Page 12 of Sinful Lies
Chapter 6
Tank
We park our bikes infront of the pretentious entryway of the grand ballroom in case we need to make a fast getaway. Ignoring the ramblings of the pissed off valet and the stares from invited guests, we stomp past them and up the staircase towards the glass paneled doors. In a perfect world, you wouldn’t catch me dead in a place like this. Our kind don’t rub elbows with people like this. The self-righteous who think they are superior to anyone who isn’t them, but the world isn’t perfect. Dia is inside, surrounded by douchebags and filthy money. I won’t let them keep me from her a minute longer. Too much is riding on this. It’s not just my heart on the line, it’s the lives of hundreds of innocent girls being sold into sex trafficking by the man she shares a bed with. The thought of Dia fucking that man makes me cringe.
A security guard dressed in a black suit steps in front of the doorway, blocking our entry. “You’re not on the guest list,” he insinuates, without even looking over the list the flustered woman next to him is holding. “I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
“Check the list again.” The rumble in Chainz’s voice has sent lesser men running, but this man refuses to back down. I was already in a foul mood and my impatience is growing by the minute. The longer this asshole stands in our way, we lose the element of surprise. In two seconds, I’m going to move him myself.
A beat later, Cal Carracci steps into the hallway, exuding a confidence that only comes from indisputable power. The man visibly trembles when Cal’s hand lands firmly on his shoulder. “These men are with me.”
The guard lower’s his death glare, “Sorry, Mr. Carracci.”
Cal was destined to rule the Carracci family from an early age, even before he had any knowledge of what his family was. Marrying Brie sealed their fates. Now, they rule over the East Coast families together with an iron will, the way they were always destined to. Even the strongest men cower when faced with their wrath. Cross him and he will be your judge, jury and executioner. No one fucks with his family and the Krymson Destroyers are family.
Chainz and Cal go way back. Chainz’s stubbornness almost got him killed and the Krymson Destroyers left without the best damn President we’ve ever had. Luckily for us, Cal was there to save his life. He’s been there for us ever since and has gotten our club out of many tough spots. In return, he has an army of muscle at his disposal. It’s a partnership that provides us with unlimited access anywhere we want to fucking go and right now that’s inside this stuffy black-tie affair.
“Relax, Carl. Mistakes happen, but only once.” Cal removes his hand from the man’s shoulder and the guard slinks back. “Let’s shake this party up.”
We follow Cal inside, our dirty boots trek across the white marble floor. I inventory my surroundings, scanning the faces for my target. Everyone is impeccably dressed, mingling among themselves, sipping champagne and making idle chitchat.
Fuel lets out a low whistle, “Talk about out of place.”
As we move further into the room, people turn and stare. I can hear their low chatter as they talk among themselves about the riffraff that’s clearly out of place in this crowd.
Cobra adjusts his shirt, cocking his brow at a leggy blonde whose date hooks his arm around her waist and tugs her into his side. “If anyone wants to slum it for the night, I’m available.”
Her eyes follow Cobra’s movement, her tongue wetting her lips as he strides by. We’re causing a scene, but none of us gives two fucks if our unwanted presence makes them uncomfortable. I growl and cut my eyes at Fuel and Cobra. “Not here to get your dicks wet, we’re here to find Dia.”
“How the hell did you wind up with a woman so far out of your league?” Fuel asks, while his head swivels side to side, checking out the women.
“Long story.”
My heart slams against my chest when I spot Dia standing with a small circle of women on the opposite side of the room. Nothing could have prepared me for this moment. I was missing my girl with her hair a mess and tight jeans. She’s all woman now and a fucking hot one at that. Her long, dark lashes sweep up, drawing her focus my way. Recognition flashes across her flushed face and my cock stirs to life. The emotion in her eyes tells me more than words ever could. She misses me too. The last time I saw her, we were just two reckless kids living on borrowed time and love. Our time ran out, separating us for ten agonizing years, but not even time can erase the pull between us. It’s as if a magnet locked onto me and was pulling us both forward.
My gaze dips from Dia’s beautiful face, over the curves of her breasts and the contour of her hips and along the lengths of her legs. Her blonde hair is longer than it used to be, but the penetrating blue of her eyes is as hypnotic as they’ve ever been. Her body is even more tantalizing than I remembered, but my first instinct is to throw my cut over her shoulders to hide the exposed skin her dress shows. A smirk spreads across my face as she takes a rushed step toward me. She’s wearing riding boots under her fancy dress, which tells me there’s still a hint of the girl I used to know.
I left Dia behind all those years ago because she didn’t deserve to live a life on the run. Even though I’m not running anymore, I’m not a good man. Hell, I don’t even try to be. It’s not fair to pull her into my world, but I can’t calm the urgency smothering me. I want to take her in my arms and make her succumb to my will. She has always been my girl and as I stand here staring at her, everyone in this room knows she still is and will always be. Including her.
My eyes don’t waiver from her intense stare. Her eyes are captivating, devouring my soul in their depths. The distance between us shrinks as we move through the crowd, closing in on one another. There’re too many people in this room standing between me and the only woman I have ever loved. I all but shove them out of the way to get to her faster when an aging man steps in between us with one heavy brow slanted in strong disapproval. I almost don’t recognize him at first. He looks different from the last time we faced off. Hard lines crease his forehead, and strands of silver and white dust his thinning hair. Not even age can soften the monster hiding under the surface.
His empty eyes narrow on me. “You and your friends are not welcome here, Reed.”
I wear my strength on my face like armor, but as I stare the old man down, it slips for just a moment. I roll my shoulders back, stretching to my full height, the muscles in my arms bulging under my cut. “Don’t worry Pop, I’ll leave after I talk to Dia.”
Nothing will stop me this time. Not even the threats he’s held over my head for the past ten years. I’m not a scared teenager anymore. I’ve found myself and with that comes a godly power and I will strike him down if the opportunity arises.
“Stay away from her. She doesn’t need you making a mess of her life again.”
“She doesn’t or you don’t? The way I see it, old man, it’s you that makes a mess of everyone’s life. Step back or I’ll make you move.” I raise my eyebrow in warning. As the rest of the club line up behind me, a silent understanding passes between my estranged father and me. With the support of the men at my back, I can face my past head on. He holds no power over me anymore. Even if the police come barreling through the door to arrest me for murder, it was worth it. He sizes us up and excepts his defeat.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” he says as he steps aside.
“I’m doing what I should have done ten years ago and this time I won’t let you destroy it.”
With my path now clear, I continue to press through the crowd. I took my eyes off of Dia for a moment and now I can’t find her. I grunt in frustration as I scan the room, continuing to stalk in the direction I last saw her. The crowd parts in front of me, clearing my path. That’s when I spot her trapped between the wall and the man looming over her. The sight of his hand wrapped around her wrist ignites a firestorm. They are too far away to hear their exchange, but I can see the tears she’s holding back. My hands ball into fists at my side and red flashes before my eyes. The man drops his hand and Dia turns, running off down the hall at the back of the room. When he turns around, I recognize him immediately. Ben Cross. I don’t give a fuck if they’re married; she didn’t want his hands on her, and that’s reason enough for me to pound his ass into the ground. He’s no good for Dia, and I have the proof he’s dirty as fuck.
I snatch a glass of champagne from the tuxedoed server passing by and slam it back in one swallow. I need to calm my temper before I explode and blow this plan out of the water. As much as I want to snatch Dia up and drag her back to the compound with me, she’s right where she needs to be. If I want her to be or not. The club has to come first, and my task is to get information on Ben.
Ben clenches his jaw, the anger on his face unmistakable as he dials a number on his phone. Cal steps to him, snatching the cell from his hand and places it on a nearby table. Ben protests, but Cal ushers him towards the bar. “Let’s talk money, Benjamin.”
I can see the dollar signs flash in Ben’s eyes and everything else on his mind falls away. The other members of the club surround him. We want him on edge. Desperation will lead to mistakes, and with a little push, he’ll lead us to Mikhail Vladimir.
I swipe Ben’s phone from the table as I pass by and hand it off to Hound a few feet away. “Do your thing, brother.”
“Sure thing.” He grins and slips it into his pocket, continuing to glide through the crowd to find a less crowded place to download the phone’s contents.
I turn the corner, exiting the grand ballroom and head toward the bathroom. I watch Dia slip inside and lean against the wall, waiting for the men exchanging stock tips in the hall to clear out. A moment later, two ladies come storming out of the bathroom mumbling about the ‘crazy bitch’. I laugh out loud as they pass me by.That’s my girl.
With a death grip on the door handle to the ladies’ room, I pause as Reaper takes his place at the far end of the hall to ensure our privacy. She’s leading me away, and I want to know why.
