Nolan (Black Hearts MC Book 3) Read online

  “I don’t know that ok is the right word, but she is going to heal. The club took up a collection. We’ll send her to a luxury program that helps women recover after sexual trauma. She can stay there for up to two years if she needs.”

  “I will chip in to for the duration of her treatment.” I immediately say. “How is Greg?”

  “He’s with her now and will be able to actually live with her in the program if he chooses. I told him he would still continue to get his cut of profits while he’s there. I was barely able to restrain him from driving to the Aces clubhouse and killing all of them.”

  I look up at Jimmy; my face was as cold and stony as his. “There might be someone else you have to stop. I’m not giving them Isabella and Caleb. If they did this to Cynthia, think of what they will do to her.”

  Jimmy holds up his hands. “We aren’t asking you to do that. We’re going to retaliate and drive the Aces out of this area. I’m going to take over their territory. I know you love that girl; I can hear it in your voice. She deserves so much more than being involved with someone in a biker club. When this is over, if you want to leave, I won’t fight you. I’m sure Drake and Curtis have been trying to lure you to their side anyway.” Jimmy says, finding his first smile in the conversation.

  “Let’s drive out the Aces first, and then we can talk about long term plans. What do you have in mind?”

  A slow, cruel smile crosses Jimmy’s face. We’re going to burn down their clubhouse and turn state’s evidence on them to the FBI.”

  I feel my eyebrows raise. “We’re going to do what?”

  “It has recently come to my attention that our new recruit, Richard, is an undercover agent. Like we normally do with newbies, he’s only been privy to our legitimate business interests, the online store, the management properties, you know the stuff we use to launder our money.”

  I nod. I’m familiar with the process of easing in prospects.

  “I overheard him having a conversation with his handler. Then this happened. I’m going to bring him in and talk with him. He won’t know about the fire, but I have enough dirt on at least 15 of the Aces with audio and video proof to put them away for a long time.”

  “You are going to give the evidence to this man.”

  “Yep, and as soon as they are arrested, I’m going to blow their clubhouse. That way, when they’re in the back of the cop cars, they can watch their legacy burn. I figure the few that I can’t pin anything on will scatter. The one who’s after your girl, Ajax, I have proof he’s committed three murders for the Aces. One of them a young woman who he tortured. He isn’t ever going to get out any time soon.

  I smile at Jimmy; he’s the most ruthless of us all and rules the club with an iron fist. It’s the only way that order has stayed in place after the defection of two of our most senior members.

  “Are you in?” Jimmy sneers.

  “I’m in. As long as I can watch Ajax’s face as he watches his club burn.”

  “That can be arranged.” Jimmy picks up his phone and sends a text to Richard.

  Within a few minutes, his phone beeps, “He’s on his way.”

  I sit back in the chair and relax. It’s time to get serious about getting rid of the Aces. We might be a biker club that deals in illegal activities, but we don’t murder, and we don’t hurt women. If there is honor among thieves, the Black Heart Motorcycle Club can be considered honorable.

  CHAPTER 7

  Isabella

  Sitting Caleb down on the floor, I kick the door shut with my foot and set the first load of groceries and bags down on the counter. I smile down at Caleb, who happily runs his new firetruck up my leg. I pick him up and give me a big kiss.

  “Did you have fun today?” I ask him.

  “Yes, Mommy. Can I play with my new toys now?”

  “You sure can.” I give him another kiss and sit him down in the living room, unpacking a few of the new things he got and saving others for later, stashing them in the master bedroom. Going back out to the car, I gather the rest of the bags and shut the trunk to the car.

  It had been a fun afternoon. Caleb had squealed in delight at the toy aisle of Target, and I might have gone a bit overboard buying him things. He now was the proud owner of new firetrucks, Duplo Lego blocks, and other assorted cars and trucks. I also bought him a plastic swimming pool, sunscreen, a hat, and various outfits, including swim trunks.

  We had then gone to the grocery store and bought a week’s worth of groceries. I was going to make the most fabulous meals for Nolan he had ever tasted. I know that I have to pay him the money back, but it was so freeing to be able to walk into the grocery store and buy whatever I wanted without having to calculate every penny. It was fun to pick out new and exotic fruits and vegetables that I could make into delicious meals.

  Checking on Caleb one more time, I set about putting the groceries away. With the cupboards and refrigerator full of food, I started in on the cleaning. Nolan might have said I didn’t need to do any of that, but I would earn my keep if we were going to live here.

  A knock at the door surprises me. I wasn’t expecting anyone. I walk over and look in the window beside the door. I can’t see whoever is standing on the porch, and Nolan doesn’t have a peephole in his door.

  “Can I help you?” I call out. The answer is the door smashing into me, knocking me to the ground. I hear Caleb scream. It sounds far away, and then there’s nothing but blackness. I struggle to stay conscious. I know that this is Ajax’s doing, and I don’t want him to hurt Caleb. It’s no use. The inky blackness pulls me under, and I feel my head hit the floor with a thud.

  ****

  My head is pounding, and I try to put one hand to it, but something tugs at my arms. I open my eyes looking down to see that I have been tied to a bed. My heart starts to pound as I wildly look around the room for my son.

  “You’re awake. I was afraid that you had hit your head so hard you weren’t going to wake up.”

  I freeze at the familiar gravelly voice and look to the corner of the room where a shadowy figure sits in a chair. The figure departs from the shadows walking into the light. Ajax gives me a jaunty grin as he comes to stand next to the bed.

  “Where is Caleb? You better not have hurt him.” I scream at him.

  “No need to scream; I would never hurt my own son. You, on the other hand, are going to be punished. I told you what would happen if you ran from me, Izzy.” He makes a tsking sound.

  “You didn’t listen, and now you have to face the consequences.”

  He comes towards me, and I scream loudly. I know what he wants to do, and I can’t let him.

  Ajax slaps me hard across the face, and I see stars. I know that it will bruise, but if I can keep him talking, he won’t be able to hurt me in the way that I know he intends.

  “You need to let me see him. I’m sure he’s scared and worried about me.” I tell him, trying to smile through my split lip.

  Ajax chuckles, “You think that sweet routine is going to convince me? I know you’re a viper. We’ll have some fun, you and I, and if you don’t resist, maybe you can see Caleb.”

  I resign myself to what is about to happen. Just then, the door opens, and another member of the Aces walks in.

  He leers at me before turning to Ajax. “We have a problem out here. The boss needs your help.”

  Ajax leers down at me, “I’ll be back, don’t go anywhere.” He chuckles as he looks down at my restraints and walks out with the other man.

  I have been given a reprieve, and now I need to be able to find a way out of here.

  CHAPTER 8

  Nolan

  I walk into the house with a few members of The Black Hearts, my anxiety on high alert. I have been calling Isabella for the past hour, and she hasn’t picked up. The GPS app I had her install on her phone shows that she, or at least her phone is at the house.

  “Isabella? Caleb?” I call out, and my voice echoes through the house. It has the feeling of being empty, and I
know in my gut that they aren’t here.

  “Hey, Nolan, look at this.” One of the guys says, standing next to my front door. The hinges are shiny and newly installed, but on closer inspection, there are tiny chips to the wood frame on the inside of the door, and the bolt has been snapped off in the lock.

  “Someone broke in here and took them,” I said through clenched teeth.

  “We’re going to have to call Jimmy and get this party started earlier than we anticipated. We need to get the Aces before they hurt Isabella and Caleb.”

  Pulling out my phone, I dial Jimmy’s number, and he picks up on the first ring.

  “Jimmy.”

  “Jimmy, it’s Nolan. Did you get the kinks worked out with that undercover FBI guy yet?”

  Jimmy chuckles. “Oh yeah, once he heard the tapes and examined the video, he was falling all over himself to be my friend.”

  “Did you sign the papers for immunity yet?”

  “Just about an hour ago. Why?”

  “The Aces broke into my house and took Isabella and Caleb. There’s no telling what they’ll do to her. We know they’re capable of awful things, including murder.”

  “I’ll meet you at the clubhouse in thirty minutes. Richard is here with me and says he can get a team ready for the takedown in that time. The arrest warrants have come through, and they were just waiting on our timeline.”

  “Meet you at the Ace's Clubhouse.” I end the call and look at the two men who are with me.

  “Let’s ride, boys we have some ass to kick.”

  ****

  We stop the bikes about a mile away from the clubhouse, joining the dark FBI vans and the other men from the club. Curtis and Drake have also come, and I walk quickly over to them.

  “You guys don’t have to be here.” I know that they want nothing to do with this life.

  “Ride or die, Nolan; we meant that. Just because we’re out doesn’t mean the pact between the three of us is dead. That’s lifelong buddy.”

  I nod gratefully to them. “I love Isabella, and if this all goes well, you’re going to have another mechanic at your shop come Monday.”

  Drake raises his eyebrows. “You talk to Jimmy about this? I hear he is running a tight ship these days.”

  “Jimmy told me I could leave. We talked about it when I first brought Isabella into my house. This is my last event as a Black Heart. I want a family, and if quitting the club and going straight is what I have to do, then I’ll do it.”

  “Welcome to the straight life, my friend. It’s actually quite a bit less stressful.”

  “Let’s get your girl and get this over with,” Jimmy says, walking over and shaking hands with Curtis and Drake.

  “We sure do miss you guys. If you ever change your minds, the door is always open.”

  Curtis and Drake just nod. “Thanks, Jimmy, but we have our hands full with kids, wives, and the shop.”

  Jimmy gets a wistful expression on his face for a moment. “There are times I envy you guys.”

  “There is always room for one more mechanic at the shop Jimmy. Business is just exploding.”

  “Nah, I had to wait to get rid of the two of you to be in charge. I’m not quite ready to let it go.”

  “You guys ready? Our men are going to move in.” The FBI agent in charge says. He has no idea what we have planned for after the building is clear, and he doesn’t need to know. The undercover agent gave us his word that the club blowing up will be attributed to a gas leak and not the Black Hearts. Jimmy is putting his trust in the guy, so the rest of us will too.

  Riding in the FBI van, the scant mile to the club feels like an eternity. The teams have already infiltrated the club and are rousting out the club members. There is no word on Caleb and Isabella yet, and every minute that goes by makes me more anxious. Maybe Ajax not holding them here?”

  Boss, we found the kid. The mother is still MIA, but we’re bringing out the kid.” The van rolls into the parking lot, and before they can even stop, I’m vaulting out of the back of the van. I ignore the looks from the FBI and bikers alike.

  A man in tactical gear brings Caleb out of the club, and when he sees me, his wide, frightened eyes fill up with tears. He wiggles until the man lets him down.

  “Nolan! He yells and runs to me. I grab him up in my arms and hold him close, and I can feel tears threatening my own eyes. I didn’t know how much I had come to care for this little boy until there was the possibility that I would never see him again.

  “Nolan, they took Mommy and me.” He sobs into my shoulder. “I want Mommy.”

  “We’re going to find her kiddo, don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe.”

  Caleb nods against my shoulder, and I hold him tight. If Caleb is here, so is Isabella.

  Boss, they found Isabella. She’s with a man who has a gun to her head, and he is threatening the team.”

  The radio goes silent, and there’s a deafening gunshot followed by silence and then more gunfire.

  I close my eyes and try not to assume the worst. If Isabella is gone, I’ll raise Caleb as my own. He’ll know what an amazing woman his mother was.

  The door of the clubhouse flies open, and a tactical officer comes out, helping a bruised and battered Isabella to walk out of the club.

  “Caleb, look who it is,” I say softly.

  He lifts his head from my shoulder and whips it around. “Mommy!” He cries, wiggling in my arms. I let him go, and he runs to her. She kneels down and takes him into her arms. The two of them are sobbing and hugging. I give them a few moments before I go to them, leaning down and wrapping my arms around them. I’ll never let anything happen to them again. I take Isabella’s bruised face carefully in my hands and lightly brush my lips across hers.

  “I love you, Isabella.”

  Tears stream down her bruised cheeks. “I love you too, Nolan.”

  “What about me, Nolan? Do you love me too?” Caleb looks up to me, and his little face is streaked with tears and worry. I pick him up and hold him close. I can feel Isabella watching us.

  “Little man, you are my favorite boy ever, of course, I love you.”

  Caleb flings his arms around my neck. Although we’ve only had such a short time together, I know this is meant to be my family.

  “I love you too, Nolan.”

  Looking over Isabella’s head, I see the paramedics come out with a body on a stretcher. I hadn’t seen them go in as I was too focused on Isabella and Caleb.

  She looks at the body on the stretcher and then at me. “It’s finally over; Ajax is dead.” She says with no emotion in her voice. I know it’ll come later, but for now, I gather her in my arms as I hold Caleb wanting to feel my family close.

  “The clubhouse is clear, boss.” It comes over the radio, and the undercover agent comes over to whisper in my ear.

  “We need to get right back and away from the clubhouse. The fireworks are coming in a just moment or two.

  The agent leads us over to the staging area that he had constructed well away from the building. He had used the excuse that he was afraid the Aces would start shooting, which was a concern. When the building blew, they would be well away from the blast. “Miss, come with me, we’ll get you and your son over to the ER for a quick checkup now.”

  Isabella shakes her head. “I’m fine. It’s just a few bruises.” She locks eyes with me. “I just want to go home.”

  Before I can respond, a deafening boom sounds, and we all duck as the Ace’s Clubhouse goes up in flames.

  It’s satisfying to see the place where so many awful things happened go up in smoke. There are roars from the club members that are being arrested. They look over at me, and I give a cold smile. Hopefully, this is enough to deter them from rebuilding the club.

  “Let’s get you guys home.” I take Isabella by the hand and switch Caleb to the other hip. I have a lot to talk about with Isabella.

  EPILOGUE

  Nolan

  Isabella sits down on the couch next to me, curling he
r legs underneath her.

  “I meant what I said to you, Isabella. I’m in love with you.” She goes to respond, and I put a finger over her lips.

  “I quit the gang. Curtis and Drake offered me a job as head mechanic at Hell on Wheels. It comes with a generous salary, not that we need it. I have made enough money during my time with the club, and other than my bike, cars, and this house, I haven’t spent a lot of it.

  I want you to be with me forever, and I know that we haven’t even really started seeing each other, but I want to marry you and make us a family.”

  Tears stream down her face. “I have loved you for so long, Nolan. Since almost the first time that you came into the diner. I meant what I said too, and I love you. I want you to be a father to Caleb, and I would be honored to be your wife.”

  I grin at her and pick her up off the couch, careful of her bruises. Planting a soft kiss on her lips, I carry her to the bedroom I have been staying in. Laying her down on the bed, I peel away her clothes and then mine. Standing next to the bed, I look at her for a moment, just drinking in her large breasts, the nipples rosy and erect, her smooth skin, and the swell of her hips. She is amazing and beautiful.

  I slide onto the bed beside her kissing her softly, exploring her sweet mouth. My hands roam her face lightly before sliding down her neck. I palm one breast lightly, rubbing a thumb against the rosy tip. She moans into my mouth, and I repeat the action until she is writhing underneath me. I move to the other breast and repeat the torture. I want her to be wet and ready when I finally enter her. I don’t think sex has been a great experience for her in the past, and I want her to know what pleasure is. I leave her lips, kissing lightly down her neck and the slope of her breasts before taking one nipple in my mouth as my hand slides down her soft skin to find her wet and ready. I part her trembling legs and find her throbbing nub running my thumb across it as I lick and suck at her nipples.

  I push down gently on the little button, and her hips come off the bed. I feel a rush of fluid in my hand and grin. She is so responsive I love it. I lift my head and look into her pleasure dazed eyes. I’m not done with her yet. My lips cruise down her body until I’m between her legs. I taste her for the first time and let out my own moan.