18. Colt
Chapter 18
Colt
“ R ight, Karma?”
Prez’s voice echoes in my head, and I glance up, almost forgetting that the majority of the club is watching me, waiting to hear the plan to take down Lukas Deveroix. My face goes blank and I see Zane in my peripheral grinning like an idiot.
“Just give him a minute, Prez,” he snickers. “All his blood flow has been supporting his other head the past few weeks.”
My gaze jumps to my backstabbing friend and I flip him my middle finger. I had forgotten over the years that Zane knows what I look like when I’m with Lyric: happy and completely obsessed with her. Since that first night we made love, I’ve had her every day this week. We are like teenagers again, going at each other every chance we get, making excuses just to touch each other. I missed this level of intimacy that I’ve only had with her. Lyric is the only woman to ever have made me want her to the point where I wonder if it's unhealthy, then decide I don’t care.
To me, this is more than just physical too. It's the way we talk about our days, our dreams. It's how we can discuss the things that worry us. Lyric has opened up this week to me about the insecurities she has and the bad parts about her first year in college. While we can’t do anything about the past, it feels good for me to be able to apologize and continue to show her how I’ve changed. How I won’t mess this up again. I let her get angry at me and give her space when she needs it.
Lyric is the air I breathe, the star in the sky that leads me home. I will not fuck this up with her again. Just having her in my arms last night, knowing I was coming in today to meet with the club, kept me calm. I wasn’t worried anymore, just determined to find a way to prove to her that she can trust me. To show her that we belong together forever.
“Through our compilation of taps, and the surveillance that we were able to get on his family in Alabama, we narrowed down the three most likely locations of Deveroix right now,” I explain to them, and throw out the pictures of the locations on the table. “Turns out his uncle owns a seedy little joint about twenty minutes north of here. That place sees more action on a Tuesday than Squirrel does in a year.”
“Fuck you, man,” Zane huffs while the table laughs with me.
“No shame in your game, Squirrel,” Prez jokes. “It's okay that you’re waiting for that special one.”
There’s hooting and hollering, and Zane gives middle fingers to the whole table. “Assholes, all of you.”
“Anyway.” I hold up the next picture, directing their attention back to me. “There is also a relative on his mother’s side, who lives on the southern border of the state. And last, is this shipyard next to the river that his father’s friend owns.”
“Well, that’s the fucking place obviously,” Dodger speaks up.
“I would second that.” Jester shrugs.
“What are you thinking, Karma?” Prez says, and I glance up to find him watching me, speculating. I didn’t make it through the military or become the best asset to this club by thinking about what is the most obvious. In this case, I need to think about Deveroix. Think like him.
“It's too obvious. It's not comfortable. No running water, no electricity. That would be a spot one of us would pick for business. This man was born with entitlement and a golden spoon in his mouth. He’s been coddled and taught to believe he can do whatever he wants.”
“So the motel then,” Bullet says with a frown on his face. “He likes to control and belittle women. No better place than a motel where he can get his fix and get away with it.”
I shake my head again. This is where I’m the most torn too, until I think about appearances. “He’s unraveling and he’s trying to show his brother and his father that taking a bet on him won’t be bad for them. It's all about appearances. Plus, he needs family, even if it's distant, to rope into an alibi when he decides to make his move.”
“The family member’s house? That's like two, almost two and a half hours from here.” Zane shakes his head.
“He’s determined,” Prez reminds us. “In his mind he’s already losing time. A few hours on the road here or there but coming from a respectable place doesn’t make him out to be a stalker.”
“I’m going to leave tomorrow to start surveillance on the house. Squirrel and Dodger, I will have you on security at my house. You don’t need to be in my house.” I eye them both and Dodger just smirks. “But you will be in charge of mediating the cameras. If so much as a deer crosses into my yard, I want to be notified. Bullet and Rook will do some introductions at the motel, just to get some feelers out there. Anyone else who is able, continue doing surveillance in town.” I give them all the last of the details.
Soon after, Prez calls for an end to the meeting and we all leave, collecting our phones on the way out.
“Grab a beer quick?” Zane asks me and with the nervous way he rubs the back of his neck, I’m worried. I nod my head and follow him over to the bar.
Ari’s head snaps up when she sees us, and I realize it’s been a few weeks since I went off on her about Lyric. She bites the inside of her cheek and slides two beers our way.
“Thanks, Ari,” I tell her. Zane stays silent, and I see the cool look they share between each other.
“Actually, Karma, can I talk to you quick?” Ari asks me, even though her eyes are on Zane.
I glance at my best friend, trying to read what I’m missing before looking back to her. “Sure.”
She leads me behind the bar, closer to the back entrance. A few people pass by and say hello to both of us, but she waits until we’re alone.
“I wanted to apologize.” Ari blows out a breath. “I didn’t know Doc was the girl, I mean the girl that you’ve always been in love with. My issue with Doc is on me, because she makes me remember what happened with my sister. I shouldn’t have been rude to her though. I just saw her with you and…and Squirrel and I acted without thinking. I’m sorry.”
“Apology accepted.” I shrug my shoulders. “We’re good, Ari. I do consider you a friend and a younger sister. But when it comes to Lyric, I’ll choose her over anyone. She is always my number one; she always has been. I’d even choose her over Zane, if that tells you anything.”
“He said you’d say that.” Ari glances at the ground.
“He’d be right,” I tell her, and fold my arms over my chest. My eyes assess her and the weird tension between her and Zane. That fucker better not be trying anything with Ari. This girl is just figuring out her life, not to mention she’s Prez’s daughter. He’d put a bullet in Zane before Zane even opens his mouth if he were to find out.
“Anyway, I’m going to apologize to Doc too. Once you let her out of the cabin,” she scoffs at me.
I shake my head. “It will be a while then. Thinking of keeping her there until she admits she feels the same and can’t live without me.”
“Sounds like a good way to get your balls kicked in, Karm. And then Doc and I will really have something in common.” Ari raises her brow before heading back to the bar.
I follow behind her and find Zane still waiting for me, his eyes tracking our every move. His fatal flaw is that even once I sit at his side, he’s still watching her.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” I mutter under my breath at him, before taking a swig of my beer.
“I’m not doing anything,” he replies and swallows down what’s left in his glass.
I look him over and see the way he’s tense. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
Zane glares at me before turning away again. “I’m on security detail with Lyric tomorrow.”
“And?” I ask, feeling anger tighten my chest.
“She won’t talk to me, man. I haven’t talked to her since that night we returned from boot camp. I betrayed her. What if she wants nothing to do with me tomorrow?”
We sit in silence for a few seconds while he stews in his feelings. “Apologize. Lyric has a bigger heart than we deserve. I’m still apologizing, and I will every day, to make up for what I did to her. At least you aren't me, right? You only did what I asked you to do. Trust me, she understands. Just keep showing up and stop avoiding her.”
“Are you two good now?” he asks, and his throat bobs with emotion he won’t show.
“As good as we can be. I don’t expect her to forget what happened. She forgave me, but I know it's more about proving that she can trust me, that I’m a different person. I can’t let her go again. It’s a fucking miracle I’m with her at all right now.”
“No shit,” he agrees. “The universe granted you this second chance. Don’t fucking hurt her again.”
The noise in the bar area increases and more brothers flow in. It’s been a while since I’ve done more than just pop in, and even though I’m enjoying it, I’m anxious to get back to Lyric. My phone vibrates and three texts from Lyric appear.
Lyric: Is the meeting done? I have to tell you something.
Lyric: Colt, call me when you can.
Lyric: A blocked number keeps calling me and Idk what to do!
“Fuck.” I push away from the bar and run out of the club doors. Zane is right behind me. “Get in the truck,” I yell at him. He scrambles in and we’re taking off out of the lot before my seat belt is even fastened.
“What is it? Is it Lyric?” he asks, his voice filled with a hint of panic.
I show him my texts. “A blocked number keeps calling her. Pull up the feed on the cameras and check it out. Either he’s messing with her or he’s here.”
Zane grabs his phone and starts going through images while I drive. It's only a few miles, but it feels like forever when fear and anger are pumping in my veins and my heart might explode.
“I’m not seeing anything on the stills. I’ll monitor tonight though. We can trade on and off shifts,” he offers, and I’ve never been more grateful. My truck swings into the drive and I’m bounding up the front steps and punching in the code.
We get in the door and Zane locks it behind us. “Lyric!”
I shout her name, and a few seconds later, she’s running down the stairs. Lyric’s body launches into me, arms winding around my shoulders while she buries her head in my neck. I squeeze her tight, before setting her down.
“I’m going to go look at the monitors,” Zane says over her head and he races to the back.
I nod at him, still holding Lyric. “Hey,” I gently pull back, so I can cup her face in my hands. “I got you. We’ll take care of it.”
She steps on her tiptoes to kiss me. I can taste the salt from her tears on her lips, and her eyes are still glistening with them.
“I know you were busy, I’m sorry I freaked out though. I don’t get a lot of blocked number calls.”
“Baby.” I kiss her again on her lips and cheeks. “Never apologize. You did nothing wrong. We’ll figure it out. I would rather be safe.”
She nods and a new sob breaks from her throat. Every tear she cries is like a punch to the gut. I hate that she’s afraid. It tears me up that we have to wait for that piece of shit to come out of hiding before we can wipe him off the face of the earth. I almost wish I could make his death slow and painful for all the turmoil he’s caused my girl.
I carry Lyric to the living room and sit with her on my lap. All I can do is hold her and stroke her back while we wait for Zane. I feel her pocket vibrate and she pulls it out, her eyes widening when she hands it to me.
“Shit.” I lift her off of me and run with the phone to Zane.
“Nothing on the cameras?—”
“Take it,” I cut him off and hand him the phone. He takes it quickly and connects it to another fancy device he has before connecting it to the computer.
“Is it him?” Lyric’s small voice asks from behind me, and her hand holds on to my shirt.
I pull her to my side while we watch Zane work. The computer starts tracing, and a map opens. The phone only rings one more time before it stops. The green lines on the computer spit out two more lines then flash red.
“All I got was that it's definitely coming from Tennessee. He’s still here,” Zane answers us, his eyes full of concern.
Lyric’s hands ball into fists in my shirt. “What do we do?”
“We wait,” I answer. “He doesn’t know where you are so he’s trying to play games, scare you. I wouldn’t doubt if this gets worse over the next few days. It might be better if you turn your phone off, baby.”
“But my parents.” She looks up at me.
“Put their numbers in my phone. I’ll work on getting you a new number and phone so you can transfer over your contacts, but until then, if you need to contact anyone, just put them in my phone.” I hand it to her.
Lyric’s fingers shake as she takes it. While she’s busy with that, Zane unhooks her phone and powers it off. He clears his throat and looks at Lyric and me.
“There isn’t anything on the cameras. None of the sensors went off either. I’ll keep monitoring it though.”
I nod. “We’ll take turns tonight.”
Lyric’s eyes move between us and I can tell she’s about to apologize or feel sorry or some shit that isn’t her fault.
“Don’t even,” I tell her and place a kiss on her lips. “Now, are you hungry? Did you eat yet?”
“No.” She shakes her head. “I was too anxious earlier. Nothing sounds good except popcorn.”
I smirk and take her hand, leading her back to the kitchen. She stands while I open the pantry door. “Popcorn it is then.”
Lyric watches in fascination as I take a bag from the box and put it in the microwave. Next, I grab the butter and slide a slab of it into a separate cereal bowl before grabbing the salt and pepper. Memories of doing this same thing years ago dance in front of my eyes, only this time, the usual bitterness that follows isn’t there. There’s just the longing in my heart that this is what life can be like. I missed so much with her over the years. Not just dates and celebrating important anniversaries, but things as simple as making popcorn how she loves it and chilling.
“Want to watch a movie or just some junk TV?” I ask her, finally turning to her and our eyes connect. Lyric is smiling and when the popcorn is done, I melt the butter and seasonings before pouring it on top and mixing it up. Lyric helps herself in the fridge, grabbing us each a drink and an extra for Zane.
I smirk. “Making yourself at home, Taylor?”
She laughs and flashes me a real smile before practically skipping back through the living room to the office to bring Zane his. When she comes back, we sit on the couch with me in the corner and Lyric sitting between my legs. We settle for watching reruns of Friends , which I know will relax her the most, while we drink our sodas and share the popcorn. Soon we fall easily into our old pattern of shouting lines we’ve memorized over the years, right when the characters say them. Lyric always laughs when I do an impersonation of Chandler, and I’ll do whatever it takes to keep that smile on her face tonight.
“I like this,” she whispers, sometime later. The living room is now dark; Zane joined us an hour ago, after making a frozen pizza. He freezes at her words, even though I’m not sure she can see him in the dark with just the reflection from the TV screen.
My arm squeezes her tighter. “I do too, baby.”
After a few more episodes, her eyes grow heavy and they start to close. I adjust so that her body can twist and she ends up with her head on my shoulder. She’s warm and smells so damn good. It’s soothing, and for the second time tonight, I get to envision what life could be like. Eventually, she falls asleep and I hold her in my arms to carry her upstairs.
“I’ll set an alarm for two hours. Then we’ll switch,” I tell Zane.
“Sounds good, brother,” he replies and takes the remote, looking for something new to watch.
Upstairs I lay Lyric in the bed and cover her with blankets, before crawling into the space next to her. I don’t get under the covers so I won’t wake her when I get up in a couple of hours. Instead, my arm slings around her waist and I bring her body close to mine, inhaling her smell and the feel of her silky hair against my cheek. I can’t lose her, which means Lukas Deveroix is out of time.