Page 18

WOLF

I swear when I get my hands on Jacqueline, I’m going to spank her ass red. What the fuck was she thinking leaving the gallery without calling me. For that matter, not answering me when I called.

When the prospect called and told me she got into a car, I nearly lost my mind. I don’t know who she left with, and it’s killing me not knowing who picked her up. The prospect was following her now. He’s supposed to report where they go and who she’s with.

If it weren’t for the fact I have to go to this meeting with Viper and others here at the clubhouse in a few, I’d be going after her myself. I don’t know what the fuck she’s thinking leaving knowing that I was going to come get her in a little while.

Fuck.

“Wolf, you’re gonna want to see this,” Aries says, coming toward me, tablet in his hand.

“What?” I ask, turning my attention to him.

Aries holds the tablet in my direction, and I take it to look at what he’s wanting to show me. It’s footage from the security cameras at Jacqueline’s gallery.

“Do you know that woman?” he asks pointing at the screen, though he didn’t need to. She looks familiar, but I don’t recognize her right off.

“Who is she?”

“Don’t know. Vulture sent me this, but I wasn’t able to get the audio to pull up. Thinks we need to make some adjustments to the software since that’s not working.”

Whoever this woman was, she was in the gallery for no more than a few minutes before leaving. Maybe ten minutes later, is when she gets in the car, leaving the gallery. I watched as she discarded a lunch, picked up her phone, and made a call.

A part of me is pissed it wasn’t me she called, but there’s only one other person she’d call. He’d drop everything to go get her.

Her brother.

“Viper, has Cordova called you about canceling the meeting?” I ask, looking up from the tablet and handing it back to Aries.

Viper turns in my direction, where he was talking to Mateo and Cyprus. Today’s meeting was supposed to be between Mateo, Cordova, and the club about the alliance between the three of us and how to eliminate the threats we’re facing.

“No, he’s on his way.”

Good, this meant he was bringing my woman straight to me. I’ll handle shit with her soon enough.

Taking a breath, I follow it with another one. I don’t want to lose my mind on her, but her leaving and not calling is fucking with my head. She’s my woman, and I can’t protect her if I don’t know where she is or who she’s with.

Sounds fucked up, probably controlling, but I don’t give a fuck. I’ve seen too much shit happen in my life to know precautions are needed and when.

This alliance between Cordova, Mateo, and us is going to change things. Not only will we make more money, but we’ll kick some of the shit that doesn’t sit well with us to the side.

The club doesn’t mind dealing with guns and transport, but we have a thing against drugs and peddling flesh.

Cordova might not deal in human trafficking, but in a way, he does.

He took over the fight ring and has plans to change it up.

Get rid of the death matches, make it more of an underground fighting ring.

Still, it’s gonna take time for him to be able to do that without causing an outright war with others.

Twenty minutes pass by, and my need to see my woman grows with each minute.

By the time Cordova steps into the clubhouse, I’m ready to tear someone apart.

Meeting his gaze, I demand, “Where is she?”

“Jacqueline is in the car. She decided she’d wait for me there instead of coming in,” Cordova answers and cocks a brow. “Your son’s mother has her quite upset.”

“My son’s mother?” What the fuck is he . . .

Oh fuck no.

That’s who the woman was in the footage.

Mitchell Roger’s daughter. Melissa.

Bitch was supposed to stay away. What the fuck is she doing going into my woman’s gallery?

“The fuck did that bitch say to Jacqueline?” I’m lucky to be able to get the question out through gritted teeth and not break a damn tooth in the process.

“You’ll want to speak with her about that, but before you do, I want to make sure you know without a doubt what you’re getting into with my sister. She’s not a plaything and is easily hurt by words.”

Whatever happened in the gallery, it must’ve affected my woman more than the sight of her portrayed.

She’d been hiding what she was feeling.

“I know what I’m getting into with Jacqueline, Cordova. I don’t need you to remind me,” I grind out, watching him through narrow eyes.

“I figured as much,” Cordova remarks, nodding, features unreadable.

The next words that pass his lips are unmistakable.

“My sister isn’t used to a life like ours.

I’ve shielded her from it all. If you do not take care of the bitch I will.

I won’t have Jacqueline dealing with what she’s dealt with already.

I might also add, if you hurt her in any way, alliance or not, I will kill you. ”

Fuming, I step into Cordova’s space, nose to nose.

“I’ll make one thing very clear. Jacqueline is mine.

My woman. You won’t be killing me because I won’t be hurting her.

That being said, I’ve got a dick. I’m an asshole.

I’m gonna fuck up. You aren’t gonna get between the two of us.

She’s gonna learn how to live a life in our world without being hurt by the shit we do. ”

Stepping back once more, I glance from Cordova to Viper, then back again. “Now, I’m gonna go deal with my woman.”

My anger doesn’t stop swirling around me as I walk out of the clubhouse. I’m still pissed with Jacqueline for not calling me. Even more, I’m pissed the stupid fucking cunt who birth my son has shown back up. I don’t know what the fuck she’s playing at, but I intend to find out.

First things first, getting things straight with Jacqueline and showing her the error of her ways.

I get that she wants to run to her brother.

He’s been there all her life, but that’s not how it’s gonna go between the two of us.

Things get heated, she’s not gonna run to Cordova over every little thing.

Eyes on the car, I stalk toward the back door of it, throw the door open, reach in, wrap my fingers around her arm, and drag my woman out of the car.

“Wolf,” she gasps, hand wrapped around my wrists, “what are you doing?”

With her clear of the door, I slam it shut and shove her against the side of it, crowding her space. “Something wrong with your phone?”

“What?” she asks, brows furrowing.

“Your phone. Something wrong with it?”

“No.” The answer doesn’t do anything to help my anger.

“You suddenly forget to pick it up and call or even send a fuckin’ text?”

“Wolf.”

“Answer me?” I bite out harshly.

“No, Wolf, I didn’t forget. Now knock it off with this he-man BS. It doesn’t suit you.”

Wrong thing to say.

“Princess, you need to learn real fuckin’ quick. I’m not a man who sits idly by and I don’t play fuckin’ games. You got something happening, you call. You’re leaving work, you call. Someone fuckin’ threatens you? You. Goddamn. Better. Fuckin’. Call.”

“You’re serious right now?” Jacqueline snaps, shoving against my chest. “You are really getting in my face because I didn’t call you?”

“Yeah, Jacqueline, you need to fuckin’ call.”

“I don’t think so.” Narrowing her gaze, Jacqueline’s body tenses more than it already is. “I’m not going to let you tell me what I have to do or should do. I’m not going to let you dictate my life either. You’re being an asshole and I’m not dealing with you like this.”

“Get used to it, Princess.” I sneer, grabbing her wrists and lifting them above her head.

Crowding her completely, I leave no room between us.

There’s no missing the change in her body when she feels my cock pressing against her stomach.

“I’m an asshole and that’s not gonna change.

You’re my woman, and you’re gonna have to deal with it. ”

“What if I don’t want to deal with it?”

She just went too far with that little question. Before she realizes what I’m doing, I let her wrists go, step back, bend my shoulder to her stomach, and lift her. Jacqueline screams and starts slapping at my back, shouting at me to put her down.

That’s not gonna happen. She’s about to learn a lesson about being my woman. I’m not about to take it easy on her. Nor am I gonna let her get away with not calling me. She’s mine and needs to understand what that entails.