Chapter 11

CHAPTER

ELEVEN

NATASHA

Pike texted thirty minutes ago, saying he was coming over to meet with Ronnie and me so I'd freshened up my hair and makeup. He would be here any minute now. Things had been quiet for the last few days, and with the arrival of Enzo and Luca, our Bratva contingent, things seemed farther removed out at our little farmhouse than when we had lived in town.

Dimitri had been out to put in our security system, which Ronnie had instantly hacked, but I felt safe here. Enzo and Luca were known quantities and weren't precisely stuffy bodyguards. Both were skilled and vigilant, but they kept things low-key. Enzo made a big deal about perimeters and boring stuff like that, but overall, he stayed in the background and didn't bother me, which was why I liked him. That wasn't entirely fair. Enzo was a nice guy. When we first had been reintroduced to Max, Enzo had been assigned to me, and he'd made a considerable effort to make it easy for me, fading into the background whenever I'd gone anywhere. When I'd broken up with my boyfriend, he'd bundled me up and taken me for ice cream and asked if I wanted him to go back and punch him in the face. Luca complained a lot, but he was Ronnie's shadow for the most part.

When he arrived, Pike looked agitated, not even annoyed, when Luca refused to let me answer the door, opening it for me. "Is that necessary?" I asked. "I was expecting him, you know. What do you think he's going to do? Shoot me?"

Luca didn't even blink at me. "Your safety is our concern. The pakhan would not entertain any protests anyway, Nat," he said stoically. Luca was the least willing to give me any leeway of the two.

"It's their job to keep you safe," Pike said, being amazingly understanding in my mind, and it was a little suspicious given that he'd been a little grumpy about the guards patting him down just yesterday. It wasn't that I blamed him, but Max had been adamant that until Pike was ‘approved,' he wouldn't be entering the house with weapons of any sort. All that was Max's way of making Pike's life a little more complicated because he had inadvertently involved Ronnie and me in something to do with a serial killer.

They gave him the all-clear and then faded into the woodwork, returning to their posts. I gestured for Pike to follow me into the kitchen, where we could hang out in an open area in the courtyard.

"Sorry about them. I'm trying hard to get Max to relax. Can I get you some lemonade, maybe?" I asked. "Or something stronger?"

"Stronger, for sure. A beer or whiskey—anything. We'll need Ronnie in a minute. I just need to hold you." I found myself crushed against him. He smelled of leather and the sharp sting of exhaust fumes from his bike. His hands wrapped firmly around me. Burying my face into his neck, I leaned into the moment. Pike skin was somehow infused with sunshine from being outside riding in all the open spaces.

Licking the skin of his throat, I bit it gently, sucking it into my mouth, tasting the saltiness from being outside. God, he was sexy. He moaned a little, tangling his fingers in my hair. "Nat, give me your mouth." Drawing his head back, he trapped my face and held it with both his hands, stopping me when I went to move forward into the kiss. "I don't deserve you. You know that, right?" he said gruffly, urgently, as if he wanted me to listen.

"You do," I said stubbornly. I didn't care about anything else. I didn't want picket fences or suburbia. I wanted him.

"I'm keeping you," his words were fervent as he kissed me savagely, bruising my lips as he claimed my mouth with a raw intensity that sent shivers down my spine. The kiss blended passion and desperation as if he was trying to convey everything he felt at that moment. His hands tightened in my hair, pulling me even closer. I wanted him to keep me. Nothing made sense, but that feeling in my gut that told me that Pike and I were destined in the stars was either lying to me and setting me up for failure, or it was leading me in the right direction. I was going to be crazy and believe it. I was going to lean into the fairy tale.

When we finally broke apart, I was breathless. Pike's eyes bore into mine, a mixture of lust and something deeper, something more profound that I couldn't quite place.

"I needed that," he murmured against my lips, his breath hot and intoxicating. "I need you so bad, Natty. You are my drug." He licked into my mouth again, moaning hot and needy, rocking against me, his cock against my stomach.

"Pike," I groaned, feeling my cheeks flush and the answering wetness in my panties. He could take me right on this counter, but I wouldn't even care. Enzo and Luca would probably see or intervene, but it wasn't stopping me.

"But you have something to tell me, right?" I angled my legs open, grinding against him. Maybe I could come before this big conversation. His hand slid down to one thigh, and my head tilted back, my eyes falling shut.

"That's right, baby. I do have something to talk to you about." He pressed against the center of me. "Are you feeling needy, Nat? I love that. My cock wants you too." The things he said. One hand gripped my skin along my back so hard I was sure I'd have bruises. "Let's get Ronnie in here. After that, we can be alone. I can make you come. I'll taste that pussy of yours. Would you like that?" Would I ever?

"Yes." He watched me under hooded eyes as I slid my phone out of my pocket and texted Ronnie as he ran his fingers over the apex of my thighs, caressing the edges of my thighs and pressing hard into my slit until I moaned.

Me: Pike here. Has news. Come up.

Ronnie: Fine

"She's on her way," I moaned. His hand withdrew and touched the edge of my lips, where I could literally smell my arousal. Taking a step out of his arms, I moved to get him that drink I had offered so I could resettle myself before this news. Not to mention, I didn't want to be splayed out on the counter when my baby sister came in. I wasn't an exhibitionist — I didn't think that was my kink anyway. Pike didn't strike me as the sort to be down for that kind of play.

I handed him his whiskey while we settled at the kitchen island and reached out to clasp his hand. I wondered what had happened today that made him look so out of sorts. Surely, there hadn't been another body. If so, would the police have contacted him directly? He'd have called me, so he wouldn't have been questioned alone, right?

"Pike, what happened?" I asked.

"I'll tell you, sweetheart," he swallowed. "I just don't want to go through it twice. Let's wait for Ronnie."

She came up from the basement, blinking like she hadn't seen daylight for the last week. You'd think there wasn't a whole bank of windows down there. "Why do you look like you're squinting?" I asked. "You look like a mole person."

"I had the blinds closed. It's so bright up here," she said. Ah, that explained it. She had developed a habit in the hospital of preferring her windows covered when she was hot on the trail of something. Ronnie worked best in the dark. She said the silence was her favorite, but if she couldn't have that, she'd manufacture her own. Even when she was smaller, she'd make blanket forts and cocoon herself in to read stories to herself. "I was working. And what does a mole person even look like?" she said grumpily, rearranging her ponytail, which sat crookedly, the top knot drunkenly bobbing on her head. "You rang?"

"Yeah," Pike shoved his hands in his back pockets, looking awkward. "I wanted to make sure you both heard this and Ronnie, this affects you directly in a couple of ways," he said, giving her a pointed look. That comment made me sit up and move closer to her. What the hell did that mean? Ronnie was unconcerned, opening her laptop as she waved a hand for him to continue.

"So, I was at lunch with Cross and asked him to stop tailing me." What the hell was he thinking? Men seemed to think they were invincible. Annoyed, I gave him a look that conveyed my feelings because he rushed ahead, darting his gaze away. "Look, I know that it was for my safety that Cross was there, but nothing was happening. Good or bad. None of us can live like this forever."

"I think you did the right thing," Ronnie said, absently opening the fridge. "I'm starving." She was super concerned, I thought in the most sarcastic inner voice possible, but I wondered when she last ate. Ronnie was thin as a rail, petite was generous. Maybe I should be watching her more closely, and I definitely needed to double-check with her on her latest lab work.

"Okay, so Cross didn't leave with you. Then what?" I asked, keeping my voice steady even though I was having a legit heart attack about Pike letting Cross leave him on his own. I should have been calm. He was in front of me. He was fine, and I didn't know why my heart was racing or why I was so mad.

His eyes narrowed as if reading my mind, so I narrowed mine back at him petulantly. "I went to my bike, and someone was there." My pulse hammered. So loud I could hear the boom of the drumbeat in my ears. "It was Eli. At first, I wasn't sure." I wanted to tell him that he was being foolish, that it had been so long, but I bit my tongue. There was a time for such things, but surely now wasn't the time to open my mouth. "Nat, he has the same scar near his eye. I was there when he got that. He has the same bone structure. I mean, brown hair isn't uncommon, but that cowlick. It was him," he said emphatically.

"What'd he say?" Ronnie asked as she doled out some cottage cheese like Pike ran into an old friend instead of a brother who was supposed to be dead and murdered.

"He said that some guy named Victor is committing these murders. That it is someone he used to run with." Ronnie put down her spoon with a clatter. "Some psycho."

To my surprise, Ronnie nodded thoughtfully and picked the spoon back up. "Makes sense."

"How does that make sense?" I said incredulously. The whole thing was crazy.

"I suspected," she bit the corner of a nail. "I've been running diagnostics on the figures following you. It's been harder since you've had Cross and company tailing you. They've complicated things for me. I know that they made it safer for you," she rushed to say. "I suspected that there were two different people following. I just wasn't sure."

"Eli said that you've made waves in some of the chat webs," Pike said flatly, disapproval coloring his tone. Ronnie perked up, sitting straight on the stool she'd slouched on.

I watched a mischievous glint appear in her eye, which I knew very well. "Really? Which webs? Do tell." Her curiosity was insatiable, and I couldn't help but admire that piece of her that was equal parts the person who wanted to stir up trouble and the other who tried to solve the puzzle, even if it sometimes led her into dangerous waters. "I love it when I make waves." There was that hint of pride in her voice that told me that there was no way that Ronnie was sorry that she'd pissed someone off.

Pike sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Eli didn't give specifics, but he mentioned some dark web forums. Victor is keeping tabs on anything related to our past, and Eli was concerned." Ronnie looked unruffled, spooning her cottage cheese into her mouth as if serial killers were the most boring thing in the world. Double killers? Dead brothers brought to life? Yawn.

"Okay, so explain this to me. Eli didn't die at Kent's. What happened to him?" Pike looked at the floor, but Ronnie gave me a pitying look.

"Oh, Natty. Don't be stupid." It was that comment that made me feel even shittier; thankfully, Pike didn't comment, but he didn't need to. Of course, I knew what had happened to him. I didn't really mean what Kent had done. I meant, where had Eli been all this time? Did he have a job? Those sorts of things.

"I'm guessing Kent abused him for years until Eli ran away," Pike said flatly. "Eli refused to talk much about it, but I was moved here after the drowning. There was a shake-up in the county that I was in, and one of the deputies there had some pull. I was transferred."

"It was pretty unusual." Ronnie propped her computer open and shoveled food in her mouth like she was starved, finishing her cottage cheese and starting in on a carton of blueberries. "The deputy had a sister who worked in the agency in Tempe. They had a family that they hooked you up with. I think the only reason it was signed off on was the scandal. Usually, they don't move kids from state to state like that, but she had a verified home and all that jazz. There is an Interstate Compact for placement, a big process with all these considerations. You didn't have surviving parents, so there were no reunification efforts, but it sounds like they waved some other considerations." Ronnie often sounded like she was talking out of her ass, and then she pulled out information like this, and you realized that her knowledge of things was either vast, cobbled together, or a little bit of both. My sister amazed me for so many reasons — this was just one of them.

"Yeah, something like that," Pike ground out. The word seemed bitter as he swallowed his whiskey. "Maybe if I'd been local, I would have figured it out. Eli said he ran away after a while, and that's when he met Victor. He is going through our past using information that Eli gave him." He looked away from us. "Eli says this guy is setting him up, but then he says he's doing it to get his attention. Like it was a favor." Pike ran his hands through his hair, frustrated. "It didn't make any sense, and I'm not even sure there is a Victor. It sounded — crazy," Pike admitted, and I knew it cost him to do so. I hadn't forgotten his wish to have his brother alive, no matter what the cost was. If his brother were alive and wasn't the killer... well, that was a win/win scenario.

"Oh, there's a Victor," Ronnie said calmly. "I'm positive there is another person. Maybe the whole motive isn't lining up, but..." she trailed off, uncertain. "Victor exists, and I'm going to find him."

"But... " I picked up the pieces. "But Eli is alive. Right? That's the magic you wanted and hoped for. It sounds like he's been through a lot, and none of it was good, but he's still breathing. You told me that you'd take that." Pike's nostrils flared, and he nodded.

"You're right, Nat. That's what's important. I'm so grateful." He leaned over, bending nearly in half as he tried to suck air in, and then crouched down. "I just can't even believe I saw him again. I tried to convince him to return with me, but he wouldn't. He kept saying Victor was coming and we needed to be ready." Pike looked up straight to Ronnie. "Eli talked about you, Ronnie—those chats. You need to be careful. He was super worried about Victor targeting you."

"Sure," she waved her fork. "I'll be careful." She rolled her eyes behind his back.

"Ronnie," I scolded.

"What? We have Enzo and Luca. The house is a fortress. Dimitri and Max have security on it. I don't go anywhere ever. What's the issue?" She shrugged and tipped the rest of the container into her mouth.

"Well, we need to be aware anyway," Pike cautioned. "Sometimes things don't go according to plan, or people are smarter than we think. Shit breaks." Finally, that seemed to break through, and she nodded.

"What else did he say?" she asked, clearly trying to take the spotlight off her own security issues.

"Eli is sure Victor will go after Kent next, which is perfect since we can set that up. I have a tracker on him," Pike said. I remembered this conversation about the tracker. Ronnie's eyes lit up like it was Christmas morning, and she clapped her hands.

"That'll work, that'll work. Okay. I have to go... I have work to do. Don't do anything I wouldn't do. I'll see what I can find on Victor. I have plans to make." She had risen from the counter and then turned and pointed at Pike. "You talk to Maddox and Dimitri. You," she pointed to me. "Talk to Max. We might need a few more men. Not too many." Then she hustled out of the room, that ponytail slipping and sliding as she returned to her bat cave.

Moving back over to Pike, I brushed my nose to his. "Are you alright?"

"I'm worried, but I'm hoping Ronnie's right and this Victor guy exists," he mumbled. I understood his doubts, but Ronnie seemed sure, and if she was sure, then I was sure. The whole story sounded insane, if I were being truthful, but sometimes you just had to roll along with the crazy.

"We'll let it play out. It sounds like we have to talk to Maddox and Dimitri. They'll help you set all this up. I am pretty positive that the tracker is a no-brainer for Ronnie. Can you give the information for the tracker to Dimitri and Maddox?"

"Yeah, I can do that. Maybe I should go to the Open Road and talk to them tonight about it," he looked at me consideringly. "Want to go with me? We could get a ride in and a drink?"

"I'd like that. You could help me change." I winked. "Maybe a little alone time first?"

?

"Do I need to wear anything special?" I asked as we headed over to my side of the house, Pike's large presence looming as we wove through the hallways. The conversation had done little to lessen my desire for him, and I was already eager for whatever time we could carve out before we had to leave. His hand was tight around mine as he allowed me to guide him down the hallway. My understanding of the biker bar over in Haverboro wasn't extensive. I knew it belonged to the Iron Brotherhood and wanted to look the part.

"You could be wearing a potato sack, and I'd still think you're the sexiest woman alive," he replied, his voice low and gravelly.

"Well, do biker babes show skin?" He was looking at me with an amused look as I cocked a hip at him.

"Biker babes?" he chuckled darkly as he yanked me to him. "Well, those biker babes, as you call them," he said, tucking my hair back over my shoulder, his lips ducking against my throat, making my thighs clench. "Wear all sorts of shit I don't want you wearing. You don't worry about what they wear. Most of those women are out looking for action in bars like the Road and the Pit. A quick fuck with a biker." I frowned at his words.

"Listen up, buddy. This." I gestured to him and me. "We're exclusive as long as this is happening." I didn't want any confusion

"Oh, we're exclusive, Nat. I'll be slicing off someone's body parts if they touch you. Don't doubt it." His words shouldn't turn me on, but as he pulled my top off, I couldn't help it. "Let me help you get changed, baby. Look at those pretty tits." He whispered the last, caressing the top of each rounded edge that peeked through the lace, tormenting me. "Let's see what you're going to pick out to wear."

Was he not going to fuck me right now? I was dying, my sex drenched in these panties as he wedged me forward into the closet. Well, two could play at this game. Rummaging through my closet, I pulled out a pair of tight black jeans and a fitted tank top. Bending over, I yanked my shorts down and thong, letting him see how drenched I was. I could hear the sharp hiss of breath being sucked in from behind me, that tell-tale sigh that he was surprised. I popped my bra off, letting my breasts free, grabbed the clothes I picked out, and stopped in front of him, brow arched.

"Where are you going, Nat? All naked and bothered with that pussy all drenched for me?"

"To get dressed?"

"I'm not letting you go anywhere without filling you up with my cock first. I'm marking you as mine." Most of the time, I had a good read on Pike, but I wasn't sure I did right now as he backed me against the wall and unzipped his fly and pulled out his cock. My head fell against the wall as he thrust inside, lifting me onto his cock, pulling a leg over his hip. The burn made it all the sweeter. I'd been ready for him, but he wasn't slowing down, and it was even better bare. I was so close.

"Fuck Natty, you need to come right now." The agony on his face as my walls fluttered turned me on even more, and I screamed toward that release. "That's it, baby." He came in hot spurts, and our eyes found each other simultaneously. His hair had flopped forward. Sweat sheened over his face as he leaned forward to capture my bottom lip with his mouth. Pike tugged it with his teeth, sucking on it hard.

"There. Now we can go." He rocked back into me one more now, the shudders subsiding before he slid his cock out and tucked himself back up into his pants.

I rolled my eyes at him. Men. Sometimes they were such overbearing assholes, but I couldn't mind too much. The orgasms Pike gave were mindblowing. Hot sex wasn't anything to complain about. The whole time I cleaned up and dressed, he watched me like a hawk, his muscular arms crossed over his chest, looking like a motorcycle god. It made me want him all over again.

I slipped into the jeans, wiggling a bit to get them over my hips, then tugged the tank top over my head. It clung to my curves, the deep V-neck showing just enough cleavage to be teasing without being over the top.

I glanced over my shoulder to see Pike leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed, watching me with an appreciative smirk. His dark eyes followed every move I made, and I felt a rush of heat rise to my cheeks.

"Like what you see?" I asked, raising an eyebrow as I turned back to the mirror.

"Always," he replied seriously.

I laughed softly, shaking my head. "Flatterer."

"Just telling the truth," he said, pushing off the doorframe and approaching me. He wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, pulling me close. His chin rested on my shoulder as he looked at our reflection in the mirror. "You look perfect," he said.

I leaned back into him, savoring the warmth of his body against mine. "Think I'll fit in?"

He chuckled. "You'll turn heads, that's for sure. But yeah, you'll fit in just fine."

I felt exhilarated at his words. The idea of stepping into his world was exciting, even for just one night. It was different from the law and order world that I operated in. With Pike, I was allowed to be someone else on the wrong side of the law, even if just a little. I slipped out of his embrace and turned to face him, biting my lower lip. "Think you can handle it?"

His eyes darkened with desire as he cupped my breasts for a few beats and toyed with my nipples. "I can handle anything as long as you're by my side," he said. "I wish we had a little more time to play." He gave them a light pinch. I did, too. Somehow I was perpetually horny around this man.

I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him softly, savoring his taste. When we broke apart, I gave him a playful shove. "Alright, let me finish getting ready."

He stepped back, giving me room as I reached for my boots. They were black, worn leather with just enough scuff to look authentic. I pulled them on, zipping them up with a satisfying click. Next, I grabbed my leather jacket and slipped it over my shoulders. The cool, smooth material felt like armor, and I instantly felt more confident.

"Perfect," Pike said, his eyes raking over me appreciatively. "You ready?"

I took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah, I'm ready."

He extended his hand to me, and I took it, feeling excited and nervous. Together, we headed out of the house and towards his bike. Evening had fallen, and the stars blanketed overhead, so bright it was like they were inked there. The air was still warm, and the leather seemed overkill, but I knew he wouldn't let me on his bike in a tank top.

Pike handed me a helmet, and I strapped it on, feeling the weight settle comfortably on my head. I climbed onto the bike behind him, wrapping my arms tightly around his waist. As the engine roared to life beneath us, I felt a thrill of anticipation at the bike's vibration between my legs and the man in front of me.

The wind whipped through my hair, and I clung to Pike, feeling the bike's power beneath us. When we finally pulled up to the bar, the neon lights casting a colorful glow over the parking lot, I wished we had discussed what information we would give Maddox and Dimitri. I tried to tow that line of confidentiality and girlfriend this whole time. Now, I was adding family into the mix. We'd need Max's help and Dimitri's. I was straddling lines I'd never crossed before. Earlier, I'd thought about what to share, and my answer had always come back to what was best for Pike and not as a client. I guess that was my new line in the end. I needed to settle my mind and my heart around that.

Pike helped me off the bike, steadying me before we walked towards the entrance together.

"Ready, baby?"

"I'm ready. Let's go meet your friends and pull them into our crazy." I gave him a saucy wink, knowing his head was still wrapped in the day's events. He couldn't fool me.

Music and laughter spilled out as we pushed open the doors and stepped inside. The atmosphere was electric, a heady mix of rock music, leather, and the smell of beer.

Heads turned as we walked in, and I felt Pike's arm tighten around my waist, a silent show of possession and protection even through the crowd and the jostling. We reached a table near the back, and Pike ordered a few beers. This was a chance to talk to Maddox and Dimitri about setting up Victor. With their help, we'd be able to get a jump on this guy.