CHAPTER 26
PLAYBOY
I just finished putting the last dish in the dishwasher when my phone chimes. After I pull it out and read the message, I slowly turn toward Lara who is curled up on the couch. The sound of Vanessa singing to herself comes from down the hallway.
Everything is perfect.
But this text is going to pull me away from it and I’m not sure if the man who comes to the door later will be welcome.
Lara looks up at me and her face smooths out. “What’s wrong?”
I chuckle because of course she would know something’s wrong. My woman might not be able to say she loves me, not explicitly yet at least, but she knows me.
“You know we’ve been tracking Lola,” I start and she nods, but the look in her eyes tells me she already knows. “She was located and she just arrived back at the compound.”
Lara closes her eyes for a moment, and I step closer to her. I wait, half expecting her to hold up a hand and stop me. When she doesn’t, I close the distance between us, sit next to her, and pull her onto my lap. When she melts into me, I wrap my arms around her and hold her firmly.
I never want her to wonder if I’ll support her. I want her to simply trust that I will.
Even if it only means a hand on her back.
“Do you want to be there?”
My question startles Lara and her head snaps up so fast that she almost takes out my chin and nose. I lean back just in fucking time.
“You would let me be there?” Her question is filled with genuine bafflement.
“Of course,” I smooth a hand down her spine, “not only is she the person who tortured you growing up, but most recently she was actively trying to put your life, along with Vanessa’s, in danger by framing you after stealing from the club. You have every right to be there.”
“I,” she pauses and swallows hard, her lips closing and opening once, “I, honestly, hadn’t thought about whether or not I wanted to be there.”
“Do you need some time to think about it?” My hand slides up and down her back, soothing her. Not rushing her.
Because as far as I’m concerned, she can take all the time she needs. No one will start questioning Lola until I’m there. I’m sure every single one of my brothers is expecting me to extend this offer to my woman.
Because they know she is mine.
Even more importantly, they wouldn’t think twice about it because they listened to Lara pull her heart, and her pain, from her chest in the middle of our backyard on a day which should have been filled with BBQ, melted popsicles, and smiles. They respect the gift she gave them that day.
I love her for it. And for her willingness to give me a chance.
So, if she needs time, then she can have it.
Lara goes quiet for a few minutes, her eyes focused on nothing, before she starts to shake her head slowly. “No,” she pauses as if checking in with herself again before repeating, firmer, “no. I don’t want to be there.”
I stay quiet because if she wants to tell me why, I’ll listen. If she doesn’t, it’s a secret she can keep.
“I know what she’ll say,” her words are halted and slow to come out.
“I know what wounds she’ll poke, and I’m done letting them fester.
Lola made her choice. I’m done holding out any bit of hope about her ever being a better person.
It’s all gone,” I sigh, “all the hope I had for myself and hope I held out on Vanessa’s behalf.
” She makes a small explosion motion with her hand. “Poof.”
“Are you worried about what the consequences of her actions will be?” I have to ask; I have to know.
Because if there is any chance of her resenting or fearing me because of what happens next, something will have to give. I won’t let that happen; I wouldn’t be able to live with it.
“No,” she whispers before clearing her throat. “She’s made her bed and I stopped trying to protect her or save her a long time ago.”
A lump forms in my throat and I nod. “Okay. It’s completely up to you,” I remind her.
“I’m sure,” she assures me without me needing to ask.
My forehead comes down to meet hers. My lungs expand and I close my eyes as I just enjoy holding her. Just for one more moment.
“I have to go,” I explain. “Being an enforcer for the club means punishments fall under my jurisdiction.”
Her hand slides over my chest and I really wish I was staying right here. “You should be involved because she targeted and used you. That deserves some retribution.”
“Even though she stole, she will leave Dogwood Ridge again alive. We’ll just be controlling where she goes since she has a debt to pay off,” I tell her.
I don’t have to. It’s possible that I shouldn’t tell her.
If she wants the details later, I won’t leave anything out.
Even though I’m aware that I should get up and leave, I don’t want to.
When I come back, will she look at me differently? This is a different side of club life which has nothing to do with chrome or the open road. Lola will be alive, but I doubt my hands will be clean.
How will I face her?
“Hey,” Lara’s voice is gentle and I look into her blue eyes, “I know what you’re worried about.”
My body stiffens and my hand stills. My jaw clenches and I have to fight to keep my face neutral.
“You don’t need to worry about me seeing you differently.
” Her hands come up and cup my jaw, her blue eyes bright and clear.
“I will not judge you for doing what you need to do for yourself, for me, and for the club. Whatever happens to Lola, she deserves it and she brought it upon herself. No one forced her.”
My face crumples as my fingers thread through her hair and I tilt her head back before I slam my mouth down on hers. I kiss her hard as she clings to me.
I whisper against her lips, needing to know, “Promise?”
“I promise, Jettson.”
After pulling back I search her face, her open, beautiful face. “Okay,” I breathe out. “Can I come back later?”
Her hands smooth over my shoulders, and her lips tip up in a smile. “Of course.”
My eyes sting and fill with tears. I can’t remember the last time I cried. It won’t be now, but this is almost too much for me.
I clear my throat and awkwardly put Lara back in her seat on the couch.
“Good,” I try to sound sure, but it’s a little weak.
She leans over and kisses the corner of my mouth before I stand up and head toward the door. “Vanessa,” I call out over my shoulder.
“Yeah?” I hear her from her room down the hall.
“I need to head out for a little while, but I’ll be back. If I miss your bedtime, I wanted to say goodnight.”
Vanessa is through her door and barreling down the hallway at me before I know it. I turn and brace myself just as she slams into me and wraps her arms around my waist.
“Be safe,” she murmurs and I fall deeper in love with this little girl.
My hand slides over her hair gently. “Always, Vivi. I’ll be back.”
I don’t just assure her for her own peace of mind, but mine as well.
She gives one more squeeze before letting go and hurrying back toward her room. “Love you,” she yells out without even realizing it.
“Love you,” I whisper back, unable to speak any louder. Those fucking tears are back as I look over at Lara with shock written all over my face.
Lara just smiles softly and makes a shooing motion with her hand like I didn’t just get my world completely rocked. By the time I make it downstairs and out to my bike, I’m steady. The love of that little girl only makes me more determined.
Lola didn’t just hurt Lara. She has been hurting Vanessa as well.
The ride to the clubhouse clears my head and I feel like a sharpened blade by the time I pull through the gates of the compound. I meet Ryker in the main room and follow him along with Sidewinder, Whiskey, Diesel, and Omen.
Lola is strapped to a chair in the middle of the room we use for this kind of interrogation. It’s secure from the outside and impossible to leave from the inside unless we let you out.
She doesn’t know it yet, clearly, from the fear in her eyes, but she will have the chance to leave this room. If she’s smart, she’ll count herself lucky. Most people don’t live beyond this room.
When she sees us, she struggles against her bindings, but there’s no room to move. My lips curl into a sinister grin when she looks at me. Something flips in her and I see the calculation in her eyes.
“Ah, ah, ah,” I taunt, “whatever you’re thinking isn’t going to work. You won’t be talking your way out of this. There is no excuse for what you’ve done,” I warn her.
My brothers fan out and find a place to lean against the walls. They know this is my show today.
I step forward to rip the tape off her mouth and she lets out a shriek of pain. We don’t hurt women, normally, but that pain needed to happen no matter what.
Can’t get answers if her mouth is covered.
“You can’t do this to me,” she gasps out the words like they’re armor.
“You don’t understand. You’ve got the wrong person.
” Her gaze flicks around the room, searching for anyone who might stand up for her.
She’ll be waiting a long fucking time for that to happen.
When her eyes lock on me, her gaze softens with a silent plea. “Didn’t you get my letter?”
“I did,” I nod once, “and I have one question?”
Her face lights up and she starts nodding her head. “I’ll tell you anything you want to know,” she offers, her voice excited and bright.
“How did you manage to fit that many lies and that much bullshit into one letter?”
She freezes and her breath stalls in her lungs. “What are you talking about?” The question is shaky and breathy.
“Did you really think I was going to read that letter and believe you?” The laugh that comes out of me is mocking and filled with disdain.
“What did you think was going to happen? Did you think I would get your letter, and rush over to Lara’s bakery to find her standing above a pile of cash as if it were evidence of anything other than your stupidity?
” She blinks and her mouth falls open. “What did you think would happen then?”
I take a step closer to her, my eyes burning into her with the feral need to protect my woman, my family. Mine.
“I’m sure you pictured me accusing her and yelling at her, getting in her face, and saying she was worse than you. Did you imagine me breaking her until she broke down in tears?”
A flash of triumph lights Lola’s blue depths from the inside out. I see it. We all fucking see it.
“None of that happened,” my voice goes flat, dead.
“She called us the moment she found the cash. I read your letter and never once thought there was a single word of truth in it.” Her eyes widen and I know she’s thinking about her professing her love for me.
My jaw clenches and I grit the words out, “Not. One. Word.”
“No,” she gasps and I see her start to crack. Not just this ruse, but her life. All of it.
Everything she’s told herself to feed her delusion about how special she is. Every compliment she’s soaked up like a sponge because her kind of rot must be fed. Every day she’s woken up believing she’s above it all.
“Yes,” I growl, “and you will be very happy to know that once my house is built, Lara and Vanessa are moving in with me.” Lola makes a sound similar to one a dying animal makes.
I don’t mention how my plan isn’t completely locked down.
I’m using the power of visualization and speaking it into existence and rolling with it.
One side of my mouth tips up and my voice drops, “I already have her cut.”
Lola starts thrashing in her chair just as Ryker steps forward, his voice loud in the space and carrying the heavy authority of the SOMC President, “You stole from us, Lola.” She stills and then opens her mouth to protest, but Ryker doesn’t give her the chance.
“Here is what is going to happen. You will be heading off to Seattle. Through a connection with another club, you will be joining the staff of Second Circle, a brothel run by the Amato Family.”
Lola starts shaking, but I don’t care. I look away because whatever fear she’s feeling, she’s earned.
“You will be treated well,” Ryker assures her. The smirk on his face is a warning. “You’ll work off what you owe us and the cost to keep you.”
“Ryker,” she screeches, “you can’t do this to me. I’m part of this club.”
Something inside me snaps, I step forward and slap Lola across the face.
Her head flies to the side and I seethe, “You are not part of this club. You stole from us, yes, but you betrayed us long before that. You are nothing, Lola, not to this club, not to the family you were born into, and not to your daughter.”
Lola turns her head slowly and looks at me with tears in her eyes that might be genuine. Whether they are or aren’t, it doesn’t matter to me anymore.
She’ll go and pay her penance.
I’ve already found my way out of purgatory and I’m not looking back.