Emily’s eyes widened. “I can’t believe you just asked that.”
“You were thinking it,” Meredith said to her. She turned back to smile at me, and I couldn’t help but return it with my own.
“I…enjoyed it.” That was all I was going to say to them. I had spent time with my husband in bed, but nothing happened. They didn’t need to know that. Thunder had stayed with me last night, and it was only a matter of time before speculation started.
“You look good. You always look good, but now you have this glow,” Grace said, setting four mugs onto the table. She leaned back to check on JR in his bouncer before sitting forward, her arms crossed on the table. Her stance mimicked Sabre’s, and I wanted to say something about it, but I didn’t. I wasn’t sure who was rubbing off on whom, but it was just another reason I approved.
“Feel…good.” Their eyes searched each other until they cracked up laughing. JR didn’t understand, but his baby chuckles joined theirs.
“I bet.” Emily meant nothing by it, but it started up another wave of laughter.
“Horrible.” I shook my head, a smile on my lips, as I wrapped my hands around the mug. “All you.”
“We were in the clubhouse when Cyph called down over the upstairs balcony to Sabre, so it was obvious something was going down. I grabbed Pebbles to watch the kids, and we waited.” Grace took a sip of her coffee, and all of us looked at her funny. “It’s tea. The rest of you have coffee.”
I told them what had happened from the time I’d seen Alex’s nephew until the brothers had shown up. I broke the story into pieces and took breaks, but it was enough to satisfy their curiosity.
“How do we get rid of them?” Meredith asked, standing up to grab Pumpkin. She held her against her chest, patting her back soothingly. “No one asked the cartel for anything.”
“It’s not like you can send them a cease-and-desist letter.” Emily raised her mug to her lips, hiding her smile behind the rim.
“Does Alex think he’s protecting us?” Grace asked me. “I understand why he thinks he should, but we’re not in danger anymore. He’s now the reason we are.” Her brow furrowed as she tried to contemplate our situation.
“No,” I said. “Control.” For whatever reason, Alex wanted to reign supreme, taking me as his prize.
“Why now?” Meredith asked.
We went silent. No one had an answer for that.
Chapter 12
Lines in the Sand
Thunder
No one spoke as we sat in our chairs, waiting. Only the executive team and the brothers with tactical experience were in the room. It wasn’t hard to figure out the topic of conversation.
“You know why you’re all here,” Sabre said, his arms crossed as he leaned over the table. “Our businesses have always been neutral territory. As long as the cartel was spending money, we didn’t ask questions, nor did we give a shit. It’s a different story now. We’ve been dealing with threats, but what I want to know is, how do we eliminate them?”
“The threats are easy. You give them something or someone they can live with that doesn’t cost us too much.” Wreck shot a look at me.
“So, you’d rather sacrifice Liz to the cartel? That’s not fucking happening.”
“You couldn’t win her on your own, so you offered marriage because it was convenient. Then, knowing the risk, you took your bride away from protection when everyone told you it was a bad idea.”
I’d fucked up, but I’d never admit it. There was no way I could have given her a honeymoon in the clubhouse, but my decision had backfired, and the brothers hadn’t let me forget it. They rode my ass when the girls weren’t in earshot.
I closed my eyes, rubbing the backs of my eyelids. Wreck never fought fair, so I didn’t dare challenge him. I wasn’t sure how much I wanted to reveal. This wasn’t my story to tell, but I wouldn’t let Wreck or anyone else in this room tell me I’d taken advantage. If that were true, I wouldn’t have a severe case of blue balls. “If you think I’m stupid enough to believe a marriage is going to end whatever arrangement Gerry agreed to, then you haven’t been paying attention, son.”
“Not your son.” I’d used the word intentionally. If I couldn’t physically fight Wreck, then I was going to get under his skin. I still remembered the conversation at Christmas, when he’d asked me about the club girls to relieve his guilt.
“Then stop acting like a child who can’t think beyond his dick.” I didn’t back down from the glare he shot me from across the table. “When El Sombra Roja shows up—and he will—Liz will stand at the front, and I’m not about to let her do it alone.”
“So that’s what she meant.” Sabre shifted in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. “She said something similar to me before the wedding, but I thought she was talking about healthy relationships.” He blew out a breath. “I didn’t catch that she was already two steps ahead.”
“She probably was—ahead of you and Grizz. Liz is afraid the mounting pressure is going to break Flo and Buster, and she’ll do anything to avoid it. I won’t let her,” I said, surveying the room. The brothers who hadn’t experienced finding their person had blank faces, while the rest nodded their heads in camaraderie.
“So, what do we do with Gerry? He’s still in the cell downstairs.” Twig tapped his fingers against the table. Gerry constantly complained, but Twig was the only enforcer who actually listened. Pint shut him down, and Berry did the opposite. If Gerry asked for another blanket, Berry took the only one he had in the cell.
