Chapter 6
Sam had arrived. On time.
And with Val. Xander wasn’t sure about Jesse’s idea but he trusted in his crew.
After meeting them at the entrance to the compound, Xander took their phones, tied their hands behind their backs and covered their heads so they couldn’t see where they were being led to.
Both of them were nervous, their bodies visibly shaking, but that was to be expected. Walking into a biker crew compound was not for the faint of heart. But they fared better than most. Chances are, they’d walk out of here. Others hadn’t been so lucky.
Jesse met Xander at the halfway point and they walked silently to the bunker. The place where no one, except the crew on site, could hear them.
The bunker was the Hellraisers’ pride and joy, a series of underground rooms and tunnels that housed their stash of drugs and guns as well as interrogation rooms. And of course, a kill room that was the domain of their lead enforcer, Sonny Dolan.
Sonny was shacking up with Avery, Gage Hellion’s daughter, and a member in her own right. Only smart and feisty Avery could bring out the fire in the cold and brutal Sonny. He had ice water for veins, except when it came to Avery. And their soon-to-be kid.
Xander shook his head at that. Just the thought of a toddler running around a biker crew compound made him wonder about their sanity. Rochelle and Nate to start, then Sonny and Avery. Xander didn’t understand it, but then he looked at Jesse. He was brought up in this place and did all right.
Val nearly tripped as they entered the hunting shack that led down to the first room of the bunker.
“Steady,” Xander muttered and held on to her arm tighter. She wasn’t wearing perfume like a lot of the strippers and randos he fucked. He liked that. Val smelled like vanilla and soap. Clean, natural. Sexy as fuck.
Speaking of sexy, he glanced over at Jesse, but he was facing forward, his jaw clenched tight.
Xander shook off his wayward thoughts. Now wasn’t the time to let his dick take over.
They headed down the stairs and into the first interrogation room. The cold, damp basement was filled with the smell of gun oil and bleach. The copper tang of blood was absent for a change.
Sonny, as well as their second in command, Dante, were already waiting, standing in their usual jeans, t-shirt, and cuts. Xander met Sonny’s icy blue gaze first and nodded. Dante crossed his arms.
Once Jesse closed the door, they sat Sam and Val down, and removed their head coverings.
“Jesse and Xander tell us that you’re in a shitload of trouble, Sam,” Dante announced.
Sam nodded, sweat trickling down the side of his face despite the coolness of the room. “I have a gambling problem. I got involved in this game and before I knew it, I was hooked. Now I owe the Krypt crew twenty grand, but I need more time to get the cash.”
“We got the money right here for you,” Sonny stated as he held up two thick wads of cash. “But of course, this is a loan, and it comes with terms. Our terms.”
Sonny walked up to Sam and stood in front of him. “We want you to go back to the game and pay off your current debt. When they ask you how, you tell them you got a loan from a friend, then you start up a new tab. But this time, you up the ante. You ask for something to keep you up so you can play longer. We’re gonna track you via your phone and a wireless bug.”
“They confiscate all phones when you enter the place.”
“That’s fine, that’s why we’ll mic you up in addition. Get us useful information about the operation, and what kind of drugs they’re offering their guests, and we’ll forgive the interest on this loan.”
“I can do that, but why’s Val here? She’s not involved in any of this,” Sam asked. “Please, let her go.”
Sonny backhanded Sam so fast that if you blinked, you’d have missed it. No one in the room flinched at the loud reverberation of skin cracking skin. No one except Sam and Val.
Sonny was not to be questioned. Ever. And this was proof.
Sam’s lip was bleeding, the red trail of blood slipping down his chin.
“She’s collateral,” Jesse explained. “If you don’t get us useful intel on the Krypt gambling ring and whatever else that’s going on there, she’s done. In the meantime, she stays here as our preferred guest. You don’t do as we say or you fuck up, and we leave you to the Krypt crew. And Val here is gonna hit the hereafter and join you.”
“Okay,” Sam gasped, nodding. “Okay, I’ll do it. I’ll do anything. But please don’t hurt Val. She’s like a daughter to me.”
“It’s okay, Sam,” Val whispered. “Just do what they say, and everything will be all right.”
“Listen to the woman.” Xander smirked. “She got more brains than you.”
“More than you, asshole,” Val muttered.
“Excuse me?” Xander bit out.
So much for the shy girl act. This woman had fire beneath her brimstone.
Sonny moved to strike but Xander shook his head.
“You heard me,” Val whispered. “Sam agreed to do what you asked, isn’t that enough? Do you have to humiliate him like this?”
The room was silent.
“And you.” She looked up at Dante. “Does Sage know about this? I thought Sam was her friend.”
Dante’s ol’ lady, Sage, owned the farm across the road from their compound and was friendly with everyone in town, including Sam. She often ate lunch there.
A rare hint of guilt hit Xander, but he ruthlessly pushed it away. Softer feelings had no place in his world.
“This is club business and Sage understands that,” Dante snapped. “No more backtalk, or next time Sonny will shut your mouth for you.”
Val hung her head and the dark curtain of her wavy hair fell over her face.
“Tell us about Mosley, Alberta,” Jesse asked, and Val’s head shot up again. “And don’t lie. We know that’s where you’re from.”
“I grew up there. I left years ago,” Val replied, her green eyes full of fear.
“You were raised in a religious group called Holy Sacrifice?”
Her eyes widened; her face frozen until she finally nodded.
“What’s your real name?” Xander asked.
“Alessia Rault. But it’s not my name anymore. I’m Val Renn.”
Jesse glanced at Xander and then back at Val. “Your family has no idea where you are?”
Val shook her head. “I ran away at eighteen because they were going to force me to marry our leader, Simeon Darling. Between that and the abuse I’d already endured from my parents, I knew I had to leave. And no, they don’t know where I am. At least, I don’t think so.”
“What do you mean ‘you don’t think so’?”
“Well, I received a letter today. No return address, but I know it’s from someone at the order given what’s written.” Val looked down. “It’s in my pocket.”
Xander reached down and slid his hand along Val’s thigh. Taking his time, he worked his way up her long leg, and then finally, reached into the pocket of her uniform to pull out an envelope.
He opened it, read it, and passed it over to Jesse.
“Someone’s found out where you are. Sounds like if you don’t head home, they’re headed for you. And what’ll happen to you when they catch you?”
Val bit her lower lip and shook her head again. “Probably what’s happening now. Imprisonment.”
“Sounds like you need protection too,” Sonny muttered. “How about instead of staying here, you go with Sam and work to get us intel? You do that, and we protect you in case anyone from your weirdo cult comes to town to find you.”
“But what would I have to do?” she whispered.
Sonny smirked. “Go as Sam’s date and then use your feminine wiles on the Krypt crew. Most men tend to think with their dicks, and it makes them stupid.”
She shook her head. “I can’t do that. I can’t.”
“Why not?” Sonny snapped.
Jesse and Xander both moved to stand in front of Val. For some odd reason, the thought of anyone touching Val, anyone except him and Jesse, made Xander feel weirdly possessive.
“Well, I don’t… I mean—” Her face flushed. “I wouldn’t know what to do or say. I don’t have experience with men.”
“None?” Dante asked, one eyebrow raised.
“No. I’m a virgin.”
It took a lot to shock a group of hard-edged bikers but at that moment, you could’ve heard a pin drop in the bunker.
“You’re joking,” Dante replied. “Right? You’re twenty-three and you’re telling me you’re still a virgin. You think this is funny? You think what’s going on here is some kind of joke?”
“I’m not kidding,” Val pleaded. “I grew up in a strict religious community, saving myself for my future husband. Then I came here. I’m a quiet person, I keep to myself. I don’t wear makeup or flashy clothes. And I don’t want to give myself to just any man. I may not be a believer anymore, but I still think sex is something special. I’ve yet to meet any man that I want in that way.”
Xander looked at Jesse, who looked as astounded as he felt.
“In that case, it’s best that you stay here then,” Xander announced.
“What gives you the final say?” Jesse snapped at him.
“You’re really gonna send her into the Krypt crew, Jesse? For real?” Xander scoffed. “It’s not gonna work.”
“Avery can train her.”
“No,” Dante interrupted. “Xander’s right. Val stays here. She’s too green for this. And we can’t afford a fuck up.”
“But what about Sam? He’s nervous enough,” Xander added. “Who’s gonna make sure he doesn’t fuck up? She’s calmer than he is. I think Val should go along with him.”
“Good point,” Sonny replied. “Maybe, with training from Avery and Sage, Val can pull it off.”
“I have a better idea,” Jesse smiled. “Sage goes with them.”
Dante’s glare was instant.
Xander looked at Jesse and then at Val again.
He had a bad feeling this plan of theirs was not going to go as expected.