Chapter Twenty-One

VOID

Seeing Ivy covered in blood scared the shit out of me. Knowing my father had her and was so close to carving that fucking symbol into her skin is eating at me. Having her branded in that way, I’m just not sure if I would be able to look at her the same. Not because she would be any different, but because every time I saw it, I would see my father. I would see myself—my old self—and I know it would haunt me. It would have ruined us, and that’s precisely what my father wanted.

For me not to be able to be near Ivy.

For her to be out of the way of him bringing me back into the fold.

Luckily, his plan backfired.

Thank fuck I got there in time, and now, we’re almost home.

We called ahead to tell Nycto we’re incoming, and I can only imagine what Eva’s going to be like when we arrive.

I’m happy to know now my father is away from the farm, that the place won’t run without him. All his followers will leave and head back to wherever it is they came from. After all, a cult is nothing without its leader.

Or, as Ivy said, “Muerto el perro, se acabó la rabia.”

Dash is behind us on his ride as we pull up to the clubhouse gates. West pulls them open, throwing his hands in the air. He hoots out some kind of hoorah as we enter, making Ivy chuckle, though I don’t miss the way her body is shuddering at the deep cold seeping into her bones.

We should’ve stopped for a blanket.

Eva and Nycto barrel toward us as we pull in. The pickup doesn’t even stop before Eva yanks open Ivy’s door and pulls her out of the cage. “Hermana, I was so scared I was going to lose you.” Eva pulls Ivy into the biggest hug, and Ivy wraps herself into her embrace.

Ivy pulls back with a small laugh. “I’m fine. Wet and cold, but fine.”

A slow smile creeps up my face as I step out of the pickup, then walk around to greet my pres and his Old Lady. Nycto raises his head to me. “You good?”

I dip my chin.

I may not be completely okay, but I will be. Ivy is here. Alive. That’s all that matters.

Nycto steps forward and glances over the back of the pickup, where my father is bound and gagged in the back, his beady eyes wide in fear as he struggles about.

“What do you wanna do, Ivy? It’s your call.”

Ivy glances at me. I shrug. I don’t give a fuck what happens to the cunt.

Darkness spreads over her features. An intoxicating smile appears on her face, and she begins to bounce on her feet. She doesn’t need to say a word. Nycto chuckles. “I’ll go prepare the mortar.”

Taking a deep breath, I pull Ivy aside. “You don’t have to be there if this is too much.”

“Are you kidding? He cut into my skin to brand me. I’m laying the fucking bricks myself.”

“Only if you’re sure.”

“Stop trying to protect my virtue, Void. I’m in this. I’m part of this club. I brick bad men behind walls, sealing them to their deaths. If you give me a gun, I’d shoot him in his cock too. I’m no princess. I’m not innocent, so stop making me out to be.”

I brighten at her words. They’re exactly what I needed to hear. I always thought I had to preserve her, to stop her from crossing into the dark with me, but why does being in the dark have to be so bad? She has this brightness about her, but maybe it’s the fires of hell burning so fucking intensely that I can see the same fire that burns inside of me.

We’re the same.

It’s why we work.

Deep down, we’re both tainted, depraved souls, striving to be good, when all we really need is another dark soul to embrace the shadows left by the light.

***

Dash had my father brought down to the Cell. Nerve gave him a sedative and he is out of it, tied up, propped up, and hooked against the bricks, ready for us to do our thing. I thought Nycto would be down here with us, seeing as this whole “bricking people behind a wall” thing was his first, but he decided to let Ivy have this one. She will be his protégé, where bricking is concerned.

That should scare me.

It should terrify me.

But all it does is electrify me.

Because it lets me know anything this club throws Ivy’s way, she can handle.

There’s an energy in the air, a spark between the two of us because we’re doing this together. I move in, holding my father’s body back against the wall as Ivy opens the mortar bucket and stirs the contents. Her eyes light up as she picks up the trowel and lathers the first row of mortar at his feet. I don’t even need to tell her where or how far out to do it.

She’s a natural.

Ivy lays the first row of bricks perfectly. Right now, seeing her in her element, I swear my cock is aching. Watching Ivy turn from a virtuous saint into this rebellious devil has been the highlight of my time here at this club. Hell, it’s been the highlight of my damn life.

Who knew when she stepped off that boat from Cuba, she would fall into my arms and change not only herself, but me in the process?

The bricks continue to be built into a wall, entombing my father behind them. It’s not like I can say I haven’t thought about this very moment for years. About getting my vengeance on him for all the torment he put me through when I was growing up. But with him behind bars, it was never something I thought would come to pass.

Now, with Ivy’s help, we’re making my dream happen, and we’re doing it as a team.

Because together, we’re unbreakable.

I would walk over hot fucking coals for her. Put my life on the line time and time again. And she’d brick people in a wall for me. My crazy, sexy, psycho girl. My mistress of pain.

Her eyes shift to me as I step back, taking my hand away from my father’s chest as she bricks up in front of his torso. I can’t help but feel like this has all come full circle. My father tried to make me be like him. In a way, I suppose I am, just not in the way he thought. He would bend people to his will, make them submit to him, make them do utterly indescribable shit. The man’s pure fucking evil.

I’d never make Ivy do anything she didn’t want to. She’s a free spirit and has her own mind. I couldn’t make her submit to me in that way if I tried. She is far too alpha for that. But my father’s blood runs through my veins. That evilness inside him is inside me too. Thank God I choose to use mine differently.

Ivy bricks up to his chin. The adrenaline surging through me right now pumps so hard it’s like I’m high. Ivy tries to fight back her excitement as well as she moves in to place another brick, but then hesitates. “Shall we entomb him completely? Or leave it open so we can watch him waste away over a few weeks?”

A slow grin slides over my face. This woman!

“Leave three bricks free so we can watch the fucker dwindle. You’re a twisted fucker, sweet thing!”

She giggles, but not in a cute way. It’s more sadistic, and it makes my cock rock hard.

Fuck, I love her! My eyes widen at the realization, but I don’t give anything away.

“What’s even more twisted is the fact he’s right outside my bedroom. I’ll be able to hear his screams for days… I love it!”

I grin, shaking my head. “One more thing,” I state, pointing to the cage on the floor.

She chuckles. “I can’t believe I nearly forgot. This is the best part!”

Ivy picks up the small rodent cage from the ground and lines it up with the opening, the giant rat inside itching to get free. “In you go, little guy. Cause as much havoc as you can.”

The evil glint in her eye turns me on even more as the rat lets out a little squeal and drops to the bottom of the entombment.

She places the cage back on the ground, then pulls out the mesh screen to block the hole, trapping the rat inside. I grin, helping her fit it in place, all while my father is still out cold. I pull Ivy to me, pressing my lips to hers.

She is intoxicating.

She might be fucking insane, but I adore her brand of crazy, and right now, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere fucking else than right here, sharing this moment with her.

We took my father down together, and in the end, we’re still here fighting.

Fighting for each other.

My tongue collides with hers as a deep groan echoes from inside the wall beside us.

“What the hell? Cade? Why am I in the fucking wall? You can’t leave me here! What the fuck? Is there something in here with me? Ouch, fuck! It bit me! Cade? Cade,” my father yells, but we don’t break our kiss. All it does is spur us on, my tongue colliding frantically with hers as I push her up against the wall Andrés is interred behind.

She whimpers in my mouth.

My hands tingle as I run them along her still damp, silky skin.

I’m one lucky sonofabitch.

***

It’s been a few days, and everything is finally settling back to normal. After the chaos of having Tony come after Ivy, then my father’s bullshit as well, it’s good to kick back and have a breather.

Sitting in the Chapel with my brothers is like the most normal thing in the world to me. Though I’m not sure what this meeting is about exactly. I’m hoping there’s no more shit hitting the fan right now. I want some time out—a fucking holiday.

Nycto takes a drag of his cigarette, then exhales, a plume of smoke filling the medium-sized room. “So, there are a couple of reasons I dragged you all in here toda—”

“If the club’s in trouble again, I’m out. I’ve had enough drama over the last few days,” I say jokingly.

Everyone chuckles, while Nycto grins. “You’ve got Ivy hanging off your arm. You’re constantly gonna be in trouble, VP.”

“Here, here,” resounds around the room.

I fold my arms over my chest, trying to appear angry, but I can’t hold in my laughter. “Fuckers!”

“Anyway, first call of business… Atomic, you need to up the security on our cells as a preventative measure to ensure they don’t get tracked again.”

Atomic dips his chin. “I’ve done a full wipe of everyone’s cells. They’re clean of any software and I’ve encrypted them. Also, I added a commercial software firewall, but I’m looking into other avenues of defense… something I will program personally.” He exhales. “I let the club down, Pres. It won’t happen again.”

Nycto hums under his breath, seemingly unimpressed. “Moving on… let’s discuss Dash.” Nycto’s eyes meet mine, and I sit up taller, listening. “The prospect has done a fucking lot for this club. Not just his bravery in helping rescue Ivy, but also in helping with Stella in that bar brawl. He was a good kid when going through his recovery. Never batted an eyelid when one of us asked for something until shit got weird with Void and Ivy. Pussy will make men go crazy, and he’s learned his place where Ivy’s concerned.”

I raise my chin. “What are you saying?”

Nycto slides the club logo patch across the table.

Raising my brow, I exhale. “You wanna patch him in?”

Nycto glances around the table at my other brothers. “We need to vote, and it’s gotta be unanimous.”

Whiskey places his closed fist on the table. “Aye.”

We’re doing this now?

Ominous slams his fist down. “Aye.”

“Aye,” Nerve chimes in next.

“Aye,” Brass and Atomic say simultaneously, leaving me sitting here with everyone looking at me.

“Aye,” Nycto adds for good measure.

One vote left.

It only takes one vote.

One single vote for Dash not to patch in, then he’ll be gone from the club for good.

It would be so simple for me to rid him from our lives.

To get him the hell away from Ivy forever.

But if she found out it was me who sent him packing, I’m not stupid enough to know she will never forgive me.

Plus, he did save my damn ass.

I owe him.

Maybe he isn’t such an asshole after all.

“He’s gonna need a mentor,” I grunt out.

Nycto hums under his breath. “Yeah, he will.”

All eyes are turned my way, waiting. Running a hand through my hair, I groan as I sink into my seat. “Fine, I’ll do it. He did save my ass. He deserves a patch… as much as I fucking hate it.”

Everyone dips their chins at me.

“He gets the patch, but you got the girl. Remember that,” Nycto reminds me.

“Mmm,” I mumble under my breath.

There’s only one way to make sure.

“Now, there’s one more item of business. The thing you came and talked to me about a while back, Void. I spoke to our brothers while you and Ivy were away. We’re gonna have another vote on it now, if you’re sure.”

My eyes widen. “Really?”

Nycto tilts his head. “Yeah, brother. We’ve seen enough to warrant it.”

“Well, then, let’s vote!”

***

We walk out of the Chapel, and there’s a pep in my step.

Dash’s patching-in ceremony is going to be in a couple of days, but right now, I need to tell my woman something. In front of everyone. As we all enter the main room, Eva and Ivy are sitting on the sofa. Dash and West are at the bar, drinking, while Stacey’s behind, serving them. A fantastic aroma is wafting out from the kitchen, so I’m sure Trixie’s in there, and Pepper’s wiping down the small tables to get ready for dinner.

All eyes fall to us as I walk over to the pool table, sending out a whistle to grab everyone’s attention. They all turn to face me as my brothers fan out around me in a semi-circle.

“I have news.”

Ivy and Eva both jump up from the sofa, fear etched across their faces.

“Oh God,” Eva mumbles, grabbing Ivy’s hand for support.

“Ivy, can you come here?”

She glances at her sister, giving her a supportive nod. Eva is hesitant to let her go, but Ivy detaches from her, then slowly walks my way. I reach out, taking her hand in mine with a slow smile creeping up on my face.

Ivy scowls, throwing a punch into my pec. Hard. “Fuck you, asshole. I thought something was wrong.” But she can’t fight the corner of her lips turning up.

Everyone chuckles as I shake my head. “Always fighting. You’re so fucking strong, Ivy. Your inner strength is what astounds me, time and time again. I made the mistake of thinking because you didn’t have the same life experiences as the rest of us, it meant you were meek and mild. Yeah, I was so goddamn wrong.”

She tilts her head as if she’s mocking me. “True story.”

I gesture to Nycto as he moves in behind me. “You, Ivy Pérez, are tougher than some of the men I’ve met. Your fire, your fight, your will to outdo is intoxicating—”

“Void… what is this?” she asks, looking around.

“You have a dark side, Ivy. It flows inside you. Like a delicious poison. But I’m willing to take every last drop of your crazy, even if it kills me.”

She tilts her head. “It’s strange you say that, because in my mind I’ve been thinking I have poison running through my veins… but, all that aside I’m not following. Void… what’s going on?”

I tilt my head at Nycto, and he steps forward with a club cut.

Ivy raises her brow at me. “You’re claiming me? This is my property patch?”

I give a small laugh. “Yes and no… I am claiming you, Ivy, but this isn’t your property patch.”

She scrunches up her face in clear confusion.

Nycto turns it around and points to the prospect patch on the front. “This is a club cut, Ivy. Tampa has never had a female prospect in our ranks, to be honest, Defiance has never had a female club member. But we put in a call to the National Charter President, Torque, and he said considering the circumstances, that if there was ever a time to initiate the first female Defiance member, you should be it...” Ivy gasps, her hand slamming to her chest in shock before Nycto continues, “So, as a club, Tampa voted. With the strength, determination, and courage you’ve shown, you’d make a fucking incredible Defiance prospect… if you wanna join us?”

Ivy’s eyes widen so fucking huge it’s like she can’t even think, let alone speak. “So, wait, let me get this right… I’m prospecting in, and I’m an Old Lady right now?”

My hands grip tighter on hers. “You’ll be known as Toxin. Generally, we don’t give road names until you officially patch in, but seeing as you’re being claimed as well, we agreed to having your name known early.”

She lets out a loud laugh as she races forward and threads her arms through the club cut.

Damn, it looks good on her.

Everyone cheers as she turns then hurtles herself at me, her lips pressing against mine. I wrap my arms around her, my fingers creasing against the leather of her cut. Fuck! I can’t help it. My damn cock begins to harden.

She’s perfect.

We pull apart, and my eyes lock onto hers.

“Thank you, Void. Thank you for doing this. I’m sure it was you who suggested I join the club and is sponsoring me. I can’t imagine not being part of it. It’s like this is where I belong. Like this is what I’m meant to be doing. Mi familia.”

I bring my hand up to caress the side of her face. “I know. From the second I saw you bricking Andrés up behind that wall, I knew you were born for this club. And now, you’re my Old Lady, so every-fucking-thing is perfect.”

She grins at me. “Toxin, huh?”

I shrug. “Thought you’d like it.”

“I love it.”

I lean in to kiss her again.

Dash walks out of the clubhouse. A few moments later, the telltale roar of a Harley booms outside. It takes off so fucking fast I wonder if he’s had time to change gears.

Dash has feelings for Ivy, and I know that.

But maybe now I’ve claimed Toxin, he can finally let her go.