Chapter Five

CHAPTER FIVE

Rico

A nurak was bundled up in a throw blanket and curled up on his side, my personal phone clutched in his grip as he watched SpongeBob SquarePants . Little giggles erupted from his sweet mouth every once in a while, distracting me from my futile search for my wallet—not that I minded, really. He was clearly content. His belly was full, and he was safe . And in a bit, I’d be taking him shopping for his own clothes, shoes, personal items, and maybe see if he had an interest in reading or video games. Find him some things that would give him hobbies.

I wanted my boy to gain a sense of independence. To learn who he was and what he liked.

If I could just find my fucking wallet, we could go.

My burner phone vibrated in my pocket. Grunting in annoyance and giving up on my search for my wallet for a second, I tugged it free and flipped it open. “Rico,” I grunted.

“You got time to meet up?” Jax asked. Jax was the Sergeant at Arms for the Ghost Born MC. I’d known him since he was a kid needing some extra cash to support his foster brothers, who were now his brothers in adulthood. They’d formed a motorcycle club when Jax got out of prison a couple of years ago, and they’d been stuck together like glue ever since.

I’d always worried about Jax, even if I never let it show. And had I had the pull I did now back then, I would’ve gotten Jax out of prison and all of his charges dropped so he never had to spend time behind bars. Because that time had changed him. Jax had never been all “human”, but his time inside had hardened him into a cold-blooded monster.

A psychiatrist would probably label him as a psychopath.

“What do you need?” I asked, finally finding my wallet on the floor beneath my desk. I had no fucking clue how it’d gotten there, but I didn’t think too hard about it. I just stuffed it into my pocket and turned to look at Anurak, who was still engrossed in his show.

“Club needs a favor,” he told me.

I hummed. “You mean Konrad and Shaw are actually going to work with me for once?” That was something new. Shaw, the president of the Ghost Born MC, and Konrad, the Vice President, hated me with a passion. To them, I was a loose cannon. Something they couldn’t control. And they were right to be wary of me. I ran by my own book and didn’t give a fuck whose toes I stepped all over.

Jax grunted. “No. But they’ll be alright. We need the help. I’ll take the heat for it and pay whatever price you name.”

I shook my head, though he couldn’t see me. “Nah. I’ll do it because you’re family, Jax.” Once upon a time, I would’ve collected, but not now. Jax had proven his loyalty to me time and time again. I didn’t need more payment than that. “Meet me at the river in thirty?”

“I’ll be there.”

He ended the call, and I flipped the phone closed before pushing it back into my pocket. Walking over to Anurak, I crouched in front of him and pushed his dark locks out of his face. He glanced up at me and lowered the phone. A small smile effortlessly tilted my lips, just like it always did when I looked at him.

Just looking at my little pup brought me happiness.

“You ready to go?” I asked him. “I need to take care of something, and then, we can go shopping.”

He nodded and sat up. Standing, I held my hand out to him. With a pretty blush staining his pale cheeks, he placed his hand in mine and let me help him up. I twined our fingers together and led him from my office. When he tried to hand me my phone back, I shook my head and gently squeezed his fingers. “Nah, perrito , you keep hold of it. You might want to continue watching your show while I’m driving.”

Anurak pushed the phone into his hoodie pocket before reaching over and placing his other hand on top of our joined ones, clutching at me. My heart skipped a beat in my chest. My little puppy already owned me, and he didn’t even realize it.

“Will Niran and Bento be coming, too?” Anurak asked.

I nodded. “They’re already waiting for us in another vehicle.” Pushing open the front door, I stepped outside where my Audi R8 was already waiting, the engine running. Pulling open the passenger door, I waited for Anurak to sit before I reached in and snapped his seatbelt into place. After pressing a kiss to his forehead, I stood up straight and shut his door before rounding the hood and opening my door. I nodded once at Niran, who was in the driver’s seat of the SUV behind my car, then slid into the driver’s seat.

Anurak pressed play on SpongeBob , and the sound of the show filled the car as the Audi purred onto the highway. A little less than thirty minutes later, I eased my car down the slope to the river that had become mine and Jax’s meet-up location. Anurak glanced around before his eyes landed on the water, and they widened. He grabbed my shirt sleeve and tugged, looking up at me with big, dark, excited eyes.

He was so fucking adorable.

“Can I?” he blurted, my phone long forgotten in his lap. “Can I go to the water, Rico?”

I nodded. “You can. But be careful. Don’t go into the water, understand? And watch your step so you don’t slip.”

He nodded and then shoved open the door, running full sprint for the bank at the river’s edge. I slid out, watching him with a small smile on my lips. Jax cleared his throat and pushed off the tree he’d been leaning against. I cut my eyes to him before focusing back on Anurak. I knew Bento was watching him, but still, I felt like I couldn’t be cautious enough.

“Who is he?” Jax asked, watching as Anurak crouched, his hands pressing into the dirt as he peered into the water.

“A boy I rescued,” I explained. “His name is Anurak.”

Jax hummed, leaving it at that, then looked at me. “We need a small shipment of guns in two days. Fifteen AR15s. Think you can get those to me? I’ve got cash.”

I waved him off. “I don’t want your fucking money, Jax. I’ll have Alfonzo get you the weapons you need. He’ll contact you with a meet-up spot.”

“I don’t take shit for free, Rico,” Jax growled in irritation, his eyes narrowing at me. “Ain’t shit in this world free.”

I rolled my eyes. “Then you can pay Alfonzo for the tiny bit of trouble he’ll be going through,” I snapped, getting irritated. Jax knew I didn’t like being challenged, but Jax was also like me; he didn’t care who he stepped all over. I looked at him. “But you should know my word is solid, Jax. If I say it’s free, it’s fucking free.”

He shrugged. “I trust you more than I trust a lot of people, Rico, but I’ve gotten enough free favors from you.”

I shook my head. Offering my men and my resources to rescue Ace, one of Jax’s GBMC brothers, from those sick mother fuckers who’d kidnapped him and wiping out that ring had not been a hardship. I’d trusted the GBMC to take care of everything so I could keep my hands clean of it, but I had a soft spot for Ace, even if the boy himself didn’t know it. I had no romantic feelings for the kid, but I did hate that he’d gone through what he did, both as a child and with that sick mother fucker, Johnny Dorman.

The GBMC brothers had all grown up in foster care together, but Ace had it the roughest out of all them. When Jax went to prison, the other guys dispersed, leaving Ace by himself. And he’d suffered.

Had I known what that kid had been facing, I’d have rescued him long fucking ago.

So, when I got the call for help, I was all too happy to offer my services and my resources.

Anurak came over then, cutting our conversation short. I pulled him in front of me, wrapping my arms around his chest. He leaned back against me, letting me support his weight. “Anurak, meet Jax. He’s family and someone else I trust with your life.”

Anurak lifted a hand and gave a shy, little wave, leaning back into me even more. Jax’s lips twitched, but he didn’t tease my boy. Instead, he just held out his hand. “Jax Gresham,” Jax told him.

Anurak slowly slipped his hand into Jax’s, and he beamed when Jax shook his hand. “Anurak… Ngam, I think. It’s been a long time since anyone has used my last name, so I don’t know if that’s right.”

My heart clenched in my chest for him. If he truly wanted to know his last name, I’d find out for him if he was still in a system somewhere, which was highly unlikely with how long he’d been missing and who had sold him. They’d been excellent at covering their tracks. But regardless of Anurak’s last name, his new last name would be mine.

Anurak Martinez .

Jax shook his head. “You can just be Anurak, kid,” Jax assured him. “It’s good to meet you, Anurak.” He looked at me over Anurak’s head. “Just have Alfonzo reach out.”

I nodded once. “Will do.”

When he left, his bike rumbling up the hill and onto the highway, Anurak turned to me. “He looks mean, but he was nice.”

I snickered and gently booped his nose with the tip of my finger, making him giggle. “Jax is honestly an asshole, perrito , but he can be gentle when he needs to be.” And that was why I knew Jax was one of the good ones. He might be a hardened criminal and one of the biggest dicks there was, but down in his core, he was a good guy. “Come on. Let’s go blow some of my money.”

He clutched at my hand as I led him back to my car. Once we were on the highway, Anurak surprised me by reaching over and moving my hand off the gear shift to lace our fingers together. When I glanced at him, his eyes were still glued to my phone, so entranced by his show that I wasn’t even sure he was fully aware he’d grabbed my hand.

This boy was wrecking me in the most beautiful way possible, and I was fully prepared for him to destroy me.