CHAPTER 11
CHASE
It didn’t escape my notice that Trick was part of the group who’d shown up at the club. Since his crew didn’t live near the city, it was suspicious, and I wanted to go after him straight away to deal with him while I had the chance. But having the girls with me, I couldn’t risk it. I had to get them home first. Hopefully when I came back, he’d still be here.
I was hustling the girls out the back door when I noticed the fear on the librarian’s face. I felt bad seeing her that way, and I wished I could say something to reassure her, but maybe now she’d take the fucking hint. I had to use the opportunities I could get, even if it made me feel like a fucking asshole.
“I told you. You don’t belong here. It’s fucking dangerous. Get it yet?”
I probably should’ve kept my mouth shut. I’d been watching over the girls long enough to know what would tick them off enough to fight even the smartest decisions on their behalf. I tripped the woman’s stubborn button with my comment, and she looked up to glare at me as she hissed, “You’ve made yourself perfectly clear. I still don’t remember asking for your opinion. I’m not doing anything wrong. And I can take care of myself.”
Spinning around, I opened my mouth to argue with her again, but Gunner cleared his throat, giving a significant look to the club. When I glanced over the roof of the car, some of the guys we’d seen inside were exiting through the back. Following us or stepping out for a deal or a smoke, I didn’t know, and I wasn’t sticking around to find out while the girls were with me. I jerked my chin at Gunner, who was closer to Riley’s car.
“Let’s go.”
He nodded, dropping into the front seat while I slid behind the wheel of the little Honda that I assumed belonged to the librarian. She made an irritated sound when I climbed in, but I didn't give her a chance to complain. I waited for Gunner to go first, since he had the First Lady with him, and followed after him, both of us ignoring speed limits to get them the hell away from the club.
After we were well enough away, I pulled out my phone and dialed a number, putting it to my ear. I didn’t look forward to making the call, but I knew if I didn’t, I was a dead man.
“What?” Croy snapped.
“Rival crew showed up at the club. We’re bringing the girls home.”
I could almost hear him straighten, his voice deepening to something more dangerous. “Did you see who?”
“No.” That was a fucking lie, but I didn’t want them knowing it was Trick. I wanted to go after him myself.
“That club is in our territory,” Croy growled. “Don’t make any fucking stops. Bring them straight here. I’ll send a few guys out to check and chase them off after you’re back.”
“Let me handle it, Prez,” I countered. “I saw a few faces. I can–”
“No. You stay with the girls. I don’t want any of them getting any stupid ass ideas about going out somewhere else until we figure out who the hell is in our territory.”
I gritted my teeth, biting back an argument. It wouldn’t do any good. If I wanted to get out there, I’d have to work around him.
“Got it, Prez. They’re going back to Lacey’s place to hang out.”
He grunted in response and hung up, leaving me seething. It was my own damn fault. I started watching over the girls the day they first showed up. I didn’t want them ending up like Hannah. Honestly, I’d hoped Riley would’ve gotten scared after her attack and stayed the hell away from the crew, but I never could’ve told her that. I was a prospect at the time and Croy would’ve skinned me alive. Instead, I invested myself in watching over them. Now, I was the go to when it came to watching over them, and while I didn't mind it for the most part, it was getting in the way of things now.
“Everything okay?” Sam asked. She was sitting in the front seat, the librarian and Lacey in the back, talking low to each other. Sam was nice enough and generally stayed out of trouble. The few times I had to watch out for her, she did her work and went back home. The only time she ever did anything crazy was when her old man was around. The asshole basically encouraged her.
“Yeah, everything’s fine.”
She pressed her lips together, and I could tell she wanted to push, but changed her mind and turned around to talk to her friends instead. I didn't mind it. It gave me a chance to come up with a plan for once we got back to Lacey’s. I needed an excuse to get out of that house so I could go after Trick.
I had something of a plan when we pulled up, but something better popped up when I got out and led the girls inside. Usually, it was Camille, Quinn’s mama, who watched over Lacey and Brewer’s kid. She must’ve been busy tonight, because our VP, Nevada, and his wife, Cleo, were on the floor in the living room, playing with Diego.
Nevada looked up when we entered, frowning at us. “You’re back early.”
The girls all went to say hello to Diego, joining Cleo on the floor while Nevada got up to come talk to me. I explained to him what I saw, and Gunner confirmed. He hadn’t seen any patches, or at least not any he recognized, and I lied and said it was too dark to tell. And like I expected him to, Nevada jerked his chin toward the door.
“Prez probably wants people looking into it. Go back to the main house and ask. I’ll stay here with the girls until Brewer shows back up.”
While he wasn’t exactly old, he was the oldest in the crew and wasn’t sent out much anymore to handle shit like this. His focus was more on the crew itself and managing it. It was better for him to stay behind than keep me here. He’d only head to the clubhouse to wait for more info.
“Got it. I’ll leave Gunner here for security. ”
He nodded and turned away, rejoining the group in the living room. This was a safe neighborhood, almost entirely owned by the crew. Only a few old couples were holding out, but they wouldn’t last much longer. It was safe to leave the girls here under Nevada’s care. No one would be stupid enough to come after them here.
Instead of heading back to Croy’s place or the clubhouse, I went straight for the club. I texted Croy on my way that the girls were safe at Lacey’s and then turned my phone off so no one could track me.
When I arrived, I almost expected them to be gone. But Trick was still there, sitting on a leather couch in the VIP area with women tucked under each arm. So fucking casual. Like he was unaware he was in our territory and on my radar. I knew better than to approach him alone, I could see members of his crew nearby, but that didn’t mean I was going anywhere. I just needed to wait for the right moment.
It came eventually, like I knew it would. One of the women started getting handsy, and since they were in public, they couldn’t get away with shit on those couches. Instead, he led her out of the VIP area and into the hallway with the bathrooms.
Assuming Trick’s crew was watching me, I left through the front door instead, heading around back and through the back exit we’d taken the girls through earlier. It was unlocked, because security here was shit, and led directly into the hallway with the bathrooms. The moans coming from the women’s room told me where they’d gone. Fury made me reckless, and I kicked the door open, walking straight in without forethought. Which was how I ended up with the muzzle of Trick’s pistol against my forehead. The woman was on her knees with his dick in her mouth, and he tugged her head back to get her to keep going, despite the gun pointed at me.
“Hello, Chase.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “Can’t believe you took that as your road name.”
The urge to tear him apart grew, making my hands twitch. I couldn’t move until he dropped the gun, though. And despite getting his dick sucked, he didn’t take his eyes off me .
“What the fuck are you doing here, Trick? This isn’t anywhere near your territory.”
He lifted a shoulder, an easy smile on his face. “Looking for some tail. You always seemed to know where the good pussy was at.”
The dig made me growl and take a step closer, but he cocked the gun and the sound made me freeze. Made the chick at his feet freeze too. His free hand tightened in her hair and he shoved her on his dick, making her choke. My first instinct was to reach for her, get her out of harm's way, but my gaze shifting to her only doubled Trick’s determination. He held her head there, his eyes locked on mine, daring me to do something about it. She struggled against him, slapping at his leg, but he wouldn’t let up. Not until I backed off. I took a few steps back, eyes flicking constantly to the woman. When I was far enough away, he ripped her off him and tossed her to the ground, a sneer on his face and his dick proudly on display.
“You’ve always been such a goody two shoes, Chase. You’ve got the chance of a lifetime to finally get back at me, and you won’t do shit about it.”
My hand twitched for my gun I kept in a holster on my ankle, but the pistol Trick had trained on me changed directions, pointing at the woman instead. She was already in tears from his rough treatment, but the terror kicked up a notch and she cried out in fear.
“What do you think, baby boy? Think you can get your piece out before I splatter her brains all over the tile?”
She shot me a horrified look, big tears streaming down her face. Meanwhile, Trick had a shit-eating grin on his face. He had me in a corner. He knew I wouldn’t let an innocent woman get hurt. I was fucking stuck, and he was enjoying the shit out of it.
“Tell you what. I’m in a good mood. You can take her, but only if you fuck right off along with her. Be the knight in shining armor and bring her to her place, then scurry home with your tail between your legs. Sound like a deal?”
“Too chicken shit to fight me yourself?”
I threw out the challenge, knowing he wouldn’t take it. Trick wasn’t that stupid. It might have been years since we were around each other, but he knew he couldn’t beat me in a fight. It was true then, and it was true now. Using a woman as a shield was the only way he’d live through the night.
“Nah,” he chortled. “I just don’t feel like wasting my time on a piece of shit like you. I honestly don’t know how you got invited into a crew. Get on your knees for your Prez to earn your patch?”
I didn’t take the bait. He was hoping I’d react so he could blow the woman’s brains out and blame it on me. That wasn’t going to fucking happen.
Offering my hand to the woman, I ignored the triumphant look on Trick’s face. “Come on. I’ll take you home.”
“That’s right. Such a good boy,” he crooned, watching as I helped the woman to her feet and tucked her behind me. His fucking dick still on display. Disgusting piece of shit. Slowly, so I could keep my eye on him, we backed out of the bathroom and into the hall toward the back door. My bike wasn’t far and Trick didn’t chase after us. It was a coward’s move to go back on your word and he was proving a point. He wasn’t afraid of me. I’d make him regret it.