Chapter 8 #2
I hand him back the helmet and turn toward the truck when Atlas reaches out and pulls me into his side. “I have someone coming to take care of your dog and truck. I’ll have to scan it to make sure Diego didn’t put a tracker on it.”
“I don’t know if Gurgi will go with anyone else. He’s pretty attached to me and Maisy, but mostly me.”
I surreptitiously take a closer look at Atlas.
He’s bigger than I thought he was. Tall and muscular.
I feel those muscles ripple along his arm as he holds me close.
His wavy brown hair brushes his shoulders.
Tattoos curve along his neck and hands, hinting at more hidden beneath his jacket, shirt, and vest. His nose and ears are pierced.
Thick silver gauges stretch his lobes. Large silver rings wrap around his long fingers.
His beard is trimmed but still rough-looking.
His mustache is thick, with just hints of gray threaded through, not enough to make him look old, though.
I’m not scared and don’t feel nervous to have him holding me. I feel protected and, for the first time in a long time, calm.
“Will he attack?” Atlas’s voice rumbles, and I can’t stop myself from leaning into him.
I close my eyes and draw in a deep breath. Cedar and leather wrap around me, but there’s something else. A hint of mountains. I miss that scent.
Home.
“If he feels like I’m in danger,” I answer as Gurgi starts barking and pushing against the partially open window. “Let me go to him.” I try to pull away, but he won’t release me.
Atlas is just as affected by me as I am by him. I look up into his deep gray eyes and feel my insides turn to goo. The old me surfaces, and I realize just how attracted I am to him.
“Please. I don’t want him to break the window.”
He lets me go as another truck pulls up. An older man, who reminds me of my father, gets out of the passenger side. The truck takes off, leaving the man standing there. He glances at Atlas, then walks toward us.
When I reach the truck, I hold out my hand for Gurgi to smell. He licks it, and in that moment, I feel a sense of calm. I take a moment to reflect on what just happened in the club. I’m concerned about Maisy and want to know where she is.
Reaching into the slim pocket of my shorts, I pull out my keys. I never leave my keys in my locker, and my bag never had my fake ID in it either. I open the truck door, and Gurgi jumps out, immediately putting himself between me and the men.
“Is that a dog or a fricking bear?” the man says cautiously, not wanting to approach.
“Everyone says that. He’s a dog. A Tibetan Mastiff, to be exact.” I reach out and pet his head. “And he’s my baby. I don’t go anywhere without him.”
“How is this going to work?”
Gurgi growls at the man as he steps closer.
“Here.” Atlas tosses him his keys. “You take my bike, and I’ll drive my girl and her baby. No scratches, man.”
The older man chuckles. “I make no promises.”
Atlas focuses back on me. “Will he let me drive?”
“He’s okay, big guy.” I pet Gurgi. “Reach out, palm up, and talk to him.”
“Really? He isn’t going to eat me?”
I can’t help myself. “Well, it is almost his dinner time. I did feed him the guy I took home last week.”
“You better be fucking joking about taking a man home,” Atlas growls as he holds out his hand. “Your mama is a funny girl, buddy. How about you and I become allies? We both want to protect her. We also need to get going before more men show up.”
Atlas tilts his head as he listens to someone in his earpiece.
“Here’s my keys.” I hand them over, then open the back door for Gurgi to jump back in.
Atlas walks me around the truck and opens the passenger door for me.
When he climbs into the driver’s seat, cars start swarming the parking lot.
I watch as he throws the truck into reverse and we back out onto the street behind us.
He then skids the truck sideways, and we propel forward down a side street with a car following us.
“Fuck. Hermes, I have company,” he says, and the next thing I know, the night is lit up with gunfire as a motorcycle rushes up and shoots out the tires of the car following us.
“Who are these men?” I ask as Atlas reaches over and pushes my head down. “Gurgi, lie down,” I order him, and he grumbles from the back but gets below the windows.
“They work for Diego’s gang that runs the strip club you were working at. How did you get mixed up with him? He was going to sell you and Maisy to us tonight.”
“Motherfucker. We knew he was part of the trafficking ring, but we didn’t realize he had us pegged as his next girls.”
“Who’s we, baby?” His deep voice rumbles, and it’s like a live wire to areas of my body I didn’t think would feel pleasure again.
I can’t completely answer his question. If he knows I’m working with another DHMC group, it could cause issues with Riddler back in Ptarmigan Falls.
“Maisy and I, but it doesn’t matter. We’ll have to figure out another way to find Syndall. I was ready to quit after tonight anyway.”
“Why are you getting involved? Fuck. If we hadn’t been here tonight, you would have been sold to a very dangerous man we’ve been trying to bring down for a year now.”
“So, you break up human trafficking rings?” I turn my head to look up at him. When I don’t hear anymore gunshots and his driving is less erratic, I start to sit up. He reaches over and helps me.
“We’ll be at the clubhouse shortly. We can talk more there. Cronus is probably getting information from Maisy too.”
It bothers me that they’re separating us for questioning, just like the police do.
“Are you law enforcement? Maisy won’t tell him much. She tells me even less. Syndall was a friend who helped her, then ended up being trafficked by Javier.”
He takes his eyes off the road for a moment to glance at me. “Cronus will get her to talk. He won’t hurt her. From the looks of them, she might just open up. You don’t know.”
I notice he doesn’t answer my question, but I don’t push him. Maybe I don’t want to know the truth.
For the next thirty minutes, we make small talk.
He tells me about my brother and Scout having a baby back in August named Deacon.
My parents are officially divorced, and my father is dating Vixen, the Handmaiden who gave me my nickname.
She’s also Scout’s aunt and a woman I respect.
I’m happy she and my father are finding peace and love together.
It still hardens my heart to stay away from them.
I can’t let them get dragged into Andrus’s world.
“When we get you back to Alaska, your family is going to be so excited to see you.”
“I can’t wait.” I fake enthusiasm, but I’m not sure I pull it off. I’ll give Atlas the slip as soon as I can. I can’t and won’t have my family get hurt.
When we finally exit the freeway, I realize we’re in a small community Maisy and I drove through one day while exploring the area.
Atlas continues driving until we reach the outskirts, where he stops in front of a large building surrounded by a metal fence.
An industrial door slides open, and he pulls in before shutting off the engine.
I start scanning for a way out, but before I can spot an opening, Atlas turns to me.
“Wait right here.” He jumps out of the truck, and a blond guy walks up.
They talk for a few moments before he takes something from the guy.
I watch as he walks around the truck with the piece of equipment.
When it beeps, the other guy gets down on his hands and knees and pulls something off the rear bumper.
I turn in my seat to watch them move along the opposite side of the truck.
Gurgi growls at the guy, who jumps back when he sees him in the window.
“Fuck! Pops was right. That’s a beast.”
“Apollo, he’s okay, as long as you don’t want to hurt her.” Atlas points at me, and the guy smiles.
“Hey, I’m Apollo. What’s your name?”
“Mine,” Atlas barks at him as they move to the front of the truck, where they find another tracker.
“Jeez, Titan. I’m happily married, and you know that.”
“I’m Poison,” I say, giving him my road name.
He chuckles. “Of course you are. See you around.”
He leaves with the two trackers in his hand, then Atlas jumps back into the truck and backs us out of the garage. He parks in front, near several other vehicles, and starts to get out.
“Stay there. I’ll come get you out.”
“Yes, sir.” I shake my head as I cross my arms over my chest.
When he opens my door, I ignore him for a moment. “Baby, I need to make sure it’s safe before I let you out.”
“Didn’t those trackers just give away our location?”
“No. Before we left Nashville, I activated an app on my phone that blocked all signals. We’re safe here for now.”
He reaches for my hand again, and this time I let him take it.
He helps me down from the truck and then lets Gurgi out.
We head toward the entrance. There are several guys with Drago Defiance patches.
They all take me and Gurgi in as we walk across the patio and step inside.
I can hear voices and a few televisions, but I don’t see a large number of sweet butts or club tagalongs, just a couple of women seated on a sofa.
There are men everywhere. I spot the two giants who were at the club and a couple of the other men.
One man has his arm around one of the women. She’s in a leather property vest.
“Where is Maisy?” I ask as I glance around the room again, not seeing her.
“She’s with Cronus,” the man with his old lady says. “I’m Aries. This is my wife, Wrenn.”
“Poison.” I again give my nickname instead of my real name.
“Wait, she gets to have a nickname. Why can’t I?” another woman asks as Apollo walks up and puts his arm around her. She’s also in a property vest. She looks a lot like Wrenn, like they could be sisters.
“Baby is your nickname. No man calls you that but me.”
“I want one too. Beckett, please?” Wrenn asks her husband. “Drea and I should get them.”
“She has one because she’s a prospect with a women’s MC, right?” Aries asks me.
“Yes. Vixen gave me the nickname because I make good drinks,” I explain. “But I’m probably not a prospect any longer. It’s been so long.”
“Doesn’t change anything if you’re still family,” Apollo says. “This is my wife, Drea, by the way. Welcome to Drago Defiance.”
“You’re a bartender,” Drea says, rubbing her hands together. “Can you make some mean drinks? My sister and I have been trying to outdrink Typhon?” She points to one of the giants, who’s easily over seven feet tall.
“I could.” I nod, but then I turn to look up at Atlas, who is just watching me interact with his brothers. “I need to check on Maisy, please. I need to speak with her.”
“I wouldn’t interrupt them if I were you,” Aries says. “He left me in charge.” I turn back to him and notice the VP rocker on his vest, but I ignore it and face Atlas again.
“You don’t understand. I need to confirm that she has her go bag in the truck with her ID, and that it wasn’t left at the club or at our apartment, which is probably being trashed as we speak.”
“Fine.” Atlas takes my hand, and we walk toward the back of the clubhouse, Gurgi following close behind. He knocks on a door.
“Go away,” is yelled from the other side.
“Cronus, Stormy wants to check on Maisy.”
“Enter,” is barked this time, and we open the door.
The room is a large living space with what looks like a bedroom and bathroom attached.
Maisy jumps up from the sofa and runs to me. I wrap my arms around her as she trembles. Gurgi steps in front of us, blocking the men from getting to us.
“I need to get out of here,” I whisper, holding her close. She nods, then I ask louder, “Is your go bag with your ID in the truck?”
“Yeah,” she replies, and I see the worry in her eyes before she drops them. She wraps her arms around me again and whispers, “I want to go with you.”
I’d like to leave her with someone I trust, but I don’t think this is the place. I lean in and whisper one word to her.
“Sunrise.”
She nods and pulls away. Cronus is pacing and quietly talking to Atlas.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” I ask her, not caring if Cronus hears me.
“I’ve known Brock for several years. He’d never intentionally hurt me.” Her voice is firm, but I catch on to what she’s really saying.