Exquisite Redemption (Iron Horse MC Book 3) (21 page)

“Sleep tight, honey.” She gave me a gentle hug and whispered, “It’s good having you here. I think you’re gonna do Beach a world of good. He needs a strong, but sweet woman like you in his life. I hope you’ll give him that chance. Just think about it, okay?”

“I’ll think about it,” I whispered back, wanting to blame the tears prickling my eyes on the wine, but knowing it wasn’t true.

Chapter 10

Carlos “
Beach
” Rodriguez

W
e sat around the huge scarred oak table that one of the founders, a master carver, made for the original clubhouse in Austin back in the 1950s. That small shithole had long since burned down and we’d moved into a much bigger and nicer building, with lots of land around it. We’d even had a room specially built for holding church, and right now it was filled with pissed-off brothers. They did not like seeing me hurt, did not like the fact I’d been snatched from them like that, or the fact that we’d been ambushed, and they were hungry to dish out the pain.

Problem was, we had to figure out who deserved it.

I looked over at Smoke, sitting in his position to my right as my Master at Arms; behind him, Vance’s gaze kept scanning the room. I sometimes wondered if he was pissed Smoke got the position and he didn’t. After all, Vance was a distant older cousin on my mom’s side, and there were some who believed you should trust blood over anyone. Then there was the fact Vance had outranked Smoke in the Marines so Vance felt he should automatically get the position.

That was bullshit. Just ’cause we shared genetics didn’t make him the best man for the job. I also didn’t give a shit he’d outranked Smoke. My Master at Arms was a genuine fuckin’ war hero with more medals than I’d ever seen. More than Vance had earned in his ten years in the Marines.

Smoke was brutal, no doubt about that, but he could control his anger and make logical decisions when the pressure was on, something my cousin couldn’t do. Vance had a temper on him and had made some enemies over the years, which disqualified him from the sometimes diplomatic nature of the Master at Arms position. I’d had to save my cousin’s ass when we were younger enough times to know how bad his rage was. His hurt pride had written more than one check his ass couldn’t cash, but he’d gotten a lot better. He was still arrogant as ever, but he didn’t talk as much as he used to and I could always depend on him to have my back.

He must have felt my gaze, ’cause Vance turned to look at me and when our eyes met, there was a flash of something I couldn’t read, followed by a cold, blank stare that was borderline disturbing even to me.

“Prez, got some info for you.” Sledge’s familiar voice came from my left.

I turned to the man sporting a freshly trimmed Mohawk, revealing the flame tattoos on either side of his skull.

Thorn bellowed, “Church is in session, all you shut the fuck up and listen to what your Vice President has to say.”

Soon the only sounds in the room were breathing and the faint rustling of fabric and creak of leather.

Sledge nodded to the room, the big muscles of his tattooed arms bulging as he placed them on the sturdy table and leaned slightly forward. “It looks like there was more than one player that night at Sturgis. From what I can piece together, we had three separate groups. One that was clearly some Los Diablos, but I think they took the opportunity the first two groups’ actions presented. The ones who tried to take Sarah were Russian. They both had
Bratva
tattoos all over them. I’m in contact with our Russian sources to see what they have to say, but right now we’ve got no fucking idea who they were and why they tried to snatch her.”

I nodded, not surprised to find out we were having problems with our overseas rivals. One of the Russian mafias, or
Bratvas
as they liked to call themselves, had been trying to push Iron Horse out of some oceanfront property we controlled in California that was perfect for smuggling by land and sea. Since we basically told them that was never going to fucking happen, they’d been taking undercover shots at us. Nothing we could prove, but we knew it was them fucking with us. It might have been a full-out war, but we were allies with the Novikov
Bratva
and no one wanted to fuck with them.

“The second group, the ones that took our Prez,” the room filled with anger and muttered threats, “we got no clue. Any evidence burned up in that van, and other than the descriptions that we got from Beach and Sarah, we don’t got much. Cops got nothin’ either, the site was swept clean by the time we got there. And by clean, I mean
clean
, like it never happened. Any idea who coulda done that?”

“Sarah said her dad had his friends on the way to get her. That could have been the vehicles approaching as we flew out.”

Sledge let out a humorless laugh. “Damn, Beach, must be nice to have a father-in-law that’ll clean crime scenes for you.”

“Fuck off.” I sighed and rubbed my tired eyes. “Got any good news?”

“Yeah,” Hustler, one of my Enforcers and the owner of the pawn shop where we did a lot of business, both legal and illegal, said from farther down the table. “The buyers will pay our full askin’ price for escorting their goods from New Orleans to the port in LA.”

I let out a low whistle. When I’d made our counteroffer I went high, expecting them to try to lowball me. To know they were going to pay the full three million for an escort made me instantly suspicious. “We get a docket of what the cargo is yet?”

“Not yet.”

“Find out what it is first. Not sayin’ yes until they’ve assured us we aren’t movin’ any human cargo or crazy shit.”

We sold drugs, we sold guns, we even sold willing pussy, but we did not and never will do human trafficking. That was the bullshit Red had begun to dabble in on the side, and my stomach still knotted when I remembered opening the back of a van parked in the clubhouse lot, expecting bricks of cocaine or weed, and instead finding three kidnapped young Mexican girls who were on their way to some pimp in San Francisco. They’d been beaten and raped repeatedly by Red and his men, then bound with duct tape and thrown in the van for transport.

“Got it,” Hustler replied with a grim look.

After that it was a bunch of never-ending business that had to get handled and by the time we were done it had turned into a six-hour meeting. We split up and I dragged my ass to my room in the compound. The upper floor of the three-story building was split into ten different suites, with mine being the biggest. I nodded to the Prospect standing guard at my door before letting myself into my room with a weary sigh. My whole fuckin’ body ached and I was beat and I needed some sleep, but I had to check on my girl first.

It was close to midnight, but I knew Birdie liked to stay up late so I dialed her house phone.

Sure enough, after three rings, the old lady answered. “Was wondering when you would call.”

“Is she still awake?”

“Nope. She went to bed a couple hours ago. I’ve been checking on her and she’s out like a light.”

Sitting down on the edge of my bed, I began to take my boots off with one hand. “How was she tonight? You slip her a pill?”

“Fair to middlin’,” Birdie sighed. “And you were right, she would rather sit and suffer in silence than ask for help. Foolish girl thinks she’s going to muck out stalls tomorrow when she moves stiffer than I do and I’ve got a bum hip!”

Next to my bed I’ve got one of those mini fountains with soft lights, and I turned off every light but it. The moving reflections on the walls help me focus at night when I’m thinking and need a clear head. God knows my brain is just about crisped at the moment and my injuries were starting to bother me as well. Knew I should be taking a couple pills in order to sleep tonight, but like Sarah, I didn’t want to. Never know who, or what, might come after me.

Collapsing back on my bed, I stared at the waving patterns on the clean white ceiling thrown by the water of the fountain, shimmering with faint golden light. “You think she noticed?”

“No, I only gave her a small amount and a couple glasses of wine. Fed her my fried chicken and you’d think I’d gone and made ambrosia for her. She’s skinny, but she can put away the food when the mood sets her.”

“She’s strong—incredibly strong.”

Birdie was silent for a few moments. “Honey, you gotta be careful with her.”

I sat up, my entire body tensing. “What?”

“She’s got a very gentle heart and has been hurt, I’d guess a lot, in the past. Her guards are up and even though it’s clear she’s fond of you, she fights it. Not saying she isn’t strong, or that she can’t handle the life, but she’s gonna be skittish far as you’re concerned.”

Resuming my position on my back on the king-size bed, I relaxed again. “I know that.”

“I know you know that, but I still had to say something. You’re gonna need to entice her to stay here with you, Beach. Give her a purpose outside of being your woman.”

Birdie had been married to her husband for fifty-seven years, and had set all of her kids up in successful marriages of their own, so I forced myself to push aside my impatience and listen to her advice. “Got any opinions on how I should handle this?”

“Did a little chatting with her and found out she wants to be an interior designer. She’s been going to school online but doesn’t have her degree yet. You’re gonna need to show her you’re serious about her being a part of your life, so it wouldn’t hurt to use your connections to get her into any local college she wants.”

“Done, what else?”

“You need a place, a new place, where both of you can live. If you move into your place it’ll be just that,
your
place. You need her to put down roots and no better way to do that than choosing where she’s gonna live.”

“That’s not gonna freak her out?”

“Not any more than she already is. May help ’cause she’ll feel like she has control over her life. You are a very smart man, honey. I’ve watched you fight for what you wanted all your life and I know you can figure out a way to make it work.” She sighed. “I’ve never seen you give up before, and I’m not gonna start seeing it now. Your nature won’t allow it.”

“What are you yammerin’ on about, woman?”

Her voice came out unexpectedly soft. “Carlos, I was one of the first people who held you after you were born. I want you to be happy and I don’t like seeing you alone at your age. This girl, she’s a handful, but once you get her to settle down she’s gonna make some man very happy, and I’d love for that man to be you.”

“I’d love for that man be me too, Birdie.”

“Now, question is, if you’re trying to win her heart, why the hell are you all the way across town?”

“Good point, but as I’m sure you can understand there’s been just a little bit of shit to deal with over here today.”

“I do understand, and I appreciate how hard you drive yourself to keep Iron Horse safe, so you do what you need to do and I’ll take care of Sarah.”

“Thanks. I think I’ll be able to come by tomorrow afternoon.”

“Good, I can tell she misses you.”

I give her a grunt, only willing to talk about so much with my Mama’s best friend. “Thanks for the update, Birdie. You stay safe.”

“Always do, sweetheart. Goodnight and we’ll see you tomorrow.”

I hung up and got about three minutes of peace before there was a knock on my door.

“What?” I yelled as my body sank into the comfort of my bed.

“Your girls are here.”

Rubbing my face, I once again sat up and wondered if I should have gone to Birdie’s place with Sarah. It would certainly be better than the conversation I was about to have. Feelings would be hurt, despite the fact the women on the other side of that door were experienced sweet butts knew it was nothing but sex between us.

“Let ’em in.”

As soon as the door opened, Brandy and Sandy both rush in wearing short-shorts and tight tank tops that showed off their great bodies. Both are brunettes, but Brandy has some Mexican in her, with her dark tan and brown eyes, while Sandy is as pale as cream with light green eyes. They’ve been my regular girls for the past year, I don’t like to share my women with my brothers, but before that they’d been club sweet butts who’ve been around long enough to know the score. Hell, they loved the club so much they shared a room at the clubhouse on the floor below us.

“Beach,” Sandy squealed as she comes flying at my bed. “We heard what happened, are you okay?”

Brandy slid onto the bed next to me, her breasts swaying enticingly with her movements. “
Papi
, I was so worried.”

I untangle myself from their bodies with a small trace of regret. These girls are wild in bed, knew their place in the club, and were always there when I wanted them. Plus Sandy kept the other sweet butts in line for me, something that’s gonna change once Sarah gets her feet under her.