Chapter Seven
Carbon
WAKING UP, IT takes me a few minutes to realize I’m in the house of Dominic.
He needs help with a shipment coming in because some of his lately have been taken or attempted to be taken from his men.
I don’t know what the hell is going on with his rivals, but they need to get rid of the asshole that’s fucking with them.
Dominic doesn’t typically let anyone get close enough to him to fuck with anything in his business or personal life.
Instead, he’s ruthless and allows no mercy to be shown for any reason.
This time, he’s the one who’s being hesitant and doesn’t seem to want to find the fucker coming for him.
I don’t know what the hell is going on, but today is the day I figure everything out.
We’ve been here for two weeks now and I want to be home with my family.
Peyton has been off since she found that note on her car and hasn’t left the compound for any reason.
Seth and the other Prospects are going to get her groceries and anything else she needs from the store.
Marie and my mom are cooking her meals when she’s too exhausted or not feeling the best because of the pregnancy.
Everyone on the compound is lending a hand and stepping up to be there for her in my absence.
They’re taking over my responsibilities when they shouldn’t.
I’m the one who should be there taking care of my ol’ lady and I’m the only one not doing anything to help her.
When we talk on the phone, I can hear the fear in her voice.
She’s scared of more than just the note on her SUV.
I know my girl enough to realize something else is going on with her.
If it were something with the kids or twins, she’d tell me without hesitation.
Whatever she’s thinking or feeling is personal and about no one but her.
Or maybe me. This is the first time I’ve been away from her since we got together and she has no clue that I see no other woman but her.
For me, there’s never going to be anyone but her.
Peyton is the love of my life and I will do anything for her.
Even if it means pissing off Dominic and Rooster.
Getting dressed since I took a shower late last night, I immediately go in search of Dominic to figure out what the fuck is going on with him. I find him in the dining room with a plate full of food in front of him. He’s sitting there as if he doesn’t have a care in the world.
“Dominic, what the fuck is goin’ on? We’ve been here for two weeks now and we’re no closer to leavin’ than when we got here.
My ol’ lady is pregnant with my twins and she has someone leavin’ notes on her vehicle.
I’m goin’ home one way or another so I suggest you figure who’s after your shipments so we can help you take them down.
I’ll be lettin’ Rooster know I’m ready to head home too,” I state, my voice hard and cold as I remain standing in front of the cartel leader with no thought to him killing me or anything else he might do.
I’m not prepared to watch him drop his head in defeat as his fork clatters to the table in front of him. He closes his eyes and his shoulders droop as if he’s been carrying the weight of the world on his back for longer than he’ll ever admit to anyone.
“I think I know who it is,” Dominic says, his voice defeated as he finally looks up at me.
“My sister has been tryin’ to take over from me since she turned twenty-one.
Every time I think I’ve gotten through to her, she does somethin’ else.
Or pays to have somethin’ else done. Sendin’ her away hasn’t done anythin’ to stop her from tryin’ to control everythin’ that happens here.
She’s fuckin’ crazy and I know my dad won’t say a damn word to her because he sees her as his little Princess and won’t believe a word against her without solid evidence.
I need you to seduce my sister and get her to talk. ”
“The fuck did you just say?” I growl, stepping up in his personal space and glaring down at the man I’ve respected until this very moment.
“I tell you I have a pregnant ol ‘lady at home and the next moment you tell me you want me to seduce your fuckin’ sister? I’ve lost all respect for you, Dominic.
I won’t seduce anyone and risk cheatin’ on my ol’ lady. ”
“I don’t know how else to get her to confess,” Dominic tries again, looking up at me with wary eyes.
“It won’t be me, Dominic. You have to find a different way.
My ol’ lady already has somethin’ goin’ on she won’t talk about.
I’m not gonna have her thinkin’ I cheated on her because of a fuckin’ run and whatever you wanted from me,” I state, turning and leaving the room without a backward glance as Dominic slams something into the table and then I hear shattering glass.
Pulling out my phone, I call Rooster.
“What’s goin’ on, Carbon?” he answers his phone, his tone more somber than usual and I wonder what the fuck is going on back home as my instincts instantly go insane.
“Fuckin’ Dominic! That’s what’s goin’ on with me.
He wants me to seduce his sister in an attempt to get her to confess.
I’m not doin’ that shit, Rooster. I refuse to lose Peyton because he doesn’t have the balls to get the evidence all on his own.
Peyton and our children, all four of them, mean the world to me and I don’t want anythin’ to do with this shit.
I refuse, Rooster,” I state, my voice hard and cold as I look out in front of me and see nothing but images of Peyton and the kids.
“Don’t blame ya, Carbon. I wouldn’t do what he’s askin’ you to do. You thinkin’ of headin’ home now?” Rooster asks, anger filling his voice with the thought of me being asked to do something so vile.
“I wanna head home more than anythin’. We’ve been here for two fuckin’ weeks now and we’re not closer to figurin’ this shit out,” I state as my phone beeps to let me know I’ve got another call coming in. “Peyton’s callin’. I gotta go.”
Switching the call, I don’t hesitate to greet my ol’ lady.
“Tutor, it’s good to hear from you so early in the day,” I answer the phone, my voice warm and gentle as I push all thoughts of Dominic and what he wants me to do flee my mind.
“M-M-Matt,” she says, and I know my girl is crying and something horrible has happened to her.
“What’s goin’ on, Peyton? What happened? Are the twins okay? Cedric? Caydence?” I fire out rapidly as Knuckles joins me and I know he’s ready to do whatever is needed to help.
“Someone got into the house late last night or early this mornin’, Carbon,” Seth informs me as I listen to Peyton crying hysterically in the background.
“They left a bloody knife, pictures of Peyton and the kids, dead flowers, and some other shit on the porch. Marie found it when she got here to make breakfast for your family. Peyton refused to stay in the house and saw everythin’ that was left for her. ”
“Fuck!” I yell, slamming my fist into the side of Dominic’s house. “That’s it! I’m leavin’ today and headin’ home. I’ll ride straight the fuck through if I gotta. Not gonna leave my ol’ lady there to suffer on her own.”
“You can’t do that, Matt. You have a job to do,” I hear Peyton say, her voice weak and broken to the point it shatters my heart into a million pieces.
“I’m leavin’, Tutor. No one will keep me here.
Once Rooster and the guys find out what’s goin’ on, they’ll understand and won’t say a single fuckin’ word to me.
I’ll be on the road in five,” I say, already heading in the house and up to the room I’ve been staying in.
Thankfully I didn’t unpack so I only have to grab my bag and make sure I have my weapons and ammunition.
“Matt, I don’t want you to get into trouble.
If you have to stay there, I’ll be okay.
I’ll stay in the house and no one will get close to me.
Things aren’t adding up here, though,” Peyton informs me, her voice sounding a little stronger than a few minutes ago.
“Some of the things on the porch are things only my dead husband would know about. The knife was his and should have been buried with him. Some of the pictures are from when the kids were little and no one has access to them but Clark and myself. Jennifer doesn’t even have a way to get the pictures on the porch.
We saved them to a hard drive and it’s password protected. ”
“What the fuck? Have you told anyone but Seth and me?” I question her as I race back down the stairs to find Knuckles, Omen, and Grudge already waiting for me.
“No. Marie was too busy tryin’ to usher her back inside the house with the kids.
Kurt and I have been here with Tease and Homicide remainin’ close by.
None of them know what’s goin’ on because I haven’t allowed them to get too close to the house.
I’m about to send Peyton upstairs to lay down, but I have a feelin’ her sister will need to come over to keep her in bed.
She’s been here every night to ensure Peyton sleeps and doesn’t pace the house all hours of the night,” Seth says as pain fills me and I know I won’t be going on anymore long runs for the time being. Peyton and my kids need me.
“You’re not sleepin’, Tutor?” I ask my ol’ lady and already know the second I get home I’ll make sure she goes to bed and sleeps for as long as she needs to.
“It’s been hard. I’m not comfortable with the pregnancy and you’re not home with me,” she answers shyly, her voice lowering as if she’s embarrassed to admit something like that in front of Seth or anyone else.
“I’ll make sure you sleep when I get home, Peyton.
I love you and will be home as soon as I can be.
Please stay inside and don’t answer the door for anyone.
I don’t want anyone gettin’ close to you,” I tell her, my voice almost pleading with her as I look at the men in front of me just as Dominic enters the room and looks shocked to see us all ready to leave.
“I gotta go for now, Baby. I’ll call you when we stop for breaks but I’m hopin’ not to need too many of them so I can get home even quicker. ”
“I love you, Matt. I’ll stay inside with the kids. I promise,” she says before hanging up the phone.
“What’s goin’ on here guys?” Dominic asks, stopping in front of us.
“We’re leavin’. I told you I wasn’t gonna seduce your sister to get her to confess to what she’s doin’.
Now, my ol’ lady needs me and I’m not gonna waste any more time here with you when all you want is a seduction plan.
Get one of your men to do what you want done,” I state firmly letting him know there is nothing that will keep me here.
“Rooster knows I’m already plannin’ on leavin’ and doesn’t blame me after what you asked me to do. ”
“Are you fuckin’ kiddin’ me? You can’t just leave me like this!” Dominic explodes, his voice full of anger as he glares at us.
“We can, and are, leavin’. You’ve been havin’ us here for weeks doin’ nothin’ more than sittin’ with our thumbs up our ass because you have no clue who the fuck is messin’ with your shit.
You believe it’s your sister and want us to continue to play games so you don’t have to punish her or some shit.
It’s fuckin’ ridiculous. We have no problem workin’ for you and helpin’ out when you need us.
However, three of us here have ol’ ladies back home and families of our own.
Grudge wants to get back to his best friends and his life.
We’re done bein’ your lackeys for this job.
Call us when you have a real job for us to do. ”
“Fuck!” Dominic says, storming from the room and leaving us to exit his house with no more problems because he knows how right we are in this situation.
“You sure you know what you’re doin’?” Knuckles questions me, his voice concerned as he looks at me.
“I’m positive. Someone got on the compound and left shit at the front door of my fuckin’ house.
Peyton said some of the stuff is shit only her husband who died has access to.
Someone is fuckin’ with my family and I’m not about to let them get away with it,” I state, pulling my phone back out and calling Brick.
“What’s goin’ on, Carbon?” Brick answers his phone.
“You heard about what happened at my house yet?” I return, my voice cold as ice when I think of what’s happened while I’ve been away.
“Yeah. Just got a call from Seth. Your girl is hysterical and needs you here with her,” Brick says, his voice worried as he thinks of someone he knows hurting the way my ol’ lady is right now.
“We’re headin’ back now. Need you to look into the fucker my girl was married to.
I know his first name was Clark. Don’t let her know I asked you to look into him.
If you have any questions, call me and I’ll get ahold of Jennifer.
I can explain what I’m lookin’ for to her and I know she’ll keep it to herself until we know everythin’,” I tell my best friend and know he’ll do whatever it takes to protect Peyton.
“On it. I’ll let Rooster know what’s goin’ on and no one else will know,” he tells me, his voice turning even more serious as I hear him typing away on the keyboard in front of him.
“Gonna have Kimber go over and stay with her for a while. I know your mom and Marie are over there already. See ya when you get back. I don’t expect it to take you too long with what’s goin’ on. ”
“Not plannin’ on it takin’ long at all. This shit is fuckin’ insane and I’m ready for it to be over with.
I want guys on the house at all times. No one will get that close to my fuckin’ family again,” I order knowing Brick and Rooster will take care of it for me until I can get there to deal with the situation myself.
Hanging up the phone, I slide it in my pocket and make my way over to my bike.
After placing my bag in my saddle bags of my bike, I straddle it and start the engine before putting my helmet on and making sure I’m ready to ride.
The rest of the guys follow my lead and we all pull out in a minute without looking back.
I stick to the speed limit while we’re in town.
Once we get on the highway, I open up my bike and the men with me keep up without fail.
Even the new Prospect in the van with us doesn’t hang back and get lost in traffic.
The only thought on my mind is getting home to my family.
I don’t care what it takes for that to happen at this point.