.” She blinked. “Remember when you used to be shy?” she teased.
I blushed. “Me? Nope. Can’t recall.”
She giggled. “I love you, Brooks. Thank you for being the sweet place for me to land. For seeing me.”
Kissing her, I took my time to savor the feel of her lips against mine and the way her tongue softly prodded my own. It was languid like we had all the time in the world and not about to ride into battle.
“Don’t forget about the rest of us,” Grayson groused.
Darcie smiled into the kiss, so I pecked her lips once more before letting her go. She had a moment with Grayson, Bubba, and Maddox before walking to her bike. She looked behind at everyone gathered. Seeing everyone astride their motorcycles and waiting for the command was chilling. We didn’t have as many as Agonizer did, but we weren’t anything to slouch at, either.
“Ride or Die, Royals!” Darcie shouted, raising her fist into the air.
“Ride or die!” everyone shouted back, repeating the motion.
The feeling I got before the rodeo—the buzzing and stillness as everything narrowed down to me and my horse fell over me. Everything felt sharper and more precise now. I had a purpose, and I would do it to the fullest.
The rev of the engines sent chills over me as it echoed through the night air. Darcie looked over her shoulder one more time, a broad smile on her face. She winked before sliding on her helmet and facing forward. I knew she was worried and scared, but you couldn’t tell. She embodied confidence, and when she took off, we all followed.
I never wanted to be part of a bigger club, but as all the bikes made their way onto the road and we opened up the throttle, I could understand the appeal. The sense of belonging was stronger. The sound of that many engines was powerful, giving you a shield of confidence. You weren’t a single person in an MC but a group. I looked to my left at Grayson and to my right at Maddox. I didn’t have to look behind me to know Waylon was there.
This bond was special. The tattoo on my wrist said as much.
And Darcie was at the head with us at our back, and that felt right, too.
Despite being a good thirty minutes outside of Jackson, the ride went by fast. When we got to the outskirts, we broke off into our sections and separated. Darcie gave us one last look before she peeled off with Maddox.
I swallowed, emotion thick in my throat. I believed in us and her. I did. I just prayed it wouldn’t be the last time I saw her. Because with Darcie, I’d never have enough time with her, and I was greedy enough to want more.