Page 14 of Devil's Due: Sarge

Vlad has made it abundantly clear that he wants his woman around today. I think because we’ve been putting in so much time up at the cabin. Four new girls arrived about five days ago. One of the Lords brothers, Blue, and his woman, Carmen, have been staying up there. They never went back to Thornbriar after the party. The brothers moved a couple of trailers up there on the property to give them a place to sleep and accommodate more women. Although he’s unbelievably handsome, Blue has this soft-spoken way about him. He has this very unassuming nature that puts the women at ease – which is saying something, considering what they’ve been through.

Nic laughs at something Vlad leaned in to whisper in her ear. He’s still leaning in when I turn my attention to watch them. I’m eternally grateful to him for loving Nicola. She deserves to be loved. Even now, while they’re just hanging out, he’s sitting on a barstool and she has her whole body pressed against his, her back to his front. Her bottom rests on the tiny lip of available stool. Vlad keeps his arms around her to keep her from slipping.

They’ve got that couple thing going on where they’re lost in the conversation with one another. Part of me wishes I could hear what they’re saying, especially when she tips her head up to smile at him. But then, when he brings his mouth down to kiss her, I’m glad I can’t. Whatever he said, I’ll bet it was crazy romantic and Nic deserves to keep it between just the two of them.

Their moment abruptly ends when his phone rings and he reaches into his pocket to answer it. “Talk to me,” he barks to whoever’s on the line. It’s a one-sided conversation, but whatever the other person is saying doesn’t sound good. When Vlad says, “Shit. Are you sure?” my stomach drops. It does that quite often around the brothers. That war with the old Horde regime was bloody, and then to retaliate, Rage kidnapped Nic. He beat the holy hell out of her. Not to mention we have the safety of the new girls we’ve got hidden up at the cabin to keep in mind. There’ve been a great many reasons for my stomach to drop as of late, but after he ends the call with, “Right. Keep me posted.” – oh boy. My anxiety goes on high alert.

He shoves the phone back in his pocket, staring at Nic a few beats. She finally asks, “Everything all right?”

Rubbing his hand over his face, he sighs. “No… Everything isnotall right.”

“What happened?” I ask, forgetting that A.) I wasn’t supposed to be listening in, and B.) it might not be my place to ask the president of an MC a question like that.

“That was Blood. The Lords have been noticing some questionable characters hanging around Thornbriar. The brothers are getting followed when they head into town, Blood even said some fucktard took his life in his hands by following Caitlin home one day, and Frankie home another.”

“So these men know who the Lords’ women are?” Nic asks.

“Appears so. Now all the women have guards.”

“What does this mean for them, and for their safety?” I ask.

“Whoever these men are, they don’t know they’ve been made by the Lords. Those brothers are really good at this shit now.”

“I hate that they need to be,” Nicola replies, sounding as upset as I feel.

“The brothers have it, and if they need backup, all they have to do is call.” Vlad presses a kiss to Nicola’s cheek. One kiss is all it takes for the fear to leave her eyes. She has complete faith in her man. It doesn’t hurt that he let it be known in the most visceral ways that he’s willing to lay down his life for her. No one deserves that level of devotion more than her.

The problem is, I’m sure I know who’s behind this. I don’t want to have to tell them. I don’t want to see the looks of disappointment on their faces when I come clean about my involvement in all of this. But what choice do I have? More people’s lives will be in danger if I don’t.

Do the right thing, Greer. Quit being a coward and just do it.For once, in what seems like forever, I take a deep breath, let it out slowly, and do the right thing for everyone, not just for me. “I think I know who it is. I know who attacked the safehouse and I know who’s stalking the Lords.”

“Come again?” Nic asks.

It’s now or never. “Jinx, something strong,” I order. He nods and pours me a shot of bourbon, sliding it down the bar until I can grab it and shoot it back. Then I shake off the burn and I clear my throat. “I come from a super wealthy family. And when I say super wealthy, I don’t mean doctors or lawyers kind of wealth, I mean CEOs of Fortune 500 companies’ kind of wealth. My stepfather and stepbrothers are art dealers. Or, I thought they were until I was approached by the FBI. Those agents were more than willing to use my mother and me as scapegoats, even though I had no idea the dirty dealings the family was into.” I paused to make sure they’d taken it all in. I’m not sure what I expected, but neither of them looks pissed at me. Why not? I just told them my horrible secret. “The FBI were having trouble making their case. Basically, my mom and I were screwed if I didn’t help.”

“If you didn’t know what your family was into, why did the FBI single you out?” Vlad asks.

“Because of my degree. I was in a Master’s program in Art History and Conservation. I was waiting to see if I got into a doctoral program when everything spiraled out of control.”

“Still,” Nicola says. “I don’t see what that has to do with you.”

And here I thought this story couldn’t get any tougher to tell. I press my thumb and forefinger to the corners of my eyes then continue. “They’re not simply art dealers.” There, I did it. I haven’t spoken those words out loud since…ever. Getting the first part out does make it easier to continue on to the worst part. “They’re dealers who broker sales of stolen masterpieces on the black market.”

Nicola gasps at the same time Vlad says, “Shit.”

The laugh bubbles up before I can stop it as I look at my friends. “Indeed.”

But again, instead of being angry with me, they both stare back at me with sympathy. Sympathy? I don’t deserve their sympathy. “Why do you think they hunted you down at the safehouse?” Nic asks.

“Because my family found out somehow that the FBI was shaking me down. They weren’t sure of my involvement, so they decided to hang my ass out on the line. My stepbrother forced me, and I mean with guns, to make the hand off in a very lucrative deal. It was perfect. I became the culpable party. But it didn’t exactly go as everyone planned. I almost died but managed to get away with a highly valuable work of art, which I hid before hiding myself.”

Their sympathy turns to disappointment… and it’s palpable enough to be considered the fifth, sixth, and seventh persons in the room with us. It feels as if each one of them has struck me in the heart. My eyes begin to water.

“I’m sorry…” I sniff and wipe at my nose. “I’m so, so sorry – the girls died because of me. I should have told you when we first met… shouldn’t have stayed as long as I did… There’s no way for me to ever make up for what I’ve done.”

“You aren’t going to do something stupid like try to leave us, are you?” Nicola asks.

“No,” I answer, although it’s a total lie. I think it would be best for everybody if I left. If not better, safer.

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