Page 40 of Rox

“What do you mean? She wants to do a tattoo fundraiser expo. She wants to drop all rates and have random people showup for a discount tattoo.” Angel scoffs at Omen. “She also wants to attach my name to this. Who the fuck knows what this is going to attract!”

Well, now that I know what she’s planning, I’m even more firmly on team hell no, but the look on Omen’s face tells me he isn’t going to drop this.

“First of all, any random ass can walk in. It’s a fucking tattoo shop. That happens every damn day, all damn day. It’s how they work. Or did you all forget that? As far as security goes for something like that, that’s not a fucking thing when it’s at a shop. This isn’t some big convention center-type event. This is a controlled situation at their shop. You want security? We’re the security. No one is going to question tatted-up bikers at a tattoo event. Especially when the artist everyone wants is there. We’ve been following Roxie, and we go with her everywhere, but nothing’s happened. No one has done anything to her,” he holds up his hands to stop all of us when we attempt to cut him off, “I’m not saying I want something to happen. You know I don’t. I’m saying this person sees us. You wanted to set a trap for this dick, and this literally fell into our fucking laps. Sure, we’ll be there, but a crowded room will make this person more confident. It’ll make them think they can get away with something.

But with us there, we can stop it. How else are we going to bring this person out?”

The edge of panic hits me as Omen sits back in his chair. The plan makes sense, but to use Rox as bait. How can her family sit back and agree to this? There has to be something else. Something that doesn’t involve the love of my life being willingly put at risk.

Dizz takes a deep breath, taking in what his VP said. “You’re not wrong. I don’t like it, but you’re not wrong. Tattoo shops do shit like this all the time. We’d have some form of control over the situation. Angel would be on the inside, along with a coupleof others who can watch what’s happening. Should anything go sideways, we can have a guy watching the cameras. Then we place the rest outside with the crowd.”

Prez is really thinking about what Omen said. How is he okay with this? How is this fucking okay at all? They’re willing to risk her fucking life? I want to scream, but I can’t. The words aren’t coming out. My eyes hurt from trying to keep them inside of my head. My throat is dry from holding it all in.

As if Prez can read my thoughts or my face radiates as much panic as I feel, he calls church. He has me, Omen, and Angel stay seated. I catch a glance from a few of the other officers as they leave, but I’m too focused on what I need to say to really give their facial expressions any thought.

After what feels like forever, the last of the brothers file out, closing the door behind them.

“Okay, Mimic,” Prez leans back in his chair as he wipes his tired face. “I know you’re the only one not fully convinced this is the best way to bring him out of the woodwork. Why?”

“You’re using her as bait, in a trap that could hurt her in more ways than one.” I try to keep the edge out of my voice, but by raising his eyebrows, I’m sure I failed.

“This person has never been seen. Roxie has only seen a vehicle. We’ve been around her non-stop, and she hasn’t seen the vehicle since. Whoever this is knows we’re around. This has to be someone she knows.” Angel says.

“Are you trying to say it’s an inside job? One of us is trying to kill her?” I shake my head. There’s no way a club member would try to hurt any of us. The Nameless Order has brought men in and treated them like family. In exchange, we give them our loyalty.

While Rox has my undying loyalty, I will also die for this club. But, if someone in this brotherhood attempts to hurt her, Iwon’t think twice before I kill them and take every piece of their identity with me.

The three of them share a look I don’t understand before Angel answers me. “No, I don’t, but it’s never out of the question. I think it’s someone else she knows or someone in her circle of trust.”

“But her circle of trust is the men in this club. It’s someone who doesn’t want to make waves this close to the big bomb they just detonated while we pick through the wreckage.” Omen speaks, but I catch him exchanging another look with the other two. There’s definitely more than they’re sharing.

“It could be someone who we aren’t even thinking of. They act one way with us present and another when we’re not. They’ve only escalated when they thought she was alone. You never know what someone will do once they have the object of their affection. That’s how children get groomed.” Angel tells me with disgust, lacing his tone, and again, they exchange looks.

“Fact is, this is going to happen. Omen is right. We’ll have the upper hand.”

“What’s going on?” I ask in a whisper. They all look at me, but I get nothing from them. They’re set on this plan, and it doesn’t matter that I’m against it. Yes, I’m Rox’s man. I’ve claimed her. She’s mine. But that doesn’t allow me to pull rank over Prez.

Just…. How can they so easily agree to this? And the way they speak, have they lived through this? Is this nothing new to them? Is this something Rox has already gone through?

If it is, why hasn’t she told me? Why don’t I know more about her life? About who she was before. All I know is Dizz came into her life when he fell in love with her mother, and they came here with Angel and Omen to start this charter.

I gave her everything.

My whole past.

My real name.

She took those words and has given me nothing of the same. There is something about her past that she and her family, the club that’s supposed to be my family, is keeping from me. This information affects how they will get this crazy stalker away from her. Why aren’t I in the know?

“Go home, Mimic,” Angel tells me.

“Ink just followed Rox home. You two can talk about the demo and let her know how we feel about it. Might come better from you than me.” Prez waves me off.

“I doubt it,” I say as I get myself up from the table. I’m angry and numb, all at the same time right now. Maybe Rox will be able to tell me more about her past. I can’t get mad when I never asked her. She asked me and I opened up, she would if I asked her.

Wouldn’t she?

Twenty

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