16 | The Russian Mac
W e left the girls upstairs when Luc called to have a meeting. The clubhouse is packed with so many other chapters for tonight’s patch party.
“When is Dallas getting back?” Wolfe asks Shy.
“He should be back anytime. Vi and Doc want to come straight here, but Chiv told her he was going to stop at his place first so they could drop off the U-Haul and grab his bike,” Shy explains to the group.
We’ve been going over the details of Raydene’s last whereabouts. We’re all sitting around in our conference room, which we’ve turned into what looks like a control room.
On the wall, we set up a timeline of events that have occurred over the last couple of years. We added Sin and Molly being taken twelve years ago to the timeline. Also, added in Raydene and Dexter entering Alexandria’s life around the time all her shit happened.
We know it’s not the MCs since we have them on surveillance. The Russians have been here in New York the whole time, so we don’t think it’s them, but we can’t know for sure. Dexter just got back into town and is now with them, so we’ll know for sure soon.
Also, we don’t think it’s Karma from the Devil Damas since she was only really after Ginger and still hasn’t been seen.
Raydene canceled the hotel that Luc booked for them in Detroit. She flew there but on an earlier flight. With Vi’s help, we found out she had checked into a different hotel under her alias, which Vi knew. She paid cash but never checked out. They assumed she had left without checking out. The hotel room was clean, with no sign of struggle and nothing left behind. Raydene didn’t make her flight back, so the trail ended in Detroit.
Her last phone call was to Dexter, and she texted Vi, but then her phone was turned off, so nothing after that.
Blink has his connections working on all the Detroit leads, but everything is coming up empty. It’s like she vanished.
We’ve been in touch with Dexter, and he says he hasn’t heard from her but couldn’t really talk with her since he’s been with Viktoriya.
My phone dings, and I open Sin’s text.
Sin: Steve texted, and I told him I was with you. He’s going to call.
Me: Going to call you? I’ll be up there.
Sin: No. He’s going to call you.
Me: Ok .
I look up to the room and announce, “Dexter’s uncle Steve from the FBI is going to be calling me. Sin just got a text from him.”
Everyone acknowledges what I’ve said, but Luc’s phone rings loudly, distracting us.
He looks at the phone and answers right away. “Hey, Maggie.”
Everyone goes silent, knowing Maggie is Luc’s FBI connection. She found Ginger recently and has been an excellent ally to have.
“Yes, Macon Harding is here with me. Let me go get him, and I’ll put you on speaker,” Luc says, muting his phone. He looks at Wolfe. “We need to clear the room except those involved.”
Wolfe says, “Okay, everyone except Shy, Mac, Cash, Hawk, Blink, Luc, and whoever you want.”
The room starts to clear out of members when Luc announces, “Maddox, Ethan, Gus, and Reed stay.”
Once the room is cleared out and everyone is around the table, Luc moves his phone to the center and places it on speaker.
“Okay, go ahead, you’re on speaker. Mac is right here,” Luc says, nodding to me.
Maggie’s voice sounds from his phone. “Macon Harding, it’s Agent Hernandez. I’m here with Agent Steve Green. He needs to speak with you regarding Sharlene Hicks.”
Everyone’s expression is different as some don’t know Sin is Sharlene Hicks, so they don’t know who they are talking about.
I answer, “Hello, Maggie. I’m here.”
Steve’s voice bellows through the speaker. “Mr. Harding, I’ve become aware that you have Sharlene Hicks with you? Is that correct?”
I answer, “Yes, she’s here with me under my protection.”
Steve fires back, “Is she in the room with you?”
“No.”
“Mr. Harding—”
I cut him off. “Call me Mac.”
“Okay, Mac. Who’s in the room with you and can hear our conversation?”
I look around the room and answer, “Luc, a few of his men, and my trusted brothers.”
“Do you trust everyone in that room?” he declares.
I again gaze around the room and answer without hesitation, “Yes, with my life.”
“Okay, we have a situation. I just came back from being out of the States. When I returned, I had several missed calls and text messages from Ms. Raydene Walker and Ms. Sharlene Hicks indicating they needed to speak with me. I then discovered Ms. Sharlene had gone looking for Ms. Walker, breaking her contract with the FBI.”
I look at Shy, who looks at Luc.
“That being said, I’m glad she’s found protection with you. Agent Hernandez tells me you and your club can be trusted. This is a serious situation. Do you know about Sharlene’s situation?”
“Yes, I know the full story—”
This time, Steve cuts me off.
“I don’t think you know the full story, but at least you got the gist of it. I’m in New York and would like to see you. This situation has escalated and needs to be discussed in person.”
There’s a pause.
“We know Ms. Walker is missing, and a key player in Ms. Hick’s case has surfaced in New York. We don’t know if the two are related, but I need to speak with you as soon as possible. When can we meet?”
Before I can answer, Luc says, “Can you hold one moment?” and he puts the phone on mute. “I think we need them to come here, and we need to join forces with them. They know all about the trafficking ring, and with the Russians here, we need help.”
Wolfe and Shy look at each other before scanning the room. Wolfe is the one to speak. “I agree. Let them come here.”
Luc unmutes it and says, “Maggie, bring him to the Wolfeman MC clubhouse. We are all here, and I think we might also have some intel for you.”
This time, they mute before answering. “We’ll be there in an hour. And Mac, please have Sharlene with you. I need to speak with her.”
“She’ll be here. She hasn’t left my sight yet,” I state with confidence.
“Good. This is going to get bad before it gets better,” Steve replies, sounding tired.
When the phone call drops, everyone is silent. My mind goes crazy with what ifs.
Luc speaks first. “Okay, we know Sharlene is Cindy. It resurfaced, meaning the Russians are in New York. But does that mean they know about Cindy?”
“They couldn’t know. They were here long before Cindy came,” Wolfe replies.
Blink drawls, “But what if they think Raydene is Cindy?”
Fuck me!
“But Ray’s last whereabouts are in Detroit. The Russians have been here the whole time. I’ve had eyes on Viktoriya and her goons nonstop,” Reed, Luc’s main IT guy, demands.
“We need to get ahold of Dexter somehow. If they think Raydene is Cindy or even know Raydene is Cindy’s sister, they could be playing him,” Luc says to the room.
“Fuck him,” I rant. “He made his fucking bed. Let him lie in it. He’s the reason they’re all in this fucking mess.”
Before anyone can say anything, Vi’s voice bellows throughout the club, “Where is she? I need to see her now!”
“Fucking hell. These women and their outbursts,” Wolfe grunts, getting up to head for the door.
A few of us follow Wolfe out to the front common area where Vi, Dallas, Chiv, and Doc walk in. Violet, Raydene’s best friend, leads the group, followed by her man, Chiv, who looks exhausted. Dallas walks in on his phone, completely consumed, while Doc brings up the rear, looking worried and sad.
I texted Sin that Vi and Doc were here and to be ready.
She immediately asked who was Doc. I forgot she doesn’t know we call Lee Doc, so I replied and let her know.
Wolfe greets them first, calming Vi down and telling her the girls are coming down.
Dallas heads straight for the office, not saying anything that concerns me. Hawk and Blink follow him, knowing he must be onto something if he doesn’t greet them.
I decided I was going to follow them and greet the girls at the elevator. Blink catches up with Dallas, and I hear him ask Dallas, “What’s up? You got something?”
Dallas grabs his laptop and looks up with a worried expression. “Yeah, and it doesn’t look good.”
The elevator dings and the girls come out.
Sin comes straight to me. I hear Violet coming down the hallway, calling Sin’s name. Dallas has his laptop open in his hands. Sin sees the screen and freezes.
I think she’s overwhelmed with everyone, so I turn her to look at me, but she appears like she’s seen a ghost, tears filling her eyes.
Shaking her, I ask, “Sin, what’s wrong?”
She points to the screen and stutters, “W-why?”
I look over at Dallas, who turns the screen for all of us to see. It’s a picture of a Russian man.
I ask her just as Violet reaches us. “Do you know this man?”
Sin’s body starts shaking uncontrollably as terror fills her face. She whispers, “Ar-Arman Peshkov. M-my owner.”
“What the fuck did you do to her?” Vi exclaims, trying to get her hands on Sin, but I push her away.
“Hold the fuck on, Vi.” I grab Sin’s face. “Sin, stay with me. You’re safe.” She glances over to the screen and cries out, “No!” before passing out. I grab her instantly, lifting her to my chest.
I become enraged.
“Fuck!” I roar.
All hell breaks loose, but I pick up Sin and barrel through everyone to the nearest room.
“Get the fuck out!” I growl.
I don’t know who, but someone shuts the door behind me, but I can hear Vi hollering, “Someone better fucking start explaining what the fuck is going on and now.”
I sit on the bed, holding her like a baby. As I rock her, I push her hair out of her face. “Come on, Sin, wake up. You’re safe.”
She doesn’t stir. I keep caressing her face. “I got you. I promise no one will ever hurt you again. Please, sweetie, wake up.”
She starts to wake as her eyes flutter.
Thank God! I look up at the ceiling. Thank God!