Bossed Up (Iron Vex MC Book 2) Read online

  “Too bad, so sad. Grow up and get over it. Boss didn’t want a baby shower, so she didn’t have one. Destiny doesn’t need a three-month-old birthday party. If you two are itching to have a party here, you can throw Chuckles’ birthday bash. I hate planning that type of shit.”

  “Yes!” Faith jumps up and down. “We can go to the old medical supply store a few blocks over and grab some walkers, adult diapers—”

  “Whoa?! What in the actual fuck?!” Chuckles stands up so fast his chair scrapes against the floor, throwing his hands up in the air.

  Meanwhile, his ol’ lady is getting a good laugh out of this.

  Out of nowhere the sound of glass shattering comes from behind the wall. I furrow my brows and everyone diverts their eyes in the same area. Obviously, I’m not the only person who heard it.

  I rise from my chair and head over to the doorway that leads out into the hallway. It takes anyone to a variety of areas which include Boss’ office, the lounge, or the kitchen. It sounded like it came from Boss’ office, so I head over there first.

  Placing my hand on the knob, I push the door open without bothering to knock. Boss’ nostrils are flaring and her fists are balled on her desk. Her hair spans down and she reminds me of a demon in one of those Asian horror films, specifically The Grudge. One thing’s for certain, she’s furious.

  “Want to tell me what’s happened?” I question as I enter her office and shut the door behind me. A flicker of white causes me to look at the ground and I spot the vase she broke.

  “Not really,” she breathes, her tone full of fury.

  “Stoney piss you off?” She was supposed to be talking with him.

  She meets her eyes with my own, reminding me of a cornered animal about ready to fight for its life. “One of his idiots killed their prisoner. He didn’t give them anything useful. We’ve hit a dead end with the cult, Cowboy. We’ve hit a fucking dead end!” She screams, picking her laptop up from her desk she throws it across her office and it shatters on the floor.

  “Tala, breathe.” I don’t call her by her birth given name often but considering her emotional state I’m not left with much of a choice. This fascist cult has taken so much from her. Just as she was starting to mend the broken relationship with her father, he was killed in cold blood, by his own father. Tala has deep personal links with wanting this cult to be burned to the ground, and she’s on a mission to ensure it happens. Hitting a dead end . . . fuck. I can’t imagine what it feels like for her.

  Her nostrils continue to flare and her neck begins to flush a cherry red color. If I’m certain of anything, it’s that she feels like her world is falling apart. “How am I supposed to—how am I—when they’re still out there? Fuck! They took Faith. They killed my dad.” Tears form in her eyes and she holds a hand over her chest, her harsh breathing suddenly turning to rasps. Tala falls to the ground on her knees so I break the distance between us and sit on the ground beside her, rubbing her back as she breathes, trying to help her calm down.

  She’s our national charter president, the head bitch in charge, but to me she’s more than that. We share a daughter. She’s never confirmed it, but she’s never told me that isn’t the case. We’ve never said much about what we view one another as, but her and I aren’t really the talking type. We screw on occasion and when we do it’s intense as fuck. Hell, I think if we were, shit would be so much more complicated. She lives here and I live in Calgary. I’m only in town for the next couple days because I have some business to tend to for my club. I’m the president of the Calgary charter. And man, it seems like it’s a whole world away from Queens.

  Tears stream down Tala’s cheeks, hitting the floor below us and her breaths slow down enough that she isn’t gasping for air any longer. I don’t wrap my arms around her and pull her to me, even though I want to, because I know better. I know not to touch her like that unless she tells me I can. She’s a complicated woman, and that’s all I can say about her. I know there are many demons that plague her, so I don’t attempt to even understand what that’s like.

  “God dammit. I can’t believe this!” She slams her balled up fist against the floor in frustration.

  “Tala, you’re not alone. We’re gonna get these guys. I promise you, we’ll get them. They’re only being cowards right now, sticking to the shadows because they know we’re onto them.”

  “I hate how life works out, how my dad isn’t here to see Destiny. He wasn’t perfect, but he was trying. It’s—cause of that damn cult—he’s not here.” She chokes through her tears, emotions rolling through her in a way I never thought they could.

  Tala’s dad was Rage, an infamous man to say the least. He was known by some as a legend, while he was feared by most for his crass behavior and unpredictable actions. Most called him a monster, viewed him as an animal. Hell, even Tala did. But, he was something else to her too—her father.

  “We are going to get them. I know we will. I’ll help you in whatever way I can, even if I’m in Calgary.” I say, trying to boost her mood a bit. She’s never the type of woman who gives up, but that’s not to say she won’t have a few moments like this. Everyone does. It’s only natural.

  She cranes her neck and stares directly into my eyes. “You won’t want to help me, Cowboy, not after I tell you.”

  Reactively I bring my eyebrows together, “There’s nothing you could tell me that would do that, Tala.” I tell her, running my hand over the top of her back, passing over her neck, and starting to cup her face, but she tears herself away from me.

  Her eyes fill with more wetness and the tears come out harder than they ever have tonight. “What’s going on, Tala?” I question while a sick feeling settles in my stomach.

  “Destiny isn’t yours, Cowboy.”

  “What?” I ask, standing up I somehow stumble backward and hit the wall. “What’re you talking about?”

  She stares down at the ground, wraps her arms around herself and mascara starts to mix with her tears. “Her father is Stoney.”

  “From the Devil’s Riot MC?”

  She nods.

  “You’re fuckin’ with me right now.” I say, praying this is some sick, twisted prank. ‘Cause man I love that little girl like she’s my own. I wanted her to be mine. I fuckin’ crave it.

  Tala shakes her head, “No, I’m not. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you the truth before now, but, I—I was terrified to.”

  “Does he know she’s his?”

  Tala doesn’t say a word.

  “Fuckin’ tell me!” I scream at her.

  “No, and he won’t. I won’t have him taking her from me.”

  Holy fuck. I shake my head, “This is fucked up, Tala, and you know it.”

  “Cowboy. Don’t you dare tell him.” She threatens, the look in her eyes shifting from sorrow to something rabid, more threatening than she’s ever looked at me.

  “He deserves to know he has a kid. Don’t you think?” I ask her with a scoff, rolling my eyes while I still process the ugly truth—Destiny isn’t my daughter.

  “You won’t tell Stoney jack shit, and if you do, I’ll personally strip you of your patch.”

  My eyes widen with fury at her threat. “You’re not playin’, are you, Tala?”

  “It’s Boss to you, Cowboy, and you’d best remember that. Get the fuck out of my office.” She seethes, pushing herself up from the floor.

  I walk over to her door and turn back to look at her one last time. “I’m done with you, Tala. I’m so fucking done with you.” I pull her door open, walk through it and slam it shut behind me. While I’m not supposed to be leaving for a couple days, I’m sure as fuck not sticking around here. Not now.

  Not when merely looking at Tala will make me want to strangle her.

  Chapter Two

  And now you’re just a stranger with my secrets

  ~Unknown

  Boss

  Present Day

  For the first time in ages I had a dream about the day I told Cowboy, Destiny wasn’t his
child. Well, I’m unsure if dream is the right word. Nightmare might be more accurate. After it first happened I’d have the dream once a week, then it slowly shifted to once every few weeks, but now it’s come back, just as Cowboy is due back to Queens to update me on how things are going in Calgary.

  He was here a few months back when my friend, Mammoth, came up with his ol’ lady, Riva. But it just so happened it was during one of our quarterly meetings. Now the time’s come for him to come up, and Joker will be riding out next week. And oh, I’m so thrilled to see my brother. The last time he saw me he called me a callous bitch and hollered in front of the entire club how it made sense why I wasn’t locked down with anyone yet. I’m sure that comment made our father roll over in his grave. Fuck, he wanted Joker and I to get along, but we’re both far too stubborn to let it happen. Plus, we’re horrible at apologizing. Neither of us like to admit we’re the one in the wrong.

  Ricochet comes walking up to me and I catch Venom sitting at a table in the corner of the bar, staring right at him. He’s just come back a couple hours ago after being down in Virginia to visit Emerson. She’s at one of the Devil’s Riot MC charters, an ol’ lady to one of their main boys. She and Ricochet claimed each other as adoptive siblings, so he makes sure to pay her a visit every couple months, calls her every Sunday morning. It’s cute, but I have a feeling one woman in this club is a tad bit jealous. But, it’s her fault if she isn’t the one making a move on him, and I’m staring right at her Barney purple hair right now.

  “Everything good with Venom?” Ricochet asks, turning his head to look back at her. She quickly looks over to Abyss and starts laughing, acting like she wasn’t just staring the man down. Goodness, I could roll my eyes at her all day. She’s never been the shy, quiet type, yet here she is acting like a child with a school crush.

  “Yeah, just thought she did something with her hair. It looks a bit different today,” I give him a bullshit excuse. Meanwhile, he looks right at her and narrows his eyes on her.

  “See somethin’ you like over here?” Abyss cackles with a cocked brow.

  “In your dreams. Ven’, you dye your hair different or somethin’?”

  Venom darts her eyes between me and Ricochet. “No? It’s the same color it’s always been.”

  “Ah, must be the lighting then.” Ricochet quickly tells me.

  I nod in agreement, “Yeah, it must be.”

  “Mama!” The door opens just as Destiny speaks, and Iris is walking beside her with a beaming smile as Destiny runs up to me with her arms out, just like always.

  I bend down as she comes rushing up and she jumps in my arms, so I hike her up on my hip and she sticks a thumb in her mouth as she stares at Ricochet. She has such the little baby crush on him. “Did you have fun with Auntie Iris?”

  “Mhm. We went to the zoo!” Destiny shrieks, loud enough that everyone in the bar area stops what they were doing to look at her, ending up breaking out in laughter. Alas, the life of having a toddler.

  “I might have lost a bet and ended up buying a certain someone a couple stuffed animals from the gift shop.” Iris giggles.

  “You didn’t. We barely have enough room for everything you guys buy her in the first place,” I groan with widened eyes. I need to make it a point to donate some of her toys soon. She really has too much and there are plenty of other kids who actually need this stuff.

  “Can you really blame her? Your kid is kinda cute.” Muffler, the road captain for the club, comments from the other side of the room with a laugh.

  “Kinda? Don’t make me come up there and smack you!” Iris threatens, shaking her fist in the air.

  “Come on over here and try, baby. The only thing gettin’ smacked is gonna be that tight ass of yours.” He smirks devilishly, getting a blush in return from Iris.

  Iris and Faith came to the club a couple years ago and will both be graduating college next year. They work at the bar down here for our parties, and a few nights during the week. When company comes into town, we say they’re the club’s barmaids and they’re off limits as far as touching goes. A lot of outsiders want to call them clubwhores but it isn’t accurate. We give them more respect than that.

  Muffler and Iris have never really flirted before, but it’s damn cute to see. He’s a little bit older than her, so I think it’s a bit intimidating for her. After all, she is a sweet little southern lady.

  “Oh, hey, Cowboy. I didn’t even hear you come in man!” Chuckles speaks up out of nowhere, causing my blood to run cold. It happens every time I see him. Every single time I know he’s coming here I get nervous, like something is about to come falling apart. I don’t know if it’s because of the circumstances surrounding . . . everything that happened, or what, but it hurts. God that sounds weird. It just. It’s not easy seeing him, because I really do care about him, more than he probably realizes.

  Destiny darts her head in his direction and screams her little head off, kicking at me to get to him. I bend down and let her run over to him. She keeps repeating ‘Daddy’ over and over again.

  Cowboy isn’t her father, but Destiny would tell everyone different. He’s the man who video chats with her every day, comes to see her on her birthday, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day. He even buys her a bouquet of flowers and everything. He’s the type of man every woman is desperate to be the father of her kid, or kids. And here I stand, eyes focused in on the man I pushed away, the one my daughter is blessed to have in her life, and the one I’m so thankful to for not leaving her when I pushed him out of my life.

  “How’s my ‘lil girl doin’, huh? Gosh, you’re getting so big!” His smile is about a mile wide when he stares down at her, melting my heart like it does every damn time.

  My throat feels tense and anxiety spreads through my chest. “You alright?” Ricochet asks me lowly.

  All I can do is nod, and I head out through the doorway that goes to my office.

  But Ricochet, the fuck, doesn’t know when to ever leave me alone. He follows me to my office and shuts the door behind him. “What the hell is up with you?”

  “Nothing,” I quickly say, so fast in fact I don’t even think he finished asking his question.

  “Don’t you dare do that shit to me. Other people, fine, sure, ‘cause they don’t actually give a flying fuck about you. You know me better than that, Boss. And for the love of god, don’t make me call you by your birth name.”

  I look directly into his eyes, speaking with authority. “There are only two men who have the right to call me that.”

  “Your father and Cowboy, right? Except that one time, you know, the time you had a baby.”

  “It was an off day for me. I’ve told you this a million times. But yeah, can we just skip through this conversation? I don’t have the patience for it. Okay? Just . . . not today, Ricochet. Please, just not today.”

  Ricochet walks further into my office and sits his ass down on the couch that’s been here for years. When my dad was staying at the club this is the shitty thing he slept on. God, it brings back memories. “You’re in fucking love with that country hick. Aren’t you?” He smirks, already knowing the answer. Hell, he knows me better than most, so I’m sure he figured it out ages ago.

  “Can we not? I really don’t have the patience for this shit, Ricochet. I’m not playing.”

  “You know, I don’t always come to hassle you. I had somethin’ to tell you, somethin’ I thought you might wanna know about.”

  “And?” He could just get to the point, but then again, he loves to draw things out.

  “Emerson called me, woke me up from my nap,” okay, I don’t give a shit about that. So, I start tuning him out while I scan through the papers on my desk. “Stoney’s apparently on his way. He’ll probably be here tonight, so I think—”

  “What did you say?” My heart practically stops beating.

  “I said Stoney is on his way.”

  “Why?” He has to know. He has to know something.

  “Your guess is as g
ood as mine. You didn’t have a meeting planned with him?”

  I shake my head, “No. We usually meet in Lancaster, Pennsylvania when we need to meet. But Omen and Tracker usually handle shit between the clubs when it comes to our alliance. You know as well as I do that Stoney and I can be a bit catastrophic when we’re together, like mixing oil with a flame.”

  Ricochet chuckles lightly, “I think you understated what it’s like when you two meet up. More like a Hiroshima level bomb.”

  “At least you get my point,” I mutter, trying to think of what could be causing this unannounced visit. Then it hits me.

  Destiny.

  He has to know about Destiny.

  Chapter Three

  He wasn’t a hero to the world, but he was a hero to his little girl

  ~Unknown

  Cowboy

  Destiny’s kept me busy for the past few hours, makin’ me chase her little butt through the club, attend stuffed animal tea parties, and so much more. She’s the light of my life and doesn’t even know it. “Daddy, can we make cookies?” She asks while she yawns.

  I know this girl has to be tired, but I’ll give her anything she wants in this world.

  I nod, “Sure, baby. Come here and we’ll go to the kitchen.”

  She yawns widely as she comes over to me, and a better idea strikes me. “Actually, baby, let’s go around the corner to the bakery. I think you’re gonna need some sleep soon.”

  “Mmkay . . . but Daddy?” She looks up at me through those pretty brownish gold eyes of hers.

  “Yeah?”

  “When I wake up, you’ll be here, right?”

  “Of course, I will, baby. Why are you asking that?” I question, craning my neck a bit to the side.

  She shrugs her shoulders and looks down at the ground, “You always leave so fast.”

  God, this little girl just broke my fuckin’ heart. I hold my arms out to her and pull her close, “Sweetie, I hate leavin’ you so much. I hate goin’ back to Canada, but it’s somethin’ I gotta do.” Fuck, I’m about ready to cry. This little girl makes my heart beat most days. Hell, if I didn’t have Destiny I don’t know if I could’ve gotten through most shit.