Chapter 27
CHAPTER
TWENTY-SEVEN
Nova
Queens of the MC group chat
Manny
Something went down today, anyone got a heads up?
I smile to myself. Here we go. Of course, it says ‘Queens of the MC’ and Manny is the only man allowed in the girls chat.
Deanna
Cash was shady all afternoon, didn’t have time to find out why, wish I’d paid more attention now
Manny
The Nomad brothers, Sawyer and Nova were all in there with some of the guys, then Luna showed up
Manny
@Luna where are you?
Summer
Wait, Manny you always get the dirt, what gives?
Conveniently it’s usually through his uncanny ability to deliver food during the meetings and nobody thinks enough to care he’d be listening while delivering hot, sticky cinnamon rolls.
Manny
I was just getting back from The Soup Kitchen when everyone was filing out
Manny
@Nova I see you’ve read the thread. Spill!
I bite my lip as I message back. I’m not a rule follower by nature, but Cash seemed pretty adamant about not saying anything. And this is still dangerous.
Me
We’re not supposed to say anything! I’m not lurking, I was making my coffee
That’s kind of half true. My fingers hovered over the reply button.
Deanna
Out with it, we will find out eventually
Summer
It is poker night after all, our margaritas are known to be truth tellers
Manny
But I want to know nowwwwww
I smile to myself, but I’m not about to blab via the Queens of the MC chat. If it gets back to the boys, then they won’t trust me with the job at hand. That’s if the committee members all vote yes, which Sawyer says they will.
Honestly, the men’s reactions are a little over the top.
I get they care and all of that, and it’s a dangerous situation, but the entire MC will practically surround the building, ensuring nothing bad happens.
It’s low risk. I’m glad I stood my ground in there, and hearing Sawyer talk like that made me feel all mushy inside.
We’re really doing this, and I’ve never felt so part of anything in my life.
It feels right. A sense of belonging washes over me, not just with Sawyer, but with this club, these people. They are my people.
Me
Too much to go into in the chat. Tonight, okay?
Summer
Famous last words…
Manny
You’re party poopers. Don’t expect snacks
Deanna
You better have juice
Me
There’s juice, don’t worry. Gtg
I grin.
Tonight is poker night, after all. Not that I want to be the one to blurt it all out, but there is no escaping it if I go. And if I don’t go, I’ll only be leaving Luna out there to fend for herself. Not that she can’t do that, she can, but it hardly seems fair to make her face the music alone.
I’ll get a chance to tell them about Sawyer and me being his ol’ lady, though half of the women won’t be surprised since they egged me on from the beginning.
I have no clue if the MC will let us do this, or how long they’ll take to decide, but it makes me feel good inside. I’m helping Sawyer in some small way. That’s what this is about, after all. Locking up the men who hurt him. Finally, giving them the justice they deserve.
Two hours later
Girls poker night
“If I knew, I would’ve already told you,” Deanna says, shaking her head at the others. “Trust me.”
The girls are all sitting around the lounge at Luna’s place, since hers is the biggest house to hold — to what has now become quite an extremely large gathering — for poker night.
Aside from me, Deanna and Luna, there’s Payden, Jas, Summer, Bella, Amber, Star, Halo, Stella, Lace, Aspyn and Crystal.
“So Cash still didn’t say anything?” I say, feeling a little on the side of caution. I thought he would’ve at least told his wife.
Deanna sighs. “Normally the pillow talk wins out, but it’s barely seven o’clock,” she says. “I haven’t had the chance to get the man’s jeans off because I’m here with you guys.”
Fair point. All the girls laugh. Pillow talk is common knowledge around here, and there is no way the guys don’t know that we all talk. Surely.
“They all love to pretend they have this secret club business going on in there,” Amber laughs. “But we all know they sing like canaries to their ol’ ladies.”
“Touche,” Payden laughs. “Not that I’m an ol’ lady, but I notice these things.”
“I wish I knew what the hell was going on,” Stella grumbles.
“I’d definitely be part of it.” A chime of hell yeahs and the clinking of margarita glasses chime.
I mean, the boys really are pretty dumb sometimes.
I guess it’s best to let them think they have club business all figured out and we’re just all out here in the dark without a brain in our heads, really playing poker.
Meanwhile, girls really do have to stick together.
Luna glances at me. “Would you like me to do the honors?”
I shake my head. “Go for it.”
“Okay, but whatever happens, this stays here,” Luna starts, wagging her finger. “We’re not even kidding. The mission could be compromised if any of you say anything, and then they’ll let none of us take part again.”
“Mission?” Deanna almost spits out her drink, then proceeds to choke on it. Summer helpfully pats her on the back.
“We’re helping Sawyer find this guy he’s been looking for,” I go on, lowering my voice.
I add, “He’s part of the ex-Chicago mafia, and he believes he could be connected to the Directors.
” Everyone stops what they’re doing and the chatter around the room subsides.
We all may do different things at different times within the club, but we all know who I’m referring to.
Everyone knows.
“Holy shit,” says Star. “So how does this involve you guys?”
“Yeah,” Halo agrees. “And how can we help?”
“Cash hasn’t okayed it yet,” Luna goes on. “But Sawyer and some of the guys got an address downtown where one of the stooges works, whom they’ve got tied up at the warehouse. We’re gonna go in undercover and poke around.”
“Woah,” Stella says, bug eyed. “That’s not fair, why didn’t they ask me?”
I give her a deadpan look. “With your hotshot boyfriend? I think the gig would be up in two seconds.”
She pouts, knowing it’s true.
I briefly told Payden on the ride over here, so she knows the gist of it.
“So, you’re really gonna do this?” Amber asks, sitting up taller. “When did all this go down?”
“The meeting took place today. They did a raid on an address where kids and young women were being held, ready to be sold, then these two assholes came sniffing around Big Papa’s,” I say.
“Asking if anyone was interested in girls for sale. Big Papa got wind of it and contacted Cash. That’s when the Nomad Brothers stepped in. ”
“Holy crap.” Deanna shakes her head. “This is serious if he’s considering letting you go over there.”
“What do you have to do?” Aspyn asks.
“Well, we have a cover story about losing this Barry guy’s number, or he told us to stop by because they often recruit from this hideous dry cleaners,” Luna says.
“So that’s our cover story. The cards they were handing out only have a cell number on there.
If we can get an address before the meeting goes down, the club can nail his ass before anyone else has to get hurt. ”
“That’s the plan, anyway,” I add. “We really don’t know what to expect, or if they’ll go for it because of the raid. They could lie low, or they could try and sell the people they already have at other locations to make up for the loss from the ‘gas leak’, you know how these people work…”
“That’s so sick.” Summer screws up her nose.
“These people seem to never quit,” Star agrees. “It feels like more networks pop up as soon as one is taken down.”
“It’s always the way with these sickos,” Stella says. “And they never truly disappear for good, which is the sad part.”
That is exactly how it feels. “My cousins had a lot to say about us helping, and Sawyer did at first, but he came around,” I say. “We want to do this. If we can finally get the last of the traffickers out of Louisiana, it might send a message. We all want an end to this.”
“You guys have to be really careful,” Payden warns. “I know the MC will be there while you’re inside, but these people are dangerous. They’re criminals, and they’re ruthless.” Everyone is silent for a while because she speaks the truth. But that’s the whole reason we’re doing it. To stop them.
“We will be,” I say. “We’re just gonna go in and play a little dumb.”
“The club won’t let anything happen,” Luna goes on. “Tag was furious, as you can imagine, but there’s nothing to lose. We can’t just sit on our hands while innocent people are being sold under our noses.”
“When is the meetup?” Payden asks.
“Tomorrow,” Luna and I say in unison.
“Perfect timing,” she mouths.
“I heard something along the grapevine.” Jas waggles her eyebrows at me. “Is it true about you and Sawyer?”
I can’t hide it from them, and I don’t need to anymore. “Yes,” I say. “It’s true, and while we were in the meeting room, he told Cash and claimed me at the table.”
“Holy fuck!” Payden side eyes me. “You never told me that.”
“Sorry,” I say sheepishly. “There has been a lot going on in the past few hours.”
“I totally knew it,” Bella sings. “I knew Sawyer and Nova would get together when the time was right.”
“Well, hallelujah,” Stella laughs. “Finally.”
Crystal snorts. “Sure you haven’t been keeping him to yourself this entire time? Which is a good plan, by the way. You make a cute couple.”