Chapter 9 - Bruno
Bruno
My body’s taut with tension as I turn my bike onto the dirt road that leads to the meeting place. The reassuring thunder of my men behind me does nothing to ease the conflict that’s going through my mind.
For three years, all I’ve thought about is revenge. Now Scarlett’s pleading look makes me question my motives. What will I gain if I take Manny out? I’ll lose the woman I love, and for what?
Manny’s already here, pacing the dirt track in front of where his men’s bikes are lined up under the trees.
“Where is she?” Manny snarls as soon as I’m off my bike.
“She’s safe. I wouldn’t hurt a woman.”
“Show me.” He advances toward me, his face pinched. And if it wasn’t for Scarlett, I’d pummel his face into oblivion.
“It’s thanks to her that we’re having this chat, so I’d calm down if I were you.” I keep my voice level, exuding a calmness I don’t feel.
“If you’ve laid a hand on her…”
Manny’s eyes are wild, and it suddenly dawns on me. He’s here for her. Only her. He’s a worried father terrified for his little girl. He doesn’t know about my revenge. And that gives me pause.
“What happened, Manny? Three years ago. When I got picked up. What happened?”
Manny runs his hand through his greasy hair.
“I got a call while we were on the way telling me not to go.”
His gaze is steady when he says it.
“Sounds convenient.”
“You think I called the cops? You think that was me?”
His eyes widen, and his shock seems genuine. “Is that what this is all about? You think I put you inside?”
He sounds incredulous, and a kernel of doubt unfurls in my stomach.
“You really think I’d do that? After everything we’ve been through?”
My thoughts go to the history of Manny and the Chaos Riders. We used to work together, until they got greedy and expanded into our territory. Since then, it’s been competitive but never bloody, and we’ve never been anything more than rivals competing for the same cut of the pie.
“I swear, man. I’d never go to the cops.”
He spits on the ground, showing his distaste for the corrupt officers we have around here.
“I got intel when I was inside.”
His eyes narrow. “Who from? Who’s trying to set me up?”
It’s a good question. Who would benefit from a war between the Crows and the Riders?
I got my intel from a brother I thought I could trust, but a year ago, he cut out to ride with the Reapers.
They’re another club up the coast and big in the drug trade, which we try to keep out of the Sunset Coast. If the Crows and the Riders weaken, it’d be easy for the Reapers to come into our territory.
I keep my thoughts to myself for now. I’ll need to confirm my suspicions before any retaliation.
Manny shifts impatiently.
“I didn’t go to the cops. You can believe me or not. Hell, kill me if you want to, but don’t harm my little girl.”
He’s worried about Scarlett, which raises him in my estimation. Maybe I’ve had it wrong all these years.
I signal to Lyle, and he pulls open the back of the van. Scarlett blinks in the light before stepping out of the van. Her ankle makes her wobble, and she grabs the side of the van for support.
I go over and clasp her arm, and she hobbles over to her father.
He embraces her in a warm hug, and she leans into him. It’s clear the affection they share for each other.
“Are you hurt? Did they hurt you, baby?”
He grips her shoulders, and his eyes flash the same danger I’ve seen in hers. I know he’ll kill me in an instant if I’ve hurt his little girl. But Scarlett shakes her head.
“I twisted my ankle, but that’s all. They’ve looked after me.”
She’s still wearing my cut, and I come up behind her and slide it off her shoulders. Scarlett turns around, shocked, giving me an incomprehensible look.
“You’re free to go.”
The look Scarlett gives me breaks my heart. But I have to let her go. It has to be her choice. I don’t think she understands that.
“But…” The question hangs on her lips. I know what she wants to ask me, but her eyes dart around at the men watching. She won’t embarrass herself in front of them.
“I’m handing you back to your father.”
Her eyes narrow, and her neck flushes with anger.
“I’m not a thing you can hand from one man to another.”
Her feistiness makes me smile.
“That’s not what I meant, sweetheart.”
I take a step back but hold the cut up. “This will be yours when you want it. But I kidnapped you. I can’t make you stay with me.”
It pains me to say it because that’s exactly what I want to do, but it has to be her choice. And I hope like hell she chooses me.
“Come on. Let’s go.” Manny wraps his arm around Scarlett’s shoulders and shuffles her toward his bike. Scarlett looks back over her shoulder, and I will her to run to me, to tell me she wants to be with me.
I hope she can see in my eyes how much I long for her.
“Wait, Dad.” Manny pauses, and she half turns to him. “I love you, Daddy, but my place is with the Crows now. With Bruno.
My heart leaps as Manny’s mouth drops open.
Scarlett hobbles toward me, and I meet her with my cut, sliding her arms into it and draping it over her shoulders, letting every man here know that she belongs to me and she’s under my protection.
“What the fuck is this?” Manny’s eyes flash dangerously, and the tension in the air is thicker than when we first arrived.
“It’s Scarlett’s choice,” I say smoothly. “As my old lady, she will have protection at my club. I don’t put up with any shit toward any woman.” I eye his men pointedly, and some of them look away, unable to meet my gaze.
Manny glares at his men, and I wonder how much he knows about what’s been going on. He must realize she’ll be safer with me and that he doesn’t have a choice in the matter because he steps back.
What he does next I couldn’t tell you because I have eyes only for Scarlett.
She slides onto the back of my bike and wraps her arms tight around me. Not bound this time—by choice.
“Where to, honey?”
“Oh, you know where. We have unfinished business in the bedroom.”
My bike purrs to life, and I speed off, my dick already lengthening with the press of her body behind me.
I’m taking her home to claim my woman.