Page 4 of Rooster's Redemption

“Steam.” One name has the tension in the room at sky rocketing levels. “I’ve been looking into the list of women found at Holly’s house. Most of them were dead ends because it was so long ago, so I started with the ones that looked recent. We already know Steam and her dad, the Senator, and her brother are mixed up together. Every time one of those women went missing, one of the motherfuckers was around. After reading the missing persons reports, the women have one thing in common. They’ve gone missing around the same time of day usually a few days apart and around eleven at night. The police never connected them because the women were from different areasand they weren’t working together. Just another woman came up missing from a new town or city.” I pause to control my breathing and steady my heart rate. I’m full of rage and anger from these assholes thinking they can get away with this in our territory.

“Rooster, you and Ace get back to searching for these missing women. Leave no stone unturned, find anything you can on them. Stryker, Axel, Butch and Tex it’s drop day. Get to the businesses and pick up the earnings from the last couple of days. Duke, Talon and Maddox we have a rebuild coming into the shop at noon. Get that done and come back here. Blayde and I will get shit ready for our visitors.” Kayne slams the gavel on the table, ending the meeting.

Ace walks with me out of Church. “So, what’s up with you and Alyssa?”

I glance around making sure no one was listening. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Bro, I’ve seen the way she looks at you when she’s here. She can’t keep her eyes off you.” Ace rolls his eyes. I ignore him, unlock the door and we enter the communications room, my sanctuary. I sit in the plush seat and fire up my computers. Ace takes a seat in the other chair, his cut creaking. “Well?”

“Well, what? I don’t know what you want me to say. She’s off limits and I’m not pissing my Prez off. I can’t help it if she can’t keep her eyes off me. All chicks want a piece of the Rooster.” I grab my dick and laugh, but inside I’m panicking. If Ace has seen Alyssa, then everyone else must have but are too chicken shit to say anything. “Besides,” I blow out a breath. “Why would I settle down with one bitch when there’s a whole world of pussy out there that needs my help?” I want to snatch the words back as soon as they leave my unfiltered mouth. Movement behind me has my head whipping to the side. Alyssa is standing at the door with tears in her eyes. She’s wearing a pair of jean shortsthat show off her long, tanned legs, a Savage Saints tank top barely holding her plush chest in and her long blond hair is tied back with a Savage Saints bandanna. She’s dressed like a mouthwatering, wet dream. My dick struggles against the zipper of my jeans just watching her.

“Fuck me,” I grumble and release a long breath.

Ace turns around and releases a low whistle, “Bro, you done fucked up now.” He mumbles under his breath.

Alyssa takes off leaving the door wide open. Motherfucker. I stand up to go after her when my computer dings with an alert. I slam the door shut and sit back in my chair. Ace is snickering next to me and I punch him in his arm.

“Fucker,” he mumbles rubbing his arm.

I ignore his bitching and bring up the program I wrote. The alert pops up and images fill the screen. Everything that just happened takes a back seat. Woman after woman from the last ten years invades my computer screens. Their date of birth, descriptions, and the missing person’s reports to follow. I slide my gaze from left to right, reading what’s popping up and see Ace doing the same. I flip through each image and compare them to the ones we found at Holly’s house I scanned in. Each image matches each woman, except for one.

One sole image stares back at me. Teasing and taunting me. My mouth runs dry and my hands begin to shake. “Son of a bitch.” I grab my phone and dial Kayne. It rings a couple of times before he answers.

“Yeah, Rooster.”

“Prez, we have an issue.”

“I’ll be right there.” Kayne hangs up the phone and I don’t blink. Afraid if I do, then this woman will disappear the way she did years ago. The way she up and left me while my heart still bled on her front steps in the pouring rain.

Chapter

Two

ALYSSA

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. I knock on the side of my head, cussing myself out. I’m in the living room pacing back and forth from the window to the couches set up around a seventy-inch T.V. I’m such an idiot thinking Rooster would be different. I should’ve known better. Any man that looks like him, with his strong arms and powerful legs, sexy ass, and a smile that will melt your panties right off wouldn’t want anything to do with someone so damaged as me. I’m so stupid thinking he would be different. He’s just like all the other men in my life who only used me for a warm body, sometimes willingly, sometimes not.

But the way he held me last night and the comfort he offered, I thought for sure he could feel the connection I did. I freaked out when I woke up safe and secure this morning so I snuck out while he was snoring. He calmed the storm raging inside of me and that scared the shit out of me. I stayed in the spare room next to his and he didn’t even know I was there. I’m invisible. Just like I have been my whole life. Invisible and replaceable.

I don’t want to be though. I want him to see me. See who I am. Not Poison’s little sister or the girl who was kidnapped with her druggy mom. Not the abused, scared little girl. I wanteveryone to see the strong, independent woman I’ve battled to become.

“There you are,” Poison says from behind me. I wipe the tears away and turn toward her, plastering on a fake smile. Poison has on a white Savage Saints tank top under her cut, a pair of blue skinny jeans and her black riding boots.

“Here I am.”

“Are you working tonight? I thought I’d join you if you were.”

“Yes, I’m heading into the bar in a few minutes if you want to tag along. I’d love that.” And I mean it. I want that sisterly bond between Poison and me. She gives me a knowing look with hazel eyes that are just like her father’s, MadDog.

“Let me find Kayne and I’ll be right back. I could use the time away from these guys,” she rubs her belly in gentle, circular motions, walking out of the room.

“Where are you going?” Siren asks from behind me, making me jump.

“Fuck,” I place a hand over my beating heart and spin around. “You both are like a bunch of ninjas sneaking around here.”

“Sorry,” Siren shrugs her slender shoulders. Her long black hair is pulled up in a high ponytail and she’s wearing white leggings with the Savage Saints logo on the thigh, a tight black tank top and running shoes.

“I’m heading into work and Poison is tagging along. Do you want to come too?”

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