Page 64 of Creed
“Any number of things. More than likely, they’ll want to use it to launder their dirty money.”
“How will they go about it?”
“Hard to tell. Might try to strike a deal or they’ll just muscle their way in.”
We stood there in silence for a moment, thinking about how bad this thing could really be. It wasn’t looking good. If the Bratva wanted in, they weren’t going to ask politely, and even if Sergei told them to fuck off, it wouldn’t stop with them sniffing around.
I stepped closer and looked him dead in the eye as I told him, “We’ll handle it. Whatever comes, we’ll handle it.”
His jaw tightened again, and I could hear the anguish in his voice as he said, “We built this place clean, and we’ve busted our asses to keep it that way.”
“And we’re not gonna let them or anyone else take that away,” I assured him. “You’re not alone in this. Remember that.”
His shoulders dropped a fraction. The weight of it all was still there, but there was slight comfort in knowing it wasn’t his to carry alone. I clapped a hand on his shoulder as I told him, “We’ll need to get with Preacher and let him know what’s going on.”
“Not yet,” he argued. “I want all the facts before I go to him, and I’d appreciate it if you’d do the same. I don’t want to get my mother worried until it’s needed.”
“I’m not one for keeping secrets.”
“I’m just asking for a few hours. A day at the most.”
“You have until the end of the day.”
“Understood.”
I could see it in his eyes. The fear. The anger. Most of all, I saw the stubborn resolve he had deep within that pushed him to protect what he and his brothers had built with their own hands and to keep the promise they’d made to their mother. He wouldleave the ghosts of their father’s choices behind, no matter what the cost.
“What about you guys?” Sergei sat down at his desk. “Heard anything from the girl or the two pricks who tried to take her?”
“Nothing from the pricks, and we won’t. Grim made sure of that,” I scoffed. “Not sure what happened with the girl. I’ve been by her place a couple of times, but there’s been no sign of her. The roommate got so freaked out by all this mess that she moved back in with her folks.”
“Can’t say I blame her.”
“No, but it makes it harder to track down the girl.” I shook my head. “I’ve got a feeling we might never find her.”
“And if you don’t?”
“Then, we don’t. I’d hoped that we might be able to help her out, or at the very least, make sure she didn’t run her mouth about anything she shouldn’t, but we can’t do either if we don’t know where she is.”
“She’ll turn up.”
“I thought the same for a while. Now, I’m not so sure.” I started for the door as I told him, “I’m heading out. Call me as soon as you hear something about your buddies.”
“Will do.”
I walked out of the casino, and after checking in with the guys, I made my way out to my bike. I was eager to get back to the house and to get things ready for my night with Devin. It had been a few weeks since that first weekend with her, and things had fallen into a steady rhythm I didn’t see coming.
We’d been to the clubhouse together a few times, and as expected, Preacher and the brothers treated her like she was already one of us. They didn’t take it easy on her. They teased and goaded like usual, but she handled it all with grace and a smile.
When we weren’t at the clubhouse or out for dinner, we were at her place with the kids. I didn’t mind. I enjoyed getting to know them, but they didn’t make it easy. Austin had that teenage glare down pat. He kept those arms crossed, and his eyes were always on me, daring me to slip up so he could write me off. I got it. Hell, I was that kid once, and I didn’t expect him to warm up to me overnight.
Chrissy was easier. She’d respond when spoken to and would even share a story here and there, but she hadn’t completely let me in. I wasn’t sure she ever would, but I was going to keep trying. That was all I could do.
But tonight, I didn’t have to worry about the kids.
They were off to their dad’s, so I had Devin all to myself. There would be no distractions. No tiptoeing around kids and their teenage moods. No worrying about what everyone wanted to eat and who didn’t want green beans. It was just going to be her and me, and I won’t deny that I was looking forward to it.
I planned to use every minute to remind her just how good this can be. Just how good we could be.
