40. Camile
CAMILE
I’m so happy for Rook, my heart could burst. I understand why he was in trouble after what he did when I was taken, but he did it for me. I’d have had a big issue with Jack, and the others, if they hadn’t forgiven him.
Not that I had any say in things. My men will do anything for me, but living in the club means accepting some of their traditions, one of which is that women don’t get much of a say in how the club is run.
It’s sexist, but compared to my alternate future as a cartel leader’s wife, it’s positively egalitarian.
There are some things I want to address with the guys, though.
I’m not too happy about the topless barmaids.
Not because I’m jealous, not at all. I know my men aren’t interested in other women.
I’ve got eyes, and I’ve seen the amount of come hither looks Jack and Ace get, and they never return them.
Hell, from what I can gather, Jack was pretty much living like a monk after his wife died until I came along.
As for Ace, he was probably a bit of a manwhore, but so long as he isn’t now, all is good.
Ghost seems to scare most of the women, and Rook, well, I’ve seen that skank Charmaine hitting on him more than once, and he’s never shown any interest. No, the reason I don’t want the topless barmaids is that it’s degrading, particularly the way some of the members talk about them and treat them.
Even with the Numbnuts long gone, I’ve heard guys raucously discussing their boobs, and I don’t like it.
I’ll bring my concerns up with Jack and see what he says.
“I’ve been thinking about where we could build a house.”
“Jesus, Ace.” I whip around and smack him on the arm for scaring me. He’d spoken quietly into my ear from behind and spooked me to damn death.
“Skittish much?” He rolls his eyes good naturedly.
“What do you mean, build a house?”
He looks at me as if I’m an idiot. “Well, we can’t all live separately forever, can we? How else will we do this? You spend one night at Jack’s, one at Ghost’s? Then what? Rook doesn’t even have a proper place on the compound. We need somewhere we can all call home, and that’s safer, too.”
Jack has joined us and must have heard the last of what Ace says as he nods thoughtfully.
“It is safer for you, Camile. We’ve neutralized the threats, but these past few weeks have been scary as hell, and who knows what the future holds.
If you’re living under the same roof as the four of us, I’d feel a lot more relaxed. ”
Glancing around, I lower my voice a little. “Aren’t you worried what people will say? About me, I mean? And you guys, too, come to think of it. Right now, it’s all rumors and gossip, but if we live together, they’re going to know that we’re all fucking. For real. Well, you’re all fucking me.”
Jack laughs. “So? I’m their president, and I have always done right by them, kept them safe, given them a place to call home. I’m not going to be judged for finally finding some damned happiness.”
I consider his words and realize he’s right.
“Hey, beaaatch!” The shouted, jokey insult has me turning around so fast I give myself whiplash.
“Oh, my God, Zee!” I rush to my friend, Mackenzie, and throw my arms around her.
She’s got Kirill with her, who nods to Ace, but also Tino, and oh crap, Dom’s here, too. He can be a moody one, in my opinion.
“What are you doing here?” I ask. “Not that I’m not glad to see you.”
“Vani brought us. Said there was a big party at the compound and invited us. She asked Ophelia and those freaks she’s with, but you know what they’re like. Not Ophelia, I mean, but the guys. They’d probably turn to dust if they had fun.”
She’s referring to the three men known as the Preachers. And while they are strange, and pretty scary, they really do seem to care for our friend.
I giggle and smack her arm. “Don’t be terrible.” I look around for Vani, and spot a tall, massively built guy, and know she won’t be far behind. Zane is her silent protector. He can’t talk, but he’s terrifying. His charisma and presence are even more intimidating than his size.
Vani breaks through the crowd and rushes up to her dad, giving him a hug. Then she turns to me and envelops me in her warm embrace.
The twins, Lex and Saint, are standing on either side of her, while Zane takes up position a little way back as if assessing for threats.
Saint is wearing the most over the top, black and gold silk shirt I’ve ever seen.
I think it’s Versace. Even though he sticks out among all the far more casually dressed bikers, I have to admit he looks good.
All around us, people are drinking and laughing. A few are dancing, and in far corners of the set-up, couples make out.
Someone turns the music up, and a song I don’t know fills the air. It’s heavy rock of some sort, and I try to tune it out as Vani shouts over it, telling me how she’s going to try to come visit more often.
We chat a little, and while it might not be completely back to normal between us, things feel so much better. There’s a lull in the conversation, and Saint wanders off with Dom to fetch drinks for the group.
A familiar guitar chord fills the air, and I smile. I know this one. The drumbeat blasts in next, and Kirill whoops, starting to headbang along with the beat. When the opening chorus of Guns and Roses, Paradise City, kicks in, Kirill starts dancing, and I have to admire just how good he is.
If he wasn’t in the Russian mafia, he could have been a professional dancer with a bit of training.
“Are you ogling Magic Mike over there?” Ace grumbles.
I laugh. “God, no. He’s not my type. But he is a good dancer.”
“So am I.” Ace winks. “Come on. Dance with me.”
I don’t think I know how to dance to this sort of music. Pop is more my thing, but I follow him to the patch of grass where people are gathering to throw themselves around with gusto.
We dance for a couple of songs, with some of the others watching from the sidelines. I spy Rook heading back to chat with Jack, and I want to go congratulate him. So I gesture for Ace to come with me and leave Kirill and Tino dancing with the bikers.
Before I can reach Rook, Lex leaves his little group and approaches me. “Camile, I have some news on the private plane arranged to collect your mother and brother. It will be landing at a small airfield near to their location in forty-eight hours. Do you think you can arrange for them to be there?”
I nod eagerly. “I can, for sure. Thank you so much for doing this, Lex. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.”
“Well, Vani didn’t exactly give us much of a choice, and if Vani wants something, she’s going to get it. She still feels terrible about how she treated you, and she’s doing her best to make it up to you. I hope you can see that and bring yourself to forgive her.”
“There’s nothing to forgive,” I tell him.
I mean it, too. Yes, it was awful when we were fighting, but I can see how sorry she is.
It’s just taken her a little time to come to terms with things, and I completely understand that.
All I care about is that things are good between us now.
That she’s going this extra step to make sure I’m happy means the world to me.
He shrugs. “Besides, we know Jack has a stake in this, too, and we can’t risk pissing off the father-in-law.”
“Whatever your reasons are, I can’t thank you enough.”
The thought of seeing my family again causes my eyes to well with tears, and a lump constricts my throat.
I’d genuinely believed at one point that I’d never see them again.
When they’re safely back in the States, we can finally grieve my father, however complicated that might be, emotionally.
I’m not sure what lies ahead, as far as the family business is concerned, but I discover I don’t really care.
As long as we’re all safe, that’s all that matters.
“Come on, let’s go and get a drink,” Vani says, appearing from where she’s been dancing.
Before I can thank her again for what she’s done, she links her arm through Lex’s and pulls him away.
I take my cell from my purse and fire off a quick text message, relaying the information from Lex to my mother. With the location of the safehouse still a secret and the majority of Hector’s cartel taken care of, they should be safe enough to make it to the airstrip and be transported here.
I still want to congratulate Rook, so I go off and find him. He’s chatting to Ghost now, the pair of them looking comfortable in each other’s company. They’re both so handsome, I can hardly believe I get to call them mine.
I reach Rook and pull him into a massive hug. “Congrats, fully patched in member.” I kiss him, and he picks me up, swinging me around.
My heart is so full for him, and I’m about to say we should plan a celebration when something distracts me.
Powerful headlights appear on the other side of the main gates and an engine roars.
I turn just in time to see a massive Ford F250 with huge grill guards plowing straight through the metal gates.
The gates crash to the ground, and one of the ol’ ladies who’d been standing too close is flung a few feet to the side.
A high-pitched scream tears through the air, and someone rushes to help her.
Oh, my God. What the hell? Is the driver drunk? But then two other vehicles roar in close behind, through the damaged gates, and my brain takes a moment to catch on.
“Get her the fuck out of here,” Ghost yells, pointing to me and already drawing his weapon.
Jack shouts at Zane to take Vani, but he’s already on it, literally carrying her as he runs for cover.
Gunshots ring out, and people start screaming, fleeing in every direction. It’s utter chaos.
Jack is running toward the scene. Why is he doing that? He just got shot, damn him. Acting on pure instinct, I try to follow, wanting to make sure he doesn’t get himself shot again, but someone grabs me by the wrist and pulls me in the opposite direction.