23. Zaden
Chapter twenty-three
Zaden
My pack are behaving a little bit like anxious dogs, and it’s making me uneasy, but I can’t deny that they have a point. Something’s not right in the Raines mansion.
Worse than just thinking that she’s sick. Nobody calls. Not her cousins, not her mother. None of the staff. Ranger walked me through the mansion and showed me all the cameras that had been installed. He’d dismantled every single one of them, but there are a lot. The garage has a lock on it that Lia can’t open. The groceries come the same day of the week with the same healthy ingredients. No chocolate, no snacks.
It’s like the poor girl lives in a glass box.
She avoids that third floor, even to the point of refusing to even look at it. The same goes with the Raines music rooms. Whatever it is about those rooms, they upset Lia to the point where she refuses to acknowledge their existence entirely.
There are no photos of Lia on the walls. No certificates or awards. No old toys. The only thing to show that Lia was a child who grew up here is the tiny bear she calls Beezie.
And the more we discover, the more the pack circles, discontent and tension thrumming through the bonds.
But Lia isn’t my only problem.
I stare at Badger and raise an eyebrow.
“Do we know who it is?”
Badger shifts his weight. The old biker worked with my father for many years. He’s a fixture of my childhood, teaching me how to hit, giving me my first drink, and teaching me how to treat people. I respect him, but more importantly, I trust him .
“It’s looking like it might be the kid.”
I raise a brow. “Kyle?” The prospect shows promise. He’s good, solid. I like him.
“No, Nick.”
I sit up straighter. “Nicky? But his father-”
“Is your dad’s VP, I know. I don’t believe it myself. All the evidence is saying so, but that ain’t the Lockwood we know, and it sure as shit ain’t his son. He’d kill his own kid before he’d raise a traitor.”
I scowl and look down at the desk. “You told Dad yet?”
Badger hesitates. “Not much to tell, yet.”
I nod my head. “Thanks, Badger.”
“Thing is, I’ve been looking over the finances, and I made some calls, and someone’s been adding fees on top. Not just to deliveries of bikes and cars, a few thousand here or there, but to clubs.”
I sit up. “And no one can name them, can they?”
“Oh, they can.”
For a moment, I get excited, but seeing his expression, it dies.
“Who is it?”
“You,” Badger says and sits back in his chair. “The person who authorised all these emails approving an extra ‘service’ fee is you.”
Rage flashes through me, making it hard to think. I clench my fists so I don’t upend my desk.
“Who is picking it up?”
“That’s the thing I’ve been checking, and it’s the kids. On every single trip out.”
“Who went with them?”
“That we didn’t keep track of.” Badger strokes his beard, frowning fiercely.
I groan. “All right, so we keep watch and keep tracking. How did we go with Ranger?”
“I can account for every club member. No one went near the Despair MC. I have checked security and everything I can think of. I can’t find where there is overlap.” Badger scratches his chin. “Could it just be coincidence?”
I shake my head. “No, they knew we always stop there. The regular attendant from that store was in an accident the night before. Hit and run.”
“If it smells like a rat-”
“It’s a fucking rat.”
Badger hums and looks up at the ceiling. “You can’t stay over there much longer. We need you here.”
“I know. But when I come back, I’ll be bringing her with us.”
Badger’s blue eyes open wide. “Finally made a move on her? It took you long enough. ”
I snarl at him, but it’s half-hearted. “She’s not what we thought she was.”
Badger waits.
“She’s resilient and strong, but she’s suffering, and she’s ours.”
“Well then, son, bring her home, call her your old lady and tell the club what’s what.”
I hold my breath, trying to dispel the uncomfortable feeling inside me.
“I keep seeing…” I trail off and look out the window. “I keep seeing my mother.”
Badger makes a sound in his throat of pain and surprise. “Zade, that was a fluke. No one expected that crazy bastard to come into the house.”
“He was from the Feenix MC-”
“He was about to be killed. Didn’t your dad tell you anything about this? That piece of shit was going to be killed. Cameron Smith came here because he was following bikes. He was so out of his damn mind. He was loco. Crazy. It could have happened anywhere.”
I stare at him. “Feenix was going to kill him?”
“Yeah, they were. Your dad lost his damn mind, though, and he chased Feenix out of this city. I think they were happy to go in the end. No one wants to be on the receiving end of your dad’s rage. He’s bloodthirsty, and he’s got no mercy.”
“In my nightmares, I see Lia laying on the floor,” I admit softly. “I see her where I saw my mother.”
Badger stands up and looks down at me. “You can’t live in fear, Zade. You have to find a way to move past what happened. Your mother, may she rest in peace, was one of the most beautiful souls. No one thought she belonged here as an old lady of our MC, but she was our heart. She would want you to be happy.”
I stand there, staring blindly as Badger’s words press into me.
Mills and Valen stalk into the room and stand in front of me. I look up, meeting their cold eyes.
“Well?” Mills asks.
I shake my head. “Not enough evidence.”
“Ranger wants to come home. He’s all but got Lia packed,” Valen says and sits on the edge of my desk. He reaches out and sets the swinging pendulum moving. The clack of the silver balls isn’t as satisfying as it normally is.
“I don’t know who tried to hurt Ranger. I don’t want to risk anyone’s life.”
“We know that, Zaden, but everyday Lia is over there, she is getting closer to her heat, and her scent is going to give her away. What happens if Mama Raines comes back?”
I let out a low, unconscious growl at the thought of that. My gaze finds Mills, who is always more quiet than anyone else in the pack.
“What do you think? ”
“I think it would be better for us to be together. It would be better for Lia to get used to our place before her heat hits.”
“Nicky.” I wait for them to understand what I’m talking about.
Mills’ eyes widen. “Nope. No way. I don’t believe it.”
I glance at Valen. “Not a chance in hell. Nicky would never do that.” There’s no doubt in his mind. I trust myself, but I feel better when my pack backs me up.
“Which means someone is framing him and trying to hurt the club.” I push a folder towards them. Mills flicks it open, his mouth parting as he takes in the tiny but numerous examples of evidence of the traitor in our ranks.
Valen moves to stand over his shoulder, but after a minute, his arm encircles Mills, and he leans against his back.
I frown, watching them. I wonder what Lia thinks of how we are with each other. She’s never said anything about it, but some people do find it uncomfortable. I’ve never cared before to even wonder over it. Touch between us is as natural as breathing. I love each and every one of them equally. They are mine, and I know that they all feel the same way.
And Lia fits in with us. She is mine as well.
I stand up.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to see Lia.”
Valen’s frown transforms into a sexy smile. I pause and retreat to my desk, pull open a drawer, and grab a key that I’ve had forever.
I leave the office and walk towards my bedroom, turning to the locked door. I unlock it and walk slowly inside.
It’s a nest. I didn’t mean to put it aside, but when I saw this room, even when I was young, I told Dad to lock it up and not let anyone in it.
Valen and Mills follow me in. They can see the changes I've made. It still needs some things. Especially since Lia found it and made it her own.
“Are you sure, Zaden?”
Tension melts out of me, and I nod. “Yes, set it up. Get everything ready. This will be Lia’s nest. She chose it.”
The room is massive, but it needs some new things. A new bed. New bookcases because Lia loves the smell of books. “Black tulle,” I murmur in amusement.
“I’ll go with a couple of the boys. Take Nicky with me and sus him out,” Mills says. “Find a bed.”
“Bookcases and a desk, too,” I say with a nod.
Valen and Mills exchange a look. “You and your desks. ”
I snarl at them both, but then Valen pounces, locking a leg around mine and pushing me off balance. I hit the ground as he slides down my body, but I stop him, pulling him back up and kissing him deeply.
I run my hand down his back and grip his ass, pulling him into me.
“Alpha,” Valen murmurs and grinds himself against me. “Let's go back to your office and lock the door.”
“You gonna bend over my desk like a good boy, Valen?”
“Well, not like a good boy, but I’ll bend over your desk,” Valen whispers. “Come and get that tension out. You know I can take it.”
“You want me to fuck the tension out on you?”
“Yes, I want that.”
I growl and roll us so that he’s under me; I grip his wrists and pin them to the floor. “Valen, I could just take it out on you now. Right here on this dusty floor.”
“Do it, then, Alpha, or are you all talk?”
He smirks, and it enrages me, and it brings me peace. I pin him in place and undo my pants, pulling them down and freeing my cock. I spin so that I’m straddling his head, and with one hand, I free his cock from his tight jeans.
Valen groans and laps at my cock with his tongue like it’s his favourite ice-cream. I hiss and engulf him in one smooth move, taking him right to the back of my throat.
Valen shouts and face bumps into my balls, but he opens his mouth and starts licking and sucking.
I focus on what I’m doing, but then Valen takes me into the hot heat of his mouth. It feels incredible. I moan around a mouthful of his cock and thrust gently into his mouth. His hands come up and encircle my ass, pulling me down.
“Valen,” I grumble.
“Give it to me!” my alpha growls.
I hiss and suck him harder, but Valen bites the tip of my dick, just a little bit, just enough to lose the rabid rage that lives inside me.
I let out a growl and thrust into his mouth, over and over. It’s so good, but it’s not enough, so I pull away from him and roll him over, pulling his hips up so he’s on his hands and knees.
“You’re such a shit, Valen.”
“You always say the sweetest things.”
I spit on my hand and swipe at his hole, pushing until my finger slips inside.
“You’re already wet,” I accuse.
“Ranger was stressed. ”
“Fuck!” I hiss, and grab my cock, pressing against him. Watching my cock disappear is mesmerising, but in moments, the urgency returns. I push into him. Slowly at first, and then with flesh-slapping thrusts.
I lean forward and grip his hair, yanking his head to the side so I can suck on his neck.
“You’re mine.”
“Yes,” Valen growls.
“Say it again.”
“I’m yours, Alpha.”
Ianto steps closer and kneels beside me. “Nothing is going to happen. We won’t let it. You are ours, Zaden.”
His soft kiss and Valen’s sharp teeth in my upper arm undo me. I roar my release as I scramble to hold my alphas to me.
Ianto gets up and goes to the door. He slowly shuts it and starts undressing.
“Where is Mills?”
“He called me and went to make sure Ranger and Lia are safe,” Ianto says with a fierce grin. “You know he loves to play, but he’s not good when we get like this.”
“Okay,” I murmur, still trying to catch my breath.
“I think you forgot that you aren’t a machine, Zaden,” Ianto growls. “It’s time for you to pay.”
I kneel there, shuddering, as Valen pulls free of my cock and turns around. He smiles wickedly as he pulls my shirt up over my head.
“You are not an island, Alpha.”
My head hangs.
Ianto pushes me down onto my hands and knees, his cold hands skimming the hot heat of my back.
“Apparently, our alpha needs a reminder that he’s got a pack.”
Valen smiles at me, and I feel a little part of me relax completely.