“That’s the six-million-dollar question. Sorry, Brothers, but we’ll have to give Drew a tail from now on, not knowing when or where they’ll try to take him. We don’t change anything, don’t want to draw suspicion. Prospect will drive with him as normal. No extra shit like escorting him to the door.”
I frown, thinking. “He’s got football practice, hasn’t he? If they’re watching him, I reckon that’s when they’ll try to take him. Less people around than when school lets out.”
“Good point, Mouse. That’s when I’d make a move. Normally he gets collected, but he’s unprotected while he’s there. Tomorrow we’ll keep out of sight, but we’ll be there in force.” Prez breaks off, his gaze landing one by one on his men. “All of us.”
Now he’s the focus of nods of agreement.
There’s a flicker of excitement inside me. Of course, this could all be for nothing, but at least we’re doing something positive when we get down to thrashing out a plan.
It’s toward the end of the meeting when I realise Paladin’s been particularly quiet. Drummer raises the gavel to bang it, when our youngest member speaks. “Prez?”
Putting down the gavel again, Prez nods his permission to speak. “What is it?”
Paladin’s lips press together, then relax. “I know you haven’t found a link with the Herreras. Worries me there might still be one. ThisProcuradorfucker might be able to call on favours,even though they’re not known for working together. I’m worried about them finding out Drew’s on the compound, coming to get him. And taking Jayden too.”
“Bit of a stretch there, Brother,” Peg scoffs.
Slick, though, is sitting forward. “Hold it right there, Peg. Don’t dismiss it lightly. We all know it’s only a matter of time before the Herreras come to collect. I, for one, don’t want Jayden here if they decide to do so.”
The Herreras had been the ones responsible for grooming and raping Jayden two years earlier when she was just fourteen. The men who took part all died at the hands of the Satan’s Devils, with the then head of the family’s blessing. Old Leonardo Herrera hadn’t wanted the crime family to be involved with a child grooming ring. But Leonardo’s gone now, and the new head, Javier, has let it be known he wants revenge. We’ve been given the nod he wants to get his hands on Jayden, take something valuable from us. We’re determined that won’t happen.
Prez pulls at his beard. “It’s the ‘don’t knows’ that concern me. We know someone’s coming for the boy, we’re already providing cover for Jayden. That’s stretching us thin. Jayden’s carrying on as normal, going to school, isn’t she, Slick?”
“We’re doing what we can to keep Jayden safe, Prez. Paladin’s her shadow the whole time. Anywhere she fuckin’ goes. Takes her to school and back. When she goes out with her friends to the mall or movies.” Slick looks worried. Jayden’s his pregnant wife Ella’s young sister.
Joker grins. “That’s what you want to do, isn’t it, Paladin? Not let her out of your sight?”
“No, it’s not,” Paladin snarls at Joker. “Girl’s got a right to live a normal life. Think she’s getting sick of the sight of me. It’s not like we’re allowed to be boyfriend and girlfriend. I’mspending all my time watching her, making no other contribution to the club except for the few hours when she’s in school.”
Slick passes his hand over his bald head. “Jayden’s starting to rebel. She likes Paladin’s company, sure, but is becoming suffocated. If it’s not him, it’s another brother keeping an eye on her.” He pauses, looks around the table. “I’m grateful for the help. But I worry it’s only a matter of time before she, or we, slip up. Don’t want to risk leaving her exposed, not when we know the Herreras have the hots for her. If we’re going to be protecting Drew too, I agree with you, Prez, could be consuming too much manpower.”
Prez pauses before answering Slick, then sighs. “I see your point, Slick, Paladin. I don’t trust the Herreras as far as I could fuckin’ throw them. We know they’ve set their sights on taking Jayden.”
“Then I want to take her away,” Paladin states firmly. “Like we’ve talked about before. If there’s a sniff of trouble, I want to act before it becomes a bad fuckin’ smell.” Paladin looks eager. Though he was instructed to be hands-off, since the night we rescued Jayden from the fuckers who were raping her and brought her back to the compound, he and the girl have been inseparable. It was how he got his handle, she’d looked at him as though he were her knight in shining armour. The feeling appears to be mutual, wherever she goes, he’ll be determined to go too. But not as her club appointed shadow. Once he’s away from the compound, they’ll both believe the shackles have been removed. But the kid’s sixteen now, perhaps it’s time. Although where Slick and Ella are concerned, it will be hard to see her as anything but a little girl.
Slick leans forward, his head hitting the table, before he straightens back up. “Much as I hate to say it, I agree with Paladin. Kid’s got no chance of a normal life here in Tucson. That’s what I’ll have to discuss with Ella. You’ve already agreedwith Hellfire, Prez, that if it came to it, they could both go to Colorado. At least there she can act like a teenage girl and not be followed wherever she goes.”
“Hellfire’s happy,” Prez agrees. “Paladin could transfer as a full member, and Hellfire will let Jayden stay with him and his wife.”
Seeing Slick watching me, I mouth,I’m sorry.It’s my fault I might have put the Satan’s Devils back on the Herreras’ radar. Knowing how I feel about Drew, I can well understand why he wants his wife’s young sister to be safe.
Paladin’s stare goes to the prez, then to Slick. Slick takes a deep breath. “I’ll speak to Ella.” His shoulders slump, suggesting that’s one conversation he’s not looking forward to.
Again Prez raises the gavel, but before he brings it down, he says, “I think it’s for the best, Slick. Don’t want anyone to sneak up behind us while we’re focused on protecting Mouse’s kid.”
Chapter 29
Mariana
Hoping I’d slipped the woman sufficient money to more than cover the mailing charges, I was optimistic my letter, with the warning, was now on its way to Drew. When time for dinner approaches, and there’s a rapping against my door, I open it to find, as expected, my escort waiting to walk me down to dinner. Tonight I have a spring in my step as I descend the stairs, believing I’ve got one over on my father.He wanted me to write to Drew, and I did.Just didn’t extend the invitation he wanted.
I enter the dining room as usual, walking to the seat that I habitually take. As I sit and pull the chair into the table, I’m aware there’s a difference about the atmosphere. Feeling eyes burning into me, I look up to see my father’s lieutenants are openly smirking. A cold feeling settles inside of me.What’s going on?
When I glance toward him, my father smiles back, reaches over and pats my hand. From anyone else it would seem a friendly gesture, but I feel like a mouse being pawed by a cat. He’s never shown any outward sign of affection before.
“Did you enjoy your day with Miguel, Mariana?” he asks as the first course is set down in front of us.
As his men start dipping spoons into soup, and everything gets back to normal, I question whether I’d been imagining things. I decide to act normally, while staying on my guard. “I enjoyed getting out into the country,” I reply, honestly.
