Chapter Five
Traeger felt her shiver. He was an excellent people watcher. As the Sergeant of Arms for the Royal Sons, and former military, he excelled at his job. This was one job he planned to excel at for a completely different reason, but he refused to define it.
“You ready?” he asked, steering her toward the SUV.
Kailani jumped at his touch; something he wasn’t pleased with. “Yes, we can go now.”
Her words had his brows lowering. “King, you good?”
The President of the Royal Sons pocketed his cellphone after Tiana handed it back to him. The younger girl wiped her eyes, a small smile on her face. King tucked her under his arm like a father would do a young child. “Yeah, we’re good. Check in when you get where you’re going,” he ordered.
Traeger lifted two fingers to his forehead, saluting the other man, making King raise his middle finger. “Don’t get cocky, fucker. These boys aren’t lowlifes without resources. Reach out to some of our other brothers if needed. Otherwise I’ll see you in a couple days.” King didn’t make it a request.
He nodded, letting the President of the club know he understood and would do as instructed. Of course, Traeger planned to do a little side job in those couple days that might land him behind bars, but that was a risk he was willing to take. In the small amount of time since he’d met the gorgeous woman next to him, he knew without a doubt he would do what had to be done, in order to ensure she wouldn’t be looking over her shoulder for the rest of her life.
At the side of the SUV, he helped her into the middle seat, waiting until she scooted in, then he moved next to her. When she didn’t immediately buckle in, he reached over, grabbed the belt himself, and snapped it into place. “Safety first,” he said, looking into her eyes. Her breathing became faster. In that moment, he wanted to kiss her so fucking badly his dick hardened faster than a speeding bullet.
“What are you doing?” Her question came out in a breathless whisper.
It took a huge amount of effort to move back and not cover her plump lips with his own. “We need to make sure you’re safe, never know what kind of fools are on the road.” He pulled his own seatbelt on, waiting for Coal to start the vehicle.
“Safety first, boys and girls,” Coal said, revving the engine. “This bad boy can hit zero to sixty faster than your little vehicle.” He looked over his shoulder, his shaggy hair giving him a bad boy, devil may care look, but it was the tattoos that really gave him the appearance that sealed the deal. Coal was a good guy, but he’d been in and out of prison until King got him straightened out, giving him a purpose. That purpose had been to drive the cage cars legally for the MC instead of procuring one off the street for a joyride, selling it to a chop shop for some cash to buy his next fix. Yeah, Coal was doing better, much better. Now he fixed the rides, on four or two wheels for the club, helped the old ladies when needed, if they needed a pickup or drop off, and made sure things went smoothly when they went out on a mission.
He was level, of that they were sure, but he also had a lead foot, which he put to good use as they left a good amount of rubber on the asphalt, making Traeger want to reach up and choke the fool. “Coal, you wanna see the next sunrise, I suggest you let up on the gas, brother.” Traeger unclenched his teeth long enough to grit out.
Coal’s chuckle had Traeger rethinking allowing the man the ability to see the next sunrise.
“Gotcha, boss,” Coal said, winking at Kailani through the rearview.
“Motherfucker, keep your eyes forward,” Traeger warned.
His tone must’ve gotten through to his fellow MC as Coal finally stopped jacking around, his gaze going toward the road, the speed going lower to where Traeger didn’t feel his back being pressed into the seat. Smart man.
“You doing alright?” he asked Kailani.
She turned from looking out the window, her tan complexion not as pale as it had been moments before. “Yeah. I’ll be better once you guys drop me off though.”
He nodded, keeping the reality of what was going to happen once they got to her car from her. No way on god’s green Earth was he leaving her to fend for herself. Nope, he and the feisty little woman next to him were going to go to plan B, which was finding a little place to stash her sexy little ass, get some info from her, then he was going hunting.
“What’s going on in that big noggin’ of yours, Mr. I mean, Traeger? Is that your real name, or code name? Who are you guys?” she asked.
He’d been waiting for her to ask, knowing they didn’t look like cops or some other alphabet agency. Sure, he used to work for the government, but if anyone were to see him or any member of the Royal Sons, they’d see exactly what they wanted. Big, badass, tattooed motherfuckers who gave no quarter. “We’re the ones who are going to make sure your brother and whoever thought to take Tiana see the error of their ways.” He didn’t need to tell her how they planned to accomplish that, her eyes, eyes that had seen way too much in her young life already knew.
“My father...he’s not always been a terrible man. I mean...” she looked away before continuing. “He’s not been the best padre, but it wasn’t until after my mother died that he lost his compasión.”
He wasn’t sure the man was ever truly compassionate, or if he’d presented that face to his daughter and wife, but from what Keys had dug up, the elder Trevino was every bit as deplorable as his son. He just hid it better. Or maybe, he only did it away from his home. Either way, both Trevino men made their money from selling drugs and females. They didn’t care if they were old enough to be legal as long as they were a commodity. Keys had also come up with a little information regarding her mother that was a little disconcerting, something he wasn’t ready to share with the feisty little woman. “Come on, we need to go,” he said as the SUV rocked to a stop next to the Jeep they’d located. He actually approved of her vehicle choice, shocked she hadn’t chosen a flashy little number like the one they’d gotten into at her home.
“Do I get to drive?” she asked, a little bite to the question.
Traeger raised one brow but said nothing else. Her backpack swung forward from her arm. However, she didn’t offer to relinquish it when he held his hand out. He understood why. She had everything she’d need to start over inside there. He wanted to reassure her they’d help her. “Get in and buckle up. I hope this thing isn’t a pussy four cylinder.”
Kailani shrugged. “Nope, it’s a special edition with all the things that you’d need to go off-roading. I was told if I decided to go down a rock cliff, that I’d be safe in Ruby Jean.” She smirked.
“You named him Ruby Jean?” Traeger held the passenger door open for her after he ensured there were no surprises inside, approving the black leather with red details. Sweet ride, he silently agreed. If you were going to drive in a cage, one that could become a rolling convertible, it should be one that was a badass beast of a rig.
“It’s a Rubicon, and well, my mother’s name was Jean.” Sadness crept in at the mention of her mother’s name.
He decided to change the subject. “Toss your bag by your feet, unless you want to put it in the back?” As expected, she stiffened when he pointed out her obvious reluctance to release her backpack.