Page 10 of Jaded Red

“Fuck yes! Women, beer and more women. I’m down.” Dagger chimes in. I walk into the garage attached to the Clubhouse, ignoring the three stooges following behind me.

I open the door to my room and flip the lights on. Closing the door, I remove my cut, wallet and gun, setting them on my nightstand next to the head of my bed. I strip my bloody shirt over my head and toss it in the corner. Next, I remove my boots and jeans until I’m down to my boxer briefs. Walking into the bathroom, I take a long hard look at myself in the mirror.

Am I worth all the trouble?

Will Nadia even want me after she finds out who I am?

Will this last once I have her here?

She deserves so much better than me. Should I let her go?

Will she want to go?

My eyes land on the purple butterfly on my right pec. Nadia asked me about it once but I refused to answer her. She didn’t need to know it was a representation of my dead girlfriend, Tanya. Purple was her favorite color and she loved butterflies. She died before she could spread her wings, so I got the tattoo to remember her. Even though Tanya haunted all my headspace until Nadia came into my life, I still got the tattoo. I shouldn’t have been a dick and told Nadia about it. She means somethingto me and I should have told her everything. Should have, could have, but didn’t.

I clean up the cuts on my face and get into the shower. The hot water washes away the dried blood and relaxes my muscles. Nolan gave as good as he got. I have a black eye and busted lip, but it was worth it to honor the woman I care for. Images of Nadia in the shower at the hotel flash through my mind in full force. Her full chest, small waist and glistening core soaking wet as I fill her. Her sweet moans bounce off the walls as I plunge inside of her heat, clamping around me as she comes. I lean my head against the cool tiles and calm myself down. I’m rock hard, wanting a release. I won’t relieve myself until Nadia is back home safe in my arms. I need to keep feeding the anger and aggression so I can do my job and find her.

Turning off the water, I grab a towel and dry myself off. I’m still painfully hard but I do everything I can to make it go down. Once I have control of myself again, I get dressed and head to my communications room. I grab my laptop and lock up behind me.

When Monica, Blayze’s Ol’ Lady and Daisy, who is now Torch’s Ol’ Lady, got it in their heads to search for Danyella when she was missing, I didn’t lock up this room and they broke in. Not used to having anyone here except the patch bunnies, I didn’t think about it. Well, because of my mistake, Daisy was shot and almost died. Capone came down on me pretty hard but didn’t put me to ground because Danyella was home safe. That was my saving grace. Since then, I have made sure to lock up this room and set an alarm that alerts my phone if anyone steps foot in here without me knowing.

I put my phone in the glittery box that Rose, Nina and Aerial made and enter the Chapel. Everyone’s already here and Capone signals for me to take my seat. I do and as I fire up my laptop, Capone slams his gavel on the table and speaks.

“Brothers, we have a lead on where Nadia is. According to Red’s intel, she’s being held in a motel next to the strip club Slammer Joint. Allura, the president of our sister chapter Royal Harlots, has agreed to help. She will be here in an hour with Calypso and Iris." Capone levels me with a glare as he speaks the next part. “Nolan, Krimson and their crews will help too. No thanks to you, Red.”

Relief washes over me, and I breathe easier. But Capone isn’t done yet. “You will tell Nolan everything about Nadia. You fucked up today, Red, so now you have to fix it. They’ll be here in ten minutes. Once they get here, we’ll continue. Until then, do we have any other pressing issues, concerns, problems or comments we need to have?”

Capone opens the floor for everyone to speak but I tune them out as I think about what I’ll say to Nolan-fucking-Ryan. How can I make him see why I was so pissed? Thankfully, he is helping but I’d still do this without him. So, fuck him. If this works out with Nadia, Nolan-fucking-Ryan will become my brother-in-law. Holy fuck, where the hell did that come from? I’m not ready to be married or make Nadia my Ol’ Lady. As soon as the thought enters my head, I know I’m lying to myself. I would do everything to make Nadia mine. She will be my Ol’ Lady wearing my patch and my brand. My body comes alive thinking about her delicate bronze skin marked with my brand, being my Ol’ Lady. Nothing or no one will stop that from happening. Nadia is mine.

A knock on the Chapel doors echoes through the room snapping me out of my thoughts of Nadia. Tiny opens the door to Seth, Jezebelle’s son, who is one of the prospects, on the other side. Krimson and Nolan are behind him.

“Sorry, Tiny. They said they have business with Capone.” Seth chucks a thumb behind him at the duo.

Tiny growls low in his throat making Seth swallow hard. We give the prospects shit and a tough time to make sure they can handle whatever is thrown at them. We do this to build up their character and make sure they will always have our backs and we can trust them implacably. “Move.” One menacing word has Seth scurrying away fast.

Nolan and Krimson come into the room and Tiny shuts the door behind them. They’ve been here before so they know the drill.

Satisfaction settles through me seeing Nolan-fucking-Ryan’s face. His lip is split and his left eye is black and blue, making me smirk. He narrows his eyes at me but I don’t waver in my stare. I’m not scared of Nolan-fucking-Ryan, even if others are.

Capone stands addressing Nolan and Krimson. “Are you in?” Those three little words have us all holding our breaths for an answer.

Nolan tosses the picture of Nadia and their dad on the table. “Is this real?”

“Yeah, it is,” I respond through clenched teeth. Capone knocks on the table as a warning for me to explain further. The tension in the room is at explosive levels. Releasing a huff, I fire up my laptop and pull Nadia’s information up. I know it by heart but, it still seems like the first time as I read it aloud.

“Nadia Louise Ryan, born August sixteenth, nineteen ninety-eight to Andrew Ryan and Renee Lopez in Venice Beach, California. Renee Lopez died when Nadia turned eighteen due to a drug and alcohol overdose. Nadia took a trip across the US after her mother died and ended up in Michigan for a little while. Then she came back to Los Angeles and stayed hidden from her father for years. She entered the racing circuit and was pretty damn good. Good enough to gain your crew’s attention, Krimson. Only no one knew who she was because she used a fake name, Tatianna.” I turn my laptop toward Nolan andKrimson, showing Nadia standing next to a purple Supra with Rush standing next to her. They’re in a deep conversation. “Did she find you when she went to Michigan?” I ask Nolan.

He shakes his head, no. “That’s the time Xavier and Izzy had that stalker and I was focused on helping them and not some girl hanging around the track.” Krimson is shocked and walks out the door. We let her go because we know she is looking for answers.

“Well, she knew who you two were, which is probably why she gave Rush a fake name and turned down his offer to drive for them. She didn’t want to expose who she was. She was probably afraid you were just like your old man. An arrogant asshole who mentally abused her her whole life. See, Nolan, I went to her school and found some kids she graduated with. Every single one of them said Nadia’s father, your father, was abusive toward her. Always made her feel less than worthless. When she told some of her classmates she was leaving and not coming back, they were relieved she’d be out of that house.”

“Fuck,” Nolan runs his hands through his blond hair. “Why didn’t she come to me? Why did she stay away?”

Sympathizing with Nolan, which is something I don’t want to do, but the look on his face is devastating, I turn my laptop around. “Help us get her back and ask her yourself.”

“I’m in. What do I need to do?” Nolan responds with no hesitation.

“Good,” Capone says as Krimson comes back in.

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