Page 89 of Claim Me

“No, you had me the moment you said youwantedsomething. I need to give you anything and everything. You’re the man I’ve always craved, and I never want you to forget how happy you make me.”

Indigo offers me a relaxed smile as if he wasn’t put through the wringer today. I don’t know how he can cut himself off from pain like he does. I’ve never needed to be as strong. I grew up surrounded by rough people, yet I was allowed to have a tender heart.

I would probably be better suited for a boring man with zero danger in his life. Yet, to live a safe life would mean giving up the people who matter most to me.

INDIGO

The farm’s quiet feels disconnected from the battles taking place outside our sanctuary. I do notice more armed prospects keeping guard. When men leave the farm, they don’t go alone. A hint of menace fills the air.

Siobhan feels it, too, but she seems happy to have us all together. I know she misses living on the farm. For the next two weeks, we get to enjoy the serene beauty of a place we both called home.

I get updates from my friends about the war between the club and the cops. Houses blow up, cars burn, and a Brennan thug goes missing. Two of my club brothers get shot. One of them is in intensive care while Scarecrow is able to walk off his wounds. A few of our businesses get shut down by health inspectors. Two locations burn to the ground. The clubhouse takes damage in an arson attempt.

Up in the hills, Caveman shuts down a main road used by trucks in and out of Banta City. Without their normal access point, these massive convoys are rerouted, making traffic worse. A few less legal shipments are hijacked on these new routes, costing various criminal organizations money.

Legal shit goes missing, too, as local gangs grab whatever they can. Backed-up traffic prevents one rich fuck from accessing a hospital in time to save his life.

Pressure builds fast in a city known to run smoothly. The mayor orders city maintenance to get the road back open in the hills. Every time a tree is removed, another one drops somewhere else on the route. A few maintenance crews get fired upon by snipers in the woods. The governor begins to hint the Banta City mayor needs to resign.

While the city’s criminal factions battle, the local prosecutor shows up to interview Siobhan and me. Our lawyers report the district attorney got orders to make an example out of Tommy Brennan. A day after the prosecutor’s visit, the feds show up, investigating the incident and “possible corruption” within the police department.

Aunt Fred instructs me to complain a lot about my pain and seem confused about that day. The feds are well aware of the corruption in Banta City, just like they know the cops used to have an alliance with the Backcountry Kings and the Kovak Syndicate.

“They aren’t here to help us,” she warns.

With her pushing me to act clueless, I’m surprised when Aunt Fred asks me to accompany her to a meeting with Roman Kovak at Verge Casino.

“If the Syndicate wants us to stand down, I’d like you to be there to remind them how we don’t cut our people loose.”

Though Siobhan wants me to stay hidden with her, she doesn’t complain when I agree to go.

After lunch, Aunt Fred and I ride in an SUV driven by Pork Chop. Bear, Tack, Sync, Noble, and Golden escort us from the farm.

Arriving at Verge, we take the secure elevator up to the top floor where Roman’s office is located. The doors open up to reveal a dozen members of the Kovak Syndicate. Despite our long alliance with these people, tension hangs in the air.

Aunt Fred must feel it, too, because she signals for Noble to let her take the lead. He falls back so she enters Roman’s office first.

Noble gestures for Bear, Tack, and me to join the meeting while the others wait in the hallway with the Syndicate men.

Roman Kovak looks a lot like his dad with dark hair and sharp eyes. He’s always seemed cold to me, but I don’t know Natasha’s brothers well. Roman puts on a semi-warm expression as he walks around his large black desk to greet Aunt Fred.

They engage in a little chitchat involving his health. Roman took several bullets to the chest during the attack on his family’s convoy. The Kovak family reeked of weakness for a short time. His father was forced to retake control of the Syndicate while Roman healed up. I can’t help wondering if the cops would have behaved better if the attack never happened.

Aunt Fred sighs. “The last few years have been rough for us all.”

“True,” Roman says and glances at Bear. “But there have been blessings like my baby niece being the spitting image of her mother.”

Bear doesn’t react to Roman poking at him. Meanwhile, Noble stands overly close to Aunt Fred. Whatever he senses puts me on edge.

“You seem upset, Roman,” Aunt Fred says, cutting through the bullshit. “You wanted an audience, and we’re here.”

Roman crosses his arms and rests his ass against his desk. “The Brennan family came to you with an offer to overthrow the Syndicate.”

“Yes.”

“Did you ever plan to share that information with us?”

“No.”

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