Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

Nevaeh

“ S o all those businesses are paying the club for protection?” I ask, later that night, as we’re lying in bed.

Havoc’s been filling me in on what he and the guys were talking about earlier. I'm actually surprised. Bikers usually keep their women out of club business, but I guess he realizes that if he wants us to be a team, he has to let me in—even if it's just a little.

“It’s not unusual,” he says, tracing lazy patterns on my back with his fingers. “It means if gangs or punks cause trouble, the club’ll step in. But that’s not what’s happening. People keep calling for help, and all the club did was jack up their protection prices.”

“I would’ve stopped paying if they weren’t doing their jobs,” I grumble.

“Doesn’t work that way,” he admits. “The club would’ve caused trouble to prove a point, then pretend they had nothing to do with it.”

“That’s pretty childish.”

“You’re right. It’s fucked up, and something that shouldn’t be happening,” he concedes. “They’re not some baby upstarts. They didn’t need to sink so low, especially when it’s the club’s fault the businesses want to bail.”

“What else?”

“Huh?”

“I might’ve stopped listening to you guys, but I saw your face. I know it’s more than what you’re telling me.”

He blows out a frustrated breath, and I can tell he’s struggling with whether to tell me or not. I don’t say anything. I know I'm overstepping, so I wait. After a few minutes, he finally speaks. “Women have been going missing.”

I lift my head to look at him, the crack in the blinds letting enough moonlight in to see the circles under his eyes and how angry he looks.

“What?”

He sighs. “It started with a couple women from a few towns over. Apparently, they came to party at the clubhouse. They never went home, and when people came looking, the club denied they’d ever been there. Then, a few months later, another girl went missing. She said she was going to the Raven Souls clubhouse to meet a guy, but he swears up and down that she never showed up. He was pissed she stood him up.”

“Have any more women gone missing?”

He nods. “Yeah.”

“And none of the women have been found?”

He shakes his head. “No, not from what Mac and Toot were told. But I’m gonna get G on it.”

“Do you think someone’s trying to mess with the club? Like, deliberately pointing fingers in their direction? I mean, they’d make an easy target, especially if people are already mad at them about the extortion thing.”

“It’s definitely one possibility.”

“And the other?”

“There’s two. The first, the club’s got a brother who’s lost his fucking mind. He’s taking these girls and getting rid of them when he’s done. And the club’s either too distracted to notice or are helping him cover his tracks.” He swallows. I don’t blame him, everything he just said is horrific.

“And the second?” I ask softly, even though I know. I just don’t want to put it into words when I can read Havoc’s heartbreak as clearly as if it were my own.

“The club’s trafficking women.”

I deflate under the weight of his words.

“Some clubs deal in the flesh trade. But that’s not something the Raven Souls have ever gotten into. Sure, it’s been brought up before—there’s a hell of a lot of money involved in trafficking—but it’s always been shot down.”

“But you haven’t been a part of this club for a long time, and things change,” I say, and he sighs.

“I know. And that’s why I can’t just ignore it. I can’t say none of them would do this shit when they’ve already proved they’re not the men I thought they were. The problem is, what do I do now?”

I rest my head on his chest, tracing my fingers over his tattoos. “You can’t let them get away with it.”

“I know. I came here to hear what Khan had to say and to find out what the fuck was going on, but now, there are women missing. I need to find out what the fuck happened to them.”

“But how? No one here’s going to tell you anything. You’re not one of them anymore.”

“I’m gonna send someone in to find out what the fuck’s going on.”

I press my lips to his chest, feeling the tension rolling off him. I don’t know who he’ll send in, but if they get hurt, Havoc’s going to blame himself. But if he doesn’t do anything and more women go missing… I’m not sure he’ll be able to live with himself.

“I know it’s not much, but whatever you decide, I’ll be right by your side.”

He freezes beneath me. “You mean that?” His voice is deeper, almost surprised.

I look up at him and realize that he’s done nothing but show me how much he wants me, and I haven’t done the same. Though, to be fair, part of me still wonders if this isn’t some kind of Stockholm syndrome.

But I guess it doesn’t matter anymore, because the thought of walking away from this man hurts my heart. Okay, so he might be a little psycho. And yeah, he’s possessive and gets jealous easily. But I’ve never felt unsafe with him, not even when I was his captive. Okay there was that one time I wondered if he was going to kill me…

I shake my head. “Yeah, I mean it. Turns out there’s nowhere else I’d rather be than with you.”

He grabs me under my arms and pulls me up his body, kissing me hard.

I tangle my fingers in his hair, holding him close. Kissing Havoc feels like being struck by lightning. My whole-body tingles, stealing my breath and my ability to think clearly.

When he pulls back, my lips feel swollen.

“You tired?”

“No,” I answer, feeling my nipples tighten and my pussy clench at the look in his eyes.

“Good, because I want you to climb up here and ride my face.”

I bite my lip, feeling self-conscious, but I let it go. If Havoc wants me, he wants all of me . There’s no judgment in the way his hands run over my body, just heat, raw and unfiltered. But still, I’m not sure how to do this. What if I fall off and sprain my vagina?

“Okay, maybe I’m a little tired,” I mutter, because my brain’s not firing on all cylinders.

“That’s okay; all you have to do is hold on and enjoy the ride.”

He lifts me, making me squeal and forcing me to reach for the headboard. He slides down the bed until his nose skims my clit, and I gasp. Havoc yanks me down until I’m basically smothering him.

Suddenly, I imagine the police showing up, asking how he died, and me admitting I suffocated him with my vagina, but I quickly shake it off.

Some things are worth the risk.

I grind against his face as he works my clit, lapping up my arousal like it’s his favorite thing in the world. I shift my hips, then jolt when I feel his finger press against my ass.

I shudder, gripping the bedframe tighter. I’m a little scared, but also really curious. He drags his finger lower, dipping it into my pussy before sliding it back to stroke it over my tight hole again. I tense, but he sucks my clit, distracting me. My head falls back, and I gasp as he slides his tongue inside me, stiffening it so it feels like a tiny cock, making me groan as he fucks and licks me with it.

When he moves back to my clit, I know I’m not going to last. Havoc might have the temper of an angry toddler, but he has the oral skills of a god. Lord knows I’m ready to worship at his altar.

I tense, lifting my head as he slips his finger into my ass. A shocked gasp escapes me, my body tightening. My back arches, and I throw my head back, screaming his name as I come hard enough to see stars.

When I come back down to earth, I find myself, once again, lying across his chest.

Unable to lift my head, I grumble, “Go wash your hands.”

He laughs but does as I ask, gently rolling me off him. When he comes back, he climbs in behind me and wraps his arms around me tightly.

I sigh, feeling safe and—dare I say it—happy, something I never thought I’d say. Maybe I just needed a chance to really live. Amity gave me a safe place to land and the freedom to spread my wings, but Havoc… He gave me a reason to fly. I’ve never felt more alive than when I’m with him, even if half the time I’m plotting his demise.

“You love me yet?” he whispers.

“Not yet, but I like you a lot more than I did yesterday,” I murmur.

I fall asleep to the sound of his laughter.

Sitting on the back of his bike the next day, I can’t find anything to laugh about.

“He’s where?” Havoc growls at the biker called Byte, this chapter’s equivalent of G.

“Khan and Driller had a meeting with a supplier, but they couldn’t reschedule.”

“Funny how they never mentioned it yesterday.”

Byte shrugs. “I don’t get told shit unless they need me.”

I frown. It doesn’t seem that way at the mother chapter, but maybe that’s because G is also the VP.

“Sounds to me like all of you are on a need-to-know basis. Who is the supplier, and what exactly are they supplying?”

Byte looks uncomfortable. “I don’t know. It’s something the president and VP are working on. They won’t bring it to the table until everything is squared away. You know how they are.”

“Yeah, Byte, I know how they are. You got the shit I asked Khan for yesterday?”

“He told me to tell you he’ll forward it when he returns. He didn’t have time to get it ready before he left.”

“How convenient,” Mac snorts.

“Well, I don’t need Khan for this, so it looks like you’re up, Byte. Who is the treasurer these days?”

“Elmo.”

I nearly choke on my tongue. “Did he say, Elmo?”

Byte narrows his eyes at me, but Havoc barks at him. “Fetch him and bring him to church. We’ll meet you there.”

“Khan won’t be happy?—”

“I outrank Khan, Byte. You gonna go against my orders?”

Byte hesitates before shaking his head. “I’ll find Elmo.”

“Wise choice. Bring your laptop when you join us. I want info, and I’m not leaving without it. And while you’re at it, I want anything you have on those missing girls. I’ve been in town and seen the reaction of town folks around here. We were never going to win a popularity contest, but now you’re up for most likely to get stabbed to death. I want to know why, and I don’t want to hear any bullshit. As it stands right now, this club is being watched because I don’t trust that Khan and Driller have your best interests at heart. If you know something, bring what you have and whoever else you need to. But fuck me around, and I’ll add you to the shit list Khan and Driller are on, got it?”

“Got it.” He turns and leaves.

“I’m not sure he’s got it,” I admit, making Crane laugh.

“Well, we’ll find out soon enough.”

“How about you and me go for ice cream and leave the others to play detective?” Crane asks me when he stops laughing.

Havoc looks at Crane. “Don’t let her out of your sight.”

Crane gives him a brief nod.

“We can stay,” I offer, not wanting him to worry about me.

“No, go get ice cream. Things will get tense here. I want you out of the line of fire.”

“Okay, just be careful.”

I climb off the bike and walk over to Crane but stop. “Wait,” I say, turning back to Havoc. “Am I allowed to ride on the back of his bike? I remember how mad Amity got when G had Monica on the back of his.”

In a couple strides, Havoc’s standing in front of me. He takes my hands in his as he looks down at me. “I need you out of here, Cupcake. Your safety trumps everything else.”

“Okay,” I tell him softly. He lets go of my hands, and I turn, taking Crane’s hand and climbing on behind him.

I don’t wrap my arms around him like I do Havoc. I grab the sides of his jacket and hold on tight as he starts up his bike and pulls out of the parking lot, away from the clubhouse. I send up a silent prayer that everything goes smoothly because I can’t lose him—not now that I’m falling for him.

I remind myself that Havoc’s more than capable of handling himself, and he has men with him who’d give their lives to protect him—not that I want it to come to that, of course.

As we ride into town, I take everything in. I can see why people like it here, even if I do prefer our town more.

It’s pretty, though. I’ll give it that.

But I immediately notice the reaction of the people we pass. The guys were right—there’s no missing the look of fear on their faces. I watch as people scurry off the streets into stores they hadn’t planned on visiting and as mothers grab their children and hurry away. The ones who don’t run just stand and stare. But there are no friendly waves or nods of the head.

My stomach twists. Are we even safe here? They’re scared—and they have every right to be. But sometimes, fear makes people act without thinking. It turns into anger, and then, before they know it, the victims become the very people they hate. It’s a vicious cycle that I want no part in.

I’m considering whether or not to yank on Crane’s jacket to tell him to keep going when he pulls into the parking lot of an old-fashioned ice cream shop. I’ve never seen anything like it, except for in the movies—and that one time when I was little and my parents took Citi and me to Disney World. I smile at the memory of us waiting in line with my dad and how he laughed when we ordered ice cream from Goofy, who used the whole can of whipped cream on Citi’s sundae. That had been a great day and one of the last few memories I have of us happy before everything fell apart.

With a wistful sigh, I shake off the memories and wait for us to stop. Crane holds out his hand for me, which I take gratefully as I climb off. I pull off my helmet, and he takes it from me before climbing off himself.

He looks around, then nods toward the empty picnic tables at the side of the building. “We should probably sit out here. Not sure we’ll get much of a warm welcome inside.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” I say, glancing at the shop before turning back to him. “I think I should go in by myself.”

“No. If anything happens to you, Havoc will kill me.”

“They’re not scared of me, Crane. They’re scared of you. Well, not you , but bikers in general. And maybe not all bikers, but Raven Souls for sure.” He stares at me as I ramble. “Anyway, you’ll be able to see me the whole time through the glass. Plus, I’m armed. Havoc made me wear my gun today.” I touch the gun at the small of my back.

“You know how to shoot it?”

I nod.

“You know, shooting a gun and shooting someone are two completely different things, right?”

“Yes, I know, Crane. But I’m not planning on shooting anyone today. I’m just going in to get us ice cream.”

He looks at me, not saying anything, and I sigh. “If I have to draw my gun, you’ll already be moving toward me. Like I said, you’ll be able to watch my every move.”

“Are you always this stubborn?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I flutter my lashes at him.

He sighs, pulling out his wallet.

“I have money.”

“Woman.”

“Man,” I throw back, hands on my hips, making his lips twitch.

“I see Havoc still has some sass to work out of you.”

“Do you want me to use you for target practice, Crane?” I ask him sweetly.

He scoffs. “We both know you won’t shoot me. You like me. Everyone likes me.”

“So modest.”

“It’s a blessing and a curse,” he sighs, and I can’t help but laugh.

“Now hurry your cute ass in there and get us some ice cream.”

“What kind?”

“Surprise me,” he says before heading over to one of the picnic tables. He sits down on the wooden bench and kicks his feet up beside him. I give him a salute, making him chuckle, and head inside.

.

I push the door open. The little bell above it announces my arrival. But I know everyone saw us pull in. The room goes quiet as they all stare at me. Ignoring the urge to squirm, I head straight for the counter. Thankfully, there’s no line, so I take a moment to check out the glass case to see what they have.

“Can I help you?” a gruff voice asks.

I look up to find the young woman who’d been standing behind the counter gone and, in her place, a man in his late forties, wearing a white hat and a matching apron. His name tag says Ed, but judging by the scowl on his face, he probably wouldn’t be happy if I called him that.

“Can I get a couple of ice creams, please?”

He grunts, so I take that as a yes.

“I’ll take one with a single scoop of bubble gum and the other with a scoop of the bourbon and a scoop of vanilla.”

Without a word, he turns and starts banging around. Well, okay then. I take a seat at the nearest empty table. Looking outside, I see Crane watching me like a hawk and give him a little wave. He shakes his head and grins as I turn away.

I glance around and see people still watching me. Some quickly look away when they realize I’ve noticed them, and some glare, while others talk in hushed whispers, disdain clear on their faces.

“You know what kind of man you have out there?” a voice behind me says, making me turn to see an older couple sitting nearby.

The woman grabs the man’s arm and hushes him. “Be quiet, David.”

He shakes her off. “No, Marjorie. She should know.”

“I know exactly what kind of man Crane is. But he’s not my man. Havoc is.”

That causes the room to buzz.

“Havoc’s back?”

The question comes from another table, where an older man sits with two little boys who have ice cream all over their faces. I’m guessing they’re his grandkids, but you never know these days.

“Sorta. Havoc’s the President of the Mother Chapter of Raven Souls now. He’s back to figure out what the heck’s going on with his old club. And trust me, he’s not happy. I’m guessing some of you know what really happened with Havoc and the club.”

“Those bastards shafted Havoc without a second thought,” David says, shaking his head.

“He didn’t know anyone knew the truth until yesterday. It helps that people didn’t think he was guilty.”

One of the others in the room clears their throat, drawing my attention. “So, you know what’s been going on here since he’s been gone?”

“We heard yesterday that girls have been going missing.”

Everyone nods, confirming what the cook told Mac and Toot.

I lower my voice, knowing I shouldn’t be telling them any of this. Havoc will probably punish me afterward, but something tells me this might be the one chance we have to get the townspeople to help us.

“Havoc wanted to remove Khan and Driller from their positions?—”

“And now?” the ice cream guy barks, cutting me off.

“Now we need to find out what happened to the girls first, especially if Khan and Driller are the only ones who know.”

The men in the room exchange glances before David speaks. “Marjorie, take the boys home for Jorden. We won’t be far behind you.”

Marjorie gets up and walks over to the boys covered in ice cream. She wipes their hands with a paper napkin before taking them outside.

David scans the room and nods at two teen girls in the back. “Becca, Lou, you two should head out too.”

“But David, this affects us,” Lou protests.

He looks at me, but I shrug. “I think they're old enough to make their own decisions. I’ve always believed keeping women in the dark ‘for their own good’ is a load of crap. How can they protect themselves if they don't know what’s going on? It’s the equivalent of asking us to fight blindfolded.”

He sighs and nods. “Okay, girls, you can stay.” Looking back at me, he nods to the door.

“Better bring your boy in here.”

I take a deep breath and pray that I’ve done the right thing before standing and heading outside.