Page 7

CHAPTER 6

Rogue

I n the war room, Havoc, Creed, Tyrant, and myself are gathered at the table. The tablet in front of us is almost taunting me.

I shouldn’t care.

I shouldn’t be twisted up about the beautiful woman inside my house. Yet, I find myself wanting to be with her. Lying to myself, I say it is to protect her, but I know there is no reason for anyone to find her at my house. She doesn’t need my protection. She didn’t even ask for my help. But every instinct inside of me feels drawn to step up for her.

She is beautiful. She works hard. Even when she caught the flu, she drug her ass into that shop. After I picked up flowers for Dominiks that Monday, I had chicken noodle soup, some drinks, and a lounge blanket delivered to her shop through one of those delivery app services. Of course, I didn’t have a card or ever let her know it was me. Not everything done for someone needs an announcement. That is how I viewed the act of kindness when she was sick. It didn’t need some card or recognition.

Tyrant presses play on the screen of the tablet in front of us. We watch the delivery truck driver leave the flower shop that he delivers to before her shop every Friday. He climbs in his truck casually from that shop, pulls away, and everything is as usual.

I have to admit, Ghoul did some work on this in a jiffy. It’s only been a couple of hours, he has managed to pull footage from traffic cams, security cams, dash cams and people’s damn doorbells to give us a loop of footage watching the box as it traveled to her shop.

The delivery man hits the open highway and we lose some things. Suddenly, though, he’s on screen pulled off the road, surrounded by motorcycles.

Creed pauses the video momentarily, explaining, “Outside of Huntsville, they got him. Not sure how, but the club got him pulled over. Ghoul said this is from a warehouse off the road. Motion sensors activated the camera. Grainy and at a distance, but her shop was the target. This is where they change things up just before her stop.”

He presses play.

On the small screen, the delivery driver is yanked from his vehicle. Once cleared of the door, he is apparently ordered to remove his uniform shirt. He does as told, standing in front of the men in a plain t-shirt and jeans. He throws his hands up and I wonder what he’s saying to them. Is he pleading for his life? Is he in on the heist? His body language shows his shock so I sincerely doubt it. That is confirmed when seconds later, the biker in front of him, steps forward, puts the barrel of his gun right between the man’s eyes. He fires. Shot point blank in the head, there is no mistake to be made in this kill.. His body doesn’t even have time to hit the ground as two men from the club catch him at his arms, and drag him away to their waiting van.

Three other men from the club open the back of the delivery truck. From there, they can’t be seen once they climb inside. A black duffel bag is brought to the back of the truck and handed into one of them. A few moments pass, the men emerge. One of them removes his cut, changes his t-shirt inside out before donning the dead man’s uniform shirt. From there, he climbs in the driver’s seat as the rest of the men go back to their van or their bikes.

I pause the video and look to my brothers, “do we know the club?”

Havoc gives a half nod leaning back in his chair, “new players out of Tennessee. Legion’s Demons MC. Heavy into cartel shit. Bunch of ex-cons, no loyalty, easily bought, and all intel says they got no ties to Bows and Blossoms or Michele. Hired out.”

My face goes stone-cold. “Why her? Doesn’t make sense. I’ve been to that shop every week for three years, that lady is a clean as they come in our world.”

Creed leans back lighting a joint, taking a hit and passing it to me. I take my inhale and pass on to Tyrant. The marijuana isn’t doing shit for the tension inside me right now.

“She’s innocent. Fucking nicest female in the whole damn town.” I tell them what they already know too.

“She’s got one tie coulda put her on a radar.” Tyrant shares. “We ain’t got much to go on. Her shop, though, it’s part of Bianchi Holdings.”

“Guilia Bianchi, the mob boss out of Jersey?” I ask knowing she’s got her hands in many businesses in order to filter the funds from the cocaine empire her family built. Inheriting her father’s empire, she’s as cold as they come.

“The one and only,” Tyrant states taking another drag and passing the j.

“Any other Bianchi businesses have a weird delivery Friday? We’re an entire weekend behind this shit.” I say taking another hit, passing it to Creed.

“Nothing that Ghoul has found so far,” Havoc shares.

“What’s the connection? We’re missing something.”

“Tryin’ to sort that, brother. Time is against us. She’s got something tied up in this, and we need to know. These Demons rolling up in our territory without so much as a call means war. Need to know why, how many, and get ready for battle,” Havoc informs. “On paper, she’s clean, has been since coming to town. Something about this don’t add up, though.”

Creed nods, “Ghoul needs time, but figure you got rapport with the female. Might be time to have her answer some questions.”

“Anything else on this video I need to see?” I ask knowing I have a mission now and need to get to her and complete the task at hand.

“Not really,” Creed tells me, “they pull off right before entering Creekdale Friday afternoon. Remove their cuts, and send their boy in on that truck. He offloads at her shop, collects her payment the video from the shop beside hers shows. She waves with a smile sending him on his way. The fucker laughs as he pulls off.”

“She was none the wiser to any of it, even when the fucker was an hour later than usual. Apparently, she had a wedding so she put the flowers in a cooler and kept working. She didn’t open the box until this morning when you were out front.”

“Damn,” I mutter to no one in particular. “I’ll be in touch later. Keep Ghoul on it.”

Creed nods as I stand to exit our small office space off the end of the clubhouse that is for officer only meetings like this one.

Pulling up, I can’t believe I’m doing this. I get rapport and she doesn’t know anyone else in my club, but I’m not sure I need to be the one doing this. Maybe I should have picked her up and taken her out. Only I don’t know the threat to her yet. Here, she is safe. Except, I can’t say the same for me. This place is anything but safe for my sanity.

What is it about her that calls to me?

Hopping out of my truck, I grab the takeout bag and make my way to the porch.

On the far left side of the covered porch, I have an outdoor couch. A sectional with a table in the middle. The table converts to a fire pit, one that has never been used. This outdoor patio set was the last thing Ayla bought before that fateful night.

We have no family memories there.

It is possibly the only safe space for me to share a meal with Michele. There are no memories to haunt me sitting here.

Ringing the doorbell, I wait for her to get to the door. She’s smart. She listens. Checking the peephole, she doesn’t unlock the door until she sees it’s safe.

Honestly, I wasn’t sure she would stay. Once the prospects dropped off her car, she was free to leave. While I can be ruthless to an enemy, I wouldn’t do the same to someone I don’t have a target on them. On the flip side of that, an innocent person, especially a woman, I will never force into anything. She had her options.

Wisely, she chose to stay here.

As she clicks the door locks and emerges, I move down to the couch and table. Pulling the takeout containers from their bag, I begin setting up our space.

“Jennings,” she says my name with trepidation. “What are you doing?”

“Gotta eat, buttercup. Thought we could do it together.”

She approaches as I begin to put straws in our cups. The soft touch of her hand to my shoulder shoots like electricity through my body. I jerk my head to look at her.

“We could eat inside,” she offers.

I shake my head and go back to my task. “Got those build your sub kits from the deli beside your shop. The cashier said there isn’t a sandwich there you haven’t tried and not loved.”

She gives me a slight smile. “I don’t know if I should be happy they noticed or mortified.”

I shrug my shoulders non-committal in nature. “I think it’s a good thing personally.”

She doesn’t push me about going inside again, rather, she moves around me and the table to take a spot on the couch. With paper plates, condiments, utensils, napkins, and everything under the sun for a sandwich laid out, I take a seat on the other side of the couch making us in a ninety degree angle from each other.

“Eat up, buttercup,” I instruct as I begin to build my own sandwich.

To start with we both eat in this casual silence. I find people in general struggle to be quiet. Why is it that silence can be scary for some?

Halfway through my sandwich, I decide it’s time. In order to expect something from someone, it’s best to give something either beforehand or in return.

“It’s been a long damn day,” I begin with casual conversation. “Did Zero bring everything you need from the store?”

She nods taking a large bite of her sandwich. Covering her mouth while she chews, I wait as I sense she wants to speak. Once she swallows she replies, “he did and then some. Thank you. I don’t think I’ll be here long. I appreciate your hospitality. My cousin is on her way from New Jersey. When she gets here, I’m sure we will be safe at my house. Thank you for your kindness.”

My interest is piqued. Color me curious, is this cousin Giulia Bianchi? I make a mental note to text Tyrant and have him look for familial ties between the two. “Tell her to come here,” I instruct and she shakes her head.

“Oh no. I appreciate your help, but seriously, she never travels alone. Her private security will be with her and keep me safe until we can figure out this mix up. I have already inconvenienced you enough.”

She avoids eye contact telling me there is more to this. And private security gives me all the answers I need. She is indeed related to Giulia Bianchi. There is no way that woman ever travels without security.

“Not an inconvenience. Don’t live here, won’t live here ever again. Might as well keep you tucked away until we can figure out who is behind this and why.”

“Really Jennings, I appreciate you and your club coming in to help me. My cousin said she’s going to take care of things. I don’t want to bother any of you. This is probably some crazy mix up.”

I look at her.

Hard.

She continues to avoid my eye contact.

“Michele, who is your cousin that she has private security?” It’s an obvious question. Regular people do not need security.

She blinks, but doesn’t speak.

Full stop.

Alright, time to pivot.

“Things are intense. You don’t know me, and I don’t know anything about you outside of what paper tells me. Trust isn’t easy.”

“You can say that again,” she mutters.

“I’m Jennings Benson, former Navy SEAL, I know what it is to take a life and protect a stranger.”

Are my words brutal for someone to take in? Absolutely, but I am who I am. I won’t deny that I’ve killed more than once. In order for her to open up, it’s time to be raw.

“This isn’t surprising given your time in service. I gathered that from your room.”

Her words are more of a challenge and I like it. I don’t speak, simply lock my eyes to her and blink.

“Jennings, let’s not do this. I’m sure you have figured out all you can about me which tips the scales in your favor. I appreciate your support as the shock clearly got the best of me earlier. It’s not every day one is mixed up with something getting a head in a box.”

She’s hiding something. The woman this morning was blindsided. She didn’t expect anything. The woman this evening almost acts as if this a common thing.

“Okay,” I need to change tactics, even the playing field. “I will give you this. I’m the sergeant at arms for the Kings of Carnage MC. We clocked you the moment you signed the lease for your business so yes I’ve long since known who you are and a little about you before today. It ties to Bianchi Holdings which isn’t surprising since you are from New Jersey, but why Giulia Bianchi invested in this area is a curious thing. It’s important to my club to know all the business owners. You live a quiet life and your business is everything.”

She nods, “yet, knowing this, why do you come every Monday? Did you bring this to my doorstep?” I bite back my smirk at her counter. She’s good at deflection, I’ll give her that.

“Buttercup, tread lightly with this insinuation. I’m not gonna say I don’t have enemies, I do. But nothing I do would ever touch you. As you are irrelevant in my life.”

She doesn’t flinch at my words.

“This could be as simple as a mistake. Wrong business got the order. We’re looking into it.”

“Appreciate your help. I appreciate your hospitality, but I think we have reached the juncture where I go back to my life and I’ll see you Monday.”

“If that’s the case, why didn’t you leave already? There is something you aren’t sharing. I want to keep you safe, Michele. I can’t do that if I don’t know what I’m dealing with.”

She leans back on the couch. “I don’t know that the box is even meant for me. Like you said, could be wrong business.”

With my elbows casually resting on my knees and my fingers laced together in front of me. “I’m gonna cut to the chase, buttercup. The box was meant for you. The truck delivering your flowers was intercepted by a club out of Tennessee. The shop your distributor goes to before you, not five miles after leaving, they ran Fred, your usual driver off the road.”

She gasps, “where is he now?” her question comes out in a whisper.

I pause trying to read the woman in front of me. She takes a sharp inhale, closes her eyes, exhales, and opens her eyes as if she’s steadied herself for news she already knows.

“He didn’t make it.”

I watch the tears pool behind her eyes. Reaching out, I give her leg a squeeze.

Now maybe we can get somewhere.