Addictive (The Houston Defiance MC Series Book 2)

public, Wraith. Being the first lady means something to me… you know. I am sorry I fell apart in here, but I was going out of my mind, and I knew if anyone was going to understand, it would be you.”
I dip my chin. “I do. If you need to talk to me again, Cherry, my door is open any-fucking-time… day or night. Understand?”
Cherry nods, clearing her throat while pepping herself up to go back out there. “Appreciate that. And same goes for you. I might be Prinie’s bestie, but I am here if you ever need an ear.”
I grip her shoulder as she turns to head for the exit. “I’ll let you know how I go with my calls.”
With a brief nod, she exits, quietly leaving me to it.
That was intense.
And not what I was expecting.
She showed me her weaknesses, but that woman can only be strong for so fucking long.
How long can I keep up my façade of strength?
I don’t want to find out.
So, I sit back down, pick up my cell, and dial the jail. I need to get this shit dealt with. I have got to get Zero looked after in there, no matter the cost, especially now I’ve promised Cherry that Zero will be fine, which was a stupid slip.
I’m placed on hold multiple times, hung up on a few more, until finally I’m connected through to a guard on the inside who’s on our payroll. He owes us a few favors, and considering you can’t normally call prisoners, this will obviously wipe his debt clean, but I am going to take it because he’s been able to get me phone time with a guy inside nicknamed Ramit. Got his name because he’ll ram it into anything, but not in the way you would think. We’re talking cars. He’s a demolition derby champion. Unfortunately, though, he takes that shit out onto the streets sometimes, and it gets him in some serious trouble. Road rage can be a bitch, and it’s landed him in the slammer on so many occasions.
We know him through Dan Ferguson and our drag racing team. The drag team has meets here in Houston, and we all head out for a night of fun, fucking around, and a whole pile of drinking. We met Ramit through Dan, and he’s a hothead, a loose cannon, but he’s loyal to a tee. I should be able to count on him. He’s currently in for multiple offenses—ran a red light, knocked over an old lady, taking out her walker, she ended up on life support. Swiped a bunch of parked cars, then drove headfirst into Whataburger because they wouldn’t give him his Whatachick’n Strips.
The line connects. “Yeah?” Ramit almost shouts down the line. The bastard’s got fucking attitude that’s for sure!
“Ramit, how you doin’?” I ask.
“Who the fuck is this! Calling me, interrupting my chow time?”
“It’s Wraith, Houston Defiance.”
“Right. Oh, shit! Sorry, bro… I get calls all the time from reporters wanting to discuss my case, but I don’t want none of that shit. I did what I did. You know how I get. I wanted those fucking chicken strips and those motherfuckers wouldn’t give them to me.”
I try to fight back the humor building inside of me by taking a deep breath. “Why didn’t they give them to you again?”
“Well, it was more of a delay really. They had to cook another batch, there was a three-minute wait, but I was fucking hungry man.” Ramit has some serious anger management issues. “So, what you callin’ for anyway. I'm sure this ain’t no social chit-chat?”
“We’ve always known your loyalty to the club. We’ve treated you well. Always looked out for you—”
“Yeah, yeah, what do you want, Wraith?”
Straight to the point!
“Zero’s coming in. He’s being charged with some trumped-up bullshit. I need protection for him.”
Ramit exhales like he’s mulling it over. “Zero has pull and persuasion in Houston.
Fuckin’ big wigs on his side. Why can’t he get out of this?”
“Because it’s the big wig who put him there.”
Ramit bursts out laughing. “You’re fucking with me, right? The Baron is behind this shit?”
“Yeah, he framed Zero. That’s why we need someone on the inside.”
“Shit, man, I don’t know what kind of protection I can give Zero if the Baron’s set him up. He’s gonna have a target on his back from the second he walks in here. Anyone affiliated with or seen lining themselves up with Zero will get that target too. I’m up for parole in two months. I’m going through anger management courses. I’m trying to do better, man. I’m not sure I’m willing to help. I always do right by the club, but I don’t think I can this time... I’m sorry, brother.”
I get it.
If Ramit is trying to turn his life around, I shouldn’t be angry although I’m raging inside. “I understand. But Ramit?”
“Yeah, man?”
“Do better. Do shit right. Or, we will part ways.”
“I’m tryin’, bro. I’ll see what I’m able to do from the inside. But once the inmates hear the Baron’s involved, they’ll probably step the fuck back like he’s a flaming hot tamale.”
“Right! If you come up with something, let me know.”
“Will do.”
Hanging up from the call, I sense there’s a bigger picture to all this than just having Zero arrested. Maybe the Baron wants to get back at Cherry for killing his son, by having the man she loves taken from her too. Because the way I see it, Zero’s a dead man when he hits those cells. With no one willing to add a protection layer, I have no fucking way to shield Zero from the inevitable.
This is so much worse than I initially thought. Honestly, I’ve been so swept up in the fact Zero’s been arrested, I didn’t