Logan
“So what the fuck do we do now?”
“Just give me a fucking minute, Logan, OK?”
“Vanni’s gonna go apeshit if we tell him they torched one of our warehouses…”
“You think he won’t find out? He’ll already know, he’s got eyes everywhere.”
“None of this shit is going down any place else. I mean, the other chapters, they really managed to shut down those branches of the Devil Hounds? It’s that fucking easy?”
“Vanni told us it was California they were really gunning for. And no-one’s shut any chapters down, they’ve just silenced them, driven them away, for now. But those chapters, they aren’t like the one we have to deal with. Their Mother Chapter is here, which is why they’re targeting us. We’re the biggest MC in this area, and they want to take over that title, they want our territory, and they ain’t scared to go for it.”
Bullet sits down at the head of the table here in the chapel. We’ve just finished church, and after the day we’ve had, nobody’s in the fucking mood for the shit we’re facing right now.
“That warehouse had over a month’s worth of cocaine and crystal in there, Bullet.”
“You think I don’t know that? That was fucking money up in smoke, and we are screwed if we don’t sort this shit, soon.”
“So, what’s the plan?”
“We call in more men, from other chapters. Some back-up won’t hurt. I’ve already contacted Herb in Texas and Jonjo’s sending some men over from San Francisco. They should be here tomorrow. Herb’s men are on their way but it’s gonna take a while longer to get here from Texas. In the meantime, we use those weapons Vanni gave us, and we keep at ‘em. We show them we’re not backing down, we use every piece of shit we have to stop those fuckers. And we make sure we lose no-one. We ain’t the weak ones here. They gotta be taken down.”
I lean forward and rest my forearm against the window as I look out over the compound. It’s a beautiful California day, the sun’s shining, there isn’t a cloud in the sky, and I’m back doing what I joined this club to do – keep territory safe, whatever it takes. Keep my brothers safe. They’re my family, and right now my family is being threatened, and I’m not taking that. “Do you want me and a few of the guys to go out? Take a ride, go see what those motherfuckers are doing?”
“They see you, they’re gonna retaliate. Not sure we should be provoking them.”
“And torching our warehouse wasn’t provoking us?” I turn around and look at Bullet. “Or, we could just send Della round.”
“You’re stepping over the line now, brother.” But he’s laughing, and that seems to have lightened an otherwise heavy mood hanging over our clubhouse. “She’d probably do the job, though, huh? Scares the shit outta me on a regular basis.”
I rake a hand over my hair and look back outside. It’s business as usual, for now. Until the Devil Hounds make another move. Bikes are being cleaned, club girls are flirting with those brothers who are unattached, which includes me, but I’m not in the market for any of that shit. I fuck when I need to, I get my kicks when it’s necessary.
“You OK, Logan?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Dunno. You just been kinda distracted, since you got back from Nevada.”
“I’m fine.”
“You see much of Vanni’s old lady, after we all left?”
I saw all of her, but I’m not telling Bullet that. “Not really. You know Vanni. Wants her kept well away from assholes like me.”
“Can’t say I blame him.”
I turn back around as Bullet gets up from the table and kicks his chair back under it.
“I’m gonna go call in a few more favors, see if we can get a few more brothers over here. Arizona owes us a favor. We’ll set up a make-shift second clubhouse in that garage we got just outside of Glendale. I’ll be in the office, if you need me.”
I lean back against the window ledge and cross my arms, dropping my gaze, my eyes focused on the dusty chapel floor. It's been a couple of weeks since I got back from Nevada, and I should have put her to the back of my mind by now, but I can’t do it. She won’t leave, even though I want her to, I need her, to leave. So I’m gonna go ride anyway, I’m gonna see what those deadbeat Devil Hounds are doing today, see if I can keep one step ahead. I need the distraction. I need something, ‘cause if I can’t get her outta my head I am screwed. And I’m not going there again, I made that promise, I told myself I’m not doing that shit no more, and I meant it.
She isn’t mine to think about.
She never will be.
The only thing she’s ever gonna give me is a fucked up head and an almost certain death- sentence, she has baggage I can’t even begin to imagine.
She’s Vanni’s problem.
She’s Vanni’s wife.
She’s Vanni’s…
Piper
“Pack a bag, baby girl. We’re getting outta here.”
I look at him, and I’m confused. I don’t leave this compound, I don’t go outside, I never have been, outside. He doesn’t let me. He says I’m not safe out there, in here I’m protected. “Where are we going?”
“California. They’re not doing what I need them to do over there. Letting those Devil Hounds piss all over them, and that’s my reputation they’re fucking killing. I need to go kick some freakin’ ass, get them in line. I’m taking some of my club brothers with me, strengthen the numbers. Bullet’s also calling in some favors, so I’ve been told.”
“Do they know you’re coming?”
“What? And spoil the element of surprise?” He pulls me in for a kiss, his smile widening the second my body touches his. “Now why would I do that, huh?”
I smile, too, but I’m still confused. “You said I needed to stay here, Van. I’m not safe outside, that’s what you…”
“Yeah, well, I’m not leaving you. I don’t know how long I’m gonna be needed over there, and I want you with me. The men I’m leaving in Nevada, they need to be focused on club business, I can’t leave any here with you. So you’re coming with me. You’ll be safe, don’t worry. I’ll make sure of it.”
“OK.” I look at him, right into his eyes, and I trust him. I have to. “OK. I’ll go pack.”
“Piper?” He grabs my hand and pulls me back into his arms, cupping my cheek, his eyes burning into mine. “I love you, and you have to trust me here, all right?”
I nod, and he smiles, and he kisses me quickly.
“I got people out there, keeping any eye on your daddy’s men, and I’ll know, if anything needs to be done. I’ll know. So you don’t be scared now, baby, OK?”
I haven’t been outside the confines of this estate, of Vanni’s private compound since I got here, over six months ago. Six months, that’s all the time I’ve known this man, a man who’s now my husband. A man I’ve trusted with my life, and yet, in some ways, he’s just as unpredictable, just as dangerous as my father and his men. One wrong move and Vanni could want me out of the picture just as much as my father now does.
“Does he have any idea where I am, Vanni? Do you know, if he has any idea that I’m with you?”
“If he did they would’ve been here by now.”
“I’m so scared.”
I’ve gotten too used to being here, to the safety Vanni’s given me; gotten too used to this compound, this house, and all of a sudden I’m terrified to leave it.
“I told you, baby, you got nothing to be scared of. OK? You just gotta trust me.”
I trust him, I do, but I know what my family are capable of. And I know that blood doesn’t always count for anything. I threatened to go to the police, I threatened to talk, I made that mistake. And now I’m paying for it.
“You gonna trust me, Piper?”
I nod, and he smiles, and he lets me go.
“Good girl. Now go pack a bag, we’re leaving as soon as Gunner and Vulture’ve finished loading the truck.”
I run upstairs and throw some clothes into a holdall, pull my hair back into a messy ponytail, grab my jacket from the back of the door and head downstairs.
Vanni’s in the kitchen, talking to Vulture and Chase, his V.P., so I stay back, he won’t want interrupting. Instead I go outside, by the pool, and I stare down into the clear blue water, and for a fleeting second I wonder if I was too quick, to stop running. Too quick, to throw myself into this life because I really am trapped now. I can’t leave. And I love Vanni, I do, but sometimes it scares me how much like my father and those men who surround him he is. Have I really just run from one dangerous man straight to another one? And I really do love him, it’s just…
“Piper?”
I swing around, he’s startled me slightly, and I feel my heart beating hard against my ribs as he walks toward me.
“We’re leaving now.”
“OK.”
He stops in front of me and reaches out, resting a hand against the side of my neck, tilting my head back slightly as he kisses me slowly.
“You got every right to be anxious, baby girl. But you gotta know that anyone tries to hurt you, and I’ll make sure they never fucking breathe again. I’m your soldier, remember?”
He looks at me, and I smile, he needs to see that I’m OK with this. He doesn’t need the princess, he needs the woman he made me.
“Get your things, come on. We gotta get going.”
He lets go of me and heads back inside, and I wait a few seconds before I follow him. Is this my future now? Scared to leave the grounds of this estate, reliant on a dangerous, unstable man for everything? And I don’t know why I’m suddenly feeling all this shit now, I was OK before, I was good. Wasn’t I? I was good. Before…
Logan
“Vanni’s here?”
“Arrived last night. Staying at his place in Venice. Got himself a pretty nice beach-front condo in Marina del Rey.”
“Jesus… he’s got a place on the beach?”
“He’s got places everywhere, for exactly this reason – so he can drop in any time and rain shit down on the rest of us.”
“How much money’s that fucker got? To look at him you wouldn’t think he had two cents to rub together.” I lean back against my bike and push my sunglasses down over my eyes as I glance around the compound. I want to know if he’s come alone – Vanni. He’ll have brought men with him, that isn’t what I mean. I want to know if she’s with him. Has she come to California, too, because, surely, he wouldn’t’ve left her alone in Nevada?
“Hey, Logan, get it together, man.”
“Huh?” I look at Bullet. “What?”
“You’re distracted. Whatever it is, shut it down, OK? ‘Cause the second Vanni gets here we’re gonna need to be on our game.”
There’s a part of me that hopes he’s left her in Vegas, and a part of me that wants her here, but that part, man, that’s dangerous. I shouldn’t even be going there. And I still don’t know why the hell I’m feeling this shit for her, I don’t feel that for anyone anymore. And even if I wanted to go there again, she isn’t worth the risk.
“We got company, Logan.”
I look up as Bullet nudges my shoulder, yanking me out of that death wish of a fantasy, and I follow his gaze.
A black Ford Mustang, followed by three Harley Roadsters, are pulling into the compound. And it doesn’t take a genius to guess who’s paying us a visit.
“Vanni making another of those subtle entrances, huh?” I flip a cigarette between my teeth and light up, drawing deep, my eyes on the car as it pulls up outside the clubhouse.
“Quit with the attitude, Logan, OK? Vanni’s already pissed, we don’t need you giving him more reasons to keep on our asses. What the fuck’s up with you anyway? You’ve been all moody since you got back from Nevada.”
I look at Bullet. “Moody? What the fuck…? Seriously?”
Bullet just shrugs and raises an eyebrow, and I turn my attention back to the car, watching as one of Vanni’s henchmen opens the front passenger door and Vanni climbs out, all arrogance and attitude. And while I respect the guy, don’t get me wrong, I do. He gets shit done, and his club, like I said, it saved me. But he’s still a fucked up son-of-a-bitch.
He nudges his dark glasses down over his eyes and opens the back passenger door, and I feel my stomach take a nosedive as she climbs out of the car and slides her hand into his. She’s dressed in tiny denim cut-offs, a white tank-top so tight I can’t help but focus on her rock-hard nipples, and just-over-the-knee boots that are screaming to be worn with nothing else. Her dark-blonde hair’s all loose around her bare, tanned shoulders, her blue eyes hidden behind aviator shades, and I’m a fucking mess inside. Just like that. I came home vowing never to even think about her again, and it was hard. But it was working. Until now. And the attraction, man, it’s purely physical. I want to fuck her, that’s it, that’s all, I mean, come on. Vanni put her on show, made me look at what I can’t have, which only makes me want her more, that’s the way this shit works, right? I want to fuck her, but that’s only ever gonna happen in my messed-up dreams ‘cause my cock goes anywhere near her, and I lose it. Vanni’d personally see to that himself.
“Must be planning on staying a while, if he’s brought his old lady,” Bullet murmurs, but I’m still watching Piper – the way Vanni slides a proprietorial arm around her shoulders; the way she leans into him as he kisses her in a way that none of us need to see, and I still can’t work out if she genuinely does love the guy, or if she just needs him. When I talked to her, back in Nevada, I kinda got a vibe, I dunno. Something didn’t feel right, but none of that was my business, so I forgot about it. ‘Cause I needed to forget about her. And then this shit happens and… man, I need a drink.
“You listening to me, Logan?”
“What…? Jesus, Bullet, get the fuck off my case, OK?”
“You get laid, by any chance? While you were hanging around in Nevada?”
“No.”
“Get laid. And lose the shitty attitude, y’hear me? Don’t know what the fuck’s wrong with you lately. You’ve been a pain in the ass ever since Vanni’s wedding…”
“Everything all right here, boys?”
We both glance up as Vanni approaches, his arm still draped across Piper’s shoulders, and I want to look at her, I mean, the urge is like a pull I can’t fucking control, but I manage it. Just.
“Bullet, a word. Inside.”
Vanni’s eyes fall on me, narrowing slightly, and for a second I wonder if the crazy fucker can read my mind. But then his expression changes and his face breaks into a grin as he lets go of Piper and takes a step toward me, slapping me on the back of the shoulder.
“Logan, my man! You did a great job of making sure my girl here was looked after a couple of weeks back. Made sure all those horny fuckers stayed well away from her, huh?”
Bullet throws me a look and I shake my head slightly, what the fuck does he think I am? Like I was really gonna take advantage of that situation, right?
“Just doing what I was asked to do, Vanni.”
I want to look at her again, but I don’t. I resist that temptation ‘cause there are way too many eyes on us here.
“Anyway, we got shit to sort out. So let’s get to it.”
He goes back over to Piper, pulls her into his arms and kisses her, his hand fanning out over her perfect ass, man, I want inside of that. I want to feel how tight I know it’s gonna be.
“Go back to the house, baby girl. Gunner and Ace are gonna go with you, everything’s gonna be fine, OK? You just relax, get that red-hot body of yours into the smallest bikini you got and catch some sun, all right? I’ll be back as soon as I’m done here.”
I watch closely as her body language suddenly changes. She stiffens slightly, and her fingers seem to tighten around his, I can’t see her eyes ‘cause she’s still got the aviators pulled down over them, but she seems nervous, about leaving Vanni’s side.
He cups her cheek, stroking it lightly with his thumb in a surprisingly tender manner for a crazy motherfucker like him. It’s almost weird to watch, and all it does is make me realize I’m right. There’s more to that relationship than either of them are letting on. But that’s not for me or anyone else to question, and I’ve gotta forget about it. Forget about her. And I can’t make out what he whispers to her next, what he says, I don’t think it’s meant for anyone but her, but whatever he’s telling her, it seems to relax her a little. And she smiles at him, and he kisses her again before pulling away, turning his attention back to the rest of us. We’re being summoned. Like he said, we got shit to sort out. And I don’t feel much like creating any more…
Piper
I wanted him to look at me, but his eyes never fell on mine once, which makes him the smart one. And the last thing I should be doing right now is inviting complications into an already fucked up situation it’s just that, coming here, and seeing him again…
There’d been a time, in Nevada, when we’d been talking; I’d almost felt a connection between us. Maybe he’d felt it, too, I don’t know, but the sensible thing had been to pull back from whatever it might have been; ignore it, act like we didn’t give a shit. Maybe he didn’t. Doesn’t. And I shouldn’t even be thinking like this, I have Vanni. I love Vanni. I married Vanni, this is my life now, this is who I am – Mrs. Vanni Colletti.
I found my soldier, and I can’t afford to lose him. Because I can’t fight this shit alone.
Logan
“So you see where I am with this? We’re managing to keep the smaller chapters under control ‘cause their brothers are too chicken-shit to face our men down. While here, in what’s supposed to be the most respected, the most feared chapter after my own, I got you all being pussy-whipped by a bunch of freakin’ new boys!”
“That ain’t fair, Vanni. We’ve been trying, they just ain’t afraid to push…”
“You heard yourself, Bullet? You’re standing there, in front of me, making fucking excuses? We lost a shit-load of money and a month’s worth of supplies, so excuses? I’m not listening to that shit, I didn’t come here for excuses. I’m here to make sure our territory remains just that – ours. So, we hit back, we go in twice as hard, we put men everywhere they are, we show them we’re not taking their crap. We retaliate. Tonight. We hit their clubhouse, ‘cause that’s all they got that’s worth anything to them, do you see what it is we’re actually dealing with here? They haven’t been around long enough to own warehouses full of weapons, have labs up and running turning out the kinda crystal that makes big money. And you know why they don’t have all that shit yet? ‘Cause they think they can just come on in and takes ours, and so far, they’re fucking winning!”
He slams his fist down on the table so hard the whole thing vibrates, and I quickly glance over at Bullet, who’s running a hand nervously along the back of his neck. There’s no denying we kind of messed up here, but that’s not all Bullet’s fault. We just weren’t expecting those fuckers to be quite so intent on starting an all-out war, ‘cause Vanni’s mood – man, that’s what they’re gonna get.
“Retaliation. Tonight. I already got men watching them, but we’re gonna go in big. They’re gonna get the fucking message, this time… Logan. Over here.”
He beckons me over, and I have no idea what he wants with me, but I’m not gonna argue.
“I got another job for you.”
I frown, digging my hands into my pockets as I lean back against the table. “Oh yeah?”
He hands me a piece of paper and I look down at it.
“That’s the address of my condo, in Marina del Rey. I want you to go there, send Ace and Gunner back here. And then I want you to stay there.”
“Stay there?”
“I need you to keep an eye on Piper.”
“Come on, Vanni, not this bullshit again. Can’t you get someone else to…”
He takes a step toward me and his eyes, Jesus, they’re dark. He’s pissed.
“That ‘bullshit’ you’re talking about there, son, that’s my wife’s safety.”
I frown again. “She in trouble?” I knew I was right. I knew she was hiding something.
Vanni suddenly turns to face the others in the room. “I’ll meet you all out in the bar, I just need a quick word with Logan first.” He waits ‘til they’re gone before he turns back to me. “You heard of the Cabbetto family? New Jersey mafia, real dangerous fuckers.”
I shake my head ‘cause, no. I haven’t heard of them.
“My old lady, Logan – she’s one of ‘em.”
“Huh?” I’m just fucking confused now.
“Piper used to be a Cabbetto, a real-life mafia princess. Only daughter of Francesco ‘Frankie’ Cabbetto, an old-style gangster with an army of men at his disposal that even I haven’t seen before. But he loved his little girl, y’know? Until she overheard something she shouldn’t. Something so fucking bad that if it happens – if Frankie and his men carry out their plan…”
He leaves that sentence hanging, but I don’t push it, I don’t think I need those details. It’s probably best I stay ignorant on that score.
“She overheard that shit, Logan. And all of a sudden that love he had for his little girl, that was gone, replaced only with the need to keep her quiet. Now, I’m not gonna tell you how he did that, let’s just say his methods were so fucking twisted they caused that girl to run. And she came to me.”
“She know she was coming to you?” I already know the answer to that question, but I don’t think Vanni needs to know that me and Piper have already talked about this, to some extent.
“That don’t matter.”
“She’s really in trouble, huh?”
“They’re looking for her. And they’re gonna kill her, those bastards, they don’t make empty threats. Her daddy wants her dead, he wants to make sure she can’t shoot that pretty mouth of hers off. His princess, she’s nothing more than an irritation now; a risk he needs to eradicate. A problem he needs to get rid of.”
“Jesus, Vanni…”
“But he’s not touching my girl. No-one’s touching my girl, but I can’t be with her twenty-four-seven ‘cause I got this shit to clean up. You, on the other hand…” He places a hand on my shoulder, a slow smile spreading across his face, “I trust you, Logan. And I don’t know why ‘cause I don’t even know you all that well. There’s just something about you… And Piper, she trusts you, too.”
“She tell you that?”
“I need her to feel safe, Logan. I need her to feel comfortable, and I need her to feel safe, that keeps me happy. And keeping me happy right now, that’s important. Pissing me off really isn’t an option.”
“So, what’re we talking about here? You want me to be her bodyguard, is that it?”
“I want you to make sure she stays safe. That’s all.”
“And what about here, huh? It’s OK for me to play babysitter…”
He moves a little closer to me, and his eyes – shit! He could freeze hell over with the look he’s giving me.
“You’re not playing at anything, brother. You got that? And didn’t you hear me just now? Pissing me off really isn’t an option, but you are gonna make sure my wife stays safe. ‘Cause anything happens to her on your watch, and you’ll really understand why pissing me off isn’t a good idea.”
“Shouldn’t I know exactly what I’m dealing with here?”
He steps back from me and flips a joint between his teeth. “Ask Piper.”
“She gonna tell me everything?”
“Tell her I told her to.” He draws deep on the joint and offers it to me. I decline. I want a clear head. “So, we good here?”
He’s not giving me much of a choice. “Yeah. I guess.”
He shoots me a look – a warning look, but I get it. I gotta go keep Piper safe from her mafia daddy, all right, I accept my mission. I’ve had worse shit thrown at me.
“And what I’ve just told you? You keep it to yourself, you got that?”
I nod.
“This is just between you and me, for now. I need this shit sorted first before I let everyone else know what’s going on.”
“You’re gonna tell everyone else? Why? I mean…”
“We’re fighting them, Logan. The bastards who want my wife dead, we’re fighting them. ‘Cause she’s not going anywhere. I’m ending it.”
Jesus. He wants us to fight the freakin’ mafia?
“Go on, get outta here.”
He’s ending the conversation, and I know better than to ask any more questions right now.
I rake a hand back over my head and make to go.
“Hey! Logan! Wait up.”
I turn around to face him. “Yeah?”
“You make her feel comfortable, and that’s good. That’s all fine by me.” He takes a step toward me, his eyes once more dark and cold. “But you – you don’t get comfortable at all.”
Yeah. That’s one loaded message, right there. But he doesn’t scare me. Nothing scares me, not anymore.
He backs off, keeping his eyes on me until he’s out of the door. And now I’ve gotta go look after his girl. His mafia princess turned biker queen. And I’m still pissed.