Chapter Nine. #2
So far, everyone had confessed on Romeo’s schedule. It was amusing how you could see they didn’t want to confess but couldn’t stop their mouths. Two had taken to social media to announce their guilt, and it spread like wildfire. The police were at their door within the hour of the live admission.
“Hey,” Jude said, sitting down opposite me.
“Gage and the others back?”
“Yeah. They delivered eight women to the hospital.”
I nodded. That was something else hitting the headlines.
Cops couldn’t go into a country and retrieve trafficked victims. Nothing was stopping us.
Dead or alive, we’d brought them home. Forty victims, with hundreds more out there.
This had been going on for over two decades. I dreaded to think of the death toll.
“Nice. Bodies?”
“Three. They were delivered to the morgue. Gage found them exactly where Winson said.”
“Christ.” I tipped my head back.
Caleb had been working with Cipher. Caleb wasn’t me, but he was on par with Cipher. We’d discovered an online spreadsheet with victims dating back fifteen years. They were both tracing them and trying to discover who posted it. Another asshole, Roger Jackson, had given us the lead and his logs.
Noah Myers, a local detective who’d had all this land in his lap, was working with us. He admitted it was against policy, but he wanted the victims rescued. As far as Myers was concerned, his boss could suck his dick.
“I’ve got the next two targets,” I said, tapping a map.
“Columbia—not surprised. How many are there?”
“Twenty-three.”
Jude shook his head. “We’re hitting the tip of the iceberg.”
I bit my lip. “Vermont. Exclusive whore house. Forty-nine. All taken to order.”
“Fuck!” Jude roared and picked his glass up and threw it. “The youngest?”
I closed my eyes. “Twelve.”
Jude’s fist slammed into a wall. “Who?”
“Calvin Cox.”
“Can we get to him?”
“No, because he’s giving shit up still. He named three people who weren’t at the auction. Golfing buddies of his,” I replied.
Jude’s eyes narrowed. “Romeo pursuing them?”
“Nope. Cipher and Caleb are building watertight evidence. These fuckers are going down hard. If everyone confesses, it will look too suspicious.”
“Is the entire upper echelon of society corrupt?” Jude asked, looking old and tired suddenly.
“No, Captain. Just a good part of them.”
“We gotta bring them to justice,” Jude whispered.
“We will. That’s a promise.”
Dynamo
I watched the latest news report. Well, well, how the mighty were falling. It was amusing watching these once powerful men struggle to stop talking but couldn’t. No cushy cell for these fucks. Gen pop would rip them new ones. I couldn’t be happier about it.
My phone beeped, and I looked down to see a message from Mike.
‘Pick you up in half an hour.’
‘Why?’
‘We’re having a date.’
‘The fuck we are!’
‘See you soon.’
I gaped. Did Mike really believe I’d let him boss me about? The foolish man had another thought coming.
Except he didn’t, and I did because he brought Raven and Robin. That was underhanded.
Warden was outside and was puzzled when Mike arrived with them. I hated the amused understanding that dawned on Warden’s face when the girls headed straight for me.
“Dienie! We’re going on a picnic!” Robin squealed.
Warden leaned back against the clubhouse wall to watch, entertained by my predicament.
“It’s Dynamo!”
“Yup. But you’re our person, so we can call you Dienie,” Robin retorted.
Warden snorted, and I sent him a murderous look.
“Robin, a member of an MC is given a club name. It’s highly important to them, and to call them anything else is disrespectful,” I explained.
Robin’s face fell. “Daddy says nicknames are what we use to show people love.”
Mike looked smug as Warden chuckled.
I was going to kill both of them. Seriously, maim them. Iona was pregnant. She didn’t need Warden in full working order. Mike could do his job without his cock. I was certain of it.
“If you call me Dynamo, that’s showing love because it shows you respect me,” I said gently.
Robin thought about it and nodded. “Come on, bitch, we’re going on a picnic.”
Mike choked, and Warden broke into an uncontrolled laugh as I stared at Robin in horror. “What did you say?”
Robin guilelessly repeated her words, and Warden started laughing again. Mike opened and shut his mouth like a fish gasping for air. “Robin,” I asked calmly. “Where did you get that from?”
“Daddy. He was talking to Uncle Jude and told him, ‘Bitch, it’s a good job I love you.’ Bitch is a nickname, isn’t it?”
I glanced at Mike and grinned. He could answer that one.
“Robin, that’s—that’s a very unpleasant word,” Mike finally stammered.
“But you said it, Daddy,” Robin argued.
“And I was wrong to. Seriously, Robin, that’s a bad word.” Mike hunkered down.
Robin frowned. “But you called Uncle Jude that.”
“I was cussing and being rude. I’m sorry you heard that. Bitch isn’t a nice thing to call anyone,” Mike continued.
“You’re mean!” Robin exclaimed. “I want to ride with Dynamo, and I don’t think you should get cake, Daddy!”
“Fine. Let’s go. Dynamo sits in the front.”
“I can’t. I’ve got some tasks to do,” I said. Mike was not dictating this.
“Oh, whatever you have can wait. Have some fun. After all, how can you say no to that face?” Warden interrupted, waving at Robin, who was pouting.
“Sorry, but this is very important,” I retorted, sending Warden a warning glare. The fucker ignored me!
“Not at all. I’m your prez, go and enjoy yourself!” he insisted and made shooing motions at me before walking away. I was petty enough to trip him up.
Mike
“Not so bad, is it?” I asked as Dynamo sat stiffly on a blanket next to me.
She gave me a sour look. “Does no mean nothing to you?”
I sensed it was a trick question. “No means everything. If a woman says no, then I stop what I’m doing. Consent is vital and key.”
“But you ignored my no.”
“Because I believe you wanted to come, and you did too, but didn’t know how to tell me. Tell me I’m wrong right here and I’ll take you back and not bother you again,” I said earnestly.
“You’re wrong,” Dynamo replied instantly.
“Wow, without even a moment’s hesitation. That’s cold. Now give me the courtesy of thinking about it and being honest.”
Dynamo fell silent, and I could sense the war inside her.
“I don’t want anything from you. Not a relationship, not a friendship, nothing.”
“Fine. If you don’t mind, let the girls run around for another half an hour, and I’ll take you back.”
If I pushed, I’d lose her. Dynamo had to come to me on her terms.