Chapter 27
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
TORCH
T here weren’t enough words to describe how much I liked having Wrenley in my space. How I enjoyed hearing her as she talked to me and Harley or when I listened to her laugh or watched her as she sought my attention.
Her scent clung to the couch, the bedroom, the bathroom, everywhere.
She’d been here for two weeks. Fourteen days, and yet it felt longer. Like I’d been lucky enough to have had her for years in the house. We spent most of our time inside doing nothing much but sharing time and thoughts with each other. And Harley… he loved her as much as I did.
Actually, no. I loved her the most, over anyone, and she loved me back.
Love.
It’d been a strange word to me until I knew how it felt. I cared about my family, maybe even loved them, but it was nowhere near as much as what I felt for Wrenley.
She was my world.
It was never just the physical attraction, but something more. Something deeper.
She didn’t know that her confession of addiction for me was the best gift of all time. It meant she craved and needed me as much as I did her.
She was mine. All mine.
I hadn’t been back inside her yet. She’d wanted me to heal more. I could wait. She already knew I would do anything for her.
What I didn’t want to do was leave her alone, though, which was why I had Gun and Saint drop in after Country had called to tell me they had one of Tony’s friends in the basement and other information about Plank.
Walking from the hallway, I glanced to Wrenley sitting on the couch with them. It was weird seeing my brothers in my space but necessary since I didn’t want to have to drag Wrenley to the compound so late. The brothers were going to hang until I got back. If she decided to go to bed, she’d feel safer with them there.
“What was picked?” I asked, tipping my chin to the DVDs scattered over the coffee table. Gun had asked what apps I had. When I told him none, his eyebrows had almost touched his hairline as he muttered something about bringing some movies.
When Wrenley smiled as she was, with pure happiness, it always thickened my throat.
I’m gonna do anything to protect it.
She lifted a cover to show me. “ Nobody .”
One I’d seen. I walked to her, and as I bent, I said, “Good choice.”
Her head tipped back, and she took my kiss, reaching out and slipping a hand behind my neck so I wouldn’t back away until she had her fill.
I’d give her my mouth and body any time she wanted.
Any damn time.
“See you when I can,” I said.
She nodded. “I know. Be safe.”
Harley jumped onto the couch between us.
“Down,” I ordered, and he climbed off with a huff. He knew better than getting between us, but he liked to try anyway. He wasn’t too pissed as he immediately got pats from Wrenley since he sat at, and nearly on, her feet. I tipped my chin up as I straightened. “Later, brothers.”
Gun flicked his hand up while Saint called, “Don’t stress. We’ll take good care of your woman. Might even play a bit of strip poker.”
I paused on the way to the door and turned back slowly.
Saint laughed, even when Gun slapped his stomach.
“I won’t let him corrupt her,” Gun reassured.
Saint shifted closer to him. “Just you, my boo.”
Gun’s face heated while Wrenley laughed. Sighing, I shook my head and walked out of the house to my ride. I could have walked, but I wanted to be able to get back to my addiction as soon as I could.
The compound was busy when I arrived. Dagger unlocked the gates for me to pull in. I parked near the back so it was easy to get out and headed inside.
When I stepped into the common area, Boom, an older brother, yelled, “Church room.” I shot a salute to Boom, letting him know I heard, and went down the hall that’d lead me to the large room.
When I entered, I took in who already sat around the long table. Country at the head like always. Death and State on either side of him. Wreck, Blaze, Quake, and Tech. I pulled out a chair next to Quake.
“Tell me we’ve found Plank’s whereabouts.” That fucker hadn’t shown at his work, his house, or anywhere that he usually frequented. Wreck had managed to tap the phone of William, the chief of police, but he hadn’t gotten to the detective’s phones. Marco was smart enough to practically glue one of his cells to him. From what we’d heard on William’s calls, Plank wasn’t answerin’ his calls or contacting the chief, either, which could mean Plank’s only in contact with Marco.
Country snarled, “The fucker got on a plane.”
“When?” I clipped.
Tech cleared his throat. “Cameras picked him up at the airport an hour ago. He got on a flight to Melbourne, Australia.”
“At least he’s runnin’ scared,” Quake offered.
“How the fuck are we gonna get to him now?” I demanded, running my hands up and down my thighs to try and control the urge to punch something.
Country nodded to the left. “State got in contact with his old lawyer friend. He has a son in the Hawks Motorcycle Club in Melbourne, Australia. We’re gonna call in a favor from them.”
“I’ll take the debt alone. Not our club,” I said.
“No,” Country stated. “The club takes it on, brother. We ain’t just doing this for you. Plank’s been gunnin’ for all of us. We protect all who are a part of Diamond.”
I nodded once, clogged with emotions.
Damn honored to be a part of this brotherhood.
“The chapter president is waitin’ on a call from us.”
“Let’s do it.”
Tech leaned in and connected his new device to the phone, which made sure no one else could listen in. He then pressed a few buttons, and it rang.
“Talon Marcus,” a deep voice said.
“Talon, this is Country, president to the Diamond MC. Did Muff explain things to you?”
“He did. I also have Dodge on the line. He’s the president to the Caroline Springs chapter, and he’ll be the one to deal with this corrupt officer. But what are your terms first?”
“Our club will be in debt to yours if you’re willin’ to take him as soon as he steps off the plane. Hold him in a secure place, and if it’d be possible, teach him a lesson, but we’ll want to see it via video chat before you hand him over to an Officer Jones, who will be gettin’ on a flight tomorrow.”
“How can we be certain none of this shit will stick to us?” another voice asked.
“Dodge, I presume?” Country asked.
“Yeah.”
“We’ll make sure you’re all covered and protected from any of this. We now have enough evidence to control his moves. He just managed to get by our guys at the airport.”
“Talon?” Dodge asked.
“We need to protect our families, Country.”
Shit, shit, shit. He didn’t sound like he was going to help. The only people we had to use in Australia were about to slip through our fingers.
“I understand that, and we can make sure nothin’ blows back on you and your club.”
Leaning in, I said, “He’s a cop who stood by while my woman’s rapists held her from me and threatened to do it again in front of me. He was gonna walk away and let that shit happen. He produces drugs that are killin’ people. We need the help to stop him.”
“Even if you can only nab him and hold him until Jones gets there,” Death suggested.
“Didn’t we hear that the chief of police is involved? This cop could get let off once he’s back in your territory.” Talon asked.
“He won’t. Not with the evidence we have,” Country told him. “By now, Plank’s associates know we’re watchin’ them. Know what we have on Plank, and they won’t risk being taken down with him. For now, until we have Plank sorted, we’ll let them think they’re safe, and then we’ll be turning all our attention to taking them out. We know what we’re doin’.”
“Wait a second,” Talon ordered through the line. Voices in the background were muffled as he held a hand over the receiver. Even Dodge had covered his end and was replying through another phone.
“Country?” a new voice said down the line.
“Yeah?”
“This is Lan Davies. I’m a detective with the Caroline Springs station.” We all tensed. “I’m also associated with the Hawks MC. My partner, Parker Wilding, and I are willing to pick up Harred Plank from the airport and take him to a holding room.”
Detectives worked with the Hawks MC.
Looked like Jones wasn’t the only one going rogue within law enforcement.
Country glanced to us.
State mouthed, “Yeah?”
Death tipped his chin up, and when Country looked to me, I nodded with the others.
“That works for us. We appreciate the help, and our club owes the Hawks MC a favor.”
“Noted,” Talon called, then added, “Dodge.”
“Just thought I’d let you know that Lan and Parker can’t always be around when they’re holdin’ someone. It could give some people an opening to get in and teach this fuckin’ prick a lesson.”
We all shared a grin, but it was Country who answered him gleefully, “How unfortunate that could happen.”
There was some deep laughter from the other end.
“We’ll be in touch,” Talon said, and he ended the call, as did Dodge.
I sat back with a sigh. This was good. They were willing to help us.
“This could lead to a nice relationship with another club, even if they’re overseas,” Country said.
I relaxed at the thought of how much I would enjoy seeing Plank getting what was owed to him. It sucked we wouldn’t be the ones to show him that it was a mistake to fuck with us, but at least he’d be hurting before Jones took him in.
“Torch,” Country called.
I tipped my chin up.
He watched me closely. “Got a call from a guy I know at the prison.”
I locked my body down so I didn’t look at Blaze. It’d been a couple of days ago when I went to him and asked if he could make sure Tony wasn’t breathing the same air as my obsession.
Sounded like I was about to hear that had happened.
“And?” I asked.
“Tony got knifed in the back in the showers. He’s dead.”
“I ain’t sorry hearing it. Hell, I’d even send whoever did it flowers. Who was he? Did he say why he did it?”
“Tony stole from him.”
While Country told me about the guy, someone on death row, I nodded along, acting like I didn’t know any of it and hoped I pulled it off. But on the inside, I fucking cheered.
Now it was time to move on to the next situation.
“Sounds like Tony shouldn’t have fucked with him.” I needed to change the subject. I wouldn’t waste any more time on that cunt. I asked, “Who we got downstairs?”
Country stared at me and briefly glanced at Blaze before sighing and scrubbing a hand over his face while he waved the other to Death.
“Jarred Kalb. But there’s somethin’ you gotta know,” Death said.
“What?”
“Since we nabbed him, he’s been cryin’ that he didn’t do anything to Wrenley.” Blaze’s jaw clenched. He didn’t believe the kid’s words.
I stood. “I’ll find out exactly what happened.”
When I reached the basement, I opened the thick door and stepped in.
As soon as Jarred saw me, he shook his head, yelling, “Please no. No, no. I didn’t do that to her. I didn’t?—”
“Shut the fuck up,” I ordered, moving closer. Chaos stepped away from him, until Jarred tried to stand from the chair. Then Chaos was there, gripping his shoulder. He slammed Jarred back down onto it again. The kid whimpered, and I watched impassively as his tears fell. Blaze and Death stepped into the room a moment later. Still sobbing, Jarred took them in and tried to tuck his head into his shoulders.
“You know who I am?” I asked.
He nodded.
“Who?”
“You’re dating Wrenley?—”
I gripped his hair and ripped his head back to get in his face and warn, “Don’t. Say. Her. Name.”
Another sob tore from him, and he squeezed his eyes closed.
“Shut up,” I ordered.
He simmered to a whimpering mess.
“Tell me exactly your part in what happened.” When he didn’t begin, I asked, “Unless you talk, I’ll get my blowtorch and start on the soles of your feet like I did Tony.”
He drew in a shuddering breath. “It was Tony and Mitch’s idea. The rest of us only went along with it because we’re scared of them. They don’t like losing, and they felt they had when Wre—when she didn’t fall to her knees for them like all the other women. They felt they deserved to-to, ah, play with her.” He winced when I clenched my jaw.
“What was your part in it?” Death demanded.
He shook his head. “I didn’t want to be there, but… they made us watch. It was only Tony and Mitch that-that hurt her.”
“Bullshit,” Blaze snarled.
I released his hair and stepped back, crossing my arms over my chest.
“I promise. I swear. Ask any of the others. We all stood around while they… you know, hurt her.”
“Stood around and did what?” Death questioned.
“Nothing.” He shook his head again and dropped his gaze.
When I went to the counter where the good tools lay and picked up the blowtorch, he screamed and begged.
Then finally, he cried, “Okay, okay, I’ll tell you. Just remember they made us be there. We’re in debt in some way to Tony and Mitch. They made us do it. I swear. We have… fuck. We have proof to show you what they did and made us do.”
If I saw any type of proof, I wouldn’t be able to hold back. I’d kill them all, no matter what they did or didn’t do.
I unlocked my jaw to ask, “What?”
“The video will show we didn’t hurt her. We didn’t have sex with her. That was all Tony and Mitch. But… while they had her unconscious, we may have touched her tits and jerked off on her.”
They had a video.
Fire licked at my skin.
I dropped the blowtorch and rolled my head around.
They’d touched her. Tormented her.
Turning, I lunged and grabbed his arm. He screamed when I gripped above and below his elbow, bending it back until….
Snap.
His shriek made me smile.
I dropped his broken arm and pulled his head back. Another whine left him as he clutched at his upper arm to hold it in place.
“That’s for touching her. Think yourself lucky I don’t cut off your hands.” I got close. “I want to.”
“Please, no. Please . I’ll do anything. Please, no more. Please .”
“Tell the rest that we’re coming for them.”
“I will. I will.” He nodded over and over.
“Tell them it’s best they don’t run. They need to take their punishment. To learn to never follow anyone like Tony or Mitch in the future. We’ll always be watchin’, Jarred Kalb.”
“I’ll tell them. I-I can get them to come here.” He panted his words out, sniffing and whimpering from the pain he no doubt felt. “T-they will. They’re scared. If-if I show them this is all you’re going to do, they’ll come here because we know we did wrong. We know we deserve this?—”
“And more,” I snarled.
He nodded, sniffing and wincing.
“You all deserve more.” I stood, tapping at my temple.
Kill.
Kill.
Kill.
I wanted to. I really did, but they had to learn. They had to know never to torment again.
I needed to get back to Wrenley.
I needed her close to know she was okay.
Turning to Blaze and Death, I said, “I’m goin’ home. Make sure he knows exactly what to do and they get rid of that video.”
They grinned. Both wanted to make sure the message would be clear for him. Blaze cracked his knuckles as he stepped close to a begging Jarred.
“You got it, brother,” Death said. “Get home to her.”
Nodding, I walked from the room knowing Jarred would fear us for the rest of his miserable life while I got to go home to a woman who lightened my world for the rest of our days.