Page 42 of Savage Protector

“Like I said, our case has hit a wall. In order to fix this we need to go deeper. That’s where you come in. We need you to go undercover in the Mazzeo organization.”

“Which is why you and I stayed behind.”

He nodded. “We couldn’t take a chance anyone would recognize you. We need this operation to be as clean as possible from the start.”

“What’s the end game here?”

“Tel will go over the case details with you. In a nutshell. Someone’s been kidnapping women from the colleges. They disappear without a trace and we’re left holding our dicks and looking like assholes when we can’t find them.”

“This sounds like a case for the police or maybe the FBI. Someone with a lot more resources.”

Axel snorted. “If we’re left standing around looking like assholes, what do you think law enforcement tied up with red tape look like? Fuck them. Inefficient motherfuckers can’t do shit without approval and a mountain of paperwork to wipe their asses with. Why do you think our services have become so popular?”

“Bottom line it, Axel.”

He narrowed his eyes, still feeling dangerously close to punching his supposed best friend in the face. “Bottom line is, we’re going to get your girl free of this shit and then you’re going in. Immediately in. We've got some pretty worrisome deadlines on finding these girls too. What happens after that is going to be completely on you. We can’t provide much back up without blowing your cover or starting a war.”

“Fine. I get it. My survival is in my own hands. Got it. Now let’s find Izzy.”

When Houston tried to shove past Axel, he grabbed his arm and yanked him around. “I don’t think you’re getting this through your thick skull. What we’re asking you to do is likely to take months. Maybe longer. You have to be one-hundred percent committed to that and in order to do that, you’ve got to forget about everything and everyone else.”

Axel saw the moment the light came on for his newly returned club brother.

“And what happens to Izzy?”

“If we get her out alive, she’ll be taken care of. We’ve already acknowledged the danger she faces. She’ll become club property. JD thinks she might even be able to give us some intel on her father.” He let that sink in for a few seconds. “You, however, will walk away from her. No explanation, no goodbye. You just disappear and cut all ties. She won't be your old lady.”

“Fuck tha—”

“It’s the only deal. We can’t risk anyone knowing you’re with us. Or with her.”

“But—”

“This isn’t a fucking negotiation. That is the only deal you are going to get. Take it or leave it.”

They stood there facing each other for several long minutes, anger coming off Houston in vicious waves. Axel really wasn’t sure which way this decision would land and he wasn’t sure he cared.

Yes, they needed to find those missing girls and soon, but using Houston to do so was a risky move. While he wasn’t normally risk adverse, he definitely preferred to have the odds stacked a little more in his favor.

“Fuck you, Axel. You know I’m going to do it, what choice do I have? But you’ve got to promise me one thing.”

“I don't have to do shit. But I'm curious enough to listen.” He couldn’t wait to hear this.

“She doesn’t become a club whore. That’s where I draw the line. She’s not like that.”

“Jesus fuck, Houston. You think we force girls into that shit? Every woman here is here because that’s what she wants. They all know the score and they don’t care. They like fucking Wrath or they just like fucking. Your girl will be no different. I can’t promise you anything because what happens to her will eventually be one hundred percent her choice.”

“Except she won’t be able to leave.”

“Only because she will never be safe. Because of her father someone will always want to get to her. Especially him. That’s her burden of birth and no one can change that, not even us.”

Houston slumped his shoulders as if some of the fight left him. “Please don’t let her choose to be a whore. I need that.”

Axel knew he couldn’t make that promise, but he’d promised his Pres to get him on board. “I’ll do what I can, Hawkeye. I’ll do what I can.”

With that they shook hands and he left Houston with Tel. None of this sat right with him and he wasn’t about to sit around and celebrate.

He had his own connections and he wanted to get them working on the missing Mazzeo girl too. The sooner they took control the sooner he could get Houston the fuck out of here. He wasn’t as eager as JD to bring him back in the club. Ten years was a long damn time and they’d all changed just as much as they stayed the same.

Their fucking prince no longer belonged.

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