Page 11

You're It For Me

M eredith

It was hard to breathe in the main room. The men were on high alert, waiting to be called to their emergency church meeting. In place of dumb jokes, there was silence. The pool balls weren’t even moving, and I couldn’t remember when I’d ever seen the tables empty.

I sat next to Dead, pretending to watch TV, but when neither one of us were paying attention, he had turned it off. I had slid my legs to the side and watched the rest of the room over the back of the couch. Each person I landed on was watching the room, waiting for the next pipe bomb to drop.

I hadn’t seen Grizz since we’d walked back into the clubhouse, but then he appeared at the top of the stairs.

I might have noticed the change in clothes first, but his long hair, laying against his shoulders, gave it away.

Grizz was as hardcore about his man bun as some women were with their makeup.

He never put it up when his hair was wet, but whatever had happened downstairs had forced him to shower.

His eyes were jumping around the room, and when they landed on me, his lips tipped up into a small smile. He crooked his finger at me.

He looked good. I didn’t want to admit I wanted to do bad things to him, but my body had other plans. There was a roaring ache between my legs that I knew he could easily satisfy. The room seemed to disappear as he crooked his finger again at me.

I wouldn’t make it easy on him. Pointing at my chest, I sassed him. Who? Me? I mouthed.

He smiled, honing in on me, and if we had been anywhere else, my ass would have been over the arm of the couch. Now, he mouthed.

I slid my legs to the floor, stood from the couch, and climbed the stairs where he waited for me. Once I cleared the top stair, he pulled me against the wall, bracketing me with his enormous body.

“You know what happens when you sass me.” His eyes had darkened, and I swore his nostrils were flaring.

“I might need a refresher.” I pushed off the wall, rubbing my body against his. A groan escaped both of us at the contact.

“Your timing sucks,” he growled in my ear.

“No, you just want me to do that tongue thing you like.” I grabbed his biceps and held myself close enough to reach his ear. Sucking the lobe into my mouth, I tongued it with everything I had. The groans vibrating against my neck weren’t disappointing.

“You’re killing me.” He pulled away, looking me in the eye. “I’m serious. You’re it for me, so we have to come out stronger on the other side.”

I wrapped my arms around him, not saying anything. I didn’t want to tell him I was trying, in case my efforts were in vain.

When we pulled apart, he held my hand as we walked back into the main room. His foot hit the bottom step, and the rest of the men stood as a flurry of activity blew through the room. No one said anything as they all headed for church.

***

Grizz

The brothers were talking over each other, but all I heard was the prospect closing the door.

“Alright, settle down.” Sabre smacked his hand on the edge of the table. “I don’t even know where to fucking start.” The brothers settled back into their chairs, the intensity increasing as they waited for the news. If they’d had their way, they would have already been hunting cartel members.

“Before we start, I need to make something very clear. When my father was president, we were a one percent club. Thunder, Slate, and some of the older wise men can attest to this. I remember it being an uncertain time. Brothers ended up dead or in jail. A three-letter agency was always patrolling the street outside our gates.” He rubbed at his eyes and pinched his nose.

“We’re going to have to go back to our roots.

Believe me, I’m not looking forward to it, so I’m going to offer you a one-time deal.

Death has always been the only way out, but if you don’t want to live like that, now’s your chance.

We’ll burn off any club tattoos you have, and you can turn in your club cut. ”

The brothers started talking over each other again.

“I’m serious,” Sabre said. “Now’s your chance to leave, without fear of retaliation.” He looked each brother in the eye until he reached me. I held his gaze for longer than anyone else.

He nodded. “Alright. There’s no other way to say this.

Diego Lopez is out for revenge. He thinks we made him look like a fool over Matt, so he’s taking it out on the women.

There’s a bounty among his men for Grace, JR, Meredith, and a third woman.

We haven’t figured out who she is, but it’s not Aunt E. ”

“How much is he paying?” Op asked.

“What the fuck does that matter?” I growled.

“They don’t know, do they, Op?” How chimed in.

“Let’s just say I have experience in bounty hunting.” Op rolled his eyes and flicked How off. “Anything under ten thousand isn’t worth the trouble, but if word gets out, the lowlifes will try. They need to score their next fix, and they’re delusional enough to think it will be easy.”

“The soldier that talked didn’t say how much. He just said Diego was offering a bounty, but the information was only circulating among the cartel soldiers for now,” I answered.

“If they haven’t talked already, they will. Trust me on that. I never went looking for a bounty. The talk always found me.” Op drummed his fingers against the table.

“I’ll check the dark web when we’re done, but I doubt I’ll find anything. I cracked the burner phone we found in the SUV. It’s clean, and I’d bet it’s brand new. I still have it connected, in case anyone calls or texts,” Cyph said.

There was a hum of chatter.

“At least we have some answers. Our friend downstairs let it slip that El Sombra Roja has a protection order for Grace and Meredith. Remember the black SUVs that followed them? I’d bet that’s a gift from him.” Sabre ran a hand through his hair. The nervous energy in the room was affecting him.

“I have a direct connection to him, but he either ignores me or just doesn’t respond,” Cyph said, the irritation clear in his voice.

“Anyone want to bet the Red Shadow still has feelings for his baby mama?” Wreck commented dryly.

“Pulse was their son. What if he feels guilty about how all that fucking shit went down?” Pretty snapped his fingers.

Thunder wasn’t happy at that revelation.

“You can’t deny it,” Wreck said to him. “The most powerful man south of the border wouldn’t put an order of protection on his marketing girl.

Fuck, he wouldn’t even think about Meredith.

I would bet anything that when he had lunch with Flo, he put two and two together.

Those orders of protection are for his baby mama’s nieces. ”

“I don’t have to like it.” Thunder crossed his arms over his chest.

“We haven’t told them yet, but the three of them are on lockdown until we can get this situation under control. I’m also closing the gates. No guests of any kind,” Sabre said. “I don’t like any of this.”

I’d been riding high, ready to put all of this past us, but Sabre’s words reminded me there was still friction between the club and Meredith.

There was a pain in my chest that I tried to rub away as a lump settled in my throat.

My eyes lowered to the table. I didn’t bother looking at anyone because if I was right, it would crush me.

“I’m begging. Help me protect my wife. You don’t have to like her, nor accept her.

You don’t have to vote her in. All I’m asking is that you help me protect the person who makes me whole.

I’ve tried to live without her, and you all know how that worked out.

When this is over, I’ll have my tattoo burned, and we’ll leave. ”

“I won’t speak for everyone else, but I got no problem with girlie pop. Most of you complain that she’s not Flo, but when it mattered today, she stepped up. If you can’t see past the differences, at least give her credit for that.”

I nodded at DeadZone, hoping he knew how much that meant to me. I would never tell him because he would just shrug it off, but if he ever had a woman, I’d protect her like my own.

“Yeah, no matter what your opinion is, give her credit for that. I’ve known stronger men who’ve cracked at the first sign of trouble. She handled business and gave Flo enough time to run.” Op rubbed a hand over his face.

I nodded at Op, a silent thank you for acknowledging Meredith’s courageousness.

Twig knocked his knuckle against the table.

“My tattoo hides the scars on my back. Meredith stood in the middle of the yard with hers on display. That shit’s messy.

No wonder she was bitchy in the beginning.

No offense.” He looked at me for approval, but I just waved my hand.

It wasn’t worth arguing about when it was true.

I stuck my fist in my mouth, afraid I was going to let out a sob. I was comfortable enough in my feelings that I wouldn’t care who saw, but I also didn’t want to be teased when this was all over.

Sabre took over, patting my arm as he slid towards the front of his chair. “Grace and JR are going to move back into our rooms in the clubhouse, with the stipulation that they are not to walk back and forth. Chef?”

“On it,” Chef said, taking a sip from his mug.

“Dead?” Sabre met Dead’s eyes further down the table.

“I’m good with it.” He shrugged, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms behind his head.

I was having a hard time believing it had been as easy as that. Meredith had a bodyguard, and I trusted Dead had her best interests at heart.

“Thunder, you’ll still be with Aunt E. The only time she is to leave this place is if she has an appointment. I don’t think she’s the target, so take a prospect with you, and it should be fine. She’s making progress, and I don’t want that to stop.”

Thunder nodded his head, still mean-mugging the rest of the table.