Addictive (The Houston Defiance MC Series Book 2)

stop to think about a bigger plan or the bigger picture.
The Baron wants Zero dead.
What better way to do it than to have him killed in a jail where nothing can be traced back to him.
I need to make more calls. Try to find someone, any-fucking-one who will back him.
So, I do.
I spend the next three hours making call after call to inmates, to other prison guards on our payroll, to fucking anyone who might listen, but they are all giving me the same damn response Ramit gave me. No one is willing to put their shit on the line when the Baron is involved.
Fuck.
Standing, I hastily walk out of the chapel to go in search of the two men I need right now. As I stride out into the main room, Cherry’s sitting with Prinie at table near the stairs. Prinie is as wrecked as I feel. This is hitting her hard, but she’s stronger than she gives herself credit for.
Getting my head back in the game and off the woman who continually plays games with me, I make my way to the bar. Chains and Texas are sitting with Chills as she cuddles baby Kobe. It’s getting late. Shit’s becoming dire, Zero will be heading off to the cells at any time. I don’t know who or what will be waiting for him—all I know is we need to do something.
“Any luck, VP?” Texas grunts as I approach.
“I need to talk to my two Sergeant-at-Arms. You’re both basically the interim VPs while all this fucking crap is going down, so I gotta run some shit by you.”
Chains glances at Chills as she bounces Kobe on her hip. “Go. I’ll put Kobe to bed. Take all the time you need. Club comes first right now, okay?” Chills’ warm expression eases the growing tension inside of me for the briefest of moments. She is what I class as Old Lady goals.
Chains leans in pressing his bearded lips to baby Kobe’s head, then he moves in kissing Chills lightly on the lips. “Don’t wait up for me. Get some rest, woman.”
She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, bossy boots… now go. You’re keeping them waiting.”
Texas slaps Chains on the back as I shift my eyes to Prinie.
Could we ever get to a place like Chains and Chills?
Happy banter between a loved-up family?
Fuck!
No.
I could never play happy families.
Not someone like me, not someone who’s so utterly broken.
“You wanna go to the chapel?” Chains queries.
Turning back to face them, I grunt out a, “Yeah.” Then spin, my heavy boots like lead weights as I keep my eyes firmly off Prinie.
All she does is cause me tension.
Tension I don’t need right now.
The joint SAAs following behind me as I walk through the door. Texas closes it firmly behind him.
“So, I’m guessing from your crappy attitude the call went to shit?” Texas starts as he makes his way to the table.
I slam my ass down a little more forceful than necessary. “I have a theory.”
“I’m guessing it’s not a theory about why we’re always running out of maple syrup even when we haven’t had any hotcakes,” Chains quips.
Texas nods frantically. “You’ve noticed that, too?”
“Where the fuck does it all go?”
“Shut up, dickheads, we have a serious situation on our hands,” I berate them. They sit back in their chairs and pay closer attention. “There’s more to Zero’s arrest than meets the eye.”
Texas sits forward knitting his hands together on the table in front of him. “Go on…”
“The Baron’s using the arrest as a way to place a hit on Zero.”
“Motherfucker!” Texas slams his fist onto the table making the woodgrain creek with the force.
Chains exhales, taking a calmer approach. “No one’s gonna help Zero in lockup?” Chains asks.
“Everyone’s too chicken-shit. If Zero has a bounty on his head from the Baron, then none of those bastards will align themselves ‘cause it puts a target on their backs, too.”
“So how do we get him out of there before someone shanks him?” Texas asks.
“Maybe we don’t. Maybe we put someone in?” I roll my shoulders.
Texas grimaces. “It won’t work! If one of us is arrested, the Baron’s gonna find out and have them transferred to another facility. Then we’ll have two brothers but in different locations to worry about.”
“Fuck! You’re right. I’m fucked if I know how to play this one, guys. Any suggestions?”
“Zero’s arraignment is soon. After that, we can go visit him. See where he’s at. See who’s in there with him. Try and get someone inside. For now, we just have to hope the guards aren’t on the Baron’s payroll, and they’re not the ones he needs to watch out for.”
“I’m gonna put in a call, see if I can talk to Zero. He hasn’t made his one phone call yet, I’m hoping me calling in doesn’t void it.”
“That’s if they let you talk to him.”
“True. I can only try. So, I guess all we do is wait. Wait for him to be transported. Then we visit as soon as they allow it. In the meantime, we need to keep Cherry, Prinie, and Koda under control and under guard. There’s no telling what any one of them will do the longer this shit goes on.”
“Koda’s starting to grow some balls. And those chicks… both of them are wild cards. Either one of them could do something stupid for the love of Zero,” Texas offers.
“Don’t I know it? Cherry killed a man in cold blood, and Prinie? Fuck, she’s a loose cannon if ever I’ve known one. We need to watch them twenty-four-seven. Make sure they don’t try to hatch some hair-brained scheme or some other fucked-up shit,” I add.
“Agreed. I’ll have Chills keep an eye on them.