The One I Need (Snakes Henchmen MC 2)

With my Glock in my hand, ready to fire if needed, I look through the spy hole.

Assholes!

Why are they here at this hour?

I unlock the bolt on my door and open it to the four men standing on the other side. If I was anyone else, I'd be shitting myself right now. I mean, four Hulk-sized men in biker get up, tattoos and scars, standing on the other side of my door? Shit, it's a good job I'm used to all of this.

“What the fuck is that?!”

“So now you'll speak to me?” I say with a raised eyebrow while snapping the safety catch on my gun into place before sitting it in the drawer of the dresser next to my front door and closing it.

“I asked you a question.”

“Seriously, Jett, anybody would think you'd never seen a gun before.”

“Of course I have.” He takes a step toward me. “Point is, what the fuck are you doing with one?”

“What do you think I'm doing with one? Jesus, jackass.” I walk past them all and into my living room. They each follow me. “Wanna tell me why you four are in my house at this hour?” My eyes lock with Tank's for a second, before he turns away from me. Nice, now he can't even bear to look at me.

“You remember Hammer, right?”

How could I forget him? He seems older, though, more lines on his handsome face. I know why Ghost has brought Hammer here, he wants information on The Exorcist. But I have no idea why he's brought my brother here. I guess the VP would want in on the action.

“Of course, I do, my father introduced us all, remember?” I counter back.

“Don't play games with me!”

“Why?” I laugh. “What the fuck are you going to do, macho man? You think because I'm a woman I can't hold my own against someone like you?”

“Why you...” He makes a move toward me.

“Don't even think about it! I'll fuckin' kill you! Believe it, brother.” My eyes widen as my brother takes a step toward Ghost.

My brother is bigger than all of these men here, with the exception of Hammer. My brother has more power, he might be pissed that I'm here, but wouldn't let one of them hurt me. I smile inside. The boy I once idolized is still in there somewhere, still protecting me just like he used to.

“We didn't come here for this shit.”

“Then what did you come here for?”

“We came for some information.” That's the first time I've heard Hammer speak since that day he gave me the information The Exorcist needed to do the job. His voice is huskier than before. Months of grief have taken their toll on him.

I offer them all a seat and a beer before taking a seat myself, ready to hear what they have to say. “Ghost here seems to think you were the girl I met that day. The day...”

“The day you gave over information for a job you wanted The Exorcist to carry out?” He nods slightly. “So he told me earlier. Ever thought Ghost is losing his touch?”

“Are you her?” Hammer has eyes that would melt even the coldest heart. There's so much sadness in those brown eyes. He's a tough man, I see that, but there's such vulnerability there also.

“I thought Ghost was crazy when he mentioned it. But looking at you now, I see the kindness in your pretty eyes. The same kindness I saw in that woman's pretty eyes that day.”

Our eyes stay locked on each other for a moment. My heart is beating fast but I'm neither scared nor nervous. I imagine that man could take down an army should he wish it, but there's something about him that makes me feel safe. Just as he did that day, the day he travelled miles to meet me, a woman in disguise, a woman he would never recognize on the streets should he see her out of it. The day he looked horrified that a woman was collecting the information. He even told me a girl like me shouldn't be doing a job like that. His concern was nice, but not welcomed, as I told him that warm day.

“Nova,” I look to my brother, “It won't go any further than this room. Nothing you tell us will pass the four of us.” He points to each person. “Of all the people we work with, we are the ones you can trust the most with your life. I promise you.”

He has no idea of the secrets I hide. And there's no way I could possibly tell them who I really am. There are rules I live by. Just one person knows who I really am, it's easy that way because nobody really knows who he is either. If anybody knew who I really was they'd try anything to end my life. Most would have a reason to do so. But the fact remains that my anonymity is paramount.

But no matter what I say here, none of them will believe me. So I may as well give them what they want. Not everything, I'm not that stupid. But a little something that will sate them for now.

“You're my sister, Nova, there's no way on earth I would ever put you in danger.”

I know that deep in my heart. “Fine. Yes, I work for The Exorcist.”

Each man sucks in a hissed breath.

“Jesus Christ, Nova, you're twenty-two years old!”

“So? Jesus, Jett. I have seen things you can only imagine. You may have killed people, but...” I stop myself. I cannot let them know the truth. My brother maybe, but not the rest of them.

“But what?”

“But nothing. So you got what you came for, you can leave now. But make damn sure you tell nobody what I've told you.”

“I fuckin' told you!” Jerk. I really don't like Ghost. How dare he sit there boasting like this! “Wait till Shepard hears about this.”

“Wait till Shepard hears that you met with his daughter to hire a contract killer without wearing your cut so your club was unidentifiable. Hiding the truth of which charter you belonged to was very wrong.” I tsk mockingly while shaking my head like a preschool teacher telling off her pupils. “Anybody would think Shepard had forbidden you from hiring someone from the outside.”

From the look on his face, I'd say I've just hit the nail on the head.

“There are a lot of things you don't know about me, Ghost. You have no idea of what I'm capable of. Don't go thinking for one second you can use this against me. It might just be the last thing you ever do.”

“We don't kill or have our own killed unless...”

“I know the rules!” I snap, cutting him off. Of course, I know the rules, how fucking stupid does this prick think I am? “I'm not one of you, jackass. My father may be the president of The Snakes Henchmen, but I was raised by the president of the Devil's Hornets!”

I didn't see my brother get out of his seat, but I damn well fel

t him grab my upper arms and drag me from my seat. “What the fuck did you just say!?” He bellows in my face.

“I'm not one of them either, Jett! Those fuckers did vile things to me. Things that have taken years for me to get past. And I still haven't fully!” I feel my breath shudder in my chest. I'm angry right now. Ghost pushed me into this, I shouldn't have snapped and told them anything. I have never snapped before. I am well trained in the art of torture. Hell, I've been tortured to better teach me how to keep my damn mouth shut. So why the hell did I tell these men I worked for The Exorcist?

Because these men are your true family, Nova. You might not know them well, but you know you're safe with them.

I don't know how I know that, but I do.

I also know they won't say anything to anybody. If they ever do, I'll end them and their family without so much as a backward glance. Believe me, it's so very easy for me to do.

“Celia married Brett Collins, Butch was his road name.” Jett's eyes scan me and I can feel everyone else's eyes burning holes into me. “I told you that she killed him. After that, she left me and went on the run.”

“She did what?” My brother’s disbelieving voice penetrates my whole body, making me shake. I hadn't wanted to tell him that Celia had walked away from me. Leaving me to try and fend off those monsters yet again, but she had, and it took me two years to find her and get the truth out of her about my father and brother. “She left you?”

“Yes. The new President wanted her dead for what she'd done. She'd killed Butch and in their eyes, she had to pay for that. I was in the hospital and she didn't want to wait around for them to find her. It took me two years to find her. She knew then that if I could find her so could they. But she didn't know what I had become.”

“And what had you become, little sister?” His eyes are so full of sadness for me. I can see him fighting the tears. He doesn't know what I've been through other than Celia leaving me behind to face the wrath of those men, but he hurts for me just the same.

I can't trust these other men, I don't know them. And I don't really know my brother anymore, but he is my brother, my hero always in my heart. If I can trust anyone with my secret it's him.