Chapter 22

Another day passed, in which someone brought me food and water. Despite my worry that they’d spit into my provisions, I was just too thirsty and hungry to be choosy. My thoughts became more and more confusing.

When Luca opened the door the next time, his expression didn’t give anything away. “What now?” I asked.

“I don’t trust you. But I trust my daughter, and she wants your freedom.”

I perked up. I couldn’t believe Marcella had really convinced her old man. “I have to say I’m surprised.”

Luca’s mouth thinned. “I still believe you deserve death for what you did, but Marcella suffered and it’s her decision.”

I got up. “You’re really going to let me go? How’s that supposed to work? And what about your soldiers, won’t they be pissed you release their enemy?”

“If you had killed one of my soldiers during the fight, I would have killed you, no matter what Marcella says, but you didn’t. You even killed another biker. My men want the Famiglia strong and if I tell them that having you on our side makes us stronger, they’ll eventually grow used to you.”

“I doubt it,” I muttered. The fights between our MC and the Famiglia had become increasingly ugly in the last few years. There was too much bad blood between us. It would take years to get past it, if at all.

Luca narrowed his eyes. “Marcella said you’d be willing to cooperate, to recruit bikers willing to work with us, and eliminate those who still pose a risk for Marcella.”

“That’s right. But I sure as hell am not going to swear an oath to you, Vitiello. I’m doing this because of Marcella, but I still have my pride.”

“You really think you’re in a position to negotiate?”

I met his gaze square on. “If you don’t like it, kill me. I love your daughter. The man she met and fell in love with had a backbone and pride. I won’t become someone else so you decide to spare me. I’ll work with you, not for you, and I’ll do it gladly because it’ll make Marcella’s position in the Famiglia stronger. That’s all. If you don’t like it, put a bullet in my head now and spare us both the chitchat.”

Luca nodded. Maybe he’d just agreed to end me. The guy was impossible to read. “You aren’t a coward. And I don’t give a fuck what you call it as long as you don’t do anything that hurts the Famiglia, and especially Marcella. I don’t even give a fuck if you have your own side business as long as it doesn’t interfere with my business. The Famiglia earns enough money to spare a bit.”

I gritted my teeth against his condescending tone, even if I was relieved that he’d given me that option. I would have tried to make money with old contacts anyway. I wasn’t going to accept Vitiello’s paycheck. “You weren’t that gracious when it came to Tartarus trying to sell drugs and guns in your territory.”

“Your club flooded my clubs and streets with shitty drugs, even pretending it was Famiglia stuff. Not to mention that you tried to mess with my business and burned down one of my warehouses.” He paused, glaring. “Maybe you don’t remember, but when your father was the president of the Jersey chapter, your club was still into sex trafficking. The police fished several dead prostitutes out of the Hudson and began asking me questions. I warned your father to stop the shit but he was trying to fund his weapons with the sex slaves.”

Earl had mentioned something along the lines. Back then, the main chapter in Texas had still been involved in sex trafficking as well, but eventually, they got too much heat from the Russians and Mexicans, so they stopped. Luckily that happened years before I became a part of the club. “Don’t pretend you killed my father because you felt sorry for the poor sex slaves. You were out for blood that day. You just wanted to kill and my father and his club brothers were a convenient target.”

“I don’t deny it. And I sure as hell won’t apologize for it. Your father deserved to die and he wouldn’t have hesitated to kill me either. In hindsight, I would have made sure you weren’t there to watch.”

I supposed that was as close to an apology as Luca Vitiello ever got. Marcella had mentioned that her father wasn’t in the habit of apologizing. We fell silent and just stared at each other. His eyes reflected the same distrust and loathing I felt. “Fuck, this feels wrong.”

“I don’t need a fucking oath from you, but I want your word that you won’t hurt Marcella and will help us with other bikers.”

“You have my word. I’m surprised you care for it. Is a biker’s word worth anything in your eyes?”

Luca shrugged. “If you don’t stand by your word, I can still hunt down your brother Gray.”

I got in his face. “He’s off-limits, Vitiello. He’s minding his own business and that won’t change.” I sure as hell hoped that was really the case. Gray needed a strong support system, and I worried he’d seek it in another MC, or maybe in a rebuilt Tartarus.

Luca only smiled coldly. Fuck, Marcella, how am I supposed to do this?

“Where’s Marcella?”

A muscle in Luca’s cheek tautened. “At home. She knows I’m here to talk to you but I didn’t think it was a good idea to have her around while we still needed to settle things.”

“In case you’ll have to shoot me.”

He didn’t say anything.

“If you let me go, I’ll have to take care of a few things first, especially talk to my mother, then I’d like to talk to Marcella. How can I contact her?”

“Come by the Sphere and I’ll arrange a meeting.”

I had to bite back a comment. This was a bitter pill to swallow for Vitiello, so I cut him some slack, but I sure as fuck wouldn’t ask him every time I was going to meet his daughter.

“Are you sure none of your men are accidentally going to shoot me because they thought I was on the run?”

“My men do as I say.”

“I bet,” I said. “Your reputation keeps them in line.”

“It’s more than that. The Famiglia is based on loyalty. That’s not something you’d understand.”

“Loyalty should never be given blindly. Loyalty must be earned, and my uncle and many of my club brothers chose a path I couldn’t support.”

“What about the rest? We didn’t kill every member.”

“Like I said, my brother is off-limits. He’s a kid and he won’t cause trouble without Earl. Knowing him, he’ll become a mechanic and mind his own business in the middle of nowhere Texas with my mom. She’s off-limits too.”

Luca smiled grimly. “I’m not sure I trust your assessment of your brother’s harmlessness. But Marcella asked me to spare him and your mother, so for her, I’ll do it, until your brother gives me reason to see him as a danger to my family.”

“He won’t be. Gray isn’t vindictive.”

“Are you sure he won’t mind you killing his father?”

I hadn’t seen Gray since he’d managed to escape. I wasn’t sure how much he knew, definitely not that I had killed Earl. “Unless you’ve spread the word, no one knows that I killed Earl.”

“So you don’t plan on telling him.”

Gray deserved the truth, but I worried it would set him off, not to mention that it would make my work of looking for rogue bikers out to kill Marcella all the more difficult. Though, word about me becoming a traitor was probably already making the rounds, so it was only a matter of time before there’d be a bounty on my head.

Luca motioned at the door. “You’re free to leave.”

Surprise washed through me. I’d still thought he wouldn’t go through with it. I still wasn’t one-hundred percent sure I wouldn’t end with a bullet in the back of my head the moment I turned my back on him.

“I suppose my bike’s ash, right?”

“We burned down everything.”

I nodded, not really surprised. “What about the dogs?”

They weren’t my dogs and I’d never quite trusted them, but it really wasn’t their fault that Earl had turned them into fighting machines. They deserved better.

“One of our enforcers, Growl, took one in and found a place in a shelter for the rest. Don’t ask me where. He’s the one who has a heart for beasts like that.”

He turned and left the cell. Showing me his back was supposed to show me he didn’t fear me. But he was still limping slightly even if he was trying to hide it. I followed him cautiously, still wary of his motives. Outside in the long corridor, waited the tall, tattooed man who’d taken me to the cell.

Luca gave him a nod, and I half expected Growl to pull a gun and put a bullet through my head. Instead, he motioned for me to follow him. He carried a bunch of clothes under one arm. I looked around but didn’t see anyone else. Luca still watched me with an assessing expression. He thought I wasn’t good enough for his daughter but I’d prove him wrong, but more than that, I was going to prove to Marcella that she could trust me.

The guy, Growl, stopped inside a washroom and put the clothes down on a bench in front of a row of lockers. The shower stalls were clean and fairly modern. Luca and his men probably showered here after they were done torturing their enemies. I still carried Earl’s and also my blood on my skin, mixed with sweat and grime and dirt. I began to peel off my shirt when I realized Growl leaned against the wall, not really watching me, focused on the screen of his phone.

“Are you going to keep an eye on me so I don’t do anything stupid?” I asked wryly.

He nodded.

I winced. A part of the shirt had gotten stuck to a wound under my ribs. With a tug, it came off. “Fuck,” I muttered when blood began to trickle out.

“Should get stitches,” Growl murmured.

I cocked an eyebrow. “Yeah, thanks. I was busy rotting in my cell.”

Again a nod.

“So you took care of the dogs?”

“They deserve a better life.”

“Thanks.”

Growl nodded. “Luca’s trust must be earned. I used to be the enemy. Now I’m not.”

I got out of my remaining clothes. “Not sure he really wants to try.”

“If he wanted you dead, you’d be dead, so he gives you a chance that few people get. Don’t mess up.”

I stepped into the shower with a groan.

Thirty minutes later, I followed Growl outside. The jeans and shirt were a bit too small for my tall frame. They obviously weren’t Growl’s. To my surprise, Matteo Vitiello waited in the driveway beside a bike. A sleek black Kawasaki.

“Don’t mess this up,” Growl said as way of goodbye.

I headed for Matteo who was apparently waiting for me. “Growl’s not the most communicative guy, is he?”

Matteo’s grin became challenging. “I suppose you’ll be seeing more of Growl once you start working with us.”

It was obvious he didn’t think I would.

“Looks like it. Maybe you can call a cab for me since my phone and bike are ashes.”

“Where are you heading?” he asked, still with that smile that made me want to knock him out.

“I need to take care of business and check on my mother.”

“What kind of business? Meeting old friends?”

“My old friends are dead or out for my blood,” I said with a harsh smile. “But there are a few old funds I’d like to save before someone else does. I’m all out of dimes right now. And I sure as fuck won’t borrow it from the Famiglia.”

The calculation and distrust in Matteo’s eyes really set me off. After days in a stinking cell with hardly any food and water, I wasn’t in the mood for bullshit talk. He didn’t have to like me or trust me. All that mattered was that Marcella did.

Matteo motioned at the Kawasaki. “You know what, why don’t you take my bike. It’s not a Harley but it’ll take you wherever you need to go.”

I raised my eyebrows. “You’re giving me your bike.”

“I’m sure you’ll bring it back once you’ve taken care of business.” His voice made it clear he thought I’d run off and never come back. I took the keys that he held out.

“Thanks. I’ll take good care of it,” I said with a forced smile. “Do you need me to call you a cab?”

Matteo flashed me a grin. “Oh, don’t worry. I’ll catch a ride with Luca.”

Of course, the Capo was still around somewhere. They’d probably have a meeting once I was gone to discuss me, maybe even send someone after me to check if I was doing anything against the Famiglia.

“Once you’re back, there’s a lot to discuss. If you want to be with Marcella, we have to make arrangements for the engagement and wedding, change your wardrobe and give you a few lessons in etiquette so you can become part of her social circles.”

He was baiting me, the asshole. As if he or Luca wanted me to marry Marcella. Unfortunately, his words had the intended effect. My body bristled at the mere idea of what he’d said. I didn’t want to be groomed into someone else. Fuck, marriage had always seemed unnecessary in my mind.

I put on the helmet and started the bike. Matteo stepped back. With a salute, I drove away. I resisted the urge to look over my back. Turning my back on a Vitiello still gave me the chills. Riding the Kawasaki was an entirely new feeling for me. I preferred the steady rumble of the Harley and felt a pang when I thought of my now burned Harley. Still, the familiar feeling of freedom that always overwhelmed me on a bike grabbed me.

Could I really give up my freedom, my lifestyle, even part of myself for Marcella?

Mom regarded me in worry as we sat at the dining table. Maddox had been released in the morning and Matteo had even given him his bike because Maddox had a few errands to run. I suspected he was looking for his brother and mother to make sure they were all right. Still, I’d hoped he’d figure out a way to contact me by now.

“Matteo shouldn’t have given him his bike. I asked him for the thing for months and he just gifts it to our enemy,” Amo muttered.

“It wasn’t a gift. It’s borrowed until he returns it when he comes back,” I said firmly.

Amo shook his head. “Right.”

“Marcella,” Dad began, obviously trying to deliver a blow as gently as possible. I knew what they all thought.

“Maddox hasn’t run off. He’s taking care of a few things and then he’ll return to New York to prove himself.”

Dad looked at Mom.

“Marcella knows him better than we do,” she said in her usual diplomatic way. “If she puts her trust in him, I’m sure she has her reasons.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

“But I really want to meet him in person as soon as possible.”

I stifled a smile at the sudden steel in her voice. “I’ll introduce him to you.” I didn’t miss the look of wariness on Dad’s face. He’d probably stand guard every second while Mom met Maddox. It was strange. Despite his radio silence and my family’s doubts about his return, I believed he’d come back. After what he’d risked to save me, I was certain about his feelings for me.

When there hadn’t been word about Maddox the next morning, I really began to get nervous. But I didn’t want to waste time fretting. Maddox would return, and if he didn’t… then he never deserved me to begin with. Still, my heart ached thinking about it.

I decided to distract myself with something I’d been meaning to do for a couple of days now. I called Growl and asked if he could pick me up and take me to the shelter that he’d built with Cara to help abused fight dogs. Dad had mentioned that they’d taken the Rottweilers there.

Thirty minutes later, he pulled up in front of our mansion. Two bodyguards waited in front of the door when I stepped outside. They accompanied me to Growl’s car then got into a second car and followed us. “Thanks for coming so quickly,” I said.

“I was surprised you want to see the dogs.”

“I was terrified of them at first but I kind of bonded with the dog that was beside my cage. Her name is Satan, but she was badly injured. Do you know if she survived?”

“I don’t know their names. I still need to name them.”

“Don’t name any dog Satan please.”

Growl nodded.

“I have to admit seeing the dogs again isn’t the only reason why I asked you to pick me up.”

“I figured,” Growl rasped. “Your father told me you’ll join the business.”

“I want to lead our Enforcer team, to coordinate the hits on MCs who’re giving us trouble and also to find the remaining Tartarus bikers who pose a risk.”

Growl merely nodded but I really wanted him to say something.

“I want to know if we’ll have a problem because I’m a woman or because you wanted to be in charge of the enforcers.”

“I don’t have trouble serving you, and I never wanted to lead anyone. I’m happy with the job I’m doing every day.”

“What about the other enforcers? Have they said something to you?”

“Most of them know better than to badmouth you.”

They feared my dad but didn’t respect me. I’d do my best to change it.

After almost one hour, we arrived at a farm building with several huge fenced-in areas. We got out and a lanky guy in his teens came out. “Troubled teens run the shelter under your guidance, right?”

“It gives them and the dogs a new home.”

Growl led me around to a smaller area where ten Rottweiler in total were kept. “They don’t get along with the other dogs yet so we have to keep them separate.”

It didn’t take me long to spot Satan, and relief rushed through me. Her side was bandaged and she had to wear a cone so she didn’t lick the wound, but otherwise she looked good.

“She’s alone in the cage because the other dogs wouldn’t accept her while she’s injured.”

To my surprise, she trotted toward the fence the moment she spotted me. Considering our first encounter, we’d come a long way. “Hey girl,” I said. She huffed and wagged her tail. Properly fed and with a big yard to run in, she seemed so much more relaxed than the dog I remembered.

Seeing her also brought back many memories from my captivity that I didn’t want to recall. I still felt caught in a sort of limbo, back at home physically, but with my mind still lost in the clubhouse. I patted her gently through the bars. “Will you find a good home for her?”

“It won’t be easy, given their upbringing.”

“I wish I could take her in but Dad would never allow it.”

“Your father wants to protect you.”

“I know,” I said. “From everything. Maddox, dogs…”

“Maddox needs to earn your father’s trust. That’s not an easy thing to do, but I was your father’s enemy once and he gave me the benefit of the doubt. Maddox can do the same.”

I smiled. “Thanks, Growl.” I glanced at Satan who watched me. “Can you do me a favor and call her Santana? That’s still close to her name but much better.”

“Sure. You want to spend more time with her?”

“Yes.” I stayed for another hour to pat her before Growl took me back home. I went up to my room to research possible tattoos so I wouldn’t constantly think about Maddox.

In the early evening, a bike engine rumbled outside. My eyes widened and I jumped up from the sofa in my room. I stormed downstairs and toward the front door, my heart galloping wildly. I opened it and deflated when I saw Matteo on his bike—the bike he’d given to Maddox.

He ran a hand through his hair and gave me a small smile.

Steps sounded behind me, and Dad appeared beside me. His expression didn’t bode well.

“What’s wrong? Where’s Maddox?”

Matteo came up the stairs, exchanging another secretive look with Dad.

“Dad,” I said angrily. “Where’s Maddox?”

Amo and Mom were in the lobby by now.

Dad touched my shoulder. “He showed up at Growl’s shelter this afternoon and dropped off two more dogs and Matteo’s bike.”

We must have missed each other by an hour. “But where is he now?”

“He ran off like we all knew he would,” Amo said.

I whirled on him to lash out, but Mom’s compassionate expression told me Amo’s words were true. “What?” I whispered, shocked. “He wouldn’t just run off. He saved me, he betrayed his club for me…”

“Maybe he’s come to regret his decision,” Matteo said gently.

Dad touched my shoulder. “Maddox only knows his biker lifestyle. He doesn’t want to be bound by a woman or social conventions. The call of the road, of freedom, was too strong.”

“You think he chose freedom over me?”

“What he considers freedom at least.”

“That’s what he told Growl?”

Matteo nodded. “I talked to Growl when I picked up my bike. Maddox didn’t stay long. He made sure to run off as quickly as he could. He’s probably heading out of our territory now. The men who followed him yesterday saw him picking up a bag full of cash.”

I swallowed hard. “He could have been free by my side.”

“Good choice. If he builds up his fucking club again, I’ll kill him, and this time Marci won’t stop us,” Amo muttered.

I ignored him. Mom wrapped an arm around me. “You have a wonderful future ahead of you, Marci. You don’t need him. You have us.”

I didn’t need him, but I wanted him by my side. I’d wanted him to become part of my life, of my family. I’d thought we could overcome the chasm between our backgrounds.

But our bond had been fatal from the very beginning. Maddox had saved me, and I had saved him. That was all there was.

Now I just had to convince my heart of it.