Chapter 15 Bella
“She’s not up yet?” I asked, chewing my lip nervously as I stared down at Bree. “We can’t wait for her to wake up. It’s too dangerous.”
“Agreed.” Crow slid an arm around my waist, tugging me closer.
“I’ll ride with her in a cage, Pres,” Raven offered. “Nothing will harm her.”
“Bella?” It meant a lot to me that Crow could have ordered it without asking for my input, but he didn’t.
“Okay,” I relented, knowing it was necessary to move her, even if she slept through it.
“You should be separated anyway. Make it harder to capture you both if something goes down.”
He had a point. “I’m not loving this idea, but I see the wisdom in it.” I sighed, leaning down to kiss Bree’s cheek. “Take care of her, Raven. She’s all I have left in this world.”
He slapped a hand over his heart, his expression solemn. “Don’t you worry. Nothin’ is gettin’ through me.”
Twenty minutes later, we left the parking lot of Crow’s clubhouse, The Roost, riding in black SUVs with tinted windows, and followed by an entourage of Devil’s Murder MC members on iron beasts that rumbled in warning to everyone who traveled around us.
The trip went smooth and entirely too easy, without a single hiccup as we traveled from Henderson to Tonopah—nearly three and a half hours on the open road and vulnerable to attack.
None came.
When we reached the gate outside the Tonopah Graven Bastards MC clubhouse, known as the Crossroads, I heaved a sigh of relief. But when I saw how many bikers gathered outdoors to greet us, I started to believe we could win this fight against the monsters who took my sister.
A prospect opened up and led us in, closing the gate as GBMC Members shouted greetings, setting up a perimeter and taking posts inside the towers recently erected around the property.
Crow pointed them out, indicating they were new since his last visit.
His club wasn’t the only one to face trouble, but I had a feeling these guys handled whatever came their way and conquered it with ease.
You couldn’t miss the aura of this place.
Calm but aware. Like the pause right before an earthquake when everything went still.
Grim greeted us at the door. He was a big guy with dark blond hair, lots of dark ink, and a laugh as magnetic as his personality.
These guys were as intimidating as Crow’s club when I first met them, but there was something different about them. I couldn’t pinpoint what it was, but I could feel it. They had a sinister vibe about them, but I didn’t feel threatened. On the contrary, I felt the safest I had in a long time.
No one messed with the Graven Bastards. Their reputation preceded them. Here, with the GBMC, my sister would be protected. I counted on that.
Several members of the GBMC offered to help when I opened the back door to the SUV and glanced down at my sleeping sister. The longer she remained unconscious, the more I worried that whatever she’d been through had traumatized her more severely than I could imagine.
“Come on.” Grim gestured to the door, and Crow followed, his hand firmly clenching mine.
Brianna was brought in and taken into a guest room down a hallway on the right, where Raven insisted on following.
He didn’t let a single soul into the room and took his position as guardian seriously, almost to the point of being hostile to those around him.
Crow frowned, his gaze wandering to the doorway where Raven perched.
On alert, he didn’t leave Bree’s side as he stared down at her, his expression unreadable.
I wasn’t sure what I expected when I entered the building, but the vast interior and open floor plan were warm and inviting—plenty of leather couches, an enormous bar along the back wall, and pool tables for leisure.
I didn’t think they would be used tonight.
I was right. Most of the members inside stuck close to the bar. They seemed to wait on their president.
“Church,” Grim called out, gesturing to the chapel located in the center of the building, right off the common room and adjacent to the bar. “We’ve got shit to discuss.”
Right. This was where I’d be left alone, and I planned to sit with Bree until Crow revealed whatever plan they would decide.
“Be back soon, Bella.” Crow leaned down and kissed me, grabbing my ass as he lifted me off the ground. When my feet touched the floor again, he winked. “Needed to make sure all these fuckers know what’s mine.”
“I’m all yours,” I replied breathlessly. “Don’t stay away long.”
“I’ll try. Lots of shit to sort, sweetheart.”
“I figured.”
Crow strutted over to the chapel and laughed as Grim gripped his shoulder, talking shit into his ear.
I caught my man’s grin before he disappeared inside, noticing the looks I was getting around the room.
Only club girls and the prospects remained, all curious about our arrival.
A few envious glances were thrown my way.
Lifting my chin high, I spun on my heel to join Raven and my sister.
The wait was unbearable. I practically chewed every nail down to the cuticle.
There wasn’t anything to do but linger here until my sister woke or Crow returned.
My phone battery had dropped to eight percent, so I shoved it back into the pocket of my jeans.
I was so restless I wanted to scream. Raven managed to ignore my fidgeting.
Almost an hour later, Crow opened the door and asked me to join him in the hall.
“We’re leaving. Got word that the asshole who took your sister is Undertaker’s V.P. The motherfucker had the nerve to smile at the camera when Eagle Eye found the right footage. It’s never been anything other than the Dirty Death MC startin’ trouble.”
“But why, Crow? My sister and I aren’t involved in club business, at least not before I met you.”
“That’s the thing, darlin’. You were set up. We both were. This is about the rivalry and turf war we’ve had goin’ with the Dirty Death for the last decade.”
I wasn’t so sure about that. Was the DDMC involved? Yes. But the mayor and his friends were part of this, too. It wasn’t as simple as Crow wanted it to be.
“What about your dad?” I asked, wondering how his death factored into everything.
“I think they were watchin’ him. Undertaker waited for my father to ride out alone and took advantage of his vulnerability.”
“And the lawyer?” Crow told me about the attack on his dad on the ride to Tonopah and his visit to the lawyer.
Crow shook his head. “Xenon found him. The shady fucker put a bullet in his brain. Couldn’t take the stress of the shit he knew and would go down for if the feds caught him.”
“Wow.” That couldn’t be good for Crow. Finding all the answers would be a lot more complicated.
“Yeah. Listen, I’m takin’ this asshole down. I want every threat against us eliminated.”
“Good. That’ll keep Bree safe.”
“And you,” he pointed out.
“That’s why I’m coming with you. To ensure that cocksucker sees my face before I stick him in the chest with a poker.”
Crow’s lips twitched. “A poker?”
“Yeah. I’m badass. You shouldn’t question this.”
“Oh, I don’t, Bella-mine.” The smile faded. “Because you sure as fuck aren’t coming.” He nodded to someone behind him, and I was lifted, arms wrapping around my middle like steel bars. I couldn’t move them if I wanted.
“Crow!” I screamed, struggling against the guy stupid enough to pick me up. His balls were going to hurt for a long time after this. I swung my leg back and hit the offender in the nutsack, only slightly sorry as we both hit the ground.
“Bella! What the fuck, babe!”
“Exactly,” I screeched, huffing as I got to my feet and noticed Cuckoo as he groaned. “Stop making Cuckoo carry me off while you get to have all the fun. I’m going. End of story. Move your ass, or I won’t suck your cock for a month.”
A few chuckles erupted around us as I noticed we weren’t alone. Didn’t matter. I wasn’t censoring my words or giving a shit about anything other than vengeance right now.
Cuckoo remained on the ground, one hand over his junk. “Fuck, Pres. I can’t handle this chick. She’s gonna make me lose a nut or somethin’.”
“Damn, darlin’. Cut the man some slack.”
“Watch your balls, Cuckoo. I won’t hesitate to do it again if you pick me up.”
“No way, honey. Lesson learned,” he moaned.
“Ready, baby?” I asked sweetly, linking my arm through Crow’s. “I have a motherfucker to catch who needs to feel pain and die.”
“You’re fucking scary, Bella.” Cuckoo did look a little afraid.
“I love you, doll face. Don’t get all soft on me, mkay?”
He flashed me a grin. “You’re a ball buster, sweetheart. After my heart with all that sass.”
“You know it.”
Crow shook his head. “Let’s go. Grim is waitin’.”
Outside, I dropped onto the seat behind Crow, sliding my arms around his waist as we sat on his Harley. “How are we catching this guy? Isn’t he some big badass?”
“Not nearly as much as we are, sugar.”
I looked to my left, catching the hottest silver fox I’d ever seen. He was a panty-melting dream with all those muscles, tattoos, and silver beard. And his voice . . . as thick and deep and sugary sweet as syrup.
“Name’s Papa. I’m taken, honey. Love my little mama and my balls, so keep your eyes on Crow.”
I blushed, nodding my head.
“Will I ever get to know what’s so different about these guys?” I asked, keeping my voice low as I whispered in Crow’s ear.
“Maybe someday.” A chuckle escaped as he patted my thigh. “It’s all gonna work out.”
“How?”
“I’m an outlaw, darlin’. It’s best not to ask questions.”
I slapped his stomach, and Crow laughed again.
“We’ll figure this out, my heart. I promise. We’re gonna get these assholes and avenge my father and Brianna. Ain’t nobody stoppin’ the Devil’s Murder.”
“Or the Graven Bastards,” Grim added with a wink.
Crow pulled back on the throttle as we left the Crossroads, following Grim’s lead and merging onto Hwy 95.
My hair in the wind, I held onto Crow and tried not to let uncertainty and fear of the unknown take hold of me.