Chapter 17 You and I need to talk
Catalina
As Sophie fled the clubhouse, my gaze swept across the table. Torque and Jenna were a tangle of shared laughter, while the other men and their women buzzed with animated conversation. Butcher just gave a dismissive shake of his head and returned to his meal. But my man… my man was fixed on me, a broad, possessive grin lighting up his face.
“What is it?”
“Nothing,” he said, his voice a low rumble. “I just fucking love watching you defend your claim.”
“My claim?” I countered. “I think it’s pretty clear you’re the one who made the claim. I am just your woman.”
In one fluid motion, he hauled me into his arms. “You are damn right about that. But I mean what I said. I belong to you just as much as you belong to me. Seeing you put some random in her place is the sexiest thing I have ever witnessed.”
A smile broke across my lips as I rose onto my toes to kiss him. He lifted me effortlessly, and I coiled my limbs around him, locking myself to his body. The kiss was pure fire, a consuming heat that made the world disappear until the catcalls and whistles from the club finally broke through. We broke apart, grinning at each other, and he carried me back to the table, still in his arms.
Later, after the meal, the men retreated for their church meeting. The rest of us women stayed behind to help Jenna clean up. Carrie, Clown’s old lady, approached us with a conspiraJennaal glow.
“I just had to tell you both how thrilled we all are to see you officially becoming part of the family. Especially you, Jenna. We have all watched Torque send those longing looks your way for two solid years. We even had a betting pool going on how long you two would dance around it. I won, by the way. I put my money on this month and just collected a thousand dollars, so thank you for that.”
Jenna laughed. “Well, you should probably thank Beast. He is the one who gave Torque the final push.”
“Oh, I might have had a hand in that, too,” Carrie admitted with a wink. “I told him to get his act together. I really wanted to win. Clown’s birthday is next month, and I am having a boudoir album made for him.”
“Who is taking the pictures?” Jenna asked. “I am pretty sure Clown would murder any guy who had to see you in lingerie, even for a job.”
“My mom is doing them,” Carrie said. “I am paying her five hundred. She could use the work, and she has her own portrait studio.”
An idea sparked in my mind. “Maybe you and I should do that for Torque and Viper. You know, give them something special for when they are on their long rides.”
“Hell yes, we should,” Jenna agreed, her eyes lighting up. “Carrie, do you think your mother would be willing to do a session for us, too?”
“Absolutely. Give me your phone; I will put her number in.”
As Jenna handed over her phone, a thrill of excitement went through me. This was happening. “Jenna, we are going shopping tomorrow. Call Carrie’s mom and find out how soon she can book us. The sooner, the better.”
Jenna nodded, already dialing. I pulled out my own phone and started scrolling through my favorite sites, images of silk and lace already forming in my mind. I knew exactly what I wanted.
Viper
“The Jackals need to be erased,” Beast stated, his voice leaving no room for debate. “Our intelligence is solid. They are trafficking girls. Young girls. I am talking thirteen to sixteen years old.”
Doc, our VP and the voice of reason, leaned forward. “We cannot let it trace back to us. This has to be quiet, or it has to look like a random act of violence, not a coordinated move by an MC. We have already spoken with the Vipers and the Devil’s Sons. They agree it cannot look like club business. What are our options?”
“Can we contract it out?” I offered. “We have contacts in the local death clubs where the most lethal professionals gather.” And we did. In our line of work, it was essential to know who you could hire.
Butcher grunted. “Those psychopaths are fucking expensive. I am sure between the three clubs, we could pool the cash. But that begs the question: do we really want to get into bed with the Vipers and the Devil’s Sons? We have no alliance with them, but we also have no active beef.”
My attention was caught by Torque, who was staring at me with an unnerving intensity. The look on his face was a clear question, and when he raised his eyebrows and glanced toward the church doors, I knew. He knew about the girls’ past. I gave a sharp shake of my head. He answered with a firm nod. My expression turned murderous: no fucking way. His was just as stubborn: got a better idea? I could only scowl in response.
“Why the fuck are you two making eyes at each other?” Butcher barked. “I know you are with sisters, but is there something going on between you two freaks as well?”
“Prez,” I said, pitching my voice into a teasing drawl and fluttering my eyebrows. “If we did, would you really want to know?” I blew him an exaggerated kiss.
A few tense chuckles broke the room’s heavy atmosphere.
“I should beat your ass right now.”
“With that big, fat…”
“Viper, if you finish that fucking sentence, I am going to shoot you,” Butcher growled.
“I do not know, Prez,” Clown cut in. “You really want Poca Loca to skin you alive? She is hot, but she is crazy as fuck. No offense, brother, but your girl has some serious anger issues,” he added, looking at me.
“I know,” I said, a slow smile spreading across my face. “And I fucking love it.”
“Okay, back on track,” Butcher demanded. “Explain the fucking facial expressions.”
I held Torque’s gaze for a long moment before he gave one last, definitive nod.
“It would be better if I brought the girls in to explain.”
“You know women are not allowed in church,” Doc reminded me.
“Yeah, well, if you want to know what Torque and I are thinking, then you need to understand the assets we have right here in our own club. And what they are capable of. Because trust me when I tell you, they could take every one of us out in our sleep without making a sound. Especially my girl. Remember Catalina’s ex? The one who put her in the hospital? Remember how I told you he was found in his office building?”
Butcher nodded, his brow furrowed in concentration.
“That was their father. He did that to her ex for vengeance.”
Butcher’s eyes widened. “What do the girls have to do with that?”
“Let me get the girls.” He gave a curt nod, and I walked out.
I found Catalina and Jenna at the bar, deep in conversation with Carrie. “Hey, baby. Jenna. I need you both to come with me. We need you in church to explain your past.”
“Viper, you promised you would not say anything,” Catalina said, her voice low and urgent. Carrie caught my look and immediately gave us space. I turned to Jenna, who had gone pale.
“Jenna, does Torque know everything?”
“Yes,” she whispered. “He knows.”
“You are both protected by this club. They will not betray you.”
“There is a million-dollar bounty on our father’s head,” Catalina argued. “He is not protected by the club.”
“He is family,” I stated, leaving no room for doubt. “He is protected. I promise.”
The sisters exchanged a long, silent look. Finally, Jenna nodded, and they both followed me back to church. Torque immediately stood and gave his seat to Jenna; I did the same for Catalina.
“Jenna, you or me?” Catalina asked.
Jenna gestured for her to take the lead, and Catalina began to tell the men exactly who they were and where they came from.
“Bullshit,” Rockstar, one of our newer members, spat out. He was our resident skeptic, always demanding proof. “Can you prove it?”
“Sure,” Catalina said, her tone turning to ice. I could feel the anger rolling off her, and it was a potent thing. I was not used to a woman with this much steel in her spine, and it aroused the hell out of me. “Jenna, go get your case and mine. Meet us on Road 385 at a place called Settlers Farm. One hour. I need two volunteers. Rockstar, you are one. Who else?”
Beast raised his hand like we were in fucking grade school. Catalina gave him a smile, and a possessive knot tightened in my gut. I did not know how I felt about her liking him, and that was a conversation we were going to have.
“Wonderful. See you all there soon,” Catalina said, standing. “Babe, I am going to ride with Jenna. We need to talk.”
“You and I need to talk, too,” I said, my eyes locking with hers. I glanced pointedly at Beast and then back at her. She gave me a confused look, then simply shrugged and nodded. She stepped close, kissed me hard, then squeezed my cock and gave it a pat as she walked away.
That fucking woman knows every single button I have.