Chapter 21 Marcus
MARCUS
Light crept into the room as the early morning sun slowly rose over the horizon. Marcus watched the beams as they slowly moved across the ceiling, tracking time as it gradually ticked by.
He wasn’t sure what time it was, probably five or six in the morning. He hadn’t slept, just listened to the noises around him, ready to pounce if any should become a threat.
But no threats came. Perhaps it was just enough for Marcus and his crew to know that the Valentine Killer was out there to keep the psychotic killer happily away.
Killers got off on that sort of thing, didn’t they? Causing fear and panic, watching as their prey slowly unraveled… waiting… wondering… counting the minutes until that deadly blow might come. If it would come?
But Marcus was no victim. He didn’t allow people to gain power over him. He faced dangers head-on and reveled in the pain that his revenge brought out.
No. Marcus was not scared. He was simply waiting. Thinking through strategies and options, moving pieces on the chessboard of violence to see which outcomes he liked the best.
Soon, he would have his plan of attack all mapped out, making sure everyone was safe and taken care of. Because he was the leader of the Shadow Vipers. And that’s what leaders did—they looked out for their crew and stepped in front of danger wherever it might be.
Pulling Gavin close to him, Marcus gently kissed the top of his head. He wasn’t sure why he had done it, only that his heart was telling him he wanted to take care of the boy and make sure he felt safe and secure.
Listening to Gavin sleep, curled into his side for safety and warmth, had Marcus feeling all sorts of strange things.
It was clear that the boy trusted him. He sought him out whenever he needed comfort. That was never in question.
He knew that Gavin also had feelings for him, whether they were romantic in nature or simply a horny man’s need to get himself off. Whatever the nature, Marcus enjoyed having that knowledge.
It was becoming harder and harder to keep his hands off Gavin. The draw he felt for the young man was growing stronger every day they were together.
The mischievous smile the boy got whenever he did something he knew would drive Marcus crazy.
The act of defiance whenever Marcus asked him to do something he didn’t want to do. Like pick his clothes up off the floor or put the dirty dishes in the sink for washing.
The way Gavin always looked for him, making sure that Marcus was always close by, even when they were busy doing other things.
Marcus loved it. He felt needed. Wanted. Even challenged when they were having a disagreement.
There was something new and refreshing about the boy.
Everything about him was making it harder and harder not to throw the guy down on the nearest hard surface and have his way with him.
Marcus swallowed as he felt his cock begin to thicken. Good thing he was wearing jeans because popping a boner right at this moment seemed a tad inappropriate.
Gavin let out a moan and stirred against his body.
“Mmm, what time is it?” he asked softly, nuzzling his face into Marcus’s side.
“It’s still early. Try and get some more sleep if you can.” Marcus lowered his head and gently kissed the top of his head once more.
He felt the boy smile against him.
“I like this soft side of my big protector.”
Marcus squeezed him close. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Chuckling, Gavin wrapped his arm around Marcus’s stomach, clinging to him like he was the happiest person in the world. “Sure, you don’t.”
They lay like that for another hour before deciding they weren’t going to get any more sleep that morning.
Quietly, they opened the bedroom door, only to be greeted by a smirking Russian.
“If the boy isn’t walking funny, then you’re doing something wrong, boss.”
Marcus rolled his eyes. “I’m sure there are laws against listening behind people’s bedroom doors.”
Nikolai stood and stretched, reaching his arms toward the ceiling. His shirt rode up, exposing the words “Reid’s Property” tattooed across his lower abs, with an arrow pointing down beneath his briefs.
“Nice tattoo,” Gavin noted, walking past the bulked bouncer and pulling Marcus after him.
“Morning, guys,” they announced as they entered the kitchen, where Ace and Blade were already up chatting.
“Mornin’,” they answered in unison.
“Want some coffee?” Ace asked, stepping away from Blade and grabbing a mug from the kitchen cupboard.
Marcus let out a grunt, typical pre-coffee communication they were all used to by now.
“I’ll get breakfast started,” Blade offered, pulling items from the fridge at random.
Ace and Blade made breakfast, while Marcus and Caden passed out coffee to those who were awake.
They spent the next hour eating breakfast, spread out across the kitchen and living room.
Once everyone was done and coffees had been refilled, they all moved to the living room to discuss their plan of attack.
“I think the best place to take him out will be Marcus’s cottage. It’s secluded and private and draws that psychopath away from Baton and all its residents,” Ace suggested.
“I think you’re right,” Marcus agreed. “We’ll close down the bar for a few days and move all the Shadow Vipers up to the cottage. This way, everyone will be safe, and we can take out the bastard together.”
The room was silent as everyone listened to Marcus’s instructions.
“Actually, we might have a better chance at flushing out this guy if Gavin isn’t surrounded by a mob of bikers. I know you won’t like it, but leaving Gavin exposed makes him better bait in the end,” Ace suggested.
“Gavin isn’t bait,” Marcus barked back, glaring at his younger brother for suggesting such a thing.
There was no chance in hell he was using the boy as bait. There were better ways to lure out a serial killer. They didn’t need to risk Gavin’s safety and possibly his life just to make things easier for them to draw him out.
“No. We aren’t using him,” Marcus repeated.
Gavin raised his head and locked eyes with Marcus. He was sitting between Lucas and Caden.
“You know this is the best way of luring him out. If it keeps people safe, then I’m all for being used as bait. Plus, I’ll have you there to protect me.”
That he did.
While Marcus didn’t like the thought of dangling Gavin in front of a psychopath, like a worm on a hook, he knew that using Gavin was their best chance at success.
They needed to lure the Valentine Killer out of hiding, and getting him to voluntarily walk into a home swarming with bikers wasn’t exactly the smartest of plans.
The guys were right. They needed to do it their way.
“Fine,” Marcus agreed reluctantly.
“Good,” Ace responded. “Blade and I will ride up to the cottage shortly to secure the place and get it ready for your arrival. You and Gavin ride up later tonight. That will give us time to shop and stock up the place so you guys won’t have to.
Once you settle in, a small team of us will monitor the property from a safe distance and let you know if we see anything suspicious.
” Ace turned to face Gavin. “We want the Valentine Killer to think that you and Marcus are hiding out at the cottage alone. Once he thinks it’s safe, he will come out of hiding and try to take you.
Don’t worry, we will be watching the place around the clock. ”
“Sounds like a plan,” Gavin responded.
When did his brother become such a smart cookie?
Sometime between when he first learned to talk and when he started to discover boys, Marcus guessed.
There was a reason he relied on his little brother so much. He’d be lost without the little prick.
But then something occurred to Marcus.
“Wait. No. This plan isn’t going to work.
How am I supposed to protect everyone when all of you are scattered across different locations?
” Marcus shook his head. “Nope. It’s best if everyone comes to the cottage with Gavin and me.
God knows we have the room for everyone.
We can figure out a way to draw this fucker out later. ”
All eyes moved between Marcus and Ace. A standoff was about to begin between their leader and his little brother.
Ace stepped forward.
“Marcus. I know that as the leader of the Shadow Vipers, you feel a responsibility to look after and protect all of us, but keep in mind, we are all grown-ass adults. We’ve all been in scraps before and taken out more gang members than we care to admit.
For once in your life, let your crew take care of you.
You don’t need to protect us all the time.
This time, we’ve got your back. We are the ones who are going to be protecting you. ”
Hearing Ace’s words made it suddenly hard to swallow.
Not because he was having trouble breathing, but because there was suddenly a goddamn lump in his throat that was getting even bigger with every word his little brother spoke.
Looking around the room, he saw that everyone was nodding.
“We got you” and “It’s our turn to look out for you” could be heard throughout the living room.
All these men and women, his family, his crew—they were all here for him. Standing up alongside him, ready to go to their death if needed, all so they could protect him and all those he loved.
Marcus had never felt so loved.
“You’re right, Ace. You’re all fully capable of taking care of yourselves. I guess I care about everyone so damn much that sometimes I forget to think about myself and what’s best for the situation.” Marcus stepped forward and hugged his brother. “Your plan is great.”