Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
Hellhound
Two Weeks Later . . .
“How do two fuckin’ druggies disappear into thin air?
” I growl, slamming the wrench down on the workbench.
I’ve been out here in the garage off to the side of the clubhouse working on a restoration project.
Ghost, Beast, and Tombstone decided to join me.
Mostly to get away from the girls inside.
Juniper, Josephine, and Everleigh were all visiting.
While two of those women aren’t bad to be around, they’re actually cool.
One of them, we all know who, gets on our nerves.
“Brother, cool it,” Ghost mutters, narrowing his gaze. “We’re all looking for the fuckers. You know that. Shit, I get this is some stressful shit. But you gotta keep your calm. Otherwise, we’ll end up having to lock you down, Hellhound, and I know you don’t want that to happen.”
“No one’s lockin’ me down,” I sneer, shooting him a glare, then level my look on each of my brothers. “I just don’t like this shit. Dexter’s dead. We didn’t get to ask him questions, and I sure as fuck didn’t get to make him suffer for what he did to Bells.”
“We’ll find the druggies, and we’ll make them talk. Find the answers to give to Isabelle,” Tombstone states, crossing his arms over his chest, making himself look even bigger than he already is.
I nod and blow out a breath and look to the opening leading to the outside. “It bugs the shit out of me not knowing where these fuckers are hiding.”
“I think it’s getting to all of us,” Beast grunts, jerking his chin up in agreement. “You see Scythe and Styxx?”
“Yeah, they’re stressing the fuck out. Styxx even called Finnegan himself, and you know he doesn’t like his cousin in club shit,” Tombstone responds.
“Who would? Finnegan is a crazy fucker, but he’s agreed to a sit-down that’s supposed to be happening tomorrow,” I add and check the time.
Seeing it’s nearly six, I mutter a curse.
“I’ve got to get going. I’m riding out, swinging by the hospital, checking on Stella, then got to go grab the food.
I told Isabelle we’d do something tonight. No way I’m taking her out.”
Tombstone chuckles, and Ghost quirks a brow.
“You ever gonna get shit straight between you and Stella?” Beast asks cautiously.
I shrug in response. “Don’t know. What I do know is that along with making sure Isabelle stays safe, I’ve got a sister who needs looking after.”
Tombstone stills at my announcement. With everything going on, I haven’t had the chance to fill them in on what Connor told me about the marriage contract.
It hasn’t been imperative that they know anything about it yet.
But the longer it takes for my cousin to get back to me, the more I start to think of something else.
Connor isn’t one for delaying in getting something done, and I know he doesn’t want to break alliances while starting a war.
The way of life in the mafia relies on alliances and networking.
Most hold their truths together through marriages between families.
My father lucked out and left the life with our grandfather’s blessing since our uncle didn’t mind being head of the house.
It worked for him, and my dad wasn’t the suit and tie kinda guy.
He preferred his Harley and taught me to be the same.
“You wanna elaborate on that?” Tombstone asks, his brows meeting as he frowns.
“Not much to know at the moment. Just that there’s a marriage contract for my little sister, and I’m not letting her go through with it. She doesn’t know about it, and I want to keep it that way. While doing that, I’ll keep her safe,” I retort grimly.
“How about you handle taking care of your ol’ lady, and I’ll keep an eye on your sister?” Ghost suggests.
“We’ll all help in taking care of her. Make sure nothing happens.” Tombstone nods. “She’s become a good friend of Sutton’s, and I’m not about to have my ol’ lady pissed.”
I smirk and shake my head. “Right, you wouldn’t want Sutton cutting you off.”
“Fuck, no, I don’t want her cuttin’ me off. Like she would anyways.” The corner of his lip tilts up as he grins.
The four of us close up the garage while Beast and Ghost both agree to take two shifts in looking out for Stella. We’d get someone else to take the next two after them.
Out of the corner of my eye, something moves, catching my attention, but when I spin on my heel to head in that direction, it’s gone.
“Tombstone, get Ghoul and Goblin to do a trek through the woods. Not just the outer perimeter,” I mutter quietly for only him to hear me. My guts telling me something ain’t right.
Tombstone nods, and we head for the clubhouse.
The moment we enter, I groan and wish I’d stayed outside cause the first thing to hit my ears is Juniper’s annoying voice.
The woman’s only saving grace is Isabelle.
If it weren’t for her being one of my woman’s friends, I’d have told her to kick rock the first time I met her.
She gets on my ever-loving mind with her attention-seeking.
Meeting Isabelle’s smile, I move straight to where she’s lounging between Sutton and Everleigh on the couch. I lean down and press a kiss to the top of her head.
“You ready for food, Bells?” I ask, straightening.
She gives me a shy smile, blushes, and bites her lower lip as she nods.
What the fuck is up with blushing? Better yet, the biting of her lower lip? She damn well knows that goes straight to my dick every time.
I open my mouth to ask her about it when, to our right, I hear a sharp gasp and glass breaking. I whip my head in the direction to see Ivy staggering slightly as she cries out in pain.
“Reaper,” I roar, calling for my Prez while rushing to Ivy’s side along with Tombstone and Daemon.
Reaper and Angel come running. Reaper’s eyes widen when he sees Ivy and quickens his pace.
“I got you, Precious,” he mutters and lifts her in his arms.
“I’ll get the truck,” Angel states, moving for the doors.
Everything seems to go in a blur of motion in a moment.
Isabelle comes up next to me, and I wrap an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into my side.
“Guess our plans changed, ugh?” she whispers, leaning her head against me.
I glance down at her and grin. “Yeah, I guess they have. But don’t worry, I’ll make it up to you later.”
“I’ll hold you to it.” She smiles brightly. “Now, let’s go see if Ivy and Reaper are going to have a boy or girl.”