Page 18 of Spider (Hades Abyss MC #1)

Spider

Mateo Gomez had made a fatal mistake. No one came after my family, and the fucker was about to learn that the hard way.

I helped Luciana off the floor, gave her a cup of water to rinse her mouth, then we went back to the kitchen.

I wanted Yankee and Gunner to hear this call, and if Luciana needed to stay, then I was fine with that too.

She would see a darker side of me, but I was pretty certain she knew I’d never hurt her, never turn that darkness on her or the babies.

They were mine, and I would protect them at all costs.

Just because I hadn’t wanted a wife and kids didn’t mean I would leave them defenseless, especially since I’d gone and fallen for the adorable woman who fascinated me more and more every day.

“It seems that Mateo Gomez isn’t aware that Luciana is my wife now,” I said. “I think it’s time he learns what happens to those who fuck with my family. I’m going to put the call on speaker. Luciana, if you stay, I want you to remain quiet. Can you do that for me, baby girl?”

She nodded.

“What about us?” Yankee asked.

“The two of you can threaten the man all you want,” Spider said. “He needs to know he didn’t just piss me off, but the entire club. And the stunt with Violeta can’t go unpunished. I want the man responsible, but no one is to harm him yet. Rocket will want that privilege.”

Luciana reached out and took my hand. I knelt next to her chair and smoothed her hair back from her face.

She was scared, fear lurking in her eyes, and her lower lip trembled.

I wasn’t sure if she was worried about her sister, herself, the babies, or if she was concerned something would happen to me.

The way she’d looked the day I’d been shot would haunt me for a while.

Possibly forever. I never wanted to see that look on her face ever again.

“Everything will be fine,” I assured her. “He’s not going to hurt me or your sisters. None of us will let that happen. And you’re safe, Luciana. I’ll put every bullet at this compound into him and anyone else who tries to take you. Understood?”

She nodded and her hand tightened on mine. I brushed a kiss against her cheek, then stood and dialed Mateo Gomez.

The man answered after a few rings.

“Who is this?” he demanded in a thick accent.

“It’s Spider, the President of Hades Abyss.”

“Ah, yes. Mr. Spider, what may I do for you today?”

“You can start by explaining why one of your men forced their way into my compound, beat the hell out of Violeta, and was apparently trying to take Luciana.”

There was a moment of silence.

“I did not authorize anyone to beat Violeta,” he said. “I understand she is valuable to you and your men. As for Luciana, I need her to return home.”

“No,” Spider said. “You gave her to me, and I plan to keep her.”

“I can provide another girl for you, Mr. Spider. I have many beautiful girls, much better behaved than my Luciana,” Gomez said.

I ground my teeth together and tried not to reach through the phone to choke the fucker. His Luciana? Not fucking likely.

“I don’t think you understand. Luciana isn’t leaving this compound unless she’s with me or a member of this club,” I said. “She’s my property now.”

I glanced at Luciana, not sure how she’d handled me phrasing it quite like that, but she was staring at the phone with stark terror on her face. Yeah, no way this dipshit was getting his hands on my wife.

“Why do you need Luciana all of a sudden?” I asked.

“There is a man who wishes to keep Luciana for himself. They spent some time together previously and he’s rather enamored of her. She will live in luxury with Pedro Lopez.”

Luciana let out a whimper and I quickly gathered her in my arms to keep her quiet. She trembled and clutched at me, her terror a tangible thing. Whoever Pedro Lopez was, I knew he damn sure wasn’t going to touch her. I’d cut off his hands and shove them up his ass if I had the chance.

“Spent time together?” I asked. “Were they dating?”

Luciana pressed even tighter to me. I threaded a hand in her hair and held her close.

I hated that this call was making those memories come to the surface, and I was wishing I’d asked her to leave the room.

I’d thought she had the right to hear what was said, but it hadn’t occurred to me that it would frighten her so badly.

Sometimes I was an idiot, at least when it came to women.

Gomez didn’t answer right away. “I believe they had a sexual relationship.”

Yeah, I’d just bet they did. The kind where Luciana was forced to endure whatever the asshole decided to do to her.

No fucking way would she leave my sight.

I looked at Gunner and Yankee, and could see both were in agreement.

I didn’t know if they’d been brought up to speed on absolutely everything, but they didn’t look the least bit pleased by Gomez’s statement.

“I’m afraid Mr. Lopez will have to find another woman,” I said.

“I wasn’t asking, Mr. Spider. I need Luciana back in Colombia immediately. A jet is already waiting for her at a nearby airstrip.”

“I don’t think I made this clear enough for you, Gomez.

Luciana isn’t just my property, she’s my wife now.

You so much as lay a finger on her, even breathe wrong in her direction, and I will fucking end you and anyone else you send after her.

Do we have an understanding?” I was ready to rip the fucker’s throat out.

“Wife?” the man asked, his tone biting.

I didn’t give a shit if he liked it or not.

Luciana was mine, legally thanks to Surge, and I wasn’t letting her go.

Even if she hadn’t been my wife, there was no way I’d send her back to that hell.

Violeta wasn’t going anywhere either. It didn’t matter to me that she was underage.

We’d find a way to keep her here, no matter what it took.

“I didn’t give permission for Luciana to marry anyone,” Gomez said.

“She’s a grown-ass woman and doesn’t need to ask you or anyone else if she can marry someone,” I said.

“So if you take her -- my legally wedded wife -- then that’s kidnapping.

The police in Colombia might look the other way when you sell women or force them into prostitution, but the local boys won’t be too happy about it, and neither will the Feds. ”

“You’re threatening me,” Gomez said, sounding somewhat amused. “You, a nobody in some insignificant place in America, are threatening the great Mateo Gomez?”

“Spider isn’t a nobody,” Yankee said. “Probably should have done your homework before threatening the man’s wife.”

“And who are you?” Gomez asked.

“Yankee. I’m a part of this club, and I can assure you that if Spider comes after you, he won’t be alone. You think we’re small and easily squashed, but you’d be wrong.”

“If I can’t have Luciana, then I’ll just have to take one of my other daughters and hope Pedro Lopez will be content with Violeta or Sofia. You choose, Mr. Spider. My sweet little Violeta or Sofia? Which will warm Pedro’s bed?”

“You sick fucking bastard,” I said. “You won’t touch either of them.”

“We’ll see,” Gomez said.

The line went dead and I stared at Yankee and Gunner.

They both looked as pissed and worried as I felt.

Luciana started sobbing and I cursed the man who had ruined our day.

I tipped my head toward the door and Yankee and Gunner both made themselves scarce.

The doctor’s words from earlier had me concerned over Luciana and the babies.

She wasn’t supposed to be getting upset. She needed rest and good meals.

“Baby girl, I need you to take a breath for me,” I said. She did, though it was broken with more crying. “Again. And again.”

After a few minutes, the tears slowed and she seemed to have her emotions under control. I ran my hand up and down her back, but I felt her grip on me loosen a little. She tipped her head back and looked up me with swollen eyes and a runny nose. And I still found her fucking beautiful.

“Everything will be fine, Luciana. I meant what I said. You’re mine, and I’m not letting you go. Rocket will keep Violeta safe, and I’m sure Saint is protecting Sofia.”

“I can’t let him take them,” she said, her voice a near whisper. “If he has to have someone, it should be me. I’ve endured Pedro before. I can do it again.”

“No. You’re not giving up, and you’re sure as fuck not turning yourself over to that asshole.”

“Not to interrupt,” Gunner said from the doorway, “but what if they just think she’s surrendering herself?”

“What the fuck does that mean?” I asked. “Because I’m not handing her over to them.”

“I meant we could make arrangements to give your wife to Gomez, except we don’t actually let him have her.

We just need to his ass on US soil, and then we can take him out.

Get Surge, Wire, and any of their other hacking buddies to look into Gomez and the disappearance of any underage girls he might have snatched from the US.

As much as I know you want to get your hands dirty, I say we gather enough evidence and let the Feds handle this shit,” Gunner said.

“Would that work?” Luciana asked.

“I recorded your call,” Gunner said, lifting up his phone.

“The audio isn’t the greatest, but you can hear Gomez clear as day demand you hand over your wife, Sofia, or their underage sister so he can give her to a man.

It’s implied well enough that he plans to use them for sex.

Since Luciana, Sofia, and Violeta are all US citizens thanks to Surge, that should make the Feds sit up and take notice. ”

“Or I could get the fucker here and bleed him out,” I said.

“What happens if your Feds get their hands on my father?” Luciana asked.

Gunner hesitated, but I already knew the answer. I knew he wanted to keep things legal and not bring heat down on the club, but this wasn’t the time to toe the line.