Vexing Victor (The Adamos Book 4) Read online

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Shouldn’t that cause, I don’t know, critical mass or something? A singularity event?”

  Gina bursts out laughing. “You’re gonna fit right in here,” she says, and warmth fills my chest, followed by a sharp pang. I try to suppress it, but from the sympathy I glimpse in her eyes, I suspect she knows exactly what I’m feeling.

  Cocking her head toward the door, she listens for a moment. “Sounds like everything’s quiet out there. Alpha summit concluded, for the moment anyway.”

  5

  Aching For More

  She puts her hand on the door, but turns back to me instead of opening it. “The other thing I wanted to tell you is, I ran away when I was fourteen.”

  I blink. “Away from home?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I’m sorry,” I say, not sure what else is appropriate, or why she’s telling me something so personal. But she doesn’t leave me guessing.

  “Thanks. Things are better — a lot better — since I met Carlo.” She tilts her head toward the living room. “The point is, whatever mess you’re in the middle of, no one here is going to be shocked, or think less of you for it.”

  She goes out then, and I follow her, my mind whirling with too many thoughts. When we get to the living room, Carlo’s taken up position in a big, comfy recliner adjacent to the sofa. Gina joins him, sitting sideways on his lap with her head against his chest.

  The whole process happens without them saying a word, with the ease of familiarity. This must be their standard arrangement, cuddled together in the chair. I get that squeezing in my chest again.

  Vic — Victor Adamo, according to Gina’s intel — is watching me, a challenge in his eyes. He’s just daring me to sit anywhere but right next to him, where I was before. I don’t feel like wrestling with him in front of Gina and Carlo, so I narrow my eyes to signal that I’m doing it under protest, and wedge myself into the corner of the couch, putting as much space between us as possible.

  Ignoring him, I keep my body angled slightly toward the recliner and my eyes on Gina. Her mouth is twitching again, but she doesn’t say a word.

  Carlo says to me, “Okay, doll. What you need to know from our end is that some of my guys clocked you on the interstate with a horde of bikers on your tail.”

  I shift a little, uneasy at what I know is coming. “Your guys?”

  “I run a private investigations firm that also does security. My men and I keep an eye on everything that goes on around here.”

  “Everything?” I say, my eyebrows shooting up. Carlo gives me a look, and I shut up. Right now, intentionally or not, he’s in the scary zone.

  “Don’t take that too literally,” he says. “We’re not breaking any laws or spying on people, shit like that. Just keeping our finger on the pulse of the town.”

  “Okay.”

  “We gave Vic a heads up that you were close to Revved. When you made a break for the restaurant, I told him to bring you here because it was the closest place we could get you out of sight.”

  Smart. Way smarter than me trying to take refuge in a restaurant full of people when I’ve got a bunch of angry outlaw bikers after me. “Thanks,” I say softly. His eyes get warm, and I suddenly understand why Gina jumped him.

  I smile at him, and the next moment Vic takes my hand. “Excuse us a minute,” he says, and tugs me to my feet. Not wanting to make a scene, I let him lead me out the other end of the living room, back the way we came when we first entered the house.

  When we’re in the room with the stairs and the door leading outside, he backs me up against a wall. My pulse is beating too fast; his gaze brushes over the spot in my neck where I can feel it pounding, and it speeds up even more.

  “You wanna play games with me when we’re alone, that’s all right,” he says softly. “You try to jerk me around using other people as a buffer, that won’t fly.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say, but it comes out all soft and breathy, because he’s too close and I can’t get enough air into my lungs.

  He leans down until his mouth is almost touching mine. “You know exactly what I’m talking about, sunshine. I don’t know what you’re used to, but I’m not some wet-behind-the-ears college boy you can manipulate.”

  “I’m not manipulating you!” I hiss in an undertone.

  Vic doesn’t answer, not with words. He kisses me. I’m expecting an angry kiss, but instead it’s soft and slow and thorough, and my whole body melts until I’m aching for more.

  6

  Before I Left Town

  “No more games,” he says when he lifts his head. “No more lies.”

  “Vic,” I say helplessly.

  He kisses me again, harder this time, nipping at my lower lip until I gasp, then sucking on it. “Like it when you say my name, babe.”

  I’m wet again, needy, desperate. “I can’t do this,” I tell him. And I can’t, for so many reasons, but I don’t have the words to explain.

  “Yeah, you can. Because I’m gonna be with you every step of the way.”

  Before I can ask him what that means, he’s guiding me back to the living room. When we sit down again, it’s with my back to his chest and his arm around my waist, both of us turned at an angle to face the other couple on the couch.

  I’m still dazed. My lips feel swollen, and I’m certain everything that just happened is written on my face, but Carlo and Gina don’t mention it. No teasing, no complaints, no questions.

  “Your turn,” Carlo says to me. “We’ll help you out with these guys, but we need to know what’s going on. First things first; what’s your name?”

  “Frankie Zanetti,” I say again, with no hesitation this time.

  “Francesca,” Victor says behind me, like he’s tasting my name.

  A shiver runs down my spine. “Yeah, but nobody calls me that.”

  “I’m gonna call you that,” he says into my hair. “Frankie’s not pretty enough for you.”

  My face burns hot, and I’m speechless. Fortunately, Carlo isn’t. “Why is the Serpents MC after you, Frankie?”

  I blink. “You know who they are?”

  “I do now. Wolf rode out to meet them. Wolf Calhoun,” he adds before I can ask. “He leads Firestorm, the MC around here. The Serpents are on their turf, so they needed to explain the lay of the land to them.”

  My eyes widen. “The Serpents are an outlaw club. They’re one percenters.”

  Carlo just nods. “Wolf can look after himself,” he says. “And we’ll have his back if need be. We need to know what their beef is with you.”

  I can’t evade anymore. Taking a deep breath, I steel myself. Vic’s chest, broad and strong and warm behind me, feels like a bulwark in the storm. I hope Gina’s right, and he’s not about to turn on me.

  “My dad owns—” My voice cracks. “Owned a bike shop. Zanetti’s. The biggest one in three states. Clubs came from all over to get their rides from him.”

  Carlo nods at me, and I take another breath and keep going. “The Serpents ordered five custom bikes from him, then refused to pay what they’d agreed to. When Dad refused to deliver the bikes, they broke in, took the ones they’d ordered and a few more besides, and then torched his shop.”

  “Oh my god,” Gina says softly.

  “Dad went to the police but they wouldn’t do anything. The Serpents have paid them off or something. I don’t know. I just know they said there was no proof and they refused to help.

  “So Dad went to confront them.” Gina stares at me wide-eyed, waiting horrified for what comes next. “I begged him not to go, but he wouldn’t listen.”

  Vic’s arm tightens around my waist. “Your mom?” he says quietly.

  “She died when I was little. It’s always been just the two of us.” Grief and rage flood me, and I blink back the tears before they can fall. “He went to their compound and they shot him.”

  Gina gasps, her own eyes bright with tears. “I’m so sorry, babe,” Vic m
urmurs, and presses a kiss to my hair.

  “I almost got myself arrested when the cops came to tell me. There were two of them, and the one who did the talking was an asshole. He must be on the Serpents’ payroll. I lost my mind and went for him, but the other cop stopped me. He held me back and made the asshole guy go outside, and then he told me he was sorry and I should get out of town for my own safety.”

  Carlo’s eyes narrow slightly. “So that’s why they’re after you? Because of your dad?”

  “No. They’re after me because before I left town, I burned down their compound.”

  7

  Already In It

  “Holy shit!” Gina says. Carlo doesn’t say anything, but I could almost swear I see satisfaction in his eyes. Vic gives me a squeeze; it feels like comfort, or support, and it steadies me.

  And then I tell them the final thing. “Before I burned it down, I ransacked their safe.”

  Carlo’s eyebrows reach for the ceiling. “They have an alarm system on their place?” I nod. “So you bypassed their alarm, broke in, and cracked a safe. Gotta say, doll, in my line of work, I know that’s not a simple thing to do. Where’d you learn that?”

  My face gets warm again. “I, uh, wasn’t a very good student.”

  “You mean school bored you,” Vic says.

  “Yeah,” I agree, surprised that he understands. “I tried, but it wasn’t a good fit. So I spent a lot of time studying … other stuff that interested me.”

  Carlo looks like he’s fighting a smile. “Breaking and entering interested you?”

  “No,” I say, blushing harder. “Not the criminal part of it; I didn’t actually go around burglarizing people. I’ve just always liked figuring out how things work.

  “I grew up helping my dad fix bikes and cars, and then I branched out into stereo equipment, electronics, stuff like that. Somewhere along the way, I got interested in locks and keys, and that led to safes.”

  He nods thoughtfully, like that makes perfect sense. “I guess the big question is, what’d you find in their safe?”

  “Money, which I took. I haven’t spent a penny of it, and I’m not going to, but I wanted to hurt them any way I could.” I swallow. “And I stole their books.”

  His gaze sharpens. “Like accounting ledgers?”

  “Yeah, only it’s not just money in there. I think it’s documenting a bunch of the dirty stuff they’re up to.”

  Vic tenses behind me, and Carlo’s already on his feet. “Where are they?”

  “I hid them in my car.”

  “Let’s get ’em out of there pronto and someplace safe until we figure out what to do with them.”

  I don’t know these people, but all my instincts say I can trust them. At least I think that’s what they’re saying. I hope it isn’t just my fear talking, and the fact that I have to trust someone.

  We all go out back. “Nice car,” Carlo says, eyeing the turquoise classic Mustang.

  “Thanks.” I shouldn’t have brought it; it’s how they found me. But my dad got me that car for my sixteenth birthday, and we restored it together. I couldn’t bear to leave it behind.

  Vic gives me the keys, and I unlock the car and climb in and lift up the rear seat. Reaching inside, I haul out two heavy bags and hand them over before I replace the seat.

  The guys carry them into the house and look inside, then at each other. “I’ve got a safe upstairs,” Carlo says. “That’ll do until we can arrange something more secure.”

  He and Gina go upstairs, leaving me with Vic, who doesn’t seem that bothered that I’m an arsonist and a thief. Unless he’s pretending until he can get rid of me.

  He picks up the soda he grabbed from me earlier and hands it to me. I don’t meet his eyes as I take a sip, embarrassed all over again by what happened earlier. The silence as we wait feels awkward, or that could just be me.

  It takes a few minutes longer than necessary, it seems to me, for our hosts to reappear. When they do, Gina’s skin is flushed and it’s my turn to hide my amusement. She catches my eye, her expression half sheepish, half satisfied, and gives me a wink. I can’t help grinning at her.

  “Right,” Carlo says, taking charge again. “Your car stays here; it’s too recognizable.” I know he’s right, but it still gives me a pang. “And you can’t be wandering around town, either. Given the circumstances, the Serpents aren’t gonna just back down.”

  I stare at the floor. “Maybe I should go. None of you need to be mixed up in this.”

  “Too late, sunshine,” Vic says. He comes to me and slides his arms around me; it’s a gentle hold, but I know it would turn to iron if I tried to break free. “We’re already in it, and you’re not goin’ anywhere.”

  8

  Panda Wallpaper

  “I don’t want anyone getting hurt because of me,” I tell him.

  “What kind of men would we be if we let you get hurt?” he counters. “Besides, this is our town. We don’t let people like the Serpents come in and make trouble.”

  “Your house secure?” Carlo asks Vic, moving on like that’s all settled. And for them, I guess it is. But not for me.

  I know I can get away from the Serpents given the chance. Disappear somewhere no one knows me, start over with a new life. Someday, when it’s safe, I’ll come back here and get my car.

  I’ll have to figure out how to break in here and steal the money and ledgers back, though. Not that I don’t trust Carlo to do the right thing with them, but I can’t leave him literally holding the bag. Or bags, in this case.

  Busy spinning my plans, I don’t listen to Vic and Carlo’s conversation. They’ll do what they do, and I’ll do what I have to. It’s not until Vic starts to move me toward the door that I catch Gina’s eye again.

  Her expression is serious and a little sad, and I can’t help wondering what her too-perceptive gaze figured out this time. She comes over and gives me a hug. “I’m staying here,” she says, “but I’ll see you later. Everything’s gonna be okay.”

  I don’t believe her, but I smile anyway. She’s been really nice to me, and I wish I could stay here. I think we could be friends.

  Vic and Carlo and I go out the front door this time, and I’m startled to see the driveway near the house full of SUVs and a bunch of military-looking guys standing around. These must be some of Carlo’s men. They load me into the back of Carlo’s vehicle, but Vic gets in another one.

  The separation bothers me, and that’s a big old warning sign. “What’s going on?” I ask Carlo.

  “Decoy operation, doll, just in case any stray Serpents tracked you here. I need you to stay down, out of sight.” I fold myself over, my head down by my knees, and the SUV begins to move.

  It seems to take forever to get wherever we’re going, and I have to fight the urge to lift my head and peer out. Finally, the SUV rolls to a stop. “Stay down a minute longer,” Carlo says, and gets out.

  I’m getting really impatient now, my fingers drumming on my legs as I wait. Finally, the back door opens and Carlo gestures me out. Sliding to the ground, I look around to get oriented.

  We’re in a tidy neighborhood of cute older homes on decent-sized lots. No McMansions in sight. The one we’re in front of looks like a Craftsman style, and Carlo leads me up the walk to the wide front porch.

  He opens the door without knocking. When I go in, the first thing I see is Vic, and something deep inside that I didn’t know was tense relaxes. He’s talking to one of Carlo’s guys, but as soon as he sees me, he holds out an arm, and even though I know it’s foolish I go to him and let him tuck me against his side.

  The men are moving around with a bunch of equipment, and it doesn’t take long to realize they’re installing a security system. “They’re gonna have cameras inside and out,” Vic tells me after the guy he was talking to goes off to help with the installation.

  “Inside? They’ll be watching everything?” That’s not a comfortable feeling.

  “Not everywhere inside, just the areas arou
nd the front and back doors. Sensors on all the windows, though.”

  We’re in the living room, and it’s mostly empty. The walls are dirty, the paint chipped in places, and the wood floors need to be refinished. “Is this your house?”

  “Yeah, bought it a couple weeks ago. I’m fixing it up a little bit at a time.”

  “I can help.” The words are out of my mouth before I even know they’re in my mind. I kick myself, but it’s too late.

  “You can help when I’m here,” Vic says firml y.

  “Only when you’re here? I promise I won’t put panda wallpaper up or anything.”

  9

  Sticking Around

  Where that line came from, I have no idea. His mouth quirks. “I want to be able to look at my house and know it’s mine, babe. That I did the work myself. But I don’t mind you helping out.”

  Vic takes me into the kitchen, which runs along the back of the house. There’s a dining nook at one end, with long windows looking out into the back yard, and windows over the sink too. This room’s been updated — fresh paint and top-of-the-line appliances.

  “Have a seat,” he says, and I slide into the banquette in the dining nook while he roots around in the fridge. The flooring in here is new, too, a gorgeous slate tile. “You hungry?”

  I’m starving. “I’m fine.” The less I take from him, the better. It wouldn’t be right to give him ideas when I know I’ll be leaving, and I don’t want him to think I was just using him.

  Vic closes the fridge and looks at me, hands on his hips. “When’s the last time you ate?” I’m not about to answer that, so I shrug. He shakes his head, opens the fridge again and starts taking out food.