Chapter Eight

Bear

"Well, she was right about one thing. If she'd managed to activate this application, whoever controls this thing would have been able to control every piece of electronic equipment we have connected to the network." Crush had basically come back to the compound bare-ass naked and without the phone. "I took care of it but, I gotta tell ya, I'd love to get my hands on that tech for us."

"What'd you do with it?"

Crush shrugged. "Buried it. Once I find out where it came from, I'll figure out what to do next."

"We didn't dare even bring the thing near the compound." Byte picked up the explanation. "Even with the battery out and the whole thing taken apart, we weren't sure if it was safe." He shook his head. "Didn't want that thing anywhere near us. Crush didn't even use his burner phone to call me after being in close proximity to her phone."

"This something normal with spooks today?"

Crush tilted his head. "I wouldn't say normal. There are several devices I'm aware of that might do something similar, but not to this degree. It was hard to figure out, but once that thing is on, there's no guarantee I could prevent it from…" He paused and shook his head slightly, like he couldn't believe what he was about to say. "I was in a relatively rural area when I turned on the phone. Within seconds, I started getting data from every single phone on that particular cell tower and the two open Wi-Fi networks close to me. Just two houses in the neighborhood. But now, that phone has access to every one of those devices anytime it's connected to a public access network or cell tower and is able to receive data."

"Huh. That's pretty hard core. ‘Course, it's the government." Ringo shrugged, obviously not impressed. "It didn't get in here. Olivia was searched thoroughly, her clothes replaced and everything she had with her left behind. Venus found the phone and didn't turn it on."

"No, but I'm replacing her phone anyway. Everyone who was near Olivia. Just in case. Any electronics that got anywhere near that thing needs replacing. Including the fuckin' cages." Crush grumbled. "This is gonna be a fuckin' nightmare. And, honestly, Rocket. If that phone picked up on any of the navigation systems, they already know where we are."

Rocket crossed his arms over his chest, studying Crush. "We'll figure that out later. Keep the damage as minimal as you can. If we have to replace the vehicles, we will."

"Already moved anything that might possibly have come near that phone to a section of the property well away from the compound. Thankfully, all but the ride you guys came in was still in town when I figured it out. So it's gonna take a while, but I can fix that."

"Next thing," Rocket continued. "What does the CIA want with us?"

"Olivia indicated they've got some kind of grudge against us," I said. "Want to put us in our place. She said she has proof." I handed Crush a piece of paper. "Olivia said that's her cloud account. Said the video she took from her phone is backed up there."

Crush and Byte looked at each other. The pair was creepy like that. They seemed to know what the other was thinking. "Could be more of the same technology," Crush muttered, not taking his gaze from his brother. "What do you think?"

"We can do it remotely. I've got a clean laptop I use for testing. I'll take it somewhere safe and check into it. Just to be safe, I'm not bringing it back for anyone here to see." Byte looked at Rocket. "You'll have to take my word for it."

Lemon waved him off. "Don't see why we need anything else. You say it's so, it's so. I'm more concerned about why she was chosen to be the one to hunt us down." Lemon's face could have been carved from granite. This was the vice president of Grim Road, determined to get to the bottom of the situation. It always amazed me how grown up she was. The woman was born for this life if anyone was. "Is there any way they've targeted Ringo or Bear in particular?"

"It's me," I said. "Leon Black is after me."

"He's a motherfucker of the first order," Rocket muttered. "I'd really hoped the world had seen the last of that prick."

"It's all because of the Tripoli incident." I shifted my feet. "Leon didn't get reprimanded or anything. He managed to put most of it off on me. But it cost him a high cabinet seat and possibly a bid for the White House. Not to mention he was in line for the directorship of the CIA and that went to shit immediately after."

"Makes sense he'd hold a grudge." Rocket rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Happened on his watch, and they couldn't really do anything to you unless they found you. We took care of that."

"So, what now?" Lemon parked her ass against Rocket's desk, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Now," Rocket said, leaning in to kiss Lemon on the temple, "we hunt this guy down and let him know he's way the fuck out of bounds." He raised an eyebrow at me. "Your woman on board?"

"She's mine and knows it." I gave Rocket a level look. "She's probably gonna balk at severing ties with her father, but I think it needs doin'. He's part of the reason she's in this position in the first Goddamned place."

"Oh?"

"Apparently, Black and his bunch have something on the man. He's got some kind of international business with offices all over. Liv said Black threatened to expose him for stealin' money or something. She wasn't clear on the details. Only overheard part of the conversation."

"Do you trust her?" Bullet asked the question quietly. I knew my brother was only asking what needed to be asked.

"I've known her for a few hours, man. My mind is cautious, but my heart wants to believe her."

"You're in pretty fuckin' deep for as fast as this has happened, Bear. That's not like you." Ringo weighed in and, even though it irritated me, I knew he was right.

"If I could tell you why she calls to me on this kind of level I would, Ringo. I can't even explain it to myself, so I can't explain it to you. But Black is CIA. It's his business to know his people. Like it or not, I was once on his team."

"You think he sent her to you because he knew she was the type of woman you'd go for? Did he know you that well?" Rocket narrowed his eyes as he spoke, likely thinking really hard about the whole situation.

"You know the CIA as well or better than I do, Rocket. Those bastards know a man inside and out before they hire him. I was on Leon Black's team for three years. So, yeah. I have no doubt that bastard handpicked Olivia."

"And you're still claiming her?" Rocket looked frustrated. "Bear, you know I think you're the most capable man here. I'd trust you to have my back in any situation for any reason. But are you sure, really sure, about this?"

"I know it's crazy, Rocket. I know what's at stake. But she's mine. If she works against us, I'll accept responsibility. But I want her protected."

"If she stays in your corner, we will protect her to the death. You know that."

"I'm telling you right now, Rocket. I believe her. I believe she's told me what she knows and that she's the only innocent party in all this. God knows I'm not."

"You know what?" Lemon stood up straight then. "Crush. Where is this fucker?"

"Roadside motel. Other side of town. Him and the other guy." Crush met my gaze. "Goes by Boon."

That surprised me. "Boon? Paul Jacobs?"

"He was on that same team when you were in Tripoli, wasn't he?" Rocket raised a questioning eyebrow at me.

"Yeah." I scrubbed a hand over my face. "Christ, Rocket. Boon was the only man in that group who questioned our orders. The others were ready to go, but Boon stayed with me. I told him I could help him get out if he wanted to, but Boon had a family. He didn't want to uproot them. I have no idea what happened to him after I came here, but that whole unit was reprimanded. We weren't active military, so the CIA was able to keep it interagency." I shrugged. "They protected their men in the long term, but short term, it was a fuckin' shit show."

"Yeah," Crush confirmed. "He took the brunt of it all. Probably because he backed you up. Me and Rocket kept you out of the loop because you had enough on your plate, but Boon spent some time in prison because of that incident. He took the fall for them."

"Are you fuckin' kiddin' me?" I paced across the room. "Christ, Rocket! Why would you keep that from me?" For the first time since I'd known Rocket, I felt a sense of betrayal even as I knew he'd probably been right to keep me out of it.

"You were injured, comin' off that mission, knowin' you hadn't been able to stop a massacre. Your head wasn't in a good place, and I wasn't about to make it worse."

"I could have helped. Maybe kept him out of jail."

"Oh, really?" This from Lemon. "How could you have done that?"

"By testifyin' he wasn't there. That he was with me." The second I said it, I knew how utterly stupid I sounded.

"Right," Lemon continued, not pulling any punches. "The CIA is gonna believe you, a man who disobeyed orders and vanished off the face of the earth, over the man who was expecting to be the director of the CIA?" She snorted. "Honey, you ain't that convincin'."

I glared at my vice president. Rocket sighed. "Lemon, you don't have to be so fuckin' blunt."

"Ah. My mistake. I'll pussyfoot around it, put some sugar on it, and tell him the exact same fuckin' thing. Don't change the message. Bear is many things, but he's not a fuckin' pussy. He needs it raw and unfiltered to get through his thick skull."

Despite the gravity of the situation, I couldn't help but chuckle a little. "Don't listen to him, Lemon. You keep givin' it to us straight. Keep us honest."

She lifted her chin. "It's part of why you guys voted me in. I know it hurt, Bear. I know you don't like it." She turned to her man then. "But Bear's also right, Rocket. You should have told him. He had the right to know. The other men in Grim could have kept him here or helped him figure out a way to help Boon if he insisted."

Rocket glared at Lemon. "You're not helpin'."

"And you know I'm right." She pointed a finger at him, poking him in the chest. "So the question now is, what do we do about this Leon Black guy?"

Ringo shrugged. "He wants to talk to us? I say we give him what he wants."

* * *

Olivia

"I think I should go with you."

Bear told me the club planned to nab Mr. Black and the man with him and have a come-to-Jesus meeting with them. Much as I wanted to stay as far away from the man as I could, it felt like the coward's way out.

"Not in this lifetime, baby." Bear didn't even look back as he readied himself, dressing in black jeans, a black T-shirt, and his MC vest.

"Bear, please." I approached him from behind and laid a hand lightly on his back. "This is something I need to do. I have to face this."

"No." He growled, low in his chest, but the menace in it was clear. "No fuckin' way." He didn't even turn around.

I changed tactics. "You know, we had the most fantastic sex in the world, and I don't know your real name."

That made him stiffen. His shoulders rose and fell once as he took in a deep breath before turning around. "It's Gailyn. Gailyn Hoover."

I smiled up at him. "My last name's Garrison."

"Yeah. Crush found it when he went digging. Different last name than your father." They had gone digging. I'd never mentioned my father's name.

"I'm not his biological daughter. I was two when he and my mother married."

"You call him your father. Not stepfather. Yet he didn't give you his name?"

I shrugged. "My family is complicated. He insisted I call him Father. Not by his first name or indicate in any way I was a stepdaughter."

"Then why not give you his name? Or adopt you?"

"That's something you'd have to ask him. Honestly, I think it kept a distance between us. He was good to me growing up, but the second my mother died, everything changed."

"What happened to your mother?" He'd stopped getting ready to leave and moved closer to me, reaching out to brush a stray curl out of my eyes.

"Honestly? I don't know. I came home from boarding school for summer break, and my father told me she'd died. I had questions but he just said it wasn't important. All that mattered was that she'd passed away, and I needed to accept it and move on."

Bear's eyes widened. "Accept it and move on?"

"Yeah. I was thirteen and more than a little terrified of him. Always had been. So I didn't question him any further. My mother and I were never really close or anything. I was probably closer to the nannies and teachers at my school than I was her. But it still hurt."

"Come here, baby." He pulled me into his arms. "I'm sure it hurt." He rested his chin on my head, his arms wrapped solidly around me.

I took a breath. "I never want my children to feel the way I felt, Bear. I want them to know they're loved by both their parents."

"That's something you never have to worry about. I never thought I'd have kids, but when you're ready we'll have as many as you want. And I will make sure with every breath I take they know they're loved."

I snuggled against his chest for several seconds before looking up at him. "I need to do this, Bear. My father might not be with them, but I'm betting they know more about my life than I do. If they're blackmailing my father, then I know they do."

"Let me take care of this, then we'll confront your father together."

"Bear…"

"No, Liv. This guy is dangerous." He gripped my shoulders and leaned down to make his point. "My brothers and me would protect you with our lives, but I'd rather not take the chance and put you at risk in the first place. I won't lose you just when I found you."

"You won't lose me. I'll do exactly what you say without question, but I want to be there. I want them to know they don't intimidate me. Not anymore."

"They don't matter, Liv. Their opinions don't mean shit. You're not doin' their biddin' no more. I'll make that clear. Whatever they decide to do with that information doesn't matter."

"No. It's my father who'll pay. I'm good with that. But Mr. Black is the man who sent me here. I think he saw it as a one-way trip, but that the ends justified the means."

"He sent you here… to die? And you went?"

I shrugged. "Everything in my life has always been about what my dad wanted. Most of the friends I made in school had families that were the same way. I guess I knew it wasn't right, but I went along with it because he's all I have left."

"No, baby. Not anymore. You've got me. Once you get settled in, you'll have everyone here too. Apple already thinks the world of you, and you haven't known her much longer than me."

I smiled. "Apple is a wonderful person. I need to apologize to her for using what she gave me in trust against the club."

"You didn't. You did what you were supposed to do. You came to us, and we'll keep you safe."

Bear's assurance wrapped around me like a blanket, his embrace solid and unyielding. The club behind him was a fortress, a brotherhood that didn't just offer protection -- they provided a sense of belonging that I had never known in my life of privilege and isolation. They'd all given me a small taste of that inclusiveness and I wanted more. I wanted it all.

"I know you mean well, Bear," I whispered, pressing my face against the warm leather of his cut. "But this isn't just about safety. It's about facing my past, ripping out its roots so it doesn't poison my future."

Bear pulled back slightly, his eyes scanning mine with a mix of frustration and admiration. "You're one tough little pixie, aren't you?" He brushed a gentle thumb over my bottom lip before dipping his head to kiss me in a soft, lingering kiss. Then, with a sigh, he pressed his forehead to mine. "You have to do exactly what I tell you, or I'll have a prospect cart your ass away and keep you at a distance until this is finished."

I smiled up at him. "Thank you."

We walked to the common room together to meet with the others. Rocket wasn't happy with me going, but, surprisingly, Lemon was on my side.

"Women are tougher than you think. If she needs to face her fears, we can keep her safe while she does it."

"Lemon…" Rocket growled at his woman. For the first time, I could tell the difference in Rocket and Lemon when they were president and vice president versus when they were a couple. The two situations weren't mutually exclusive.

"No, Rocket," she pressed. "I'll keep an eye on her. She'll be safe." The two shared a look. I finally realized what they were saying with their looks alone.

"I'm not going to betray the club," I said softly. "I told Bear everything I know and what I was supposed to do." I looked up at Bear helplessly. "I didn't realize this was a concern for the club, though I should have. I'll stay. I don't want to put anyone in danger or put eyes on me that should be on Mr. Black."

Rocket nodded at Bear, a silent communication much like he and Lemon shared evident in the two men. "All right," Rocket said. "You can go. We'll take a couple extra guys so everyone has a watch on everyone else." His gaze settled on me. "I know Bear's claimed you, but I need to know you understand. He'll fight me. Might even win a battle between us if it's over you, but you know there will be harsh consequences if you betray us."

"I have no intention of doing anything to put the club at risk, but I understand why you have to be sure. I've been here a very short time. The only thing you know is that I was sent to infiltrate your home. Anyone would be suspicious."

"Good." Lemon snaked her arm around mine like we were best friends. I knew she was corralling me. She'd taken on the job of watching over me and keeping me out of mischief. "Let's get this over with, so we can come back to an epic orgy."

Falcon, one of the members I'd met briefly, choked on the beer he was finishing, snorting the brew out his nose as he laughed and coughed at the same time. "The fuck?" He got out the words between coughs as he wiped his face with the back of his arm until someone handed him a paper towel. "Where the fuck does she come up with this shit?"

Rocket grinned widely. "My woman's mind is very… fertile."

Lemon gave her man a brilliant smile. "And you love it. Makes for all kinds of interesting situations."

"Can't deny that." Rocket kissed the top of her head as he passed by. "Let's ride."