Chapter 19
AERIANNA
Sunlight filters through the curtains, warming my skin. I stretch, feeling the solid heat of Trigger's body pressed against mine. We’re still on my couch, facing each other, my leg draped over his hip, his arms locked around me. It’s been so long since I’ve felt this safe.
“Good morning.” Trigger’s voice is husky with sleep.
“Good morning.” I cover my mouth with a yawn and snuggle closer. The feeling of being watched is creeping up again.
Trigger brushes my hair back, his fingers trailing along my temple. “How’d you sleep?”
“I haven’t slept that well in a very long time.”
Trigger lifts my right hand, turning it over to inspect the bruising across my knuckles. He presses a kiss to each one. “How’s your hand?”
“It’s better than last night. I don’t think it’s broken.” I flex my hand, taking note of the tightness. “I’ve done worse to it before. I’ll be good in a few days.”
His gaze sharpens, reading beyond my words. “We need to talk about last night.”
I groan. “Do we have to?” This is not something I want to deal with right now. I sit up and rise from the couch. Standing, I grab his t-shirt off the floor and tug it over my head before heading to the kitchen. I need coffee before I can handle this. The machine gurgles to life, filling the space with the rich scent of caffeine.
Trigger follows, wrapping his arms around my waist from behind. His body is solid, warm, and unmistakably hard. “Yeah, we do. You keep shutting me out, but I can’t help if I don’t know what’s going on.”
Releasing a deep sigh, I turn in Trigger’s arms. “Let me have some coffee, and then I can tell you what has been going on.”
He cups my jaw, kissing me slowly and deeply. My breath shudders, and my heart stumbles. When he pulls back, he rests his forehead against mine. “Thank you.”
For a moment, we just stand there, wrapped in the quiet safety of each other. But the coffee pot clicks off, shattering the moment. I don’t want to pull away, but I have to. Trigger deserves to know everything about me, and then he can decide if I’m someone he really wants.
I pour two cups and take a seat at the table, motioning for Trigger to join me. “You’re going to want to sit down for this.” He hesitates, then sits beside me, his hand resting on my thigh. The warmth of his touch steadies me.
I add sugar to my coffee and take a sip before setting the cup down. I’m trying to hold off for as long as I can, but looking into Trigger’s piercing gaze and his hand on my thigh gives me the strength I need to continue. “Ok, here it goes.”
I take a deep breath. “I grew up in a small town in the U.P. of Michigan. One of those places where everyone knows your business before you do.” I wrap my hands around the mug, gathering my courage. “When I was a teenager, my best friend, Allison, and I were inseparable. We did everything together. Then, after we graduated high school, she started to pull away from me. I thought it was our friendship changing, but that wasn’t the case. She met a guy who promised her the world.”
Trigger stays silent, his thumb rubbing slow circles against my leg, grounding me.
“One night, we were at a bonfire where a bunch of our high school friends were partying. I left because I was tired and had to get up early the next day to go to work. Allison didn’t want to leave. She told me her friend was meeting her there, and they were going to hang out. I didn’t want to leave her, but she told me to go.” I swallow hard, the words tasting like ash. “She told me that everything was fine.”
“So, I left and went home. I got a phone call in the middle of the night, and it was Allison, begging me to forgive her and saying she was so sorry she didn’t listen to me. Then there was an ear-piercing scream before the call was cut off.” I blink back the sting in my eyes. “I called my uncle, who is the sheriff in our town, and together we went back to where my phone said Allison was. Well, when we got there, no one was around. We found a blood trail and Allison’s phone. That was the last time I spoke to her.” The silence stretches between us as I stare at my hands, wishing I could wipe them clean of the past.
“I started my own investigation after the town gave up on Allison.” My voice turns hard. “Once I hacked into Allison’s phone, I found the man she was supposed to meet up with living in Detroit. When I found him, he was dead. An OD. I became a beat cop in the Motor City for four years. That’s when I met Rauel. A teenager who knew about Allison, about the Black Market Railroad.” My breath hitches. “I thought I was close. I thought I had a lead. When things started falling into place and I thought I would find her, shit hit the fan.”
Trigger doesn’t push me, just lets me speak. I take a deep breath, shaking my head at the awful memories of that night. This is the worst part of my story, and I’m trying not to let it affect me. “My partner and I were on a stakeout, using Rauel as bait so we could lure out Jonas Mercer.” My stomach churns, and I swallow. “But my partner, he had other plans.” I swallow the bile climbing up the back of my throat, looking away. “He tried to rape me.”
Trigger stiffens.
“I fought him off, broke his nose, maybe his dick, but while I was dealing with him, Rauel was dying. The damage was already done. Someone shot Rauel, and by the time I got there, I couldn’t help him.” My voice cracks. “He bled out in my arms.” “
Trigger pulls me against him, and I cry for Allison, for Rauel, and for the hundreds of women and children who are victims of the Black Market Railroad. My voice is raw and scratchy. “Rauel made me promise I’d end them. That I’d burn the Black Market Railroad to the ground.”
Trigger rubs my back in soothing motions. “What happened after that?”
“I left Detroit and followed the Black Market Railroad through the Royal Bastards MC’s spread out between the east coast, Canada, the Mid West, and then to here. That’s why I thought your Club was involved. This was the first solid lead I’ve had in three years.” My voice drops. “But it’s over. Two days ago, Zach and I found Allison’s body. She was beaten, broken, and bloody."
Trigger exhales, his lips brushing my temple. “The day the two of you came to the Clubhouse was the day you found Allison.”
I nod my head. “But before we went there, Zach took me to a house in the middle of nowhere. I met a few of the women your Club saved, and instead of blaming all of you for this, I realized we’re on the same side. That’s why I helped you get Elise back. I knew you didn’t have anything to do with Allison’s death.” I lean my head back and stare into Trigger’s gorgeous eyes. “I’m sorry.”
Trigger frowns, and his arms tighten around me. “Sorry for what?”
“For blaming you and thinking you’re the bad guys when you’re not.”
His grip tightens. “We’re not saints, Aerianna. We do bad shit to bad people.”
I cup his face, my thumb tracing the edge of his jaw. “You saved those women. You saved Elise.” My voice drops. “You saved me.”
Trigger’s mouth crashes against mine, stealing my breath. He pulls back, staring into my eyes. “One more thing, then I’ll stop asking questions.” I nod my head for him to continue. “What had you so scared last night that you were shaking?”
I hesitate. “I thought someone was in my apartment.” My skin prickles at the memory. “I didn’t find anything or see anyone. It was a creepy feeling of being watched. Then I had a reoccurring nightmare about Allison, Rauel, and you were in it this time too. Telling me I failed.” I confess. “It really shook me up.”
Trigger’s expression darkens. “You’re coming with me. Pack a bag. You’re staying at the Clubhouse, where I can keep you safe. Until we can figure out what’s going on and if you have a stalker.”
A thrill of fear runs through me. “You think I have a stalker?”
“I think we’re gonna find out.”
Trigger pulls me into his lap, so I’m straddling him in the chair. “Besides, Capone hasn’t touched the two men we brought in last night. He was waiting for you.” Trigger shrugs like it’s no big deal, but to me, it is.
My eyes grow wide. “Are you serious?”
“Yeah, apparently you’re rubbing off on a lot of us at the Clubhouse. So, pack a bag, you’re coming home with me.” Trigger swats my ass making me squirm. “Don’t even think about it Little Kitten. As much as I want to be buried inside of you again while you’re teasing me with my t-shirt and no panties, I want to keep you safe, and to do that, we need to head back to the Clubhouse.”
“Give me twenty, and I’ll be ready to go.” I hop off Trigger’s lap, and he groans in disapproval. He adjusts himself before standing up.
I roll my eyes but hurry to my bedroom. Pulling out a bag, I start packing until I open my top drawer and freeze. The missing panties I had on the night I was working out at the gym are sitting on top, crusty. My stomach drops.
“Trigger!” I shout.
He comes barreling into my bedroom, half dressed, with his gun raised. “What?”
I point to my drawer. “He was here.”
Trigger’s expression turns murderous when he looks in the drawer. “Son of a bitch.” He slams the drawer shut. “You’re not touching those. I’ll buy you every goddamn pair of panties you want.”
My hands shake as I shove the rest of my things into my bag. I’m not coming back here. Ever. My privacy was violated by some psycho stalker.
Once I’m done, I slide on a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie over Trigger’s t-shirt. He raises a brow but doesn’t say a word as he puts his cut on without a shirt. It looks very sexy as hell.
I grab my keys, Trigger grabs my bags, and we leave my apartment. Once we’re outside, I move toward my pickup, but Trigger grabs my wrist. “You’re riding with me.”
I shake my head. “I’m not leaving my truck here for this psycho to mess with. I’ll follow you.” His jaw ticks. I press my hand over his mouth before he can argue. “The longer we stand here, the more exposed we are. I’m not budging.”
Trigger clenches his teeth and then exhales sharply. "Fine. Stay close."
He swings a leg over his bike, the powerful machine roaring to life beneath him. My fingers tremble as I grip my truck keys, my mind replaying the scene at my apartment. Someone had been inside. Touched my things. Left a message in the vilest way possible. I shove the thought aside, shoving the key into the ignition. The engine rumbles, grounding me, but it doesn’t stop the unease slithering under my skin.
I follow Trigger through the streets of L.A., my knuckles white around the steering wheel. The past is never far behind, and now it’s bleeding into my present. Allison, Rauel, the BMRR, and now a stalker. Whoever they are, they know me. They’ve been watching.
A sickening thought coils in my gut. How long?
The Royal Bastards MC clubhouse comes into view, standing like a fortress against the monsters. When we pull up, Trigger doesn’t waste time. He stalks toward my truck, opens the door, and pulls me out.
"You're safe now," he murmurs, pressing a kiss to my temple. But I can feel his rage simmering beneath the surface.
Capone stands at the clubhouse entrance, arms crossed, expression unreadable. His gaze flicks between us before he finally speaks. "Good. You’re just in time." A slow, predatory smirk pulls at his lips. "Our guests are still tied up out back."
Trigger doesn’t hesitate, gripping my hand as he leads me out behind the Clubhouse.
Whoever sent that message thought they could scare me.
They made a big mistake.
They should’ve made damn sure I stayed down. They should’ve finished the job when they had the chance. But they didn’t, and now I hope they’re ready for me.