Utah (Knights Corruption MC: Laredo #4)

Chapter 31

31

A rush of serenity descended over me as I pulled into the clubhouse lot. We no longer had to look over our shoulders, waiting for the cartel’s next move. Even though I should have been the one to put a bullet into Javier’s brain, his death would have to serve as justice for Crash’s death.

“I was just about to call you,” Nash said as he walked up to me, beer in hand.

“What’s up?”

“Prez wants everyone in Chambers.”

“Don’t tell me we have another problem.”

I didn’t think I could emotionally handle another issue, not with worrying about Ria’s pregnancy. She’d said everything was fine with the baby, but apprehension licked at my heels. I wouldn’t breathe a sigh of relief until that kid popped out. And even then…

“No. No problem.”

I preceded Nash into the room and took my seat at the table.

“You okay, man?” Miles asked. “You look a little pale.”

“My stomach. ”

I popped the lid off my medication and swallowed two pills. I was shocked to see I only had four pills left because I hadn’t realized I’d taken that many in the past couple days. Thankfully I still had another refill.

The robust, throaty growl of several bikes arriving at once was one of the best sounds. Damn, I missed riding. I’d been using my truck a lot lately but wanted to get back out on the open road as soon as I healed up.

“We all here?” Prez asked, jerking his chin toward several of the guys who just walked in. “Good.” He waited until everyone quieted down, which didn’t take long. “I want to make sure we’re all on the same page with what went down in Mexico.”

For the next ten minutes, he recapped the events that unfolded, from when we arrived at the warehouse to thinking we were done for, to witnessing the head of the Los Zappas cartel murdering his own nephew.

“We knocked on death’s door, but thankfully that fucker didn’t answer,” Stone added after Prez had finished.

“And we’re sure Carrillo won’t change his mind and come after us?” Rez asked, scratching the side of his face, skepticism trailing his question.

“We’re good,” Marek said, not elaborating on his answer.

“Because there’s no longer a threat, our brothers will return to California.” Prez gripped Marek’s shoulder and nodded. He then looked at each of Marek’s guys. “Thanks for all your help. And let us know if you ever need us for backup.”

“Let’s hope we don’t,” Jagger retorted, bumping his shoulder into Lincoln’s. “I think we’ve had enough excitement to last the rest of our lives.”

A murmur erupted between all who were present. Everyone agreed that this most recent tryst with evil was the last one any of us wanted to entertain.

“I think a ruckus is in order,” Rascal shouted as he brought his fist down onto the table .

Rez, Dax, Miles, and Nash seconded his suggestion with shouts of their own.

“Enjoy,” Salzar said as he stood from his seat. “Marek, a word.” The two men walked out of the room, and I couldn’t for the life of me imagine what else they had to discuss. When I made eye contact with Stone, he didn’t appear as curious as me, which told me to stop worrying about shit that didn’t concern me. Hint received and followed. Besides, I had more important things on my mind. Ria being number one on that list.

I rose from my chair and turned toward the door, sidestepping Knox at the last second.

“Where are you off to?” he asked, splitting his attention between me and the screen of his phone.

“Your sister is finally quitting her job. I’m gonna run her by Rocky’s so she can let them know, and then we’re gonna grab something to eat.”

“How did you convince her to quit?”

“I didn’t have to try too hard this time. I think she got scared when she started bleeding and realized being on her feet all the time wasn’t the best thing.”

“Smart.” He glanced at an incoming text before looking back at me. “I called her earlier, but she didn’t answer. How’s she feeling?”

“Better.” I didn’t get into everything that transpired last night, mainly his sister agreeing to live with me, because that was our business.

“That’s good.”

His preoccupation with his phone allowed me to leave without saying anything else. I smacked him on his arm as I brushed past him and headed toward the exit.

As soon as I got in my truck, I called Ria. She answered on the third ring.

“I just left the clubhouse. I’ll be there soon.”

“Okay. I’ll be ready. ”

Twenty-three minutes later, I pulled into her driveway. She was on the porch waiting. I couldn’t take my eyes off her as she walked toward me. Her jeans were molded to her, accentuating every curve. The pink shirt she wore dipped lower in the front than I liked, but it wasn’t as bad as those shirts she wore to work. Thankfully, I didn’t have to worry about a bunch of drunk assholes eye-fucking her anymore.

I was overwhelmed with a rush of gratitude when she smiled at me as she buckled her seat belt. Ria not only agreed to be mine, but she loved me, and trust me, I wasn’t the easiest man to love.

It wasn’t until I met this woman that I even believed in such a concept. I’d fought it, I’d denied it, but in the end, I’d fallen prey to the dream most people had. To find someone they wanted by their side through every obstacle. To find someone who loved them at their best… and their worst. All my hesitations were behind me.

“Are you gonna stare at me all day, or are we gonna go?”

“Sorry.” I snapped out of my temporary trance and put the truck in Drive.

“Don’t apologize. I like when you look at me with that level of intensity. It does things to me.”

“It does?” I reached over and rested my hand on her thigh, briefly catching her eye.

Her brows lifted ever so slightly, and my mind drifted back to the last time I’d been inside her. It seemed like a lifetime ago now, but soon enough, we’d be creating more memories like the one playing on repeat in my head.

“You affect me, Utah. In every way.”

Her tone didn’t quite line up with her words, but I didn’t ask her to elaborate. Some things were better left undissected.

“Do you think your boss is gonna be upset that you’re leaving? Not that I care.”

She placed her hand over mine, tucking her thumb between my palm and her leg. “This is a dream come true for you, I know.” A soft chuckle followed her acute observation. “And I’m sure she’s not gonna be thrilled, but she knows I’m pregnant. Me quitting can’t be a complete shock.”

I didn’t want to inadvertently upset her by saying something stupid like “I’m happy you’ve finally come to your senses” or “It’s about time you listened to me.” Which were two phrases rattling around inside my brain. Instead, I embraced the silence that drifted between us.

After pulling into Rocky’s parking lot, I opened my door to exit, but she stopped me with a tap on my arm.

“You don’t have to come in. I’ll only be a few minutes.”

“I don’t mind.”

“I’m quitting my job, Utah. I feel guilty enough that I’m leaving them short-staffed. I don’t need you lurking in the background.”

“I don’t lurk.” She tilted her head and frowned. “Okay, maybe sometimes I lurk.” I paused for a moment, then waved my hand in the air right before I shut my door. “Fine. Go.”

Her response was to lean over and kiss my cheek before hopping out of the truck. My eyes were glued to her ass the entire time she walked across the parking lot, and I missed her as soon as she disappeared inside. But after today, she’d be all mine. I didn’t have to worry about whether she was being harassed at her job or if some guy had gotten the wrong impression about her attention toward him simply because she was trying to get a bigger tip.

Flipping through the radio stations distracted me for a bit, but when I glanced at the clock on my dashboard, I realized Ria had been inside for nearly twenty minutes. “What is taking her so long?” I mumbled. I wanted to rush in there to make sure she was okay, but I stopped myself, giving her another five minutes before I made a move.

Eight minutes later, I opened the door to the bar and searched for her. She must’ve been somewhere in the back because I couldn’t see her.

It was ten minutes to three in the afternoon, so it wasn’t that busy. There were four guys sitting several seats away from one another at the bar. All had a beer in front of them. Two were on their phones: one stared straight ahead while the other watched the television nestled over the center of the bar.

I sat in the corner, impatiently waiting for Ria to come out from wherever she was. Maybe she was in the back office with her boss. Or perhaps she was in the bathroom. I sent her a text letting her know I was inside, but she didn’t respond. I was two seconds from going to search for her when she finally appeared at the end of the hallway. I rose from the barstool and took a step toward her. She didn’t see me yet, which was evident when she turned back to face someone. Will, the guy I was only too happy she wouldn’t be working with anymore, appeared. They were close to a hundred feet from me, and because their voices weren’t raised, I couldn’t hear their conversation. The last thing I wanted to do was piss Ria off with another one of my jealous tirades about this guy, so for as hard as it was to do, I remained in place, allowing them to have this final interaction.

But then she straightened her posture and took a step away from him. The alarm bell in my head went off, and I advanced toward them. Neither of them saw me approach, but when I was close enough, I finally heard them speaking.

“Did you really tell Molly you’re quitting?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Because of what happened between us? I already apologized for that.”

“I know you did. And no, I’m not quitting entirely because you kissed me. This just isn’t the job for me right now.”

Ria barely got the last of her words out before I swung around her and gripped Will by his shirt. Her scream barely registered as my heart thundered against my rib cage. My vision tunneled, and the blood thickened in my veins. He kissed her? A blind rage took over as my fist connected with his face. I released him, and he fell to the ground. But I wasn’t done with him yet. His eyes widened when I leaned over him, pulled him inches from the floor, and landed another blow to his face. Blood gushed from his nose and mouth, coating my knuckles as I continued to hit him.

Someone tugged on my shoulder, but I kept pummeling Will, my rage pouring out of me stronger with each attack. I was so consumed with punishing this guy for kissing Ria, I had no idea if she was still close by.

Suddenly, I was yanked backward and slammed against the wall. Three guys struggled to keep me in place, but all I focused on was that bastard lying in the hallway. He wasn’t moving. I didn’t even think he was conscious. Not that I cared. He deserved everything I gave him.

“Oh my God!” Ria’s former boss, Molly, rushed toward Will. “Someone call an ambulance.”

“Is he breathing?” someone behind me shouted.

The older man who’d been staring off into space at the bar kneeled beside Will and pressed his fingers to his pulse point. “Barely.”

Moments after I attacked Will, I snapped out of my haze and focused on the scene in front of me. Two of the three men who restrained me continued to hold me against the wall. Molly, the guy who checked for a pulse, and another dark-haired woman surrounded Will. And when I finally caught sight of Ria huddled against the opposite wall, she was shaking. Tears coursed down her cheeks as she looked at me, her eyes wider than I’d ever seen them. I wanted to go to her, to see if she was okay, which she clearly wasn’t, but I stood frozen in place. Yes, I was still being restrained, but I could’ve gotten away from them if I wanted to .

I had no idea how much time had passed before I heard sirens. Moments later, two paramedics rushed toward Will.

“Is this the guy?” a man asked.

“Yeah, this is him. He just went nuts,” one of the men restraining me answered before releasing me and taking a step back. The other guy followed.

A uniformed officer stepped into my line of vision. He was thin, a couple inches shorter than me, with light brown hair. Oddly enough, he reminded me of the man I just beat up.

His partner, a shorter, heavier, blond man, hovered on my right. I was caged between them.

“Turn around, sir.”

Because I didn’t immediately comply with his order, I was spun around and slammed face-first into the wall. My arms were yanked behind me, and the cold metal bit into my wrists as the restraints locked together. I was led out of the bar and put into the back of a cruiser.

Consumed by regret, I didn’t look back to see if Ria was outside. I had no idea how I’d apologize for what I’d done or how to make it up to her, but I was sure I had hours of solitude to figure it out.