Chapter 9 Brick
D agger rode behind me from the moment we left the old cabin and took the trail back toward civilization. I never had to ask him to stay in that position to ensure Ginny was safe. He already knew what I needed.
The ride through the redwoods should have taken us only an hour, but we had to stop twice for Ginny. She couldn’t seem to keep her stomach from upheaving everything she’d eaten in the last twenty-four hours. The uneven ground didn’t help.
By the time we connected to a normal road, she was clinging to me, dehydrated and exhausted. I should have planned this better, but when Dagger suggested stashing the bikes, neither of us thought about Ginny or morning sickness.
And we hoped we wouldn’t have to use the getaway option. It was a last resort. My fucking luck; it ended up being our only way to escape Ginny’s vacation home. At least the river had been kind to us. We never got stuck or spotted.
Dagger pulled over and ticked his chin toward me. “How far you wanna go?”
I knew what he was asking. Did we risk exposing Ginny in public? Could we make it to our destination without trouble?
I didn’t have a fucking clue.
My woman needed to get warm, rest, and drink water. That was my priority, along with her safety.
“Change of plans.”
Dagger nodded, already anticipating my answer.
“We ride toward Orick and find a place where we can stash the bikes for the night.”
“We have an option.”
Shit. I didn’t want to put him in that position. “We can find something else.”
“No. It’s close, secluded, and we won’t be bothered.”
He was right. Still, I hated making him stop by Audrey’s brother’s house. Mike was a dick. Granted, he was mostly that way because Audrey and Dagger split. It didn’t help that Mike was a cop.
“It’s the last place they’d look for us,” I agreed.
“Then we ride for Mike’s.”
“Can you hang on for another forty-five minutes?” I asked Ginny.
“I think so.”
I didn’t like how weak her voice sounded. “Tell me the truth. Can’t have you falling off while we’re riding.”
“I can make it.”
Dagger gave her an encouraging nod. “Good girl.”
I merged back onto the road and patted Ginny’s hands, letting her know I had her. If I felt her begin to slip, I’d grab her before she could fall off. It made me feel anxious, but there wasn’t any way to avoid that. Since she’d gotten pregnant, I felt wound up and overprotective. It was sure to get worse as the months wore on.
We took back roads and avoided traffic to reach Big Mike’s. He seemed to anticipate us, standing on his driveway. We rolled to a stop close to his garage door.
Dagger cut his engine at the same time I did. “I texted him.”
Ah. That explained Mike’s sour expression.
“Hey, Mike,” I greeted him, rising off the seat to help Ginny.
“Brick. Been a long time.”
It had—five years, at least.
“This is Ginny. My ol’ lady and fiancé.”
Ginny sucked in a breath.
Yeah, I dropped that bomb and didn’t care. She was mine. I would make that official as soon as I could.
Dagger stored his helmet and approached his ex-brother-in-law. “Thanks for taking us in, Mike.”
“Not like I had a choice.”
Dagger snorted. “You did.”
Mike smirked. “Yeah.” He gestured toward the house. “Come on in. Got chili on the stove and cold beer.”
Man, that sounded perfect.
I led Ginny inside, steering her toward the hallway. I used to come here so often that I knew the layout.
“Take one of the guest bedrooms, Brick.”
“Planned on it,” I laughed, leading Ginny toward the one on the stairs.
The hall ended with two bedrooms and a bathroom, but a set of steep stairs led down to a lower level where three bedrooms and a bathroom took up most of the space. There was a little nook with tall glass windows and a set of doors. Beyond that, a deck beckoned where you could view the redwoods for miles. I’d always been envious of this house and its layout.
I brought Ginny to the room with the largest bed, gesturing for her to get comfortable.
She nearly collapsed on the mattress.
I snickered as I sat beside her and pulled off her shoes. “You need anything before you rest?”
She shook her head. “No.”
I watched as she stifled a yawn. “I’ll grab some water and a package of crackers.”
“Okay.”
Her eyes were already closing as I pulled back the comforter and covered her, lowering my head to kiss her sweet lips.
“I’ll check on you in a bit.”
She mumbled a reply, but I wasn’t sure what she said.
After leaving the room, I found Big Mike and Dagger in the kitchen. “I want to bring Ginny water. You got any crackers?”
He lifted a brow.
“She’s pregnant, and her stomach is queasy.”
“No shit?” he grinned wide. “Congrats, man. Yeah. Crackers are in the pantry. Water in the fridge.”
“Thanks.” I grabbed what I needed, took it back to Ginny, and left it on the nightstand, where she would see it once she woke. Noting her even, steady breathing, I could tell she’d be asleep for a while. Plenty of time to discuss shit with Dagger and contact Judge.
When I returned to the kitchen, Dagger and Mike had grabbed beers and headed out to the upper deck. The approaching evening was growing cooler with a slight breeze. It would be a great night for cornhole or the shooting range. Big Mike set up his own years ago on his property.
I grabbed a beer, popped the top, and joined them. “How you been, Mike?”
Mike and Audrey looked similar, with dark blonde hair and green eyes. Where Audrey was younger and petite, favoring their mother, Mike followed after his dad. Big, broad-shouldered, tall, and muscled. Hence the nickname.
He was a hell of a cop. The kind of guy you wanted on your side when you got into trouble with the law, which Dagger had more than once. Mike helped him out a few times. They used to be close until Dagger and Audrey split. After that, shit got strained.
Still, if Dagger needed anything, Mike never turned him down.
Mike’s smile faded as he stared the two of us down. He never was one for bullshit. A lot like Hesh in that way.
“You wanna tell me why you’re showing up at my doorstep and need a place to lay low?”
Dagger finished his beer and set the bottle on a nearby table. “Crimson Skulls.”
Mike frowned. “What about them?”
“They’re back.”
“The fuck? How is that possible?”
Mike knew everything about Hesh and his murder, how our club ended the war by taking out most of the members. The rest fled, and since they’d been gone for fifteen years, we all thought it was over. Judge wanted them all dead. Thorn showed mercy to a few of the younger members and prospects who didn’t want to end up in body bags.
It was a mistake to let any of them live.
“You remember Hesh?” I asked as his gaze focused on me.
“Yeah. Been what? Fifteen years since his death?”
“Yeah.” I ticked my chin toward the house. “That’s his daughter.”
Mike’s eyes widened. “No shit? Wow.” His surprise was genuine. “Fuck. If the Crimson Skulls are back, does that mean they’ve put a hit on Ginny?”
Smart man. “Yeah. Tried to kill us both six weeks ago.”
Mike was learning this information because he was trusted. Even Judge knew Mike was honest, and even though he was a cop, he did the right thing and helped us when he didn’t have to. Never took bribes. Always obeyed the law. Sometimes, that pissed me off, but I respected him. So did Dagger.
“Tell me what’s happening.”
Dagger gave him the short version, explaining about the safe house and why we had to leave.
“It’s good you came here. Hesh’s daughter needs protection. You should consider leaving her with me when you go take care of shit.”
Mike understood we demanded justice, and the club would get it.
“I appreciate the offer, but not sure what the next steps are other than keeping her hidden and safe until Judge can handle the Crimson Skulls.”
Mike nodded. “Don’t condone bloodshed like that in most instances, but I know what those motherfuckers are capable of.”
He did. They threatened and intimidated Audrey once, and he had to step in. That was a couple of months before Hesh was gunned down.
Dagger cleared his throat. “The club is watching Audrey’s place.”
“I figured.” Mike took a long pull from his beer. “She texted me about it.”
Dagger grunted in response.
Giving them a chance to talk, I walked away to check in with Judge. He picked up on the second ring.
“Where are you?”
“Big Mike’s.”
“Damn. I didn’t expect that.”
“Orick was too close not to stop here.”
“And secluded,” he guessed.
“Yeah.”
“Ginny good?”
No time like the present to come clean. “She’s dealing with morning sickness.”
“Morning sickness?” He sounded confused. “Fuck, Brick.”
Yeah, I figured he’d say that. “I love her, Judge.”
Silence greeted me for nearly a minute.
“Can’t say I didn’t see that coming. You’ve always been close to Hesh and his family.”
That was a better response than I deserved.
“Didn’t set out to fall for her. Just happened.”
“I know that.” He paused, clearing his throat. “Known you since we were kids. You deserve some happiness, brother.”
Wow. “Appreciate that, Judge.”
“Keep her safe. If you see any Crimson Skulls, notify me right away.”
“Will do. You need us back there?”
“You lay low with Ginny. Dagger needs to get his ass moving. Crimson Skulls rode by Audrey’s place this morning.”
Fuck!
“I’ll let him know.”
“Stay in touch.”
Judge ended the call.
I knew as soon as I told Dagger what happened, he’d be pissed and hopping on his bike.
He must have picked up something was going down by my expression. As soon as he saw me, he squared his shoulders.
“What did Judge say?”
I told him about the conversation.
“Shit!” He didn’t say anything to Mike, who looked pissed by the information.
“Dag!”
“I’m going straight there, Mike. I won’t leave them vulnerable.”
“I’ll call Audrey.”
“It’s better if you don’t,” Dagger replied as he jumped on his bike. “She’ll only worry and get herself worked up.”
Mike nodded. “Yeah, you’re right.”
“We’ve got eyes on them. They’ll be safe until I can reach them.”
“I’m not liking it, but okay. Have her message me once you’re there. I need to know they’re both okay.”
Audrey and Dagger’s teenage son.
“They’re my family, Mike. That’s never stopped being true.”
“I’ll hold you to that.”
Dagger started the engine and sped off, probably speeding the entire way to Vegas. It was a long trip, thirteen hours, and every minute Dag would be concerned for their safety. He didn’t say that to Mike, but I knew.
His gaze had cut to me before he pulled away. We didn’t need words for me to know how he felt. I had his back, and he had mine. That was a given.
Dagger would protect his own. I’d do the same.
The club? Judge would ensure they were ready for the Crimson Skulls.
“How long do you need to stay?” Mike asked in the silence that followed Dagger’s departure.
“Just the night. Ginny will want to be closer to home.”
“Tell Ciara and Trig I said hello.”
“Alright.”
“I’m gonna head into the station. I want to check on a few things.”
“Like biker gang activity?” I asked, knowing he wanted to find as much information about the Crimson Skulls as possible. It wouldn’t hurt to learn what he could see in his police database. Mike had access to shit we had to hack into and possibly get busted for.
“I’ll let you know what I find. You can pass it on to Judge.”
“I appreciate that, Mike.”
“Spare key is hanging in the kitchen. Lock my place up when you leave.”
He wasn’t planning to be around in the morning.
“Heading to Vegas too?”
“Audrey and my nephew need me.”
“They do, but Dagger won’t let anything happen to either of them.”
“That’s why I’m not rushing.”
Understood.
Big Mike drove off five minutes later, taking his truck and leaving me alone with Ginny.