Page 32 of Patch's Bride
When Patch finally looks at me, his jaw flexes. “Lynch is one of those men who doesn’t care who gets hurt as long as he can make money.”
I stare down at the laptop again and reach out one shaky hand to close the top. “I want to be in the room when you and your club brothers talk about it.”
“I’ll see to it,” he replies before pulling me into the circle of his arms.
I don’t know how to feel. I knew my stepfather wanted to traffic me. I just didn’t realize it was to bikers who intended to turn me into a cash cow.
***
We end up back at the clubhouse after the clinic closes up because Siege managed to get a meeting with the former club president of the Grave Diggers MC. I’m anxious about meeting a real one-percent biker. He’s an honest-to-goodness criminal. Patch keeps a hand on my lower back as we walk back to Siege’s office. He’s keeping me closer than usual. Maybe he’s got his own reasons to be wary about meeting this man.
The only sound as we approach the club president’s office is the low murmur of Siege’s voice as he finishes a call. Smoke is sitting in the corner scrolling through something on his tablet. Zen’s connected to the big screen on Siege’s wall, running some kind of data stream with lines of code that mean nothing to me.
There is a big easy chair near Siege’s desk with a man sitting there. Although he’s not wearing a cut, I have a pretty good idea who he is. It’s Marauder, formerly of the Grave Diggers MC. He’s large, and I can tell he was once muscular. Now he’s hunched over, holding one hand to his chest. One leg is twisted awkwardly to the side. There’s a cane leaning against Siege’s desk and a thick brace on his left knee. His gray-streaked hair is tied back in a greasy ponytail.
When Siege ends the call, he nods at Patch. “You brief your old lady?”
“Some of it,” Patch says cryptically.
Siege looks at me. “Beth, this is Marauder. Former president of the Grave Diggers MC. He’s not a friend of the club—more like a former enemy turned temporary ally. He’s here because he’s got history with Lynch, the same man who paid your stepfather a visit. We brought him in because if your stepdad’s dealing with his former club, whatever is going on between them is biggerthan the handshake and a package we saw exchanged on that door cam footage.”
Marauder clears his throat, voice deep and rough. “Lynch is slick. He’ll wait until he has the advantage and jump you while you’re not expecting it. He jumped me with two club brothers when I was still coughing up blood from pneumonia. That was the one and only moment he could have ever taken me down. That’s what in the fuck you’re dealing with here, so you’d best beware.”
Patch speaks beside me, voice low. “Based on the security cam footage, we think he’s involved with Beth’s stepfather now.”
Marauder nods. “Yeah. I saw the video you sent Siege. That’s Lynch.”
“Why?” My voice finally coming back, rough but steady. “What does Lynch want from me and my sister?”
Marauder shifts uncomfortably in his seat to face me. There’s a long pause before he answers.
“Lynch believes in three things,” he says. “Cash, control, and keeping leverage on every man he does business with. If your stepdad is anyone important and stupid enough to agree to any kind of business connect, no matter how small with the Grave Diggers, Lynch will look for ways to control the relationship. Pretty young daughters would be the first thing on his list of possible leverage.”
Patch says dryly, “That’s exactly what we’re afraid of.”
Marauder glances at me. “A woman with no parents, no real legal protection, and a tie to a rival MC… Lynch’s gonna see all that as an opportunity. He could do a lot with a woman like you. Forcing you to turn tricks would be the least of your problems. He could use you as leverage against your stepfather or theSavage Legion and keep sending body parts to this club until they agree to give up territory or pay tribute.”
Patch curses under his breath. Siege doesn’t move.
When the room goes silent, Marauder continues. “I don’t know what’s goin’ through that man’s mind, but if it’s what I think, it wouldn’t be the first time he did something like that. Lynch’s always said that every woman’s a gift that keeps on giving, right up until she stops being profitable. After that, he sells them on to the kind of men who are hard on their toys.”
Incensed, I shoot back. “Why women? Why not stick to guns or drugs?”
Marauder looks at me with something close to pity. “Lynch runs drugs, guns and a bunch of other dirty shit. He likes running whores because he likes wielding power over women. He can use them to blackmail important people. He knows that if he beats on them enough, women will do whatever he wants.”
I can’t help but ask, “You’re a one-percenter. Were you into all those things as well?”
His expression closes down. “I don’t answer to any man. Don’t think for a fuckin’ second I’m gonna answer to a woman.”
Looking at me, says roughly, “Stay where your people can see you at all times. You need to be aware that Lynch likes pretty girls who run. It excites his hunter instinct.”
I meet Marauder’s gaze directly. “I’m not anyone’s prey.” I state firmly.
Marauder gives me a small, curt nod. “Then you need to stand your ground with that asshole and do whatever it takes to protect yourself, even if that means killing him.”
After the meeting breaks up, Siege and Rigs stay behind. A short silence spins out in the room. Finally, Rigs speaks up. “You sure you want to do this today?”
Patch is standing against the wall with his arms crossed. He jerks his chin towards me. “Yeah, things are getting dangerous. We’ve put this off for far too long. I want the marriage finalized.”
