CHAPTER ONE
Bocca
“Good?” Loch asked me the moment I stepped inside the clubhouse. It was like he was just waiting around for us to get back. He reminded me of one of those helicopter moms sitting by the window, counting down the minutes until curfew was up.
I had just put too many miles under my tires and hadn’t even had a chance to shake the fucking dust out of my hair. I was tired and a bit sunburned. I could feel my skin itching already.
“All good,” I replied as I made my way to the bar.
Things had been nothing but chaos. We were trying to take the brunt of everything because the new chapter was still getting their feet under them. There were more loads to be shifted around and handed off. More connections being made. Just more everything.
And that was what maybe irritated me the most. Weren’t we supposed to be pulling back? The idea of going legit seemed like a distant dream yet again. We had been so close. Until that fucker, Savage pulled his shit. Not only had he kept us wrapped up in the gun running business, he was also the reason we were so deep in it now. Sure, the fucker was dead and gone, burnt up like that shit that gets left on the bottom of the oven, but that was exactly the reason we had gotten the hold that we had now. We were the suppliers. We had the docks down on the coast covered, which meant we had the intake and we had to be the one to handle the handouts, the deliveries. We were more like the top dog now. Cool, if that was dream and all, but most of us had been looking forward to leaving the danger behind.
I, for one, was one of those people. I wanted to kick back and enjoy life. I didn’t want to have to constantly worry about looking over my shoulder. I didn’t want to be running here and there and digging into tons and tons of people to find the skeletons they thought they’d kept hidden. Searching to find out whether or not someone could be trusted, that was a lot to have on your shoulders—and in your head. And if I missed just one thing, it could cost the club big fucking time.
But in a way, that was what I’d signed up for. When I rode up here on my bike many years ago, it was that card that I played to get me in. So really, I didn’t have the right to bitch and gripe about it.
Computer genius, some of them called me. The tech guru. Others stuck to the simpler terms like nerd and hacker. They never meant it in a mean way and I didn’t feel like they were picking on me. In fact, I think some of them were downright scared of me for that. I had the ability to not only know every single detail about their lives, but to fuck it up too. I could ruin your credit in just a few minutes. Have a warrant out for your arrest. Link you to a crime. Just about anything.
But I didn’t want to be that dick and I had never made that threat on my own. It was always someone else's mouth moving when those words were spoken. The notoriety of my skills was enough for me to sit back and remain silent.
Could I really complain? No, because this was what I’d asked for. I knew that, and I wasn’t looking for any sympathy. I was simply telling it like it was.
So here we were, the head chapter to the Steel Paragons MC. There were now five chapters spread out over three states. Like I had said, the one down on the coast was the baby and still learning how to stand on its own little chubby baby legs. We were the parents, and just like with babies, the parents took on the brunt of the stress in the early days. Okay, fuck all that, none of that made sense but I think you get me.
This run had taken us a week. It started out with ten of us riding down to the coast for the pick-up. Then we drove back through Moon Hill, dwindling the party down to just three of us to carry on to the West Tennessee chapter. If only it had ended there. Eight of the West Tenn. brothers joined the ride, along with a few more crates, and we hauled that shit to an MC in Georgia.
Now I was home and sad to say, looking for a bit of a break from my bike. Don’t get me wrong, I loved my bike, and more, feeling her between my legs, but too much of a good thing…well, I think you know.
I grabbed myself a beer but didn’t take a seat, I needed to stretch my legs for a bit. Loch was right there at my side but held his questions back while I took my moment. I tried not to look irritated but I was ready to flop my ass in my bed and take a good long nap. I missed my damn bed. It was big and comfy and all fucking mine.
After I downed my beer, I started to answer the questions I knew he’d been waiting to ask.
“Everything went smoothly. The new MC didn’t rub me the wrong way. In fact, I liked them. There wasn’t even so much as a hitch during drop off. Money is as it should be. And,” I paused trying to think if I was missing anything, “they have this one bitch down there that has huge natural tits and a tight pussy.”
He laughed and shook his head at me while he gave me a firm pat on the back like he hadn’t expected anything less from me. Why would he? That was me after all. I loved my dick and I loved giving him attention—or getting him the attention he deserved, rather. I didn’t jack my shit. There was no need with the clubwhores we had around here. Come on, if someone were to walk by and offer you free candy, would you turn it down? Don’t lie, you aren’t fooling anyone. There is no diet when free candy is involved.
Did I actually fuck the bitch with huge tits and tight cunt? Yes, of course I did. Eiffel Towered her with some guy named Tiny. I had no clue why he was called that because the man wasn’t tiny, in any sense. I wasn’t purposely trying to check out his junk, but when he had to unroll it out of his pants, it was kind of hard to miss. Glad that shit didn’t go anywhere near me.
“Anythin’ else?” I asked Loch, giving him my full attention.
“No. Thanks, brother. Go get some sleep. Church tomorrow morning.” He clapped me on the shoulder, his attention already turned in the direction of Cal’s office.
I downed another beer, then headed back to my room. As I stripped down behind my closed and locked door, I stared at my setup longingly. Yes, you read that right. A week away from my baby and my fingers itched to give her some attention. Even though I didn’t have an assignment right now, there was always shit to track down and to keep an eye open for. Bad people to shut down, enemies to look out for, and allies to make sure stayed that way. There was always something, it never ended, and I was quite happy with that.
Most of the guys didn’t know what I did in my spare time and I liked it that way. It wasn’t that I was ashamed, it was that I didn’t need people to think of me any differently. I didn’t need the title of hero, because I fucking wasn’t one. I just wanted to make the world a better place, and I’d hoped the small impact that I had was reaching toward that goal.
I took a long shower, one that not only managed to steam up my bathroom but started to seep into my room as well. For a long time, I just stood there, hoping the grime would wash itself away. I was too tired to really scrub. But once I stepped out and wrapped the towel around me, I had to admit that I felt more like myself. Things weren’t really all that bad, and I was whining like a little bitch because I was sleep deprived.
Out of habit, I woke my computer up. I wasn’t sure why because it wasn’t like I was going to sit down and actually start checking things out. Truth was, once the main screen lit up, I had to force myself away.
With a flick of my wrist, my towel dropped to the floor. I told myself I’d pick it up later as I reached for a pair of boxers.
Boxers were the best thing to sleep in. Loose and freeing, dick and buddies got to hang out unrestricted but still had their own little VIP area. Plus, there was that slit in the front that provided a little airflow. And these boxers were made from some nice, soft fabric. I wasn’t picky about much. What I covered my junk with, however, I was particular on. I’d been the butt of many jokes because of it. But I was man enough that I could shake it off at the end of the day.
I didn’t bother with anything else, I simply pulled my sheets back and attempted to get most of my body on the bed as I fell and face planted my pillow.
Before long, I was out like a baby.
I felt like I hadn’t been out long before that awful sound threatened to pull me away from a dream. A very nice dream, might I add. With a hot Asian and a well endowed Italian. Both women were touching me and I wouldn’t have even been surprised if I had started humping my mattress a little. But that sound, it was ruining it and they were slipping away like smoke under a rotating fan. I tried to hold onto them, but it was no use. I knew what that sound meant, and as much as I wanted to pretend I hadn’t heard it, there was no way I could.
I snapped awake and hopped over the end of my bed with the stealth of a cheetah. In less than thirty seconds, I had everything going and was looking at a close-up shot of a tiny, dark haired woman. One that I sort of loved and sort of hated. Okay, so I only hated her because she was better than me. Yes, I could admit it even though it got me in the gut like a sharp knife.
“Did I wake you?” her soft voice floated through my speakers.
“Nope,” I replied, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes and trying to look as alert as possible. I still had a boner that throbbed like mad but luckily, it was hidden under my desk and out of view of my camera.
“Liar,” she said in a sweet, joking tone as she eyed me with a smirk tipping up the left side of her mouth.
“What’s going on?” I asked, wanting to get right to it.
Lucy wouldn’t have reached out, especially not like this, if it wasn’t something serious.
“I sent you some files. I hate to dump this on you and run, but it kind of came up last minute. I’m leaving in an hour, but I couldn’t let this go. I found out that there’s an auction tomorrow night.”
To that, I sat up straighter. She had things going on that I didn’t know about, but I had a clue about some of them. Lucy was good, the kind of person that wanted to do illegal things to make the world better. She’d never kill unless she really had to, and even then, I feared she might have been too soft and timid to actually do so.
She didn’t have to specify what kind of auction, I knew right away. And it wasn’t something that I could turn my back on. I suspected that was why she called me. Maybe she’d been in a bind, but I had a feeling she wouldn’t put this on someone that couldn’t handle it. And I imagined she would think that I’d have a whole group of people to have my back.
Unfortunately, I had a feeling that it wouldn’t be as great of an army as she thought. As I sat there thinking about it, I could only think of a handful of people the club could spare right now, and half of them, well, I wasn’t sure I completely trusted just yet.
“Go on,” I said, knowing that she wouldn’t reveal too much even though this should have been through secure channels. It was always good to be a little paranoid. I’d learned the hard way that there was always someone out there bigger and better than you.
“I’ve got an address and everything you need to get in. I also sent you the guest list so you’ll be prepared. You need to blend in, Bocca.”
I looked at her pointedly. I had a feeling I knew what she was saying and it made my skin crawl for multiple reasons.
“That means suit and tie, buddy. Hope you can get one in time.” She almost looked amused at this.
“Don’t worry,” I said still holding a scowl on my face. “I have one already.”
I didn’t bother to mention that there would be no fucking tie. Or that it might fit a little snug, I was a little but more buff than I used to be. I just hoped it wasn’t too tight. Remembering the last time I’d worn it, I seemed to recall that it had been a bit big. Fingers crossed that it would work. Because I was not looking forward to stuffing all the info she’d sent me into my head as well as make the time to not only find a suit, but someone that could do immediate alterations. Fuck me.
I’d not only have to look like one of these sick fucks, I’d have to act like them too. I knew, even before I looked at what she’d sent me, that I was going to have to find something deep inside of me to help me keep my calm. I couldn’t even let my false mask slip for a second.
“I’m sorry to just drop this on you like this. You know—”
“I know, you’d have my back. I get it. I hope you guys have a sex-filled honeymoon,” I said and shot her a wink. She rolled her eyes and shook her head at me. Lucy was used to me by now. “And congratulations again.”
“Thank you,” she said as she beamed.
That was something I didn’t see coming. No, not her being all glowy and happy and whatever—The Clean thing. Not that I really knew what went on in their lives before. Or knew Clean outside of what he did for the club. But there was just something about the two of them that seemed odd from the outside. Like they were two different pieces to two totally different puzzles. Somehow, though, they fit together.
“Tell your husband I said hello,” I added. It may have been a nice thing to slip in there, but it had its purpose. I was no idiot.
“I know,” his deep voice rang out from somewhere in the background. “Thanks, man. For everything.”
I had to smile at this. I for sure didn’t want that man on my bad side. He fucking knew how to make a body disappear like it had never been around in the first place. I was no dummy, I didn’t want him to think I was talking to his woman without him knowing. I wanted to make that shit clear. I had nothing to hide and sure as fuck didn’t want it to seem like I did. I had no desire to end up like all his other jobs.
We ended our chat and I got to work sifting through everything she’d sent me. I could tell her work was rushed. Hell, half of it seemed incomplete. One of those things being the background checks and full rundowns on these sick fucks that would be there. I had work to do, and pretty much no time to get it done in.
So much for sleep.
I got up and stretched. It was time to go find Cal and Loch. And probably Axe too.
Though Axe hadn’t officially taken over, it was clear that the move was coming. He was right there most of the time, with Cal and Loch, taking in everything and helping to dole out orders.
I knew they wouldn’t be able to turn my request down. Given what I was going into and planning on doing, they would decide how it would go down and how many brothers I could take with me. It was time to put my pretty please face on and hope I could get enough bodies to back me up.