Chapter 59
CHAPTER
FIFTY-NINE
CHASSIS
Heleni smiles as she moves around her kitchen. I have no idea what she’s doing, but she’s really into it. I sip on the herbal tea she made me and just take in the morning. We’re on our third day here, and while Heleni’s hospitality is absolutely out of this world, I don’t want to be a burden.
Although I’m pretty sure my brother is enjoying every second.
A few days ago, she went and bought me some basics—some clothes, pajamas, underwear, and toiletries. It was sweet, and she didn’t have to, even though I can’t go anywhere, so the only other option was to order stuff online, and I’m not sure how long that would take to get out here in the boonies.
We are indeed in the damn boonies.
I’m almost finished with my tea when I hear my brother’s boots clomp into the room. Turning my head, I watch as he makes his way toward the table and sinks down in the chair across from mine.
He’s not looking at me. His focus is on Heleni and only Heleni. I start to stand to give them their space when his head whips around and his eyes find mine. They focus on me before he tilts his head to the side and dips his chin… effectively pinning me to my spot.
“Shit went down,” he announces.
Shifting my gaze from his to Heleni, I watch as her spine straightens. There is a moment of silence, and then her shoulders fall. Tearing my focus from her, I look back to my brother. I start to ask him what went down, but he shakes his head once. My lips press together as I try to keep quiet.
I’m not sure what exactly my brother is going to say or how much he’s going to explain. I can’t imagine he’d divulge too much information with Heleni standing here, but then again, I don’t know how much she’s aware of about the club and his life—about my life.
“Shit has gone down with the Russians. Samuil isn’t an issue any longer.”
The way Gauge is saying this makes it sound like there is still an issue, so I hold my breath as I wait for him to continue. “Rocky isn’t either.”
My heart slams against my chest at the mention of her name. Leaning closer, I whisper to him, “Not an issue because she’s taken care of, or not an issue because she got what she wanted?”
And what she wanted was my fucking husband, but I don’t say that part out loud. If Amos chooses her, then I know that whatever we had wasn’t real. It was all just a fantasy that I allowed myself to believe could be a reality.
I can’t stop my heart from slamming against my chest. Panic fills me at the idea that it wasn’t real, that I was duped yet again by a man I allowed myself to fall for. And when it comes to Amos, I actually fell in love with him.
I know that I never loved Samuil. I was manipulated by him, and I wanted so badly for it to be real, but subconsciously, I knew it wasn’t.
It’s not the same with Amos. I know I love him, and it’s going to kill me when I hear the words that Gauge is about to tell me.
That he is with Rocky. That he chose her over me.
“Because she’s taken care of.”
My eyes widen before I blink once at his words. I was not expecting them at all. Even though I asked the question, I was only expecting one answer—and it isn’t the one I was given. It takes me completely off guard.
“Seriously?” I ask.
“Russians took care of that little problem.”
I start to ask what the issue is since it seems the Russians took out the trash. But there must be more to this story, so I don’t say anything. I let him talk because I want to know what the hell is going on.
He reaches out and takes my hand, and then he squeezes gently. I don’t know what is going to come out of his mouth next. Clearly, this is something he thinks is big, because he’s taking his sweet-ass time to tell me.
“Samuil pissed off the leader of his group. He’s not dead, but he has been sent away.”
“To where?” I ask on an exhale.
Gauge shifts in his chair slightly. “To Russia. I don’t know what the fuck that means for him, but I’m pretty sure that it’s nothing good.”
“I feel like I should be celebrating because both of those are good things for me, but I can tell you’ve got more to add.”
He chuckles before he continues. “Yeah,” he murmurs, “I’ve got more to add.”
I hold my breath for a moment, then let it out slowly before he continues. I’m not sure what he’s going to add, what he’s going to tell me, but it can’t be good if he’s taking this long to spit it out.
“They got Dare.”
I don’t speak. I’m not sure what words to say, because I’m trying to picture in my head what that means. Dare is the president of the Iron Flame. There is no reality in the world that could possibly mean anything bad happened to him.
“Please tell me what that means,” I whisper, trying to stay calm. My heart slams so hard against my ribs that I just know this is when it bursts out of my body and lands on the floor beside my chair.
He doesn’t say anything immediately. The suspense is tearing apart my insides, but then he smirks. I don’t know how to read the smirk, how to read him or this situation, and I don’t like it.
When he finally speaks, I feel like I can finally breathe again—at least a little anyway.
But not enough that I feel relieved. Gauge leans in close, his words coming out low, almost a whisper, but just loud enough that I can hear him.
I’m not sure if Heleni can or not, and right now, I don’t care. All I want is to know if Amos is okay.
“Because of how everything went down, Dare agreed to do some work for them. Work the club is not going to like.”
“Gauge, if you don’t start talking right now, I just might kill you, then resurrect you and demand you start talking.”
My brother’s lips twitch, then he clears his throat. “He’s going to talk to Dad, and he’s going to discuss a merger between the entire Iron Flame MC and the Perov Bratva.”
“No,” I hiss.
“It’s the only way to keep you safe.”
“No,” I say a bit louder as I stand, the chair flying back slightly.
This motion causes Heleni to finally move, spinning around to face us, but I can’t pay attention to her.
My focus is on Gauge and only Gauge. I know my father is never going to go for that, my safety be damned.
He’d find another way, send me away, something else.
But working with the Bratva? Absolutely not.
I’m fucked. Amos is fucked.