Page 22 of Stripping Keys (Devil’s Riot MC Tennessee #6)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

KEYS

We stop halfway back to the clubhouse to fill up when Blow pulls his phone out. He checks the screen, brows creasing.

“Something else happen, Griz?” he asks, his eyes coming to me as he listens. “You’re shittin’ me?”He waits again. “Fuck. Leave a few brothers behind and catch up with us. I’ll get Keys on it.”

Hanging up, nostrils flaring, he shoves the phone back in his pocket while glaring at me. “Get your phone out and find your damn woman, she’s left the clubhouse. Evidently, she’s got it in her head she’s ending this shit.”

What the fuck?

Yanking my phone out, I first put a call into Marla’s phone, but she doesn’t answer, it goes straight to voicemail.

Fuck me.

What the hell is she thinking?

I go to call her ass again, when my phone rings. The name popping up is not who I want, but I’ll get my answers.

“I didn’t have anything to do with it,” West says before I can get a word out in greeting.

“What is she doing?” I demand, putting the call on speaker for the others to hear.

“She didn’t tell me,” West shouts. “She never doesn’t tell me, and she didn’t. I swear to fuck if she doesn’t get herself killed, I’m killing her. I don’t care if she’s yours or not Keys. You bring her back so I can damn well kill her.”

“You ain’t killin’ my woman, West. Now, stop the fuckin’ rant and tell me what the hell she’d be doin’ and why she didn’t tell you.”

I was already busy pulling up the tracking app on my phone as I ordered him to start talking.

“Marla got Marley to help her get out of the clubhouse. Her message, according to Marley, is for you to track her. You’ll catch up. She’s done with the bullshit. Marley told me her message to me was that she’s going for it. Meaning, she’s not going to stop until those bastards are dead.”

“She’s going to get herself killed,” Shiner growls.

“That’s why you’re all supposed to get your asses on the road and follow her. She’s got everything everyone needs in the trunk of her car. She can do this on her own if she wants, but she knows what she’s up against.”

How the fuck did she get her car when I still have the keys? I know there’s no way for her to get them when they’re locked up in the safe in Blow’s office.

“Fuck.”

“Also, beware that she’s spoken to Calyx. He’s pissed. His men are also following. He’s ready to throttle her.”

No one but me was gonna be doing anything to Marla. When I get my hands on her, I intend to fucking tan her ass for this shit.

What the fuck was she thinking? This type of thing needs planning.

Ending the call with West, I look at my brothers.

“Don’t care how badass she is, this is fucked,” Nines growls.

“Let’s just get the fuck on the road and find her.” Blow snarls, moving back to his bike.

“I’m sending you all the pin for her phone. She left the regular tracking on it because she wants us to track her. At least she kept it easy that way.”

Removing the fuel nozzle from my bike, I straddle the seat, my mind racing with possible scenarios of what was about to happen.

Following after her, my mind goes from the different scenarios to thoughts of what ifs. I didn’t answer her question. I didn’t tell her exactly what she means to me. I didn’t tell her nearly half of what I want to tell her. Hell, I haven’t even had her in my life long enough to be satisfied.

A lifetime with her wouldn’t even be enough to satisfy me.

Now, I’ve got to get to her and save her ass before she gets her ass executed. I’ll be pissed if she gets herself killed before I have a chance to tell her all of this or spend a lifetime with her. No way in hell is she going to go before me. Not going to fucking happen.

Nearly an hour and a half passes before we catch up to her on the road. Damn car is a speed demon. I don’t know what she’s done to modify it, but it took us longer than it should have for us to catch up to her.

The worst part is she keeps pulling away from us.

Fuck me.

I’m going to have to find out what the hell she’s done to that Camaro. They’re supposed to be fast, but this car was different somehow.

Finally, she pulls off the main road down a small county road. Thank fuck when she comes to a stop and gets out. I pull up next to her, put the kickstand down, and jump off, ready to get in her face.

“What the fuck are you thinking?” I snarl, stalking toward her.

Marla rolls her eyes, pissing me off more, and moves to the back of her trunk.

“Answer me, damnit.” Moving into her space, I grip her arm and spin her to face me.

“I’m ending it,” she says with a shrug.

“You need to get your ass back to the clubhouse is what you need to do,” Blow growls, coming up next to me.

“No, I’m not,” Marla snaps, eyes flaring with anger, and throws the trunk open. “This is why.”

We all take a look at the trunk, and no joke, I have to blink at the inside.

“Holy fuck,” Shiner groans.

“That’s a sniper’s dream,” Sniper groans.

The inside of her trunk was like a full-on arsenal. Multiple guns were on display tucked in beautifully so as not to get scratched up in their own cubbies. Grenades, smoke bombs, handguns, and AKs. Enough ammo for each.

“You drive around with this shit in your car?” Nines shoots Marla an accusing look.

“I always have things I need with me in case of an emergency.” She shrugs again. “Calyx taught me to never go without having what you need on you.”

“But you don’t always have this car with you.” I knew that from working with her in the past. She told me that when she goes to get info from targets or just to gather what’s needed, she has other means. Typically, she goes without a vehicle.

“I know,” she says, meeting my gaze. “This is my personal collection.”

“Fuck me.” Lucky grunts. “And here I thought my ol’ lady was crazy, Keys. Yours takes the cake.”

“Your ol’ lady is crazy,” I tell him. “Mine’s just a different kinda crazy.” I didn’t tell him she wasn’t my ol’ lady. I didn’t deny it. I couldn’t. This woman was mine in every way, including being my ol’ lady.

“Ol’ lady?”

The way Marla’s brows furrowed, and the words slipped from her lips, she wasn’t expecting it.

“Yeah, baby.” I hook an arm around her waist. “My ol’ lady. Now, if we’re doing this, you need to fill us in on your plan.” I didn’t like it, but we followed her this far. She came prepared. Now, it’s time to see what the hell she’s got up her sleeve.

I glance at my brothers and find them all nodding.

“The others are on the way,” Blow grunts and looks to Marla. “Tell us.”

Smiling, Marla does as we tell her. Giving us what she’s planned. I gotta admit it’s a damn good one even if I don’t like the fact it involves her. She’s the key to it.

“Right, once everyone else gets here, we’ll follow through with it,” Blow states, nodding as he looks between the two of us. “Until then, you two make sure your shit is tight. We’ll take a look at these to make sure we all have what we need.”

Fuck.

Here I thought he wouldn’t bring up . . .

Fuck it. She and I will hash this out here.

Taking her hand, I tug her to the front of her car and wrap my arms around her waist. “You asked me a question earlier, and I fucked up and left you without answering it.”

“You did,” she mutters, eyes going blank.

“Yeah,” I murmur. “For that, I’m sorry, baby. I shouldn’t have done that. But it triggered something in me.”

“Triggered what?” That got her curious.

Letting out a breath, I pull her tighter. “Now isn’t the time to talk about it, but it triggered my past. I don’t talk about it, but you should know, I get you more than you know. Our traumas are different, but the same in some ways, however, mine was worse than you can imagine.”

Marla’s brows draw together, and she looks confused more than anything.

Taking another breath, I decide to give her a rundown.

“My mother sold me to those who could pay. I was used and abused sexually until I was able to escape. After you asked me the question, it triggered me. That’s where I went when I left.

It’s where my brothers came and got me. It’s also where I remember something from my past that I’d forgotten.

These men we are going up against. They’re the ones my mother worked for. They’re just a few of the ones who?—”

“You don’t have to finish that,” she says, her eyes shimmering with tears.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen this woman with tears in her eyes.

“I’m sorry that happened to you. I wish it hadn’t, but that’s in the past now.

You can leave it there and not talk about it again.

Though you should let yourself heal from it.

Just like you having me tell you about mine has helped me. ”

Fuck me.

I don’t deserve this woman, but no way am I letting her get away from me.

Fuck that.

“Now, let’s get ready and go finish this once and for all,” she says, sliding her hands up my chest to wrap around my neck.

“Once and for all,” I agree and dip my head down and claim her lips with mine.

This ends today.