He pops his head into the room we’re in and gestures for Prez. Each of us stares as Viking listens to him, huffing at parts and eventually heads back over to us.
“Prez?” Torch’s brow furrows.
“You’re not going to believe this shit,” he begins, running his hand over his face exasperated and meets my gaze. “Mercenary, you need to head back to The Pit. You were there yesterday, right?”
I nod.
“Well someone must be watching you because Chevelle said when she looked outside a biker was sitting out front, looking like he’s waiting for something.”
“That was her?”
He nods.
“Is she all right?”
He nods again. “Yeah, but apparently the dipshit hasn’t left his post since she first saw him out there. It’s been hours according to her. She didn’t want to call but recognized the familiar colors on his vest as Iron Fist.”
“Fuck! They’re like cockroaches,” Odin grumbles and shakes his head.
“Mercenary, I want you to head back over and stay the night. I need to know first thing if anymore pop up. Torch and O, you two ride with him in case anyone’s paying attention. Take the back road and go inside through the loading dock. Chevelle will be waiting for you there, and you can hide your bike inside. Odin and Torch, you two can come back to wait for word from Merc. I don’t want Chevelle there alone in case this asshole tries to break in. She’s a feisty bitch who knows her shit, but it only takes a second for a gunshot to hit someone and change everything.”
I couldn’t agree more. She can defend herself, but if someone shoots her ass, she won’t be strong enough to subdue them like she normally would. She’s tiny and uses momentum to make her moves, where as if one of us gets shot first it takes more to knock us down since we’re huge and built differently.
“She won’t like me being there to protect her.”
“I know that, but Chevelle is also aware that I don’t give a shit what anyone else thinks. She’ll let you stick around because she cares about The Pit too much to let the Fists take it from her.”
“And if more show up?”
“You call or text us immediately, and I’ll send backup.”
“Bet,” I agree and down the rest of the cold beer in my hand. I’ll sweat the one beer out before I get ten minutes down the road, so I’m not worried. Hell, as shitty as it is to drive drunk, if Chevelle needed me and I’d had ten beers, I’d still go. I’d have to drive a hell of a lot slower, but I’d make it eventually. I won’t let any of these assholes harm her.
I don’t know when that feeling of protectiveness planted itself in me so deep, but it’s there now, and it has my insides twisting with the need for me to get there and make sure she’s okay. If I had to guess when it happened, I’d say probably when those Fists lunged at her in her office; it was like a barrier for me was crossed. I’ve seen someone want to actually hurt her and that’s a hard limit for me. She’s a bitch to most, but no one deserves to be physically harmed because they have a damn attitude and they appear weaker than you. The woman’s going to end up being the death of me, I can sense it.
“You have everything you need?” Vike asks as I get to my feet, Torch and Odin mirroring my movements.
“I’m going to grab my Glock and an extra clip; otherwise I’m good to roll.”
“Ride safe, brothers,” he replies, and fist bumps the three of us. The others repeat his words, and then I’m hurrying to get my shit and load up.
Chevelle barely tolerated me in her space yesterday, and that was with me helping her perform maintenance on her cars. Not that I enjoy doing free labor, but if it keeps her calm and I can help her out, then hopefully she has something else to keep us busy with today as well.
I’m throwing my leg over my seat loading up on my bike when Odin rolls his over to mine. “We ride for ten then hang a left on old road one-nineteen. It swings right behind The Pit. Homeboy out front will hear our bikes, but hopefully, he won’t realize they’re coming from the back side since the dome’s so damn big.”
“Got it.”
“We’ll wait until you’re in the bay and then pop smoke back to the compound.”
“Appreciate it.”
He nods and walks his motorcycle a few steps then cranks her on. Torch and I follow suit, our engines purring to life and then we’re on our way, the wind and road calling to us like an old friend.
Chevelle’s waiting for me as promised, and when I arrive, she pulls the bay door up, closing and locking it after I’ve walked my motorcycle inside. “’Sup Chevy,” I greet with a wink.
She snorts and rolls her eyes. “Real nice, cupcake, and you haven’t earned the right to call me that.”
“But Ace has?” I ask and kick my kickstand in place, letting my bike rest on the stand as I follow her down the hallway to the staircase. It pisses me off inside that she lets him give her a nickname and I can’t use it as well. I’ve been a bit of the jealous type in the past when it comes to women. Not obsessive, but I like to know the whys and facts when it comes to a chick I’m interested in. If they can’t give me answers, then it raises red flags.