Ivy mellows a little. “Sex slavery?”
I nod.
She blinks a few times. “Why us? Why were we taken in the first place?”
“Can’t be sure. I don’t know why Andrés chooses the women he does, but you, Ivy, you were special. I believe you were the target. And because Eva would come searching for you, they had to take her, too. That’s my guess, anyway.”
Her bottom lip trembles. “You’re saying we’re both in this mess because of me?”
I shuffle closer, but she doesn’t flinch away, which surprises me as I rest my hand on her knee. “It’s not your fault. You meet some damn criteria. Your looks. Your personality. Your age maybe. Where you’re from. You checked all the boxes.”
“And Eva?”
I shake my head. “Eva doesn’t. That’s why she caught my attention. She wasn’t like the usual women who come through the doors. Eva saved you, Ivy. If it wasn’t for her, if you’d been taken on your own, you’d be on your way to somewhere far worse than here right now.”
“I guess I should be grateful then,” she mocks.
I huff. “Yeah, you should!”
Ivy twiddles her thumbs then looks me in the eyes. “Will I be down here long?”
“As long as it takes.”
“Right. Well, then, I better get comfortable.”
She has sass like her older sister.
I stand, moving to walk out, but turn back at the last minute. “You’re gonna be okay, Ivy.”
She gnaws down on her bottom lip and nods.
I walk out grabbing the Brick Cell door and slowly close it.
As soon as it shuts, Void’s by my side. “I don’t have fucking time for this shit.”
I head for the stairs. “Make sure she’s kept well fed and entertained. Anything she wants, she gets. She’s our guest. Got it?”
Void lets out an aggravated groan as I make my way up the stairs. I know I should be telling Eva her sister’s here, but if I do, any chance of me spending any time with her would go out the damn window—if this bunker had windows.
I am probably doing this shit all wrong, but I’m fucked-up. My whole life has been one giant fuck-up. I don’t know how to do shit any different.
I’m making Ivy comfortable, giving her everything she needs. Hell, she’s even got company in Void. Sure, he’s not much of a talker, but I have an inkling if anyone can get him talking, it will be Ivy.
I’m trying.
Hell, I put my entire club at risk for Eva. That’s something I wouldn’t normally do. My club comes first. Always. So, this fascination, this curiosity I have with Eva, whatever it is, I need to figure it the hell out now because something is coming. I don’t know if my story to Andres will stick, but I have to make it work. I need to play it out and play it right.
Or Tampa RBMC will be in for a world of hurt, and it will be all my fault.
Chapter Six
NYCTO
The sun starts to rise as I climb onto my ride. The slow invasion of the sun sends a prickle over my skin. It’s making me more anxious than I want to be. A tightness forms in my chest as a heat inflames my skin. Light is not my friend. Yanking my dark-tinted aviators out of the inside pocket of my cut, I pull them over my eyes to stop the assault of light that will inevitably come this morning. My accelerated breathing slows a little with the tinted lenses now shading the light from my eyes, but it doesn’t help my nerves much.
I’ve been up all night dealing with this drama. First, rescuing Eva and Ivy. Now, I have to go deal with Andrés and the repercussions of the fallout. I haven’t heard from him yet—not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing, or maybe it’s deadlier than I thought. Whatever the fallout, I need to see him, stop Andrés from coming to the clubhouse and possibly finding the sisters.
Starting my ride, Spark rushes out before I have a chance to take off. He steps up beside me, narrowing his eyes. “Prez, you can’t head over there on your own. Let me come as back-up.”
Spark’s part of the military. No one’s sure about what exactly it is he does, other than firefighting. He knows what it’s like to be in intense situations. However, I’m not certain he understands what it’s like to be face to face with a powerful asshole who’s probably going to shoot me in the face for ‘losing’ two of his damn packages.
“You sure, brother? Shit could get problematic.”
“Exactly why you need me there. With Void occupied, you need someone at your back—”
“Making sure I don’t do something stupid?”
He chuckles. “Well, I wasn’t going to put it that way, but if you’re gonna put the words in my mouth…” He finishes off with a shrug of his shoulder.
I glare at him but tilt my head to his bike. “Just keep up.”
Spark turns, throws a leg over his ride, then pulls on his dome. The roar of Harleys echo along the concrete barriers as we take off toward the gate. Ominous opens it slowly, we pull through, then hammer down riding off toward Andrés’ hideout.
I don’t wear a dome. They restrict me too much. I like to feel the wind whipping at my face, the danger of the open road. You’re not a 1%er if you’re not willing to die on your bike like a real man. It might be stupid, but who the fuck cares? I break the rules every single day. It’s why Jameson, the National Club President, and I butt heads all the time. He makes the rules. I damn-well break them. But in all honesty, I like the guy, he’s a shitload better than Rancid ever was. Have to admit, watching that fucker die was one of the best days in club history. Having my part in that, laying a fist into him, it was the best feeling in the world. Watching Gamble and Jameson get their revenge was so fucking satisfying.
My stomach rolls remembering all the crap Rancid did to our club. Raping young girls in New Orleans. Stealing Jameson’s seat and blaming him for a murder. Not to mention all the shit he did to Gamble. I grit my teeth. If Rancid had ever had the chance to lay his hands on Eva, it would have torn me apart. I pull back on the throttle, my back tire slides out a little with the speed as I push my engine to the max. I hardly know Eva, yet she ignites something inside of me—some sort of protective instinct I’ve never had before. It’s equally as unsettling as it is adrenaline pumping.
She could be dangerous to my club and me.
So, I need to keep my wits about me.
I need to stop dwelling on dead men and get my head in the game.
Right now, I have a task to accomplish. I need to fool Andrés into believing Eva and Ivy got away. That I didn’t have a hand in it.
This shit’s going to be tough.
A tall story with an ending I’m unsure how it will play out.
The vibration of the engine sends a soothing calm through me. The adrenaline coursing through my veins fuels me to make sure I get this right, not just for Eva but for my brothers.
Everything is on the line.
I have to be convincing.
For the sake of my club.
If I don’t and we go to war with Andrés, I’ll also have Jameson from NOLA to deal with.
Of that, I can be sure.
Pulling up to Andrés’ hideout, his guards notice Spark and I approaching. Their guns resting by their sides don’t aim at us or move in any kind of threatening way, so for now, I know we’re okay. I pull up to the gate, my engine rumbling now at a dulcet tone.