Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
TORCH
W hen Wrenley left with Death and Raya, I knew she’d be safe getting home with them at her side. Which was why I didn’t leave right after. Instead, I made my way to Tech’s room.
“What?” my computer-freak brother called when I knocked.
Opening the door, I paused. I’d wanted to talk to Tech alone, but Blaze was there. He was a new club person, who I was still getting used to. He seemed like an okay guy, but he’d been into shit my prez didn’t like, so I wasn’t going to trust him easily.
“Bonjour, Torch.” I glanced to the side where the couch was, and there sat Henri, Blaze’s man and Dusty’s boss. He was a cool guy. Never feared me. Then again, he was dating a man who could be classed scarier than me.
“Henri.” I nodded.
He smiled up at me while he flicked to a new page in his magazine. “I’m bored, Torch. Tell me you have something I can do.”
“Henri,” Blaze warned.
Grinning, I liked the fact that Blaze obviously didn’t trust me either.
Maybe we’d work on it. Maybe we wouldn’t. It was no skin off my nose.
Henri sighed and dropped his magazine beside him. His man hadn’t even turned from the computer he tapped away on. Tech sat at another desk beside him, typing just as fast.
“They are like this all the time.” Henri waved a hand toward the two men. “Work, work, work. If my Blaze is not careful, I will find someone else to warm my body?—”
“Like fuck,” Blaze snarled, swinging around in his seat.
Henri cackled.
Tech sighed and stretched. “I guess we’re finishing this shit another day?” He spun in his chair to face our way.
Blaze stood and stalked over to Henri, picked him up, and flung him over his shoulder. It was lucky Henri laughed because my hand twitched to stop Blaze’s movement. Anger tried to surface, but I reminded myself that Henri was okay.
I didn’t like anyone being touched without wanting it.
It brought the bad memories forward.
“Torch?”
I swung my gaze to Tech. His attention flicked down to my hand and back up to me. I realized I’d pulled my knife without even a thought. Memories had triggered the movement to keep me safe.
I slipped away the blade and nodded to Tech and then chanced a glance to Blaze just as Henri smacked his ass. “What’s the holdup?” he asked, not knowing Blaze was eyeing me as if I was going to be a problem.
I wasn’t.
“All good,” I told him and grinned.
Blaze narrowed in on my smile. Shit, maybe I shouldn’t have.
He grunted, and I moved from the doorway in time for him to strut out while Henri waved back at us. “Au revoir.”
Snorting, I shook my head. That guy was cool.
I turned to Tech as he asked, “What can I do for you, brother?”
Walking over, I took the seat Blaze vacated. “Need a favor.”
He rocked side to side in his swivel chair and raised a brow at me. “You know the deal. Tell me what it is first before I agree.”
Nodding, I tapped a couple of fingers to my knee. “You know who Wrenley is?”
His other brow shot up with the first. “Brother?—”
“Wait. Hear me out. I ain’t lookin’ at hookin’ up or anythin’. She’s too….” Sweet, soft, and gentle. Not for me.
When Tech clasped me on my shoulder, I brought my head up. “Brother, I didn’t mean anythin’ by that. You deserve happiness, Torch. I’m not sayin’ you can’t go for Wren. All I was gonna say is good luck tryin’ to get through Death to have somethin’ with her.”
Smirking, I shook my head. “Nah, I don’t want anythin’.”
He leaned back in his chair. “You sure?” When I nodded, he added, “Then what’s this favor?”
If I didn’t get it out quickly, he’d say no straightaway, so I blurted fast, “Need you to hack her phone to see who’s texting her because there’s someone on there she doesn’t like. It dulls her eyes. It makes her tense. She needs help.”
His jaw clenched as he studied me. Groaning, he ran a hand over his face. “Brother, this is a fuckin’ pickle. If I help you, then I’m invading her privacy, and not only would she be after me, but Raya and Death would come for me too.”
I waited.
He had a sister. A twin. I knew he wouldn’t like that Wrenley was being hassled.
“Jesus Christ,” he bit out, turning toward the computer. “If I do this, don’t tell anyone it came from me.”
I grinned. “My lips are sealed.”
He rolled his eyes. “Right, give me time. I’ll call you when I’m done. Probably tomorrow since I’m not superhuman and need sleep.”
“Thanks, brother.” I stood and made my way to the door still grinning.
“Torch,” Tech called, and when I faced him, he said, “I’m going to make the choice if you need to intervene from what I find out.”
“Fair.” I trusted Tech.
“ And if I think it needs your attention, you can’t go off like a damn bomb, brother. You need to keep your head, and I’ll be helpin’ if there’s a situation.”
I stretched my neck from side to side. “I’ll try to stay calm. And I’ll accept your help.”
“Shit,” Tech drew out as he watched me. “If it’s also needed, we tell Country.”
“If I don’t agree to that, will you not look into it?”
“I won’t.”
I tipped my chin up. “Okay.”
Tech nodded once before he spun back around, and I left. It wasn’t like I didn’t trust Country. I did. Completely. He’d helped me after…. Still, there was a chance he’d stop me from finding whoever made sweet Wrenley sour. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to listen to Country or Tech if they tried to hold me back.
We’d soon see.
Tech was smart with computers. It wouldn’t take him long, and even if it did take him until tomorrow, it still impressed me. I didn’t understand much about technology, and when I had to learn for jobs at Death’s security business or the escort agency, it sometimes took the brothers a few goes explaining before it sank in.
They were patient, though. Always had been. Which was good since I liked to work at both places when I could. But I preferred the security office.
As I walked through the common area, I nodded to the brothers who caught my attention but otherwise left them alone. It was a party night. Most were busy drinking, hanging with their partner for the night or their claimed other half.
When I was younger and had become a full member, I used to drink. Used to smoke pot too. But both messed with my head too much. I also ended up in more fights than normal. Not with any of the brothers. I respected them too much to throw my bullshit at them. But if I was away from the club and some guy did something that pissed me off, yeah, I hadn’t held back. Back then, I triggered quicker when it came to fucked-up situations.
Now, though, I was called in when rough circumstances needed my kind of crazy. Still, my brothers loved me no matter what I was thinking or what mood I was in. They were there for me if I needed them. Like I would always be for them.
I pushed open the front door and made my way to my vehicle. I wasn’t taking my ride. It made too much noise. I wanted to be unheard and unseen.
Would Wrenley be in bed by now?
Could Raya be at Death’s, leaving Wrenley alone in the house?
If it weren’t weird, I would have asked Death what his plans were with his old lady, where they would sleep. But that’d also give away that I was up to something. So far, he hadn’t found my nightly hidden spot, and I wanted to keep it that way.
Parking a block away, I grabbed my thicker jacket and got out of the car. The night still held a slight breeze to it, but it wasn’t too bad. I could handle it. I’d dealt with worse before.
Fuck, don’t think about that. I couldn’t go there. My throat thickened as anger rose, my past flashing in my mind. It happened more and more recently.
Grumbling under my breath, I put the jacket on and pulled up the hood. It was late, so the streets were quiet. Though, this whole area was a peaceful place to be in at night. No doubt it was why Death picked this spot in the first place.
Stuffing my hands in my pockets, I glanced around before I ducked down the side of a random house and then into their backyard that fitted onto the rear of Raya and Wrenley’s home. I was lucky their neighbors didn’t have a dog, or they’d be barking up a storm from me creeping around.
I jumped the fence and ducked low. The shadows covered me and kept me out of the view of the cameras Death had set up. I knew where they were pointed from the times I worked at his security business. Death always had a couple of brothers or employees watching all the screens back at the office. They also covered the clients who’d hired him, plus the other businesses the club owned.
Eyeing the house, I noticed there weren’t any lights on. I slunk through the shrubbery until I reached the side of the house where Wrenley’s room lay. Leaning back against the fence, I shifted on my ass to get comfortable between two bushes. Long ago, I’d found the best position to give me the perfect view of her window. Her curtains were closed, like always, and there was nothing but darkness inside.
My sweet girl was already in bed, but was she asleep? It didn’t matter; either way, I’d stay where I was to keep watch.
Bending my knees, I wrapped my arms around them and eyed her window.
I hoped she had a peaceful sleep.
I prayed that whoever texted her hadn’t forced unease on her so she wouldn’t be able to rest.
Scrubbing a hand over my face, I listened to the night. In the distance there was music from a party. Close by, leaves rustled, cars drove, houses creaked. But not the house that was in front of me. All was quiet in there.
I stilled.
Footsteps sounded.
Pulling my blade free, I silently moved into a crouch.
“Brother?”
Sighing, I cursed inwardly.
“How long you been doin’ this?”
I glanced up at Death, who had his head over the fence. They had been next door, leaving Wrenley alone. Annoyance settled inside of me, and I clenched my jaw.
“Torch?”
Straightening, I pressed a finger to my lips before I waved him back. When he stepped out of sight, I pocketed my knife, grabbed the fence, and jumped it.
“Back deck,” Death ordered. I followed him with my hands in my pockets and head down.
My gut clenched. My chest hurt.
He’d tell me to stay away.
I couldn’t.
Someone had to watch her. Didn’t he understand she was to be protected from everything?
She was soft, sweet, and gentle.
All good things that needed to be cherished.
Climbing the steps to the deck, I pulled my hands free and wiped them over my hips.
“Torch?”
He wouldn’t like my answer.
He’d ask me to stop.
I couldn’t.
“Brother?”
Unlocking my jaw, I said, “Since the night I heard her screams.”
Death cursed. “That was months ago. You tellin’ me you’ve been sittin’ out under her window at night for months?”
I wouldn’t meet his gaze, kept my head down. But I nodded.
“Even in the rain?”
I nodded again.
He stayed silent. I didn’t fucking like the silence. It made my gut eat at my organs.
“Why?”
She was my obsession. My addiction. Mine.
But I couldn’t have her beauty, her softness, her sweetness.
Should I tell him the truth about what I heard in those screams? Would she want me to?
“Brother, you gotta give it to me. You get that, yeah? Wrenley’s sister is my woman. Meanin’ Wrenley is a part of my family. I need answers, Torch, and once you give them, I’ll let you know if you can still keep doin’ what you’re doin’.”
Rocking back and forth on my feet, I rubbed two fingers against my temple.
I had to tell him.
Fuck.
She could get angry at me for telling him. Or maybe he’d keep it a secret.
“Her screams.”
“Yeah?” Death prompted.
“They’re not only from what she’s seen. Or maybe they are.” I shook my head. “But not all of them. A part of her nightmares could be from what her dad did, but somethin’ else happened. Before it, maybe.”
“The texts.”
My head shot up.
Death grunted. “I’ve seen her gettin’ some texts that make her stress.” He waited a beat and added, “From your reaction, you’ve noticed too.” I nodded, and he queried, “Tonight?” I tipped my chin up. His upper lip rose for a beat before he bit out, “Fuck.” Death ran a hand at the back of his neck.
I glanced to the left just before his back door slid open and Raya stood here in a robe. “Leland?”
She used my brother’s birth name, not his club one.
I cocked my head to the side. I hated the name I’d been given at birth. It reminded me too much of my past, so I hadn’t thought of it in a long time and was surprised I’d even remembered it. I doubted I’d ever share it freely with someone, though. Not when it could trigger me into losing my shit.
“I’ll be in soon, darlin’.”
“Okay. Hey, Torch.”
I waved and smiled. She returned it. At least she wasn’t wary of my smile like Blaze had been.
When the door closed and she was out of sight, Death turned back to me. “You think we need to take charge and investigate those texts? Find out what exactly is goin’ on?”
Shit. Fuck. I had to tell him more. No doubt he’d tell Country. Then they’d both be on my back to leave her be. I’d lose her. They wouldn’t like me looking and listening to her.
I fisted my hands and sighed. “Asked Tech for a favor tonight. He’s gonna hack her phone and let me know if it needs more attention. He was gonna help me. Not leave me to it. He’d tell Country if it was bad, and then we’d all deal with it.”
Deal with it while the brothers kept an eye on me, so I didn’t go loco.
“Shit, brother. Wren’s gonna be pissed we went behind her back.” He ran a hand through his hair.
“It was me. Not you. Blame me.” If she got pissed at just me, it wouldn’t matter since I couldn’t have her.
“Nah, brother.” He shook his head. Nah? Why? He went on, “You saw somethin’ I missed in my woman’s sister. You won’t take the fall. You’re usually spot-on with what you sense. I shoulda done somethin’ before now. Raya and I saw her get a text a while ago that made her shut down. I didn’t realize until tonight that it’d continued to happen. Raya and I already spoke about it. We were gonna sit Wrenley down and have a chat with her.” He glanced to the back door and then me again. “I’m gonna get Raya to hold off on that chat. I’ll talk to Tech, too, let him know I want to be informed of what he learns. From that, we’ll figure out if we step in or leave it for Wrenley to handle on her own.”
My jaw clenched.
Death snorted. “I see you don’t like that idea. Let’s discuss things once we have answers, yeah?”
“Got it.”
He reached out, hand to my shoulder, and squeezed. “Appreciate you lookin’ out for her, brother.”
“She won’t be mine. I-I-I…” I dropped my head. “I just want to watch out for her.”
“You don’t want to date her?”
My chest ached.
What I wanted wasn’t dating.
I’d own her.
But she’d own me back.
Still, I couldn’t.
“No.”
“Torch—”
“No,” I snarled darkly.
“All right, brother. I’ll drop it. For now.”
He had to leave it alone altogether. Though, I wondered if him asking me meant he’d accept my interest in her.
Wrong.
Wrong, wrong, wrong.
Surely, he wouldn’t. He knew me. He, Country, and State knew me. Knew my past. Knew everything.
Turning, I jumped down the steps and landed on the ground.
“You gonna be warm enough?” Death called.
I stilled.
He wasn’t going to tell me to fuck off.
He should have.
Why didn’t he?
Didn’t matter. It was too late now that he didn’t stop me.
Grunting, I made my way to the fence and slipped over it. I went back into my hidey-hole and sat as I had been. Weariness tugged at me, but I wouldn’t give in to it.
We’d figure this out. We’d keep Wrenley safe and make sure she had the chance to dream peacefully.