Page 31 of Warrior

“Is there any chance he could find her?” Jester asks, his voice low. I’m acutely aware that they’re all watching me like I’m about to break.

I shake my head no and look up at each of them. “He’ll never find her. I don’t even know where she is. That was part of thedeal I made when we reached out to them. They’re basically ghosts but they protect people. And even if he thought I’d tell him about Stella and the baby, he’s wrong. I’ll die first.”

Colt sucks in a breath and his face turns chilled, stony, closed-off. I wish I had it in me to wonder why my words affect him so much, but I don’t care. I’ve been playing this game with Lukas for so long, I just want it to end. With his connections, I’m scared it never will.

“Thanks, Doc, for sharing with us,” Daggerz says, clearing his throat. “If you want, feel free to go eat, hang out. We need to discuss the club end of this, and then we can make a plan.”

I get up slowly, hating that I’m being kicked out of the meeting and that they’re going to discuss me and my business. Somehow, I manage to leave the room without tripping up or my legs giving out. The door clicks softly behind me and I make my way to the common area. A few more girls and other wives are milling around, cleaning, eating, and chatting. A wave of tiredness hits me right as I think about sitting down. I set the container on a nearby table, my stomach protesting the thought of eating anything right now. Taking the key to Colt’s room, I find my legs carrying me inside. I manage to close the door and lock it again before stumbling to the bed. My eyes flutter and close, fighting against the memories of the past. I’m safe. With them here, I am safe.

Chapter 14

Colt

Lyric leaves the room, and all hell breaks loose. Blood thunders in my ears and I feel a rage and panic in my heart that I’ve never felt before. My brothers are up in arms about what is happening; they all want to defend the good doc. My hands clench and tighten under the table while I listen to them discuss plans to keep her safe, to keep her under surveillance. Some offer for her to be hired as a bartender while a few others offer her protection of a patch or under the guise of a relationship. That suggestion has my head instantly snapping to our prez and he almost flinches at the look I give him. Over my dead body will she pretend to be someone else’s woman.

Last night, once Lyric had taken my key and locked herself in my room, I sat Prez and Jester down and explained to them my history with Lyric. Every single beautiful and painful detail before I told them what the plan was going to be. They hadn’t agreed with me last night and wanted time to think and consider, but there is no other option in my book. Lukas Deveroix needs to die. His ex-wife and daughter are safe. My girl won’t be safe until he is wiped off the board. I know his type and I know his aggression and stalker behavior will only increaseuntil he gets what he wants. And when he learns he can’t, he won’t care about what happen to Lyric.

Prez clears his throat and the noise drops. He continues watching me with hesitancy on his face until he makes his decision. “I’m going to let Karma take point on this one.”

The room quiets even more and all eyes glance between me and their prez. Except for Zane. My best and oldest friend has been glaring down at the table since Lyric started her story. I make sure to look each and every one of my brothers in the eye around this table so they know how fucking serious this is to me. I don’t care what they have to say. When it comes to Lyric, I will do whatever it takes to make sure she’s safe. It doesn’t matter that she’s my ex-girlfriend or how much time has passed between us, I will always love her. It's ingrained in me to want to keep her safe. “Karma will come for Deveroix.”

Jester sighs and gives me a pointed glare. “I’m not saying you can’t do it, but all it takes is one person to see your patch, to see your club affiliation, and they won’t hesitate to connect the dots with his death. We already established that his family is dirty and untouchable in Alabama. My gut tells me they’d use connections here in Tennessee too. I already have it configured that there is some type of familial relationship by marriage to a senator here.”

“So your job, VP, is to use your connections in the police department to find out what you can about the Deveroix family and those connections,” I push back at him.

Frustrated with my stubbornness, the man just throws up his hands.

“I’m going civilian while we clean up this mess,” I announce, and the shock and awe of the faces around the table are almost comical. “Jester is right, that wearing my patch and riding my bike will put up huge red flags, and Lyric has a lot of things totake care of. Her business needs to be addressed and she needs to get things from her home so she can move in with me.”

“And if he follows you from her house to the clubhouse, it will raise the same suspicions,” Cleaver, another of my brothers, says with his eyes narrowed.

“I’m taking her to my house, not the clubhouse,” I answer and, once again, it's silent around the table.

Everyone knows I bought a house and some property a year ago. It's just been sitting empty for the most part, as an investment, something I would have someday if I ever chose to have a family, like some of the guys here. So the implication that I’ll be bringing Lyric there isn’t lost on them and the announcement isn’t taken lightly. I might as well just have put a ring on her finger, ink on her skin, and given her her own cut with this type of declaration. I’ve never been the guy to be serious about a girl or mess around with anyone’s feelings. This is new to them, for me to claim Lyric in this way.

“Do you know her?” Bullet asks, and I can tell it's been killing him to know since we found her. He could tell even then that we weren’t strangers.

I meet his eyes and nod my head. “She’s my ex. When I enlisted I broke up with her. I won’t make the same mistake a second time. She’s mine, always has been.”

Zane scoffs, but there’s a hint of a smile on his lips. “Should have seen them in high school. It was sickening.”

“Does Doc know that? I mean no offense, brother, but if looks could kill, you’d be six feet under from the way I saw her look at you last night when you offered your room to her.” Someone else asks, and there’s a few chuckles.

My jaw clenches and I breathe deeply. I fucking know it. There is a lot that needs to be said between Lyric and me. Last night was not the time to hash out our past or for me to beg for her forgiveness. Then the little show Ari put on didn’t helpmatters. I still need to speak to her about that and the little conversation the girls had this morning. I’ve never slipped my dick inside Ari, and until last night, I thought she was my friend, but the way she treated Lyric wasn’t okay. I need to set that boundary now before it bites me in the ass.

“Like I said, she has some things to do at her business, then will need to grab her belongings that she wants from her old house. I don’t think that prick will go back there, but I have no doubt he is looking for her. While I’m gone with Lyric, Zane, Bullet and Dodger, I need you at my house securing the perimeter. I want surveillance every ten yards from the house to the street in all directions. I want to know the minute there is movement on my property. I plan on having her be seen with me in town, in my truck, and looking like a civilian to draw him out. In addition, I’m hoping you’ll all help me out a little here by running checks in town daily.” I quickly send them the image of Lukas and his family to their phones. “Now you all know who you’re looking for. If any of them are seen around town, at the club, or the bar, let me know. Once I know Lyric is safe, I’m going hunting.”

They all shift in their seats, taking in my request. It’s an over-the-top plan, I know it is. It requires a lot of resources, but it is the only plan that won’t directly link our club to this man’s impending murder.

“Well, fuck. We should put Karma on some of our plans more often. That's the most detailed shit I’ve ever heard.” Trigger, who does a lot of the same work as me for the club, whistles under his breath. There’s a collective agreement from everyone else at the table.

“I think we’re all in agreement,” Prez says, drawing attention back to him. “We got your back in this.”

Church wraps up and we all head out. In the common area, my eyes search the room, but Lyric isn’t there, and I’m instantlyon edge. She was upset when she left the room, and I noticed she barely ate the food I brought her. I need to find her to go over the plan and also to make sure she eats. The need to take care of her rages through my blood and I’m starting to panic a little that she isn’t nearby. I walk past the bar when Ari peers over at me, a smile on her face.

“Hey, want to go get lunch with me? My shift isn’t until three.”

I turn to her, deciding now is the time to address her issue with Lyric. “I can’t, Ari. I have club things and need to get Lyric to my house. Do you know where she is?”

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