34. Chapter 34
I seriously can’t believe I didn’t connect the dots sooner. I should have after Mae told me her story.
“What do you mean, Mary?” Thor asks me and I turn toward him before turning to Smoke.
“Did you copy the scan drive I gave to my grandfather?”
“Yeah, I made a copy.”
“Open it and find the file named ‘AK’.” I pause and turn back to Timber. “It stands for Aphrodite’s Kiss. I’m almost positive it’s what Mae said she was given. I don’t know what all it’s composed of though.”
Timber’s hands fist in anger and I don’t blame him one bit. Mae and his children were put at risk from that damn drug.
Still tasting the bile on my tongue, and knowing my dry throat is going to need the water for this, I take another couple of sips before capping it. I pick at the label on the bottle, a nervous tick of mine, as I debate where to start.
“A little backstory real quick regarding Stephan’s business meetings. Whenever we had company and Stephan needed to talk business, the kids were ordered to their room and could only leave to go to the bathroom. My orders fluctuated. If he didn’t need me, I was ordered to our room. If I needed to clean, do laundry, or prepare a meal for them, then I had to wear earbuds and listen to music during those meetings. It was one of the things he insisted on ‘training’ me to do. However, I had stopped doing that and just wore the headphones about a year prior to those conversations when I’d started gathering evidence against him and trying to figure out a way to escape.
“A little over a year ago, I overheard two conversations. One of the conversations was a phone call between Stephan, Diego, Kristoff, and a man I’ve never met, but they said his name was Andrew. The other conversation was in person at our last house in Credence between the same people, but Andrew was on speakerphone. I was in the kitchen preparing supper during both meetings. Stephan’s office was just down the hallway off the kitchen, so I heard everything.
“Andrew said that he had the supplies all lined up for Aphrodite’s Kiss so that he’d be getting steady shipments for the organization’s teams. He didn’t say what the organization’s name was, but he did mention that there was one leg of the operation here in Wisconsin. The others were out of state. And before you ask, I don’t know where the others are—they mainly focused on the one that is, now that I think about it, probably not too far from here. Or at least it was at the time of that conversation. I’m not sure if that’s changed since then.”
I pause when I hear Smoke sigh and scrub a hand over his face. “It’s Oasis.”
I can’t help but perk up at that, even though the fact that they apparently know about Oasis makes my nerves even worse. That is not a group I want anyone, especially someone I know, to have ever crossed paths with. Smoke must have looked in the other folders while I was talking, because I know that the Oasis wasn’t mentioned, by name at least, in the AK files.
Licking my dry lips, I nod. “I know a little about them and it’s in those files, too. Stephan and Diego have had a lot of conversations with Kristoff about them, especially in the past couple of years. They were renting out some land north of here, but they also had a couple of locations nearby where they were housing what they called ‘their product’. I’m assuming that meant the people they abducted or tricked.”
Pausing, I clench my hands as I grit my teeth. “I even heard Kristoff saying that every product sample brought in went through a physical to see how healthy and ‘intact’ they were, as well as noting their temperament. Those deemed viable would be given Aphrodite’s Kiss and quarantined from the rest of the product.
“The rest were to have their tickets immediately put up on the website. Depending on how ‘used’ they were, some were held aside for Kristoff’s men’s use. They kept them drugged up so that they’d be compliant for anything they wanted to do to them. Unless they wanted the struggle, that is. Stephan often bragged about how he ‘saved’ me from that fate. He would often threaten that if I didn’t ‘behave’ or listen to him, that he’d toss me to them for their use and then work with Kristoff to get rid of the ‘leeches’. That’s what he called my kids whenever they weren’t around. Leeches that were sucking him dry.
“I also found evidence of Stephan funneling people from Kristoff to Diego and vice versa. That’s part of why they employ cops. They use their profession as a cover to get close to people and when they realize the truth, it’s too late. Some of it’s in code, but while doing some digging through Stephan’s office, I found a couple versions of the translations.”
“Mary, you said eight, sometimes nine, people would take part. You mentioned Leonardo, Wolfe and X. Who were the others?”
A shiver works its way down my spine as I try to suppress the memories. Leaning more into Patch, I try to take comfort from his warmth and his arms around me.
“Derrick Rodriguez, Donnavan O’Malley, Officer Finn O’Grady, and not surprisingly, Diego, Carlos, and Isaac. Isaac wasn’t brought around near as much as the others, but when he was, he made sure to hurt me, both with pain and with his lies.”
Patch’s arms tighten around me and he buries his face in the crook of my neck. Smoke clears his throat and I look up at him.
“Mary…” he pauses and I feel Patch lifting his head at his tone and looking up as well. Smoke’s gaze bounces between the two of us and a pit forms in my stomach at the tormented look on his face.
Sucking in a shuddery breath, I reach for Patch, and he entwines his fingers with mine. “Yes?”
The sorrow, anger, and some other emotion I can’t describe flit across his face. He types something on his keyboard and out of the corner of my eye, I notice the screen changing images. Turning, I hear a strangled cry and it takes a moment before I realize it came from me. My vision turns blurry as I stare at the screen. Blinking rapidly, I can’t believe what I’m seeing, but then again, I can believe it.
He’s made good on his threat.
Curses ring out throughout the room and Patch’s arms once again wind around me, pulling me in close to his chest. Turning, I bury my face in his shirt and cut, wanting to believe this is some sort of prank even though I know it isn’t.
Stephan has listed all of us for sale on the website they use to move around their ‘product’. Even his own children, Isaiah and Cassie.
Thor bangs his hammer on the table a few times to quiet everyone down, and I wipe my eyes as I look up at him.
“Smoke—keep an eye on the website for any changes. Also, comb through the rest of the documents Mary gave us for anything that might help. We’re on semi-lockdown and no one rides alone. Timber, if possible, put a rush on the unit Mary will be taking.” He pauses and turns toward me. “Guards will be posted around the clock as a precaution. While you’re home, I won’t post anyone inside unless we get new information. However, if you leave the house for any reason, even if it’s to come to the clubhouse, to our house, or Timber and Mae’s house, you need at least two guards with you, and not the ones that are posted at your unit. Your unit will always be under surveillance in case those bastards find a way in here. I know it’ll be hard, but I want you exposed as little as possible. Those fuckers will not get their hands on you or your kids.”
“What about school for the kids? Or doctor appointments?”
“Maybe we can talk to Uncle Sam and then talk to the school? We might be able to arrange for the kids to either go virtual like they did when COVID hit or if their assignments could be emailed and then emailed back once they are completed.”
“See if Sam can come here and then Smoke can set up a secure link with the principal of the school to see if it can be done. If not, then each of your kids will have a guard with them. As for doctor visits, there isn’t much we can do about that unless we can get the doctor to come to the compound. If not, then you’ll have guards with you. Patch shared the list Dr. Rodgers gave for possible doctors you could see here in town. Smoke can check out them out and then you can make a decision for which one to use going forward.”
My nerves are almost shot, but I force myself to take a few deep breaths as I nod numbly in response. Once I feel a little calmer, I can’t help but look over at Levi, worried about what I’m bringing to their doorstep and the fact that I’ve put a target on their backs as well as on the unborn babies.
She gives me an understanding smile and mouths the word ‘later’ to me. I’m not really sure what all I’ll say to her later, or ask, so all I can really do right now is nod in return before turning to Patch and then to Thor.
“Is there anything else you need me for? Or need of me? I’m going to assume you don’t want me around for everything you need to talk about.”
Thor shakes his head, the corner of his lips kicking up into a knowing smirk. “Not right now, but if any questions come up, we’ll let you know.”
Nodding, I feel Patch shift and I wind my good arm around his neck to steady myself. He sits me down in my awesome chair that I’ve already fallen in love with, and I miss his heat when he steps back to get the door. As I wheel past him, he leans down and kisses my temple.
“We’ll be out later. If the food’s done before we’re finished, make sure the kids and you ladies eat. The other bunnies not cooking will be out to eat, but other than that, they were told to stick to their rooms since it’s family night.”
“But what about you guys? Won’t the food get cold?”
He shakes his head. “We have warmers that Mae and the others know to use if we end up taking a while.”
Frowning, I nod even though I’m not happy that the food might not be warm enough for them to enjoy. I’d much rather they took a break, grabbed food, and went back in if that was the case.
Wheeling out into the common room, tears spring to my eyes when I look over and see my kids cuddled on the couch. Ash sits up in concern, but I give him a small wave and force a smile. There’s no way I can tell him what’s bothering me.
Arms wind around me from behind and I jolt before I realize it’s Mae.
“I think I can take a guess as to what’s running through your head, but we can talk more about that later, after supper. How about you come in the kitchen with the girls and me and we can try to take your mind off it for a little while?”
I sink back into the chair and rest my hand on her arm, grateful beyond words to be surrounded by people that care about me again. “I’d like that.”
After dinner, I set my plate on my lap to take it into the kitchen when it’s suddenly picked up. Looking up, Patch smirks at me.
“I’ve got it, Siren. Besides, I think a few people would like to talk to you.” He tilts his head behind me and I turn, seeing Sasha, Mae, and Levi walking toward me. Mae’s got a couple of backpacks in her hands, and I frown, wondering what’s in them. Then I see that the others have a backpack with them as well.
As Patch leaves, he guides the kids away and between him, Ash, and Timber, they clean the empty dishes off the table. When the ladies take a seat, Mae pulls out some baby wipes and quickly wipes off the table, and I can’t help but smirk.
“Those things will be your best friend for the rest of your life.”
All three of them laugh and nod.
“We learned about that trick from Smoke’s sister, Nikki, and how useful they are. Now, I always carry some in my purse,” Mae replies.
Levi clears her throat and Mae places one of the backpacks she was carrying on the table and lays it down on the center of the table.
“Mary, after my first attack, my therapist suggested that I keep a journal. I took it one step further.” Levi reaches into the bag and pulls out two journals, one blue and one black, as well as a pack of multi-colored pens. She then reaches into her backpack as she continues. “The blue one is my every day journal to chart how I’m feeling. I use whichever colored pen strikes my fancy at that time, but I never use the black or red ones for the lengthy daily journal entries. On days that are exceptionally hard, or my thoughts are extremely dark, I make a note in my journal like this one.”
She pauses as she points to an entry in her own blue journal. In black ink she’s written the date and then in red ink, she wrote ‘used the black journal today’.
“The times when I feel like I’m in a really dark place, I put all of those thoughts in my black journal. Times where it seems like I’m caught in the clutches of darkness and trying to claw my way out. Every single dark, and often torturous thought, I write down. Later, when I’m feeling like I’m crawling out of that dark hole, I’d go out back to a firepit and light a fire. Then, I’d rip out the pages, tear them up, roll the pieces into little balls, and throw them one by one into the fire, letting the fire burn away my hateful and gruesome thoughts.
“After each incident, as I call them, the time periods between needing to write in the black journals were pretty frequent. My dad had heard a saying that some therapists use with their patients to gauge how they are doing. He’d ask me ‘how long’? Meaning how long has it been since I felt the urge to write in the black journal and I’d always answer truthfully.
“Eventually, the time periods between using the black journal and burning the pages lengthened and I found myself being able to process my emotions better and not needing to use the journals as much. When I felt like I was in a good place, I’d then burn the blue journal pages as well.”
I stare at her, stunned, at what she just shared. How did she know I was struggling so much? I thought I had been masking my emotions regarding what I’m going through and have gone through at the hands of Stephan and my family. It appears I didn’t do a good enough job. Sasha clears her throat and I turn toward her.
“I started using the journals with Levi after her attack, and it really does help you process everything.”
“After my first attack, Levi and Sasha gave me the journals as well. They helped me tremendously the last couple of months with processing the attacks and the fears of what that drug may do to my babies or me,” Mae tells me.
Reaching forward, I run my finger along the spine of the journals before looking up at Levi. “How did you know?”
She reaches forward and places a hand on top of my own. “Because I struggled with the same thing I think you are struggling with right now. I wanted to turn myself into Fang to save my men, family, and friends, but my men wouldn’t hear of it. Or my friends and family. Later I realized that even if I had turned myself in, Black Plague still would have gone after my men and anyone I cared about. Yes, I got taken a second time, but that time, I knew help was coming fast. Yes, I got hurt, but it could have been a lot worse. I could have been raped, sold to some sick fuck and seen my babies sold into that life before probably being killed after I’d ‘served my purpose’.
“What’s different with these men and women, this club, is that they will do whatever it takes to save the people they love and care about. You were kidnapped, drugged, sold, and forced into a marriage that you had absolutely no say in and didn’t want. Patch looked tirelessly for you all this time, spending almost every free waking moment following the leads, only to have to start all over again when you moved. After a few years, he asked Thor if Jax could help in his free time as well, and he did.
“They came really close to finding you many times, but when they got to the address you’d been staying at, you were already gone. That man will move heaven and earth to make sure you’re safe, and if the unthinkable happens and those fuckers get their hands on you or your kids, we’ll find you as quickly as we can. That’s one reason why we use the trackers. Besides our bracelets, our phones can be tracked and our cuts have them in them, too. Jax is toying with other ideas to get trackers on us, especially the children and women, but I don’t know where he is on all that.” She pauses and squeezes my hand. “The point is, you can place your trust in us to protect you, to support you, to lean on. We’re your family now. And don’t even think of bringing up that sham of a marriage. You are Patch’s woman in every way that counts. That last bit will get resolved after we nab those fuckers and you’re finally set free.”
My eyes burn with unshed tears, and I blink rapidly to keep them from falling. I’ve cried way too much the last couple of days. Probably more than I have since I was eighteen, but part of that is because if Stephan ever saw me crying, he would then give me a reason to really cry.
“Thank you,” I tell them, making sure I look all three of them in the eye to show them how sincere I am and to express exactly how thankful I am for them, for their help, and for their support. They each smile back at me and Mae winks at me.
“Now, how about we all spend a little time exorcising some demons by putting our thoughts on paper?”
A soft chuckle slips past my lips before I can stop it. This isn’t really a laughing matter, but I do love how these women are somehow able to make even these dark times just a little less dark. “Sounds like a plan. Can one of you help me unclip the sling? I won’t be able to write for very long, but I would definitely like to put some of these emotions down on paper.”
Sasha stands to help me slide off the sling. I’m sure at some point I’ll be able to handle taking the sling off on my own, but my entire body is still pretty stiff from Stephan’s beating and then being stuck in a bed for a few days.
As I gather the journals and pens, I can’t help but glance up at Levi and we both share a small smile. Feeling someone’s gaze on me, I look around, only to find Patch watching me closely. I smile, but I’m sure it’s pretty shaky, and mouth ‘thank you’ to him. Once again, I have to blink rapidly to keep tears from falling when he rests his hand on his heart and mouths back to me ‘always’.
My chest aches with all the emotions swirling through me. I can’t even begin to express how thankful I am that Patch was able to save me when he did. Not to mention finally being able to be with him again, well, sort of. I can’t wait to be free of Stephan and start building my life with Patch.