Desi lowered her head, whispering in my ear, “We’ve got to hide it.”
Nodding, I knew this would fall on me. I’d have to find a way to protect Katya because I couldn’t stand the idea of anyone harming her further. She was already withdrawn and almost child-like in her emotions and reactions. Trauma forced her to retreat into some sort of protective shell. She was here and she spoke but it was all on the surface.
“I’ll help you,” I promised Kat, “I swear.”
1 week ago ––
Mimi still wasn’t awake. Days had lapsed, and my sweet sunshine was silent as the grave. After her ordeal with Solonik, I couldn’t imagine the emotional toll and trauma on top of the physical that she endured, and it wasn’t just that one incident. Her suffering was on a level I could hardly comprehend.
I’d paced her hospital room for hours today, waiting and hoping for her eyes to open. The doctors said there was a chance they may never do so, but I wasn’t giving up. I needed her, and she needed me. We found one another for a reason, and I intended to prove it once she was well enough.
I’d have to take things slow. That wasn’t a surprise considering she was a victim of human trafficking. The abuse occurred so often that her mind was fragile. She didn’t think she deserved love or kindness, compassion or understanding, but she was wrong.
I’d prove that to her too.
The Black Market Railroad thought they could run through every state and take girls, harming them, using them, and passing them along until they died. Not anymore. We were going to shut them down across the entire U. S. one city at a time. Nearly every chapter in the RBMC was ready and willing to do their part. Quite a few had their own shit to deal with, and human trafficking had become a serious issue that affected our club on a global scale.
My cell began vibrating in my pocket, and I pulled the device from my cut, gazing down at the screen.
If I was being bothered, then it was urgent.
Swiping across, I stood, stepping away from the bed and approaching the door, keeping an eye on Mimi. “What you got, Wraith?”
“Damn. You ever answer the phone with hello?”
“You know better than to ask that.”
He let out a dark chuckle. “Yeah, brother, I hear you. Turnin’ into Rael you’re so damn moody.” He cleared his throat, and the humor faded. “We got some serious trouble brewin’ close to home.”
Shit. It was too good to be true to think that ending Solonik and his nephew Voltoy would put a stop to the traffickers and their presence in the Great Basin of Nevada. “Well, tell me,” I barked, wincing as I realized I raised my voice so close to Mimi.
“Ya got a right to be grumpy, you fucker. How’s your shoulder?”
“Forget my shoulder. Had worse overseas. Just tell me what I need to know.” There was a hint of desperation in my voice, and he must have noticed, but Wraith didn’t comment on it. He was good about that, knowing how much I could take and when I was too close to the edge. Like now.
Glancing at the bed at Mimi, my brow furrowed. This was taking too long. Wake up, sunshine.
Rolling my shoulder, I ignored the sting and heavy ache that originated from the right side of my chest, focusing on Wraith instead.
“Rumor has it that a Russian named Sergei Resnikov wants us all dead. A little payback for Solonik and Voltoy.”
“And how do you know that?”
Did they show up to the Crossroads again? Because that was serious balls the first time. There wouldn’t be a next time.
We would reap every soul that entered the gates. We didn’t last time because Grim, Rael, and Papa were all down in NOLA visiting Jameson. Rancid finally got the end he deserved, and nobody would ever find what was left of him. Probably nothing but fertilizer now. Rancid was responsible for betrayal to the club, and he sure as hell answered for his crimes.
Wraith let out an exaggerated sigh. “Found Stefanie, Trish’s seventeen-year-old niece carved up bad and left for dead with about twenty young girls. The victims were killed to send us a message.”
“Fuck!” I cursed, opening the door to the room, and stepping into the hall, pacing as I kept an eye on Mimi and anyone who entered. “Does Shadow know yet?”
“No. Grim wants to be the one to tell Trish and Shadow.”
“Goddammit,” I seethed, wishing I could light up a smoke. The last week had been fucking stressful, and it didn’t seem like the shit storm was stopping any time soon. “That kid is gonna take it hard
, not to mention Grim’s ol’ lady.”
“Grim called church tomorrow morning. Wants to go back to the Crossroads first. He ain’t sayin’ shit, but I know he’s worried about both of them.”