He nods and I hand him a card with information about a warehouse we are selling. “I can’t wait.” He grins and looks at Bell one more time. “Soon, bitch,” he mouths to her and the men walk around the building out of sight.
It takes every fucking thing for me not to run after them, to destroy them. It goes against every single part of me.
But I have to protect Bell and Ronny first. I won’t allow them to get hurt. The lie that I just spoke, it’s like acid on my tongue.
I round the truck when Smiley drives into the parking lot. He jumps out and runs to me. “What the fuck happened?”
I fill him in on exactly what happened, and he grins that fucking crazy grin. “Call everyone. We got to find out this shit and put a stop to it.”
He nods and I wave at his ole lady in the passenger seat looking concerned. I get inside of the truck and lock the door, starting it up. “What happened, Maverick?” Ronny asks.
“Nothing, buddy, they were just apologizing,” I lie to him. If it saves some of his innocence, I will.
He doesn’t need to know this shit. I know Bell doesn’t believe me. I lift her hand and kiss the back of it. “I’ll explain later.”
We don’t stop for dinner. I have a prospect bringing dinner to the club. I’ll bring them to the safest place until I get to the bottom of this shit.
The ride is silent. Ronny is asleep and I know Bell is concerned and that shit is killing me.
We pull up and the gate shuts behind us. “Ronny, run on inside, will you?” I ask.
He studies me for a second before he does as he asks. That kid is beyond smart. Too smart.
The second he shuts the door, Bell scoots closer to me. I can tell she’s crazy worried. “Darlin’, it’s the fucking cult. He’s a member and recognized you.”
Her face crumples and I pull her into my lap. “It doesn’t matter. I’m going to leave you here with the girls and we’re going to get to the bottom of this.”
She nods. I pull her even closer and her body shakes beneath my hands. How I fucking wish I met her when she was a teenager. I wish I could have saved her from that life.
She leans up, smiling.
She’s so heartbreakingly beautiful with those tears in her eyes. I use my thumbs to wipe away her tears. “I’ll walk you inside. I will be back later for you both.” I kiss her forehead and step out of the truck, still holding her.
“Am I worth all of this trouble though?” she whispers to herself, but I hear her. It fucking shatters me that she even doubts it.
“Darlin’,” I growl, angry that she was made to feel this way, angry that she feels this way.
I turn around and sit her in the truck. Her face falls. “I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t have said that. Sometimes old thoughts creep inside of my head.”
I sigh, running my hand down her arm and holding her hand. “Darlin’, I understand. You have been through so much in your life. I just wish for one second you could see yourself through my eyes. I love you, so much. Everything about you, I love.”
Her face reddens and she buries it in my chest. I chuckle at her getting embarrassed.
Her hand smacks my ass cheek. “Are you laughing at me?” She acts mad, looking up at me and glaring.
“No, baby, never.” I kiss her one last time before I set her down onto the ground. I don’t want to leave her, but the promise of getting to fuck some people up is thrilling.
I walk her inside of the clubhouse. Adeline, Smiley’s ole lady, walks up to her. “All of the girls are in the kitchen making some snacks.” I mouth “thank you” to her and she nods.
I walk outside and get back inside of my truck. I don't bother getting on my bike because it would be suspicious.
All of the guys are there; they’re in the woods surrounding the property. One those fuckers is inside and there’s no getting out for them.
I pull up outside of the warehouse, noting two cars already parked out front. I open the door and some men are sitting in a couple of chairs in the corner.
“They aren’t here yet. Should be any minute,” the guy from earlier says, getting out of his chair. “Where is she?” he asks, looking around my shoulder like she’ll magically appear.
“She’ll be here, got to have patience. I have to make sure that the both of us aren’t fucked over.” I wink, trying to get him to calm down.
I ignore the burn in my chest. It fucking kills me to even say this shit, even if it’s not true.
These fuckers don't know that we have cameras in here. All of the guys are watching and Lane will instruct them when to come in.
“Too bad we have to hand that bitch over, isn’t it?” he tells me, grinning ear to ear, punching his friends on the shoulder.
All he’s doing is marking one more thing on my to-do list before I kill him. I grin at all of the fuckers in this room. Little do they know that they’re going to die very painful deaths.
I fucking shiver in excitement.
I don't comment back, letting them have their fun. “Did you see the ass on that bitch? Fucking perfection.” He licks his lips and cups his dick through his pants.
“I am so fucking glad I joined that church. They teach the bitches from day one that women are beneath us. That’s the way it’s supposed to be.” He cackles like a hyena, the others joining in.
I turn my mind off. If I let that shit sink in, I will fucking tear them to pieces right here, right now.
I want to fucking bathe in their blood. I want to bask in the sounds of their screams.
In due time.
The others can hear this shit. I look at the cameras, letting them see my murderous look, but when I look at the others I’m grinning.
The door slams open. I’m faced with three men, one who I know is her husband, and a small little girl around the age of six.
What the absolute fuck?
I look at the cameras, letting the guys know to surround the place. I don't want them backing out of here.
“Where is she?” her husband frantically asks, shaking from head to toe as he looks around the room.
The little girl is completely terrified.
“He’s the one who has her. She’ll be here later after we discuss price.” I almost roll my eyes at the fucking gullibility of this guy.
Michael looks at me. He is completely crazed, his eyes bloodshot. “Tell me where she is.” He steps forward and the little girl loses her footing.
She doesn’t look up from the ground; she stares at the concrete. This is not fucking good.
“What’s the reward for her?” the stupid fucker asks again.
Michael pushes the little girl forward. “Her.”
She looks up at me for the first time and I almost hit the fucking floor. She looks just like Bell.
12
Maverick
I try to keep my composure. She looks like Bell. It keeps circulating over and over in my head.
“This is our reward?”
I look at the little girl, who is staring at me like I’m her lifeline. She could be Bell’s twin.
I turn my attention to the guys, trying not to show how much that just affected me. “She can be your daughter, your whatever the fuck you want.”