Sal (The Ride Series) (23 page)

“That’s kind of nuts, even for you,” Scarlet sighed loudly.

“Not really,” I argued. “It’s just hanging out at a public place that just so happens to be a common hangout for Parker and his buddies,” I stated matter-of-factly.

“I’m in,” Connie nodded decisively.

“I could help too,” Sophie volunteered.

I wrapped my arm around her and squeezed lightly. “I appreciate that, but I think Sal will be pissed enough. If I drag you into it his temper might reach critical mass.” I wrinkled my brow at the thought.

“Right,” she agreed.

“The guys would never go for it, not in a million years.” Scarlet shook her head.

“She’s right,” Connie agreed.

“True, but I think I know someone who will,” I told them.

Chapter 19

C
al Jackson could be an intense, scary-ass man when he wanted to be, and that was most of the time. But I’d also found him to be reasonable and practical. As I sat across from him at the club after having explained my initial idea, I saw the wheels turning as he thought it over.

“Sal’ll never go for it,” he said as he shook his head, slumping back in his seat as defeated as the other guys had been since Ettie was taken.

“Probably not,” I allowed. “But you have to admit, it’s the best chance we’ve got. You’re all killing yourselves casing these spots, and you only know what Parker looks like. The other guy could walk right under your nose and you wouldn’t know it,” I told him. “I could point him out. Then you guys can do whatever it is you need to do to figure out where Ettie is.” I waved my hand. I didn’t want those details.

He eyed me skeptically.

I sat forward in my seat and met his blue-eyed gaze which reminded me so much of Cole’s. “Listen, I can’t sit back and do nothing while you guys all kill yourselves. And it’s been over forty-eight hours too long. I’m not asking to do anything crazy. Just to sit at a bar with eyes on my back. If it helps, then it helps. If not, then at least I tried,” I pleaded.

“You’ll look too vulnerable,” he argued, but I could tell he was coming around.

“Connie wants in on it, too. We’ll act like we’re having a girls’ night,” I replied easily.

“You’ve thought this through,” he surmised, and I could tell he was impressed. “But your plan means I’ve got two of my best guys pissed as hell,” he muttered.

“You’re right,” I agreed. “But I know this could work. And I love Sal. I love this club. If this could bring Ettie back, then I’m willing to piss him off a little bit.”

Maybe a lot, but whatever.

Cal regarded me for a few moments longer as though trying to get a read on me before he nodded. “Okay, I’m in. Mack, Hank, and I will have your backs as well as some of the prospects. You won’t even know we’re there. You’ll start out at O’Malley’s, that spot Stu said Parker liked best. If we don’t have luck there, we’ll try Maddie’s. Maybe something will turn up,” he said, looking mildly hopeful.

“Maybe,” I agreed.

Now that I had Cal’s buy-in, I was scared shitless at what I’d started. But I had to try.

*****

“I’ll never forgive myself for clamming up on you in that bathroom,” Connie admitted as we sat sipping drinks at O’Malley’s that evening. It was late and the bar was hopping.

I felt horribly guilty lying to Sal. He and Wes thought we were at Sophie’s place watching movies while he and Wes were working to track Parker down with the rest of the club.

Sophie had agreed willingly to cover for us if needed. It was as far as I was allowing her to be involved.

“Don’t even think about it,” I assured her, trying hard not to look around too much. I had to remember this was a girls’ night. I wouldn’t be scoping my surroundings if I didn’t have a care in the world.

“Still,” she fretted, her big blue eyes regretful as she sipped her cocktail.

“No one ever knows how they’ll react in a situation like that. It was terrifying. I understand,” I assured her.

I again fought the urge not to let my gaze wander. It was Friday night, so the bar was fairly busy. But, it was on the small side, which worked to our advantage. Stools ran along the expanse of the bar, and a few booths sat against the windows. The dim lighting made it hard to see much past a certain distance, and the jukebox blasted some variation of heavy metal over the sound system.

We’d turned away several interested men. I was beyond thankful that neither Sal nor Wes was anywhere near or they’d be having a shit-fit.

Then, my attacker walked in. I fought harder than I’d ever fought for anything not to have a reaction. I’d know him anywhere, even out of the corner of my eye.

I was surprised with how nervous he looked, his dark eyes darted throughout the space anxiously.

When he saw me, he had the opposite reaction I’d expected. He immediately turned to hightail it out of the place. I didn’t even need to use the predetermined signal Cal and I had discussed. The idiot made it all too clear who he was.

Then, all hell broke loose.

Cal, Hank, and the prospects appeared out of nowhere, blocking exits while Connie and I hurriedly gathered our things.

“Let’s go out the back,” Mack commanded, suddenly beside us.

We scurried after him, leaving the pandemonium behind us.

“We’re going to the club,” Mack told us tersely, peeling out of the parking lot and directing us to the outskirts of town where the headquarters lie.

The sound of Harleys all around us ricocheted off the SUV’s interior as we drove in silence.

“Thank you,” Mack spoke gruffly from the driver’s seat. “I would never let Etts,” his voice rasped and he cleared it. “I would never let my girl do something like this, but I appreciate you trying to bring her home. I’m indebted to you both,” he said gravely as we sped along the deserted highway.

“She’s our girl, Mack,” Connie spoke up softly. “Of course we’d do whatever we can.”

“All we did was sit at a bar,” I added. “We’d do much more for her and for all of you.”

He merely nodded.

When we got to the club, several bikes sat parked out front, including Sal’s and Wes’. Connie and I exchanged an “oh, shit” look before hopping out of the truck and following Mack inside.

When I walked in, Sal was all I saw. He stopped mid-stride, no doubt he’d been pacing, and he turned his heated gaze to me.

“Oh, shit” didn’t quite cover it as it turned out.

He stalked over to me, pinning me against the wall, his hard body caging me in. “You think I can’t’ take care of this, is that it?” he demanded, his voice cold.

I shook my head adamantly unable to speak. He was scaring the crap out of me, for the first time ever.

“You think going behind my back with my club’s Prez and making yourself bait was the way to handle this shit!” he roared.

“Sal, man. She was trying to help,” Mack put in.

“Shut the fuck up,” Sal bit out not even sparing him a glance.

“Come here,” he directed me taking my arm and pulling me along forcefully.

I’d never seen this side of Sal before. He was beyond angry, he was livid.

“Apparently, you need to see this,” he muttered, continuing to pull me until we reached an office door, one I’d never been behind. He swung it open revealing Axel towering over a broken, very beat up looking Allen Parker.

I gasped in shock at the man tied to a chair with blood seeping from his nose and mouth. His eyes were swollen shut and he could barely see.

Despite everything Parker had done to me, I still felt slightly sick at the sight. This was the part of Sal’s world I willingly turned a blind eye to. He was making that impossible now by shoving it right in my face.

Sal slammed the door shut again, obstructing my view and turned to me in fury. “Who is that in there?” he demanded, again pinning me against the nearest wall.

“Allen Parker,” I murmured.

“I have Allen Parker, have him talking, too. So, what in the fuck did you think you were doing tonight?” he demanded.

“Um, helping?” I gulped.

“Helping,” his deep voice repeated. “And, helping is lying to me and making most of my club lie to me, too?” he asked with quiet intensity.

“I wanted to help, Sal,” I replied quietly. “I knew you’d never let me do it and it was painful for me to watch all you guys kill yourselves,” I murmured, meeting his heated gaze as he glared down at me.

“And, helping was going behind my back? Making me worry for you on top of everything else?” he raged. “Making me question the loyalty of my brothers? Of our president?”

Well shit, I hadn’t thought about it quite like that.

“I’m sorry. That wasn’t my intention,” I said as I shook my head, tears pooling in my eyes.

“Get the fuck out,” he spat, his eyes cold and dismissive.

“Sal,” I argued.

“Out!” he roared, pointing with an outstretched arm to the exit, his chest heaving with the staccato of his temper.

My own temper flared with his dismissal, flaming to life with a frightening intensity. “You just wait a fucking second,” I commanded, pointing a finger at him. “I may not have handled this right. Shit, I may not handle most things right,” I added, throwing my hands up in the air. “I was only thinking about Ettie and about getting rid of those circles under your eyes. I wasn’t trying to turn your brothers against you. I thought this was right. If it wasn’t, then I’m sorry,” I gritted out. “So don’t you dare,” I began with heated intensity, “send me away like that! If you’re pissed at me, then we talk it out. Don’t you ever send me away like I’m a fucking dog,” I exclaimed with anger. I pushed back against his chest and he took a step back, earning me some much-needed space.

“I was doing this because I love you. Not because I didn’t think you could take care of things and you didn’t need to shove
that
under my nose,” I exclaimed, pointing with a shaking hand toward the closed office door. “You just put a new nightmare in my head along with everything else I’ve already got in there!”

His face softened some as he observed my clear distress.

“Kat,” his deep voice murmured just as a loud commotion sounded with men grunting and shuffling. Obviously bachelor number two had just been brought in.

“Get her outta here,” Sal barked, guiding me protectively in front of him and passing me over to Hank.

“Take her home and stay until I can get there,” he ordered.

Hank nodded.

“Babe,” he began as we walked outside into the warm night air.

“Just don’t, Sal,” I said, feeling completed dejected and tired of the whole situation. I took the helmet Hank handed me and prepared to get on his bike.

“Take the truck,” Sal ordered brusquely, tilting his head toward Mack’s SUV.

“What? Why?” Hank asked sounding irritated.

“My girl doesn’t ride on the back of anyone’s bike but mine, ever. Take. The. Truck,” Sal bit out.

Hank sighed, shaking his head in resignation and started walking toward the SUV.

“Birdie, we aren’t done talking,” Sal warned.

I slammed the door on him, crossing my arms over my chest and turned my head away.

“You all right?” Hank asked quietly, glancing over at me in the dim light of the interior as he fired up the engine and pointed us home.

I shrugged. I didn’t feel like talking about it. But I did have a question for him. “How much luck would I have in convincing you to take me to my old place?” I asked hopefully. Sophie wouldn’t mind sharing a bed.

He chuckled. “That would be a big fat zero, babe. Sal’s already pissed off enough. Sorry,” he added.

“Whatever,” I muttered.

We drove in silence and I was grateful he didn’t press me further. “Come on in. I’ll get you set up in front of the TV,” I told him when we’d pulled into the driveway.

“That’s all right, I can hang out here.”

I rolled my eyes. “That’s stupid. Come inside,” I argued.

Hank shifted in his seat uncomfortably and I narrowed my eyes. “Jesus, are all of you terrified of Sal or what?” I exclaimed in exasperation.

That got his attention, as I knew it would. “Fine, I’ll come in,” he grumbled, cutting the engine and following me into the house.

“You can make the couch comfortable for Sal tonight since that’s where he’ll be sleeping,” I told him.

He chuckled. “The man has his hands full, that’s for sure,” he grinned as I threw a blanket and pillow on the couch.

“Yeah, well, he’s no walk in the park,” I retorted, heading for the bedroom. “Night, Hank, thanks.”

“Night,” he replied, his eyes already glued to the TV.

I got ready for bed and went into our bedroom, locking the door behind me. Sure it was a little childish, but frankly, I didn’t give a shit.

My phone beeped with a text from Connie.

I heard Sal freaked, you okay?

I sighed. Of course, the entire club had probably heard us shouting at each other.

Yeah, I can handle him. How was Wes? And did you hear anything about Ettie?

She responded a second later.

Wes was pissed, but he got over it pretty fast. I mean, duh we actually ended up helping, bringing that second guy in! No word on Ettie. Call you tomorrow. XO

I sighed, throwing my phone aside, disappointed there was no news on Ettie.

I lay there for hours recounting our argument, seeing Parker’s bloodied face, wondering what Sal was doing right that very moment. And I thought about Ettie. I thought
a lot
about Ettie.

I felt like I’d just fallen asleep when I felt a weight depress the bed. I opened my eyes blearily finding Sal on his knees, his forearms braced on the bed.

“What are you doing?” I rasped, rubbing my tired eyes.

“Watchin’ you,” he murmured quietly. “You look so peaceful sleeping,” he commented, his tone nearly reverent.

“I locked the door,” I pointed out, confused.

He chuckled quietly and rubbed a hand over the whiskers of his chin. “Security specialist, remember?” he asked with a grin, pointing to himself. “And a five-year-old could jimmy that lock, baby.”

“Fine,” I grumbled. At least my intent had been clear.

He swept a hand over my hair, smoothing it back against the pillow. “I’m sorry I yelled at you, babe. I was freaked,” he admitted.