Page 12 of Pike’s Redemption

“Of course, man. I’m glad to be able to do it. You’ll be careful with Natasha.” He’d leaned forward on his knees, setting his drink on the table, his face set.

“I will,” I responded, looking him in the eyes when I made the promise.

The patio door clattered as Ronnie and Natasha came out onto the patio. Even though the sun had long sunk, the weather was still hot. Personally, I didn’t mind the dry heat of Arizona, even now, but I wondered what Natasha thought of it. Ronnie looked like she’d been sleeping, her eyes with blue shadows under them. I caught Dimitri eyeing her with concern. I didn’t know much about her other than she had come along with Natasha, but she didn’t seem as if she was the picture of health. I wondered if she was okay. She dutifully sat down, opened her laptop, and turned it to me.

“There, watch near the edges. By the car that’s parked there,” Ronnie said. “Should be at 6:17.” She clicked forward in the video, and I saw myself in the diner paying the bill and exiting. Sure as shit, I left, and someone crept out of the shadows and followed. “Here’s another angle. I’ve cobbled together frames from an ATM and a few security feeds, so they’re grainy and don’t catch everything.”

The security footage at the Duck was pretty good. Maddox had been furious about the security there after Helena was taken a few months ago. Since then, he had made sure that the cameras are state-of-the-art. However, when I walked out of range, there weren’t many options for good footage. Ronnie did a great job, though. Frame by frame, I saw myself getting on my bike and a mysterious figure following in a vehicle. They turned off at the Pit.

“Watch,” Ronnie demanded. Captivated by the video, I leaned forward, my eyes glued to the screen. Ronnie had every angle possible pieced together. The quality might not have been the best, but it was clear enough to see someone tailing me. My gut churned with a mix of anger and unease. Who the hell was this? And what did they want? It wasn’t clear enough for me to recognize them. They weren’t wearing a cut, and despite the heat, they had a hoodie on.

Natasha sat beside me, grounding me in a way I didn’t quite understand yet. She’d brushed her hair back out from that loose ponytail after the ride, and it hung in waves over her shoulders, brushing against the back of my hand. She glanced at me. “We need to figure out who that is.”

I nodded, my mind racing. “Any chance you can enhance this further? Maybe get a better look at the car or the person?” I asked Ronnie. It didn’t seem like it would be possible, but I figured I’d ask.

Ronnie shook her head, looking apologetic. “This is the best I could do with the footage available. But I have found this person following you in other locations.” What the actual fuck? I watched as she shifted windows, and additional footage played of me and that same figure slinking around. Who was that?

“You’ve done a hell of a job,” I said, appreciation lacing my tone. “I really appreciate that you’ve done all this.” My eyes stayed glued to the screen, watching as the figure seemed to lurk in the shadows, always just out of clear view. It sent a chill down my spine, knowing someone was watching me so closely without me even knowing. “I had no idea someone was following me.”

Natasha’s hand brushed against mine, bringing me back to the moment. “Whatever this is,” she ominously let that dangle for a minute. “We can handle it.”

I nodded, catching Dimitri’s glittering look. “Yeah, we can.”

“We need to tighten security around here, too, just in case they sniff around here.” He was thinking of Hollis and Olive. I suppose now Ronnie and Natasha, although I was pretty sure Natasha was capable. “Tiny will need to get back on protection duty.” I chuckled even though Dimitri glared at me. For a while, Dimitri had one of the men from the Iron Brotherhood following his fiance around as a protective detail to ensure her safety. It was overkill, in my opinion (and hers), but Dimitri was an overkill guy. Literally.

“Maddox needs to be updated, too. Asshole,” Dimitri grumbled. “You can’t keep him out of the loop on this shit.” Dimitri gestured wildly at the screen. I ignored him. I was an asshole. Who knew how I’d feel if I had a woman of my own? I kept my eyes from sliding to Natasha. She wasn’t mine. I repeated to remind myself.

Ronnie scoffed, “As if security needs to be any tighter around here. That’s a laugh. Natty and I are getting our own place. If we wanted to live in a prison, we’d be back home with Max.” My eyes went wide at her spunk. I’d thought her a little quiet if I was honest.

“That hurts. Right here.” Dimitri thumped his chest over his heart with a smirk.

Taking another swig of the fancy beer, I smiled at his antics. The bitterness of the beer matched the bitterness I felt at being targeted. “We need to find out who’s behind this and why they’re gunning for me. It’s weird that they are following me around.” I wondered if Natasha was planning on moving out of Dimitri’s place. That indicated a permanence that I wasn’t expecting. I wasn’t sure it was a good move either. Dimitri’s had the best security for them, especially if weirdos were around — like there obviously were.

“It is weird,” Natasha said.

“It’s interesting,” Ronnie mumbled, running her fingers over the keyboard. It was obvious that she did find it interesting, occupying herself with the video. She ignored the rest of us as if we weren’t there and went back to what she was doing.

The night air was warm, but it did nothing to soothe the cold knot of anxiety in my stomach. I glanced at Natasha, her face illuminated by the soft glow of the patio lights. She was tough, intelligent, and more than capable. But the thought of her being in danger because of me was almost too much to bear. What if this person was also watching her? That worried me for sure.

“Natasha,” I began, unsure of how to continue. “Be careful, alright? I don’t want you getting hurt because of me.”

She looked at me, her eyes softening for a moment before hardening again, those grey eyes turning flinty. “I can take care of myself, Pike. But I appreciate your concern.”

I grunted, not fully satisfied but knowing she was right. Natasha wasn’t some damsel in distress.

Dimitri stood up, clapping me on the shoulder. “Get some rest, Pike. We’ll regroup in the morning and figure out our next steps.” It was a dismissal, and I took it as such, grunting out a goodnight to everyone.

?

The Pit was hoppin’ when I strode in through the front. As I stepped through, a chorus of “Prez!” went up around the room. I lifted my chin in answer, accepted the back pats, and the eye-fucking from the women.

Typically, I spent most of my time between our warehouses and the road. Once a day, I made sure I came to the club to check how things were going. This was my time to handle business and give the guys a chance to see me or approach me if they wanted. I’d appear downstairs and then check that everything was as it should be. I wasn’t much for the crowded floor and the party vibe. If necessary, I could fake it with the best of them if it were required. The club liked the booze, the music, and the chicks. The Cobras ran fast as a club, but we kept a tight check under my leadership. I had no intention of getting caught with my pants down.

This went double if some asswipe was following me with any hope or prayer that they could get some upper hand on us. My VP raised a hand, beckoning me to join him at the bar. Ed Cross had been my vice president now with the Cobras for the last few years. He had been clutch when I became president. I wouldn’t have been able to make this whole thing work without him since he was more willing to be in the thick of the crowds than I was.

"Hey, Cross," I greeted as I approached the bar, the thumping bass and chatter of the Pit surrounding us. The Pit was a typical biker bar, rough around the edges, sticky floors, and loud. Somehow, I loved it even though the crowds made it difficult for me to tolerate on some nights.

Cross nodded, his sharp eyes scanning the room even as he raised his beer in a half-salute. He’d earned the VP spot with his hard work for the club and willingness to take on any task. When the time came, he’d make a great president.

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