Chapter 42
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
RATTLER
“Prez…” I hover at the entrance to his office, hoping for an excuse not to go in. I’m worried as fuck about leaving Ames alone with her so-called friend. I don’t trust that bitch further than I could throw her, and at present, that wouldn’t be very far.
“Know what you’re thinking, Brother. But come sit. We got this covered.”
“I’ll help you,” Genie comes around from where he’d been standing behind Prez’s desk, and supports my arm while Freak also provides assistance by removing my crutches.
I sigh once I’m seated. Then I realise what I’m hearing.
It’s Satin’s voice, and she’s coming over clearly through the speaker on Bullseye’s desk. “You’re not safe here,” she tells Ames.
“I’m safer here than anywhere,” Ames replies.
“No you’re not.” Satin’s voice lowers, but we can here her clearly. That bug Dee had to have planted is obviously top-notch. “I had a visit from a man called Rodion Volvok. He explained everything…”
“The Russian?” Ames says it in the way she might have said the bogeyman, and she’s not wrong.
“He’s a lovely man, Ames. I…”
There’s a loud gasp, then Ames indignantly interrupts. “It’s true? You set me up? You took that night off because you knew he was coming?” Good girl, I think to myself. Challenge Satin on her lies.
“What? No. I did have period pains the night you got involved with that asshole, Rat.” I clench my fists, but quickly get back to listening.
“Hell, girl, can you imagine what it’s like swinging yourself around the pole when your stomach’s trying to kill you?
And as for stripping, when I get it heavy like that, I’d have to have been wearing pads. ”
That’s too much information for us men. We all grimace.
“When did you see him then?”
“After you disappeared. He found out my address and came to visit me. Ames, he was so worried about you. Malachi was only trying to find you so he could introduce you to him. When he heard you thought your brother wanted to kill you, he laughed and said that was ridiculous.”
I growl, hoping she isn’t drawing Ames in.
She isn’t. My woman’s next words confirm it, her tone abrupt. “I know what I heard, Satin. Malachi needed my money.”
“Your inheritance. Yes, Rodion mentioned that. Ames, he hated my place when he saw how you’d been living. He wants to meet you, and oh boy…” she breaks off.
Freak complains, “I wish we had visual.” He gets chin lifts of agreement.
Satin continues, “He’s fucking hot. I’d be all over that if I had a chance.
” There’s a pause, but Ames doesn’t fill the gap.
After the pregnant pause, the stripper continues.
“He said Malachi was remorseful that he’d chased you away, that you’d had no choice but to degrade yourself working at Royals. ”
“I was waitstaff.”
“You were, yes. But you should have been at college, studying for your degree. Malachi wanted to give you that life back.”
There’s a feminine snort which comes from Ames. “If that’s what the Russian told you, he was lying. Malachi needed my money for himself not for me. And killing me was one way of getting it.”
“He’s your brother, Ames. He would never hurt you. He loves you, and that’s why he was doing what he thought best.”
Freak leans forward. “Satin has no fuckin’ idea he’s dead.”
“Volkov must know he’s missing by now,” Saint remarks.
I gesture at them to be quiet, Ames is talking again. “I know he had an alternative plan for me…”
“You knew about Rodion Volkov?” Satin breaks off for a moment, and I suspect Ames has nodded or given another signal of confirmation. “Ames, have you fucking seen him? Here, I’ve got a picture on my phone.”
“Dee had a device in his pocket that could clone her phone when he brought the drinks,” Genie tells us, rolling his eyes. “Don’t people know about RFID?” He taps at his laptop, then turns it around. “This is what she’s showing Ames.”
We all lean forward. There’s a photo of an extremely well-dressed man who looks to be in his late thirties or early forties.
His face? Well, he’s pretty enough if you’re into that kind of thing.
I’m obviously not. The only way I’d get involved with him is up close and personal with my fists and rearrange that smug rich bastard’s so-called handsome features.
“This is Rodion. He’s a fucking ten. Girl, I’d fucking cream my pants if he wanted to wife me.
” Ames obviously doesn’t give the answer Satin’s expecting, as she adds in a persuasive tone, “He’s loaded, Ames.
He’d be able to support you through school.
And just look at him? He’d know how to give you a fucking good time. ”
Tempest takes a closer look at the picture. “How the fuck can she tell that from a photo?”
“She’s met him,” I remind the sergeant-at-arms. He slaps himself on the head.
“Not my taste.” Ames’s voice comes across clearly. “I prefer men closer to my age.”
“You’d be set for life. Ames, won’t you just meet him? That’s all he wants. I’ve spoken to him. I know you’d like him. I think you two would hit it off like a house on fire.”
“Is meddling and matchmaking what this is about, Satin? I thought you were coming to see me to catch up as friends. Yet here you are spouting the merits of a man I’ve never met, something I don’t want to rectify.”
“Oh, Ames, don’t be like that. I know he’d be good for you.
He’ll get you away from these bastard Kings who are holding you captive and keeping you locked down.
The bastards haven’t let you out for weeks, and they wouldn’t tell me anything about you when I asked.
Look, just meet him. He’s waiting for my call. He could be here in minutes.”
Bullseye grabs his phone and starts stabbing at the screen. My own device pings. Looking at it I see he’s sent a group text.
Prez: Get your asses to the clubhouse. Russians lurking nearby.
Satin’s still talking, her tone sweet and sickly as she tries to be persuasive.
“Meet him. Hey, let him wine and dine you. Just give him a chance. That’s all he’s asking.
I just want you to know you’ve got options girl, and you don’t have to stay here trapped with the Kings.
” She pauses, then adds, “Malachi’s gone off the radar. I’m worried for you.”
“There’s no need to worry about me.” I can imagine Ames giving a dismissive shrug.
“But think, Ames. Rodion told me you’re worth a hell of a lot of money.
This club of criminals might want to get their hands on it.
Rodion can protect you. I’ve got his assurance, that because of his relationship with your brother, he’d offer marriage, but if you turned him down, he’d still help you.
” Again her voice lowers and hisses, “He’s got to be a better bet than the Kings. ”
“Stalker’s going to fuckin’ kill me,” Freak snarls, “But he’s just lost one of his headliners.”
“I don’t want to meet him,” Ames says firmly.
“You’re not even going to think about it?” Satin asks. “Ames, you’re only nineteen. You’ve got six years to wait until you come into your money. What the fuck are you going to do? Don’t be stupid. You need someone to look after you. God knows I tried…
The sound of a chair scraping across the floor comes to our ears. “Satin, I trusted you. I thought you had my best interests at heart…”
“I do.”
“No you don’t. How much did this Rodion offer you? I’m not going to fucking marry anyone, as I’m already married. And very happily.”
I preen. I can’t help it. She’s happy with me? Fuck yeah. Must have been the orgasm which convinced her. Bullseye notices the grin on my face.
“Get your head back in the game, Rat.”
“He can be taken care of.” I sit up as sharply as the others. Satin’s tone has turned sinister. It has the hairs on the back of my neck rising.
“Satin?” Now it’s Ames voice that is concerning. That one word was issued with trepidation.
“Come outside with me now.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you. You’re working with the Russian. How much is he paying you?”
“Don’t bother your silly little head about that. Just come with me, now, and no one’s going to get hurt.”
Saint’s already moving as I shout, “Get out there now.”
Bullseye, Tempest and Freak leave the room, while I sit there helplessly.
“Put the gun away, Satin. You won’t get out of here alive if you shoot me.”
“What? That deadbeat behind the bar going to stop me?”
“You better fuckin’ believe I am,” I hear Dee’s voice. And then a shot, and Ames’ scream.
It’s followed by Satin’s snarl, “Guess your brother was right. You’re worth more dead than alive. I kill you, he gets the money.”
There’s another gunshot, shouting, and more screaming. In utter panic I try to gather my crutches. Having a bomb strapped to me was nothing like the fear I’m now experiencing.
“Situation contained,” Saint’s voice comes over the speaker. “Ames is fine. Her girl? Not so much. Dee’s got a through and through but he’s still breathing.”
Bullseye comes to help me get my crutches under me, then holds the door open. I put on a good turn of speed for a man whose legs should barely be able to support him, moving on pure adrenaline. Despite Saint’s reassurance, I won’t feel okay until I set eyes on Ames for myself.
She’s standing, just beyond the table where the girls had been sitting. I pass Dee, catching the words that he says to Prez, clearly trying to make light of the situation.
“Lucky for me she was a bad shot.”
Then I’m at my woman’s side. She’s in shock.
Her face has gone white, and her eyes are wide, just staring at Satin’s body.
She’s shaking uncontrollably, and when I drop my crutches to pull her into my arms, I don’t think she’s fully aware that I’m there.
When I bring her to me, she’s stiff as a plank.
Turning so that I’m between her and Satin, I hold her tight, moving my arms up and down her back, willing her to relax and come back to me.
Not knowing what else to do, I murmur inconsequential comments into her ear, just as she’d done when I’d woken from my nightmare.
She’s never going to wake from her. Despite all my misgivings that I tried to share with her, she remained loyal to her friend.
Now she’s not only been betrayed, she’s lost the one person she put her complete faith in.
The woman who originally helped her escape from her brother.
Satin was clearly swayed by the money once she found out how much Ames was worth, and wanted a payday for herself.
If it hadn’t been for Dee distracting her and whichever of my brothers who’d fired the shot, Ames could be the one lying on the floor.
I’m comforting her, but really, I’m reassuring myself that she’s still alive.
How long I just stand and hold her, I don’t know. I hear brothers moving around me, but nothing’s more important than her. After a while, I feel a hand on my shoulder, and look around to see Saint.
“Brother,” he says. Just one word. But there’s a wealth of emotion in it, as if he knows exactly what I’m thinking, how close I came to losing her. He understands, he’d be in the same state if it was Pippa.
For a long time I didn’t understand how one woman could come to mean the world to me. I feel guilty knowing how much I mocked him, Short and Freak, and how I could never understand what they were feeling. I get it now. I could so easily have lost her.
“Rattler, bring her over to the couch, she needs to sit down. Bron’s going to finish dealing with Dee, then she’ll come over.”
“Let me help,” Trixie appears at my side. “I’ve got her, you follow.”
Freak holds out the crutches I’d dropped.
I really don’t want to let her go. That she seems to have shut down worries me.
So I take the walking aids from the enforcer, not for the first time mentally cursing Stone, annoyed I need them.
I should be able to take care of my woman.
Trixie takes her weight from me, and leads her over to one of the sofas.
By the time I get there, Freak’s woman has got her to sit down.
But she moves like an automaton, as if unaware of what she’s doing.
Freak’s there to take my crutches from me, so I can sit beside her.
“Lay her down,” a strangely authoritative voice demands.
I sigh with relief recognising Bronwyn. Freak and Trixie help, encouraging Ames to lie down.
I start to move, but Bron instructs, “Stay where you are, Rat. Put her feet on your legs and hold them up if you can?” Then she makes another demand, “Someone get a blanket, we need to keep her warm.” Within seconds someone complies, and Bron covers her.
She then looks around, before saying, “Everyone back off, give her some space.”
When the concerned onlookers have moved to a discreet distance, and it’s now just me, Ames and her, Bronwyn opens the medical bag she brings with her when we need her in an official capacity.
She wraps the blood pressure cuff around Ames’s arm and attaches it to a monitor.
“Her BP is only slightly raised, but her heart’s racing.
Keep talking to her Rat, make sure your voice is calm. ”
I’ll do anything to help her. Rubbing her feet I let words spill from my mouth. “You’re okay, Ames. You’re safe. I’ve got you. Fuck, I’ve always got you…” I catch Bronwyn’s frown and quick shake of her head as I let my own emotion show. I swallow hard, trying to overcome my own panic.
“There, you’re coming back to us now, aren’t you?” I notice that as Bron speaks, Ames’s face has more colour. And that she’s started to move of her own volition, trying to remove the blanket.
And now she even attempts to speak. “Satin…”
“Shush, it’s okay now,” I croon.
Ames shakes her head, tears glisten and threaten to fall. “She was going to kill me.” She turns wide eyes to Bronwyn. “I thought she was my friend. I never dreamed she’d be capable… I never saw it coming. I trusted her.” She gulps. “What does it say about me?”
Short’s old lady continues to know just what to say. “Wasn’t so long ago the club had a prospect who was a plant. These men were all taken in.”
I frown slightly, the way she’s talking makes it sound like we were all gullible. But then we were, weren’t we?
“Who someone chooses to present themselves as to the world is down to them, not to the people who were deceived. Ask Rat, there were no signs that suggested the prospect was going to betray them, until he did.”
“You tried to warn me.” Her eyes find mine.
I continue rubbing her feet, being too far away to take hold of her hand. “Ames, you knew her better than anyone. Sure, we had suspicions, but they were circumstantial. As Bronwyn says, it was her who lied to you, you did nothing wrong.”