Chapter 16
CHAPTER
SIXTEEN
Julie
“I win again.” I do a little dance in my seat.
Yak told me to stay in his room, so since I refused to leave again, Sap brought in a foldable table and two chairs.
We have been playing Euchre ever since. Two-person Euchre isn’t as fun as four, but I have been kicking his ass at it.
“You don’t have to look so smug,” Sap grumbles.
“I thought you said you knew how to play. You are making it look like I’m taking candy from a baby,” I chastise him.
“I’ve never played with only two people. I usually have a partner. Which reminds me, next time I play, you’re my partner. I am calling dibs.”
I beam at his compliment.
Dad taught me to play at a young age. I remember at family gatherings sitting in on a hand or two while he ran off to do whatever he needed to do. Even at seven, I was a card shark. At least, that’s what Aunt Jo called me.
“We will see. Deal again.” I nod to the cards.
As he shuffles, the door behind me opens. Sap tenses before he relaxes.
Before I can look over my shoulder, a hand on my chin is turning me to face him before lips touch mine, kissing me roughly.
My body lights up for him. I forget that Sap is here completely as I lose myself in the kiss. When he finally pulls away, I’m breathless. I’m sure I’m looking up at him dazed.
“Hello, Angel. Were you a good girl while I was gone?”
I’m almost embarrassed how raspy my voice is when I speak. “Yes.”
Sap snorts, and I shoot him a glare.
Yak turns and looks at him. “What is it?”
“Well, your girl was starving, so she snuck out to try and find food. Thankfully, I was keeping an eye out for her.” Sap gives me a pointed look.
“I’m not nice when I’m hangry. I won’t apologize. It was survival,” I huff.
Yak runs his hand through my hair, bending to place a kiss on the top of my head. “I’m sorry. I should have considered that and had food brought to you. That is on me. I promise I will take better care of you.”
My heart feels like it skips a beat in my chest at his words. I like that he wants to take care of me.
“It’s okay. You had things to do,” I murmur.
He shakes his head. “It’s not okay.” He looks to Sap. “Thank you for watching out for her. What happened?”
“It wasn’t a big deal.” I try to brush it off.
“Yeah, okay. She’s delusional. Your favorite brother had her pinned in the kitchen. I convinced him to leave, but you need to watch your back. He is after her. He doesn’t take no for an answer.”
“Really? Was that necessary?” I hiss at him, my eyes flicking to Yak.
He is still. Calm. Almost too calm.
I expected an outburst. I figured I would have to keep him away from the other man. I mean he has already killed for me, but even I know killing one of his club members would be different. There would be consequences.
“He deserves to know. You can’t keep shit from your old man.
That’s how you get hurt. I don’t know what’s going on with all of this, but you guys need to get on the same page.
” Sap stands, patting Yak on the shoulder.
“I’ll watch out for her for you, brother, but you need to watch out for Aragon. He is going to be a problem.”
“I’ll put him down,” Yak growls.
I gasp at his words. I didn’t think he’d actually kill a club member, but it seems to be his goal.
“Good. I’ll back you when you do. I’m going to get going. See you later.”
After the door shuts, I step into Yak. His arms circle me without hesitation.
“What are you going to do?” I ask.
“That’s not for you to worry about,” he says against my head.
“I want to worry about it. I worry about you. Are you going to get hurt? Arrested? Killed?” I suck in a breath.
He pulls back and cups my cheek. “You will be safe no matter what.”
“I’m not talking about me.” I grab his arm, holding him to me.
He sighs. “I won’t get hurt. I promise. I can’t tell you what I’m going to do, though. There are things I will never be able to tell you. I don’t want to tell you. I don’t want that to weigh on your soul. You have to accept that.”
Tears well in my eyes. “You can’t promise you won’t die.”
He nods. “You’re right. That’s not a promise I have control over.
I have contingency plans in place should it happen, though.
You will be protected. I can promise you that I will do everything in my power to come back to you each and every time.
” He leans in, kissing me. “You give me something to live for.”
My eyes close at his words. I have never felt important to someone else. Not someone like him. It is scary yet exhilarating at the same time.
I slowly open my eyes.
“So, what now?” I whisper.
“Now, I take you home, and I figure out what my next move is.”
“You’ll come home to me tonight, though?” I phrase it as a question.
He hesitates, then nods. “I will come slide into bed with you later. You’ll be asleep like a good girl, won’t you?”
I hum, swaying into him.
He smirks at me. “Fuck, you weren’t my plan, but Lord knows I can’t let you go now.”
“I don’t want you to,” I admit.
It’s a dangerous game we are playing. My father would never approve of him. They are on opposite sides of the law.
Still, standing here in his arms, I have never felt more desired. Safer.
He’s the one I choose, the heck with the fallout. I’m willing to risk it all for him.
Yak
Leaving Julie at her house on her own is hard. I don’t like driving away, but I need to.
When this all started, I was determined to find the traitor for my brother and head back to where I thought I belonged.
Now, everything has changed. If I can’t find proof that Aragon is betraying the club, he could bring the whole thing down, including Julie.
I meant what I said to her. I didn’t have anything to lose before. Yooper is a grown man and can take care of himself. I was a lone wolf trying to solve a mystery, but now I have someone to take under my wing. Someone I want to protect with all my being.
I made her a promise to come back to her, but if it comes down to it, I will step in front of a bullet for her. Without hesitation.
Typing out a text to Yooper, I hit send then drive to the coordinates I sent him. It takes him twenty minutes to show up.
“What’s wrong now?” He looks so worn down.
I hate that I am about to add to that.
“We have to get rid of Aragon. Sooner rather than later.”
He tilts his head. “Why the rush now? Because of the piece of ass you got?”
“That’s my old lady you’re talking about,” I growl.
His eyes spark with recognition. “I see. The situation has changed then.”
“It has. I wish you’d let me call my old friend and have him dig into shit.”
Yooper shakes his head. “We can’t go outside the club. They already resent you for being brought in on a fast track. We can’t give them any other reason to doubt you.”
“So we stay blind?” I hiss.
“No. We be smart about it.” He rubs his hand down his face. “I have an old friend from another chapter. He owes me a favor. I can’t call him, though. I need plausible deniability. So go to town and grab a burner and then call him. Tell him I told you to and what we need. He will help.”
I nod. “I hope he is quick.”
“He’s one of the best. Until he gets back with us, what do you propose we do now? Things haven’t changed with the club. We still have no proof.”
“I hate that motherfucker. If it didn’t come with a fucking death sentence, he’d already be dead,” I growl.
Yooper snorts. “As if I’d let you die. Excommunication more likely.”
Before Julie, I would have taken that. Now I can’t. I won’t condemn her to a life on the run.
“We set up a trap. We catch him in the act,” I tell him.
“What are you thinking? Talk it out with me.”
“Well, we know he is skimming on the product. We think he is reselling them. We just need to figure out how. I say we buy a shipment of guns under the guise of a run. We get the guys down in Forbach to assist with the shipment, but keep it on the DL why they are helping. Aragon will be watching us, but he won’t watch them as hard.
They can slip something inside to see where the product is actually going. ”
“I wish we could trust Predator. He could figure out how to track them.”
I rub my lips together. “What if I approach him to track Aragon?” I ask.
He frowns. “Tip our hand?”
“No. Use Julie. Tell him I want to protect my old lady. It wouldn’t seem out of hand for me to want to keep an eye on Aragon after the way he has come for Julie.”
Yooper considers it. “Will you be able to keep your temper in check?”
I grind my teeth. “I won’t end him until I have proof. I made a promise to Julie, and I won’t break it.”
He nods. “Then go for it, but be careful. I’ll keep my ears to the ground.”
“Sap is officially off my list, by the way,” I tell him.
He nods. “I figured you were leaning that way with trusting him with Julie.”
“He will protect her. He already has.”
“Are you going to tell me what happened?” He quirks his brow.
“Aragon seems to think he can have Julie even with my claim. Sap stepped in, but he’s a fucking gnat. I plan to eradicate him.”
“Be smart about it, though.”
I smirk at him. “Aw, it almost sounds like you care. Who knew the big bad biker president was such a teddy bear.”
He pushes me, but I grab him around the neck and rub his head.
“Jameson, I swear to fucking God.”
I laugh, jumping away as he slams his fist into my side.
“Oh, come on, Bennett. You know you miss when I would whoop that ass,” I joke.
“You are and have always been the most annoying little brother.”
I smile wider. “Oh, but I am your little brother. You can’t get rid of me.”
“Oh, I could, but it’s not worth the hassle. You’re still useful.”
I nudge my shoulder into his as we start to walk back toward our vehicles.
“I’ll stay on your good side. Canada is starting to grow on me,” I say cheerfully.
“Or a certain bombshell has grown on you,” Yooper mutters.
My mind flashes to Julie. She really is a bombshell. Beautiful in a classic way. Way classier than a man like me deserves, but her chance to leave me has come and gone. She’s stuck with me now. I’ve tasted her. Heard her scream my name.
Being with her has changed the chemistry inside of me. I now belong to her. I am her weapon to yield, even if she never will. She’s ensnared me, the man who harbors darkness, but my darkness will never touch her. I will protect her from everything, even myself.
“I could take her with me,” I muse.
“You could,” he agrees.
I don’t want to take her with me, though. I want to stay here. I want to get to know my brother again and learn to trust the brothers. This darker, grittier MC life is more my speed. I loved my life in Colorado, but something always felt like it was missing.
Here, it feels like home.
“Or I could stay. After all, who is going to keep bailing yourself out?” I joke.
“I don’t need you to bail me out,” he growls.
“Sure. Whatever you say, big guy. I’ll go run your errands like a little bitch. You go back to your tower.”
“Fucking Jameson,” he curses under his breath as I head toward my truck.
There’s a smile on my face, though.
I always planned to leave, but now I know I can’t. I need to stay. Not just for Julie, but for Yooper too.