Home > Vengeance Road (Torpedo Ink #2)(13)

Vengeance Road (Torpedo Ink #2)(13)
Author: Christine Feehan

“We don’t have even an inkling what state they’re in right now?” Keys asked.

“We have to figure Louisiana,” Czar said. “Half the chapter was left behind. Habit only brought some of us. Bridges and his son were pissed they didn’t get to go. I kept track of what was going on back there, just to be safe and Bridges became the chapter president, not that he had much of a chapter left to run. We shut down their trafficking ring, closed off every pipeline they had and gave the cops so much evidence on every chapter they’re still indicting members across every state.”

Code nodded. “There are warrants out on just about every member, especially the Louisiana chapter.”

“Bridges is a vindictive man,” Reaper said. “A straight-up coward and bully, but vindictive as hell. He thinks we were the ones to bring down Habit and Evan.”

“He might think that, but he can’t know we took their money or provided evidence to the cops,” Code said. “That’s impossible to trace.” There was satisfaction in his voice.

“He is vindictive,” Steele agreed. He knew him better than any of the others and he detested the man. “He’ll bring that chapter down even further than it has already fallen, and he’ll do it for his own gain. At least Habit had loyalty to his brothers and he understood what that is. Bridges only thinks of himself. He knew we had an aversion to those using young girls. I’ll bet any amount of money he kept Breezy’s age back on purpose.”

“You would have taken her anyway,” Czar said. He massaged the back of his neck, trying to ease the tension any conversation having to do with the Swords always put there. “You would have had no choice whether you wanted her or not. Any of us would have claimed her the moment we knew her real age.”

That was true, but for Steele there hadn’t been any choice at all. He would have protected Breezy with his life. Had Torpedo Ink not been on a vital mission, he would have killed Bridges and taken her out of there long before her father offered her to him. As it was, he felt guilt that he’d waited so long. They’d been so careful not to blow it, all of them despising the club they had to ride with, but making certain not to show it.

“Code, can you find out who his close friends are? I don’t recall anyone in particular other than his son. Look into his money. Make it difficult for him. Wipe out his account. He’ll have a secret one, money he stashes away, probably club money he’s taken and no one knows about,” Steele said.

“Will do,” Code said.

“If we take his money, it will make it harder for him to move all the time. Look into his past women as well. He didn’t have an old lady. Not even Braden’s or Breezy’s mothers. No one knows what happened to them, but he would definitely have no problem taking over a woman’s home if he knows any of them.”

“Grandparents? His mother and father?” Maestro said. “I never heard him talk about them, but if they’re alive, he might go to them.”

“I’ll look into that as well,” Code said.

“As soon as I can get information from Breezy, I’ll give you any names she might know,” Steele promised. “I’ve never seen her so scared.”

“I like the name Zane. Where did she come up with that one?” Alena asked.

Steele shook his head. “She talked about names once. I wasn’t into having kids. I don’t know the first thing about them, so I didn’t participate in the conversation. She mentioned several names and I just ignored her.” It had been right before she left. Right before he’d told her he didn’t want her around.

They’d never talked about love. She’d said it to him once and he hadn’t responded. He didn’t know how to respond. She’d never repeated the sentiment. He’d been gruff when she brought up having a family. He’d told her he didn’t want children and he’d cut off all conversation, including the choosing of names. Zane was Breezy’s choice.

“Did she know she was pregnant when she left?” Lana asked.

“It’s possible. Even probable,” Steele admitted, which made the things he’d said even worse. “I made such an ass out of myself. I should have been more careful in the things I said. I was so busy shoving her away, I didn’t think about how she was going to feel. I wanted her gone. Away from me. I’m too damned old for her. Away from her father and brother. Away from the war I knew was coming.”

“Stop beating yourself up,” Czar said. “You’re always the voice of reason. You’re the one who says we can’t change the past so let it go and figure out a way to undo the damage.”

That was easier said than done. Steele believed there was no changing the past and that one just learned from it and moved on, but now that it was his royal screwup, it wasn’t so easy. He glanced at Reaper. Their enforcer had managed more than once to put his relationship with Anya into jeopardy. Steele cringed a little trying to remember what advice he might have given.

He just nodded because the others seemed to be waiting for something. “We have to assume Bridges has some woman taking care of Zane. No way is he changing diapers or taking him to the toilet. He wouldn’t feed him or get him to bed at night. Neither would Junk.”

“How old would he be?” Player asked.

“Around two and a half. Just shy of that,” Steele answered, and his heart contracted.

“I’ll get looking for the women in his life,” Code assured. “Has Breezy even mentioned her grandparents on either side to you, Steele? Names? Where they might live?”

Steele wanted to kick himself. He’d never even asked. Had he asked her any personal questions? She certainly hadn’t volunteered any information about herself. Damn it, why hadn’t he asked? Because he didn’t think in terms of extended family. None of them did. There was so much to learn about relationships.

He shook his head. “Sorry, Code, no clue.”

Code shrugged as if it didn’t matter, but Steele knew not having any information made it all the more difficult for his brother to track down Bridges’s parents. Steele had been happy with Breezy, mostly because she was there to do every little thing for him. Give him everything he wanted. He’d never had that. He’d never once in his life, that he could remember, had anyone see to his every need. He’d selfishly been happy with that arrangement.

“Anything else?” He wanted to get back to her. He needed to see her in his bed. Make certain she hadn’t found a way to slip out. He’d left Fatei, the prospect he trusted most, just outside his door. Fatei had been in the same school with Gavriil, Czar’s brother, and it had been brutal. The man was dangerous, quiet, and he could be counted on. Steele hoped when the others showed up, those seeking entry into Torpedo Ink, Fatei would opt to stay with the original chapter. He didn’t want to lose the man. He knew the others felt as he did.

He heard the clock ticking on the wall and his gut tightened. Somewhere, across the country, his son, no more than a toddler, huddled alone without his mother, probably terrified. Most likely, he was crying himself to sleep, just like Breezy had most likely cried herself to sleep—if she slept at all. He wanted to leap up, get on his bike and ride, find his boy and bring him home to Breezy. He had no idea where to start.

“We’ll find him,” Alena assured softly and put her hand over his.

The others nodded. He looked around at them. These were the men and women he could count on. These were the men and women who would stand by him. They’d stand by his woman and their child.

“Thanks,” he muttered.

“Before we call it a night,” Czar said, “anything on the Demons?”

“I’m not certain what the Demons were looking for on us,” Steele said. “It was less of a cementing of relationships between our clubs and more of an information hunt. They brought their club girls and used them to try to pump us for personal information, at least it seemed that way to me.” He looked around the room for the others to confirm.

He couldn’t help cringing when he thought about Breezy looking on as he rose up out from under the three women who had partied with him so hard the night before. Her face, that beloved face, had shown hurt and betrayal. There was no excuse, he knew that. He’d tried numbing himself, believing he’d lost her. Believing he didn’t deserve her. He didn’t. That was the plain damned truth. He didn’t deserve Breezy and he never would. That wouldn’t stop him from claiming her or from keeping her because he was that big of a selfish bastard.

   
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