Chapter 5
Slate
I wake up early, drag myself up from the sofa, and stretch my aching back.
It’s been five days since we brought Christina and her little girl here.
Christina and Katie got up earlier to help my ma prepare breakfast. She doesn’t have to do anything while she’s here, but she wanted to make herself useful.
As I step into the shower and let the warm water flow over my sore muscles, I can’t help but think about her as I rub soap roughly over my body.
I’ve been stroking myself like a fuckin’ demon every morning to thoughts of her just to enable me to keep my shit straight around her.
Acting like a damn horny teenager around a smart, sexy woman like Christina won’t do.
Still, I can’t stop thinking about that kiss we shared in the liquor vault, the way she responded to me taking charge. It was like we were right back in Kabul. She opened herself to me, wanted me. When she wrapped her leg around my hip, I damn near took her right then and there.
Fuck.
My hand moves quicker over my cock as I remember the way her breasts pressed against me when I held her close. She looks better than I remember. Childbirth has given her lush curves that weren’t there before, the kind of curves that make men weak and reckless.
I was a fuckin’ idiot for takin’ the high road. I should have stripped her bare and reminded her of all the reasons she couldn’t get enough of me in Kabul. I should have sealed her to me, instead of worrying about being a rebound relationship for her.
My mind drifts back to all the great sex we had four years ago.
All I want to do is get back to where we were before.
When I remember how she used to look at me, how eager she was to get naked for me, and how she took her time sucking my cock to wring every ounce of pleasure out of the experience for me.
When I come, I practically explode against the shower wall.
Even totally spent, I can’t stop thinking about her.
That’s how I know that I’m totally fucked.
I think over the situation as I pull on my clothes. Christina seems to be fitting into life here at our clubhouse. She’s thick as fuckin’ thieves with both my ma and Tessa. The Jackson family women love her. I shouldn’t be surprised by that. Christina has always been grounded and down-to-earth.
When I descend the stairs for breakfast, I follow my nose to find the kitchen full of women.
Tessa and Queenie work side by side while Christina washes fruit at the sink.
There are club girls rolling out biscuits and another stirring something on the stove.
Katie is sitting on the counter swinging her legs, munching on crispy bacon.
The whole scene feels domesticated enough to make me want to keep Christina and Katie here with me forever.
Christina fits seamlessly into my life, and I don’t know quite what to make of that.
The men in my family and the club brothers treat her with the utmost respect because she’s wearing my cut.
I knew that would help her settle in here.
Seeing her in my cut also makes something twist in my chest. Whatever it is feels bittersweet because she’s not really my woman.
I pour coffee and lean against the sink. Katie spots me first. “It’s Slate! Are you hungry, Mommy says there’s enough food here for a small town!”
I thump my chest playfully with one hand and use my growly voice. “I’m always hungry, just like a big bear.”
She just giggles, like I’m the funniest thing she’s ever seen. Suddenly, her little hand reaches for a slice of bacon and holds it out for me. I stroll over and bite off a big piece, chewing it up as I rub my belly.
Christina glances over at me. I love the sweet smile on her face.
It’s so genuine that it makes me think she actually enjoys being here with my family.
Since she’s been under my protection, she looks healthier, the color has come back into her face, and I could swear she’s put on a pound or two. It looks good on her.
When Katie tries to feed me more bacon, Christina tells her, “That’s enough. You can’t feed him like a pet. He’s a grown-up man who can feed himself. You know that, right, Katie?”
Katie looks so downcast at that I end up making a barking noise like a seal and open my mouth. That gets her giggling and I love the sound of it.
“Don’t you be encouraging her,” Christina says to me.
“I’ll do tricks if it gets me bacon,” I mutter as I pinch another crispy slice from the plate.
Christina playfully bats my hand away, “Breakfast is in ten minutes, think you can wait that long?”
I laugh and turn to Katie. “Miss Katie, I don’t think we’re wanted here. You wanna come with me and we can watch cartoons?”
“Yay!” she says.
I help her off the counter and she happily skips ahead.
I get us settled by the TV and start flicking through the channels looking for something suitable. The kid’s young, maybe two, but she talks really well for a two-year-old and seems to understand a lot. “Okay, kiddo, what are we gonna watch?”
She opens her mouth to speak, but before she can get her words out, Silver pops up. I don’t even give her a chance to open her mouth. Instead, I throw up one hand, blocking out her face. “Get the hell away from the kid, Silver.”
Her eyes go wide, like they always do when she miscalculates my tolerance for her bullshit.
I add, “I’m not joking. Don’t want to hear a word you have to say. If you keep comin’ to me, I’m gonna make sure you get permanently banned from all club properties.”
When she turns on her heel and stalks off, Katie asks, “Is she naughty?”
I tell her, “She’s an irritating girl and I don’t like her.” I realize almost immediately that I should have kept my damn pie hole shut.
Katie mimics my angry expression. “I don’t like her either.”
Sweet Jesus, I really put my foot in my mouth on this one. Then again, being wary of a snake like Silver could only make her safer.
***
Around midday, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out to discover it’s an unknown number. The area code tugs at something in my memory, so I swipe to answer the call.
“Slate here.”
A rough voice on the other end says, “It’s me.”
“Rivera?”
“Yeah. It took me a minute to get my phone charged.”
His voice sounds like he’s been through some shit. I can hear the noises of the city in the background.
“What the hell happened?”
He coughs, making a harsh rasping sound. “Got jumped. Same fucking guy came for Christina, the one I saw that day in the parking lot.”
I collapse back against the side of the building. “You sure it was him?”
“Positive. He knew my name. Got me with a stun gun before I could draw. The next thing I know, I’m in the trunk of his car, with my wrists zip-tied. He kept me there for a while, driving around, talking to himself. Wanted to know where Christina was.”
“You sound horrible. Are you alright?”
“I’ll live. He eventually stopped at some old, abandoned house. I got a little banged up. Probably have a cracked rib or two. Fucker did that when I wouldn’t talk. He smashed my hand in a vise when I wouldn’t open my cell phone for him to have a fuckin’ snoop. Shattered the bones in two fingers.”
Inside, my anger is churning like a volcano, but my voice stays steady. I am going to track this fucker down and make sure he stops hunting the terrified woman I’m becoming more obsessed with by the damn day. “Did you get a look at his plate?”
“No, but I heard him on the phone before he thought I was awake. He called somebody named Neal. Said he’d check the warehouse off Imperial.”
That’s all I need to hear. Imperial runs through the industrial strip outside Los Angeles. It’s the kind of place where you can make someone disappear and nobody will ask any questions.
“Where are you now?” I ask.
“At a hotel just outside of Riverside. I’m fine.”
“What happened with your job?”
Rivera replies, “When I said I was here for work, it was an interview. Dude drove around with me in his trunk for over a fuckin’ day and had me chained up in his basement for two more days. I missed my damn interview, and they hired someone else.”
“Well then, you’re coming home with me. Grab the nearest hotel room, text me the address and then hang tight. I’m on my way.”
“Slate, don’t do anything stupid.”
“I don’t do stupid shit. I only do fuckin’ brilliant shit. You know that, Rivera.”
“I’ve found that to be a matter of perspective,” he deadpans back.
I end the call and stand there for a long minute, weighing my options. Within moments, I’ve worked it all out in my head. I’m going to hunt this fucker down and make sure he can’t come after Christina again. I’m taking the men I trust most on this mission.
I check my watch, then scroll through contacts until I hit Jinx’s number. He answers on the second ring.
“Yeah?”
“Gear up. Bring Maddox, and Onyx. Have Stitch meet us there. He’s over in Vacaville today. Tell them we’re taking a run back to LA today.”
He doesn’t ask why. “You want all bikes or mixed?”
“Mixed. We’re gonna need one with a cage for the ride back.”
“You got it, bro.” He hangs up without another word. This is why I trust him, because he’s not a nosey fucker. You ask him to do something, and he gets his ass movin’ without dickin’ around.
I pocket the phone and begin looking for Christina. I find her kneeling in a flower bed beside my ma. Katie wanders around holding a watering can that’s half her size. They’re laughing together.
This is such a sweet moment for them that I hate to interrupt it, but I have to because she needs to know what’s going on. The thought of watching her face change from this kind of contentment back to the naked fear I saw the night I rescued her, ties my stomach in knots.
In the end, I decide I can’t take that away from her. So, I shout out to them, “I’m making a parts run. I’ll be back tomorrow.”
They both look up, but I walk off before they can second-guess the information I just gave. My father’s words circle in my head. A lie of omission is still a lie. But he’s also the guy who always said club business is not for women’s ears. Yeah, my old man was a long series of contradictions.
I head to the garage to get my bike, just as Jinx rumbles up in his truck. Maddox leans out of the passenger window, raising a brow. “You want me on my bike or in the truck?”
“Bike,” I say. “Let Jinx take the truck. You and Onyx ride with me. I want to keep our options open. I want wheels on the pavement in twenty minutes.”
“Copy that,” he says, eagerly hopping out to get his bike.
I go inside and quickly load a duffel with what we might need—an extra change of clothing, extra ammo, burner phones, a first aid kit, and zip-ties. Then I grab all my favorite guns where I need them and a hunting knife in my boot.
Jasper steps out from the side door, wiping his hands on a rag. “You going somewhere?”
“Personal business,” I say curtly.
He studies me for a moment. “You’re takin’ half the club officers for this personal business of yours?”
“I left you and Mica,” I remind him.
His eyes narrow on me, clearly unhappy to be left out of the loop.
We aren’t the sharing type when it comes to our personal lives.
Because we live in such close quarters it feels like we have no privacy, so we grab it where we can.
He presses his lips together but eventually nods.
“Fine. Be fuckin’ cryptic if you must. Just remember we’re here if you need anything. ”
“Will do, bro,” I throw over my shoulder as I climb onto my bike.
I’ve already forgotten our verbal exchange by the time my ass hits the seat. Pulling on my helmet, I leave the visor up for now. My hands settle into place.
Just before I hit the ignition switch, Christina comes around the corner of the building.
For a second our eyes meet across the distance.
She’s holding Katie in her arms. I raise my hand and blow them a kiss, so they know I care.
Christina starts to step forward, then stops when Queenie touches her arm.
She doesn’t know what’s happening yet, but she can sense that something’s up.
After that kiss we shared the first night that she was with us, I know if I go to her to say goodbye, I might break down and tell her what happened.
It’s best to leave her here oblivious and happy, rather than be the cause of her being worried sick about me or fearful that she’s still being stalked.
My club brothers’ bikes roar to life around me, vibrating through the ground.
Onyx pulls up beside me with his visor down and revs his engine.
It’s a gentle reminder that we need to get going.
I look once more at the women standing in the yard and make myself a promise to do whatever it takes to keep them safe.
I twist the throttle and take off, leading the pack out through the gate. Riding free on the open road enables me to clear my head a bit. I start going over every piece of information Rivera gave me on the phone, looking for anything I missed that might enable me to find this fucker.