Lakelyn
It had been a nail-biting night. As the hours slipped by after the men left to take care of the Jacquots, I found myself unable to sit still.
River tried to get me to play pool and darts with him.
When those failed, he wanted us to watch television.
That was a hard no. When my brother suggested I go to the house and sleep, I glowered at him and gave him the middle finger.
He gave up after that and just kept me company.
The Kings left behind either went about their duties or talked to us.
No one was admitted to the compound tonight, and the women who came from town were sent away disappointed.
Alice, Bailey, and Kendall were in and out of the common room.
They knew the club was out on a run, and it was dangerous.
They had no clue who it involved or that Mera was wrapped up in it.
It had been hard to hear them speculating about where she was.
I wanted to say something, but it wasn’t my place.
I hated that Bailey was worried about her cousin.
I tried to stay clear of her so I wouldn’t blurt out that the vindictive bitch was a prisoner in the dungeon.
It was almost three o’clock in the morning when the sound of engines outside had me jumping to my feet. I would’ve run outside, but Crypto, who was in the room with us now, halted me. The rest stood uncertainly behind me.
“Pres messaged me that he wants everyone to stay inside. He’ll explain when he gets in here. It’s important,” he whispered to River and me.
The way he glanced over our shoulders told me the directive somehow pertained to the sluts. As much as I wanted to ignore Crypto, I wouldn’t.
“Okay, I’ll wait, but he better not take too long,” I grumbled, making Crypto grin.
Facing the sluts, I pointed to the tables and chairs. “We need to stay here and wait. Tyrant and the others will be in when they can.”
Kendall and Alice listened, but Bailey gave me a haughty look.
“I need to speak to Tyrant. He needs to know my cousin has gone missing. None of you seems to care. I bet it’s because you forced her out.
That’s not your place. It’s Tyrant’s. You’re just jealous that he has feelings for her and will soon return to her bed, and you’ll be out in the cold.
You wait and see. Mera will be his old lady soon enough,” she assured me.
“Bailey, I’d worry about myself and let my cousin worry about what she did or didn’t do. For the record, I had nothing to do with why she’s not here. As for Mera taking over my spot in Tyrant’s bed, it’s never happening. I know that for a fact. I may not know much else, but I do know that.”
She tried to walk past me but was told firmly by Crypto to sit her ass down and stay there.
Bailey flounced over to drop into a chair.
She crossed her arms over her chest, crossed her legs at her knees, and bounced her foot impatiently.
She reminded me of a petulant child who was denied their favorite toy. It was hard not to laugh.
I jiggled my leg as I stared at the door.
When it finally opened, I jumped to my feet and moved toward it.
The first one through the door was Tyrant, followed by Scythe and more brothers.
I had eyes only for my man. I quickly examined his person to see if he was injured.
The only place that appeared to be marred was his hands.
They were scraped and bloody, with swollen, red knuckles.
They looked painful. I rushed to him. No one tried to stop me.
Tyrant’s scowling face changed to a smiling one, and he held open his arms. I sank into them and placed my cheek on his chest. My arms hugged him to me, and his arms wrapped around me.
“I missed you, babe. Are you alright? Is it over? What happened to your hands?” I rambled.
One of his arms let go of me, and it raised my chin so I was staring up at him.
His mouth descended on mine, and he thoroughly kissed me.
I eagerly twined my tongue around his. It took several attempts to pull apart entirely.
When we did, I saw we were the center of everyone’s attention. Tyrant chuckled under his breath.
“I’ll explain later. First, I need to take care of one last thing, and it can’t wait. I want this entire ugly affair resolved. Just know, you and your brother are safe,” he reassured me.
“Did anyone on our side get hurt? Can you at least tell me that?” I asked.
“No, bébé, none of ours were seriously hurt or killed. There are a few scratches, but nothing to worry about. My hands are the worst.”
I sagged in relief. He turned me so we could face the center of the room. “Alice, Bailey, and Kendall are to come with me. The rest of you are free to come or remain here. The rest who aren’t back will return as soon as possible. This lesson can’t wait,” he stated gruffly.
His tone made me want to shiver. The women exchanged worried expressions.
“Lakelyn, you should probably stay here. It’s not going to be pretty,” Tyrant softly warned me.
“I don’t care. I know this has to do with you-know-who. I want to be there regardless of whether it’s ugly.”
“Then let’s go. I need to be curled up in bed and inside of you as soon as I can.” His words flooded my body with warmth, and I became aroused.
As we left the clubhouse and went outside in the dark, it seemed all the Kings present were behind us.
Walking between them and us were the sluts.
The walk wasn’t a far one. When we reached outside the storage building closest to the clubhouse, Tyrant stopped and faced the crowd.
There were exterior lights so we could see each other.
“What you’re about to see is a lesson I want you all to remember.
I don’t want this to be any of you. And while you may think there’s a mistake, I can guarantee there hasn’t been.
What happens at this club stays here. Anyone caught talking about this or revealing anything that can harm anyone connected to this club will be dealt with in a manner you won’t like, up to and including the same as you’re about to witness.
” Tyrant’s coldness was apparent. I did shiver.
It earned me a gentle rub of his hand up and down my arm.
We turned back to the door, and Drax held it open.
Walking inside, I didn’t know what to expect.
What I found was a large building like any other, where you might store a lot of cars, crates, or equipment.
The thing that stood out was the chair in the middle, and the woman tied to it. Her head hung down.
The noise our entry made had her raising her head.
She was muzzled. When she saw us, her eyes widened, and she began to scream behind her gag.
She tried to wiggle, but there was no way she was getting free.
I heard feminine gasps, and then I was jostled as Bailey pushed past me and ran to her cousin.
She sank to her knees next to the chair Mera was tied to.
“What did they do to you? Oh my God, Mera, why?” she moaned. Her hand went up to remove the gag, but Brutus was next to them now, and he caught her hand and shook his head.
“You don’t touch anything unless Tyrant says it’s okay. You need to listen, Bailey. It’s for your sake,” he warned her.
“My sake? How can it be? You have my cousin tied up like some animal. What is the meaning of this? Why is she here?” She looked back at Tyrant.
“I don’t know what this is, but you let her go,” she demanded.
“No, I won’t. The reason Mera is tied up and gagged is that she earned it,” he sternly told the young woman.
“I don’t believe that! What could she have done that earned her this?” Bailey asked in outrage.
“She threatened my old lady. You know that’s not tolerated,” Tyrant told her.
Bailey glanced at me and scowled. “So you take her word, someone you’ve known barely a month, over my cousin, who has been a part of your club for two years? That’s ridiculous. She’s lying.”
“Bailey, stop and think before you speak,” Brutus warned her.
“Like hell, I will! Everything around here went smoothly until she and her brother showed up out of nowhere. Suddenly, she’s causing trouble, and now this.
I don’t believe she’s who she says she is, Tyrant.
I think she was sent here to cause problems. Send them away and let Mera go.
You’ll see I’m telling the truth. Kick Lakelyn out,” she demanded.
“Bails, I don’t believe she’s lying or causing trouble. I’ve gotten to know Lakelyn. You have to. She’s been nothing but nice to us. The only one who did anything was Mera when she attacked her in the clubhouse. Mera was warned and must not have listened for this to happen,” Alice defended me.
“Yeah, you’d defend her, Alice. You’ve been kissing her ass and hanging out with her.
Do the others know that? She’s been alone at Tyrant’s house with Lakelyn.
I wonder what they were talking about, or I should say, what plan they concocted.
Is this your doing, Alice? Did you and that bitch set up my cousin?
” Bailey snapped. She was on her feet. I felt the tension growing in Tyrant.
I didn’t want this to escalate. It would be terrible enough for Bailey.
“Bailey, I didn’t concoct a lie about your cousin. And yes, while Alice and I have talked alone a few times, it had nothing to do with Mera. I have nothing against any of you as long as you don’t touch Tyrant or come after my brother and me.”
“Yeah, sure you don’t. Everyone knows that old ladies hate women like us. You’re jealous that we had your man before you and that he enjoyed sex with us, probably more than he does with you,” she snarked.