Sleepless Nights(5)
Blood freezes in my veins. “There is no way you’re about to tell me Victor is working for the mob. They sell drugs, and his sister is addicted to meth. He’d kill all of them before he’d join them.”
“I’m not sayin’ that. But he has become a very powerful man in Dallas. He’s up there with Uncle Barney and me.” Uncle Barney is the head of the mob here in Dallas. My mom’s brother, Uncle Greyson, works for him. Not like that though. He’s just the “family” doctor. He patches up bullet holes and knife wounds. He also delivers all the babies and does checkups for the children.
I feel confused because I don’t know how he could have become that powerful without the mob’s help or Carl’s. “What does that even mean? He hates everything the club and the mob stand for.”
Carl sighs and stands up. He leans against the desk and glares down at me. “That’s exactly the point. He joined forces with Talon Hartford. Whose father is runnin’ for President of the USA. Victor’s official job is bodyguard but he’s doin’ more than that. They’re cleanin’ up the streets of Dallas and the surroundin’ areas. They are slowly takin’ out the mob and now they’re after us.”
“What do you mean after you? After you how?” I feel my right hand come up to my throat but I don’t know if it’s for comfort or to choke myself. If Victor’s doing something to the club, I’m vulnerable here. They might hurt me just to get at Victor. I can’t believe he would do that and not protect me.
Carl moves around the desk to stand in front of me. I look up as he looks down. Then he delivers another blow. “He’s not puttin’ us in jail, he’s not doin’ anythin’ good. He’s killin’ off my men and the mob’s men.”
My entire body erupts in goose flesh. I feel the tingles all over and they aren’t good. I can see Victor doing that. Rage isn’t the only man I’ve been with that couldn’t hold his temper. Holes in the wall right next to where my head was. Slamming doors in my face. He never yelled though. Victor has a quiet anger, but it’s still anger. “Are you going to hurt me?” I whisper shakily.
Carl frowns at me and shakes his head. “No girl. You’re my son’s old lady. If you had done somethin’ to hurt the club or helped Victor hurt us, yeah, then I would have to hurt you. The only thing you did wrong was fall in love with Victor when you were a child. I can’t fault you for that. You fell in love with Rage too, and he’s no prize.”
“He was to me,” I say quietly to my lap. And he was, until we tore it all apart. “Then why am I on lockdown? I’m perfectly safe. Victor’s not going to hurt me.”
Carl gives me a sympathetic smile and shakes his head again. “Talon and Victor have a whole system. They can look any of us up and find out anythin’ they want to know. Bastard was attacked last night. He’s goin’ to live thank the lord, but he was hurt pretty bad. They knew his real name, Ashley. They knew how old he was. And since Talon has the police in his pocket, they won’t put Bastard in protective custody. Won’t even listen to us about what happened.”
I feel bad for Bastard, who is Sergeant at Arms for Wrath, but all I hear is they can find out anything personal. I start to get tunnel vision and all I can see is Carl’s face. “You’re holding me to piss him off. And you’re worried about Rage, about what Victor is going to do.”
“There’s more to it than that, girl. They blew up a car Chutney was supposed to be in. They are goin’ after our old lady’s and daughter’s. If they can’t get to us, they are goin’ after the females. You’re the only one who’s safe in all of this. You’re the only one who can talk to Victor without gettin’ hurt.”
“He tried to hurt Chutney? Why would he go after old ladies and daughters? What point would that have?” I slowly start to come out of my shock but after what Carl says next, I sail headfirst into it again.
“Because she knows things. Lola knows things. They think they are just as guilty. Hell, Lola is, because she does runs with Storm. They think that makes them fair gain because they aren’t stoppin’ the problem.” He bends down into my face where his breath hits my cheek. My chest rises and falls with great speed and I know the final blow is coming. “He can read the files, the papers. What do you think he’ll find out about you and Rage?”
“He already knows,” I whisper right before I fall to the ground. I’m in and out of it for a few minutes but I don’t miss the slamming of a door, dark blue eyes, and short blonde hair. Rough hands trail across my face and I whisper, “Damien…” and suddenly I’m back in high school.