UNDYING: A Bad Boy MMA Romance (Midwest Alphas) (Book 3) Page 10

  “Tomorrow we bury our friend.”

  Chapter 11

  Rest In Peace

  Lillian Tombs touched many lives.

  If there’s one thing I’ve learned so far today, it’s that. I find myself surrounded by people, most of whom I do not recognize, each one brought here because they knew Lillian and they loved her. It’s eye-opening, to say the least. The last few things I learned about her tainted my impression of her, but as I look around the abandoned nightclub now, it’s clear that there was far more good in her than bad.

  “Hey, Claire.”

  I look up to see a familiar face looming over me. “Devlin!” I smile.

  He opens his strong arms to me and we exchange a quick hug. “It’s been too long,” he says, jerking his shaggy hair away from his eyes. “We thought you bailed on this place for good.”

  “I almost did,” I admit.

  “Well, I’m glad you’re back. We need you.”

  We need you. It’s a strange thought. I never considered myself essential to anybody before I met Tobias. “Thank you. And thanks for coming today. It means a lot.”

  “I wouldn’t miss it,” he says. “I really liked her.”

  I give a half-smile. “She was interesting.” I scan the room, taking note of all the fighters, chatting and laughing and sharing their own memories of Lillian Tombs. Sam, Mark, Burt, even Trevor the Terror is here. His dark eyes wander about in silent reflection, just barely making contact with mine before turning away again.

  “How’s Pike doing?” Devlin asks, pulling my attentions back to him.

  “Uhh…” I sigh, gently shrugging my shoulders. “He’s Pike, if that makes any sense.”

  “It does,” he chuckles, but it quickly falls from his lips and he lowers his voice to just above a whisper. “Look, I heard about what’s been going on and I want you to know that I’ve got your back if you need it.”

  “Thank you.”

  “And that’s not just me—” he adds with a quick glance around us. “We’re pretty much all on board here.”

  “Even Burt?” I chuckle.

  He laughs. “Even Burt.”

  “Well… hopefully it won’t come to that.”

  “But if it does… just give us a when and where and we’ll be there. We won’t let the Alphas go down without a fight. Okay?”

  I nod. “Okay.”

  He lays a hand on my shoulder and gives it a firm squeeze. “It was good to see you, Claire.”

  “You, too, Devlin.”

  His hand drops from my arm and he wanders off to meet up with Sam across the room. As I watch him go, I catch sight of Tobias lingering next to the entrance, his attentions caught on the world outside. Even at a time like this, he won’t drop his guard for danger.

  I push through the crowd of thick shoulders, drawing closer to him until I find myself blocked. I move left to walk around the dark figure, but he purposefully steps in my way again.

  “Well, if it isn’t the Alpha’s bitch.”

  I lean back, stunned, and look up to find Trevor towering over me. “Excuse me—?”

  He licks his thick lips, his hateful brown eyes bearing down on me. “You heard me.”

  “Look—” I hold up my hands in surrender. “I don’t care what your problem is with me today, Trevor, but this is a really bad time.”

  “Actually, it seems like the perfect time to point out that it should have been you in that box.”

  I blink. “I’m sorry?”

  “Fucking should be—” he spits. “This league was fine until your ass came around. Pretty clear to me whose fault all of this is—”

  “It’s time for you to back down,” I say, losing every bit of patience I have.

  “Says who?”

  A hand grabs Trevor by the back of his neck and jerks him away from me. I jolt as I look up to find Pike holding him up, the edges of his nails digging into Trevor’s brown skin. “Says me,” he growls. “Now piss off before I get angry.” He shoves him away from me and Trevor stumbles down to his knees.

  The group around me, which I now realize is made up of Alpha fighters that definitely weren’t there before, parts ways to lead him straight towards the exit. Trevor whips his head around to stare at me before he adjusts the collar of his jacket and marches down the hall to the door.

  “Christ, Claire…” Pike says. “How many enemies do you have?”

  “Grows more every day,” I mutter, keeping a close eye on Trevor to make sure he steps outside.

  “Clearly.”

  “Sorry about that.”

  “Eh, might as well have some fun today. Always hated that guy.” He glances around me. “Where’s Tobias?”

  “I don’t know,” I answer. “By the windows last I saw.”

  “He should be here with you.”

  I shake my head. “I can handle myself.”

  “It’s not about that.”

  “I thought I was too much of a distraction for him…”

  “It’s called a day off for a reason, Claire,” he says, turning to wander towards the back offices. “Go find him. No one deserves to be alone today.”

  I pause, completely losing my words as I watch him walk away. Every day, Pike the Punisher finds new ways to surprise me. Tobias is nowhere in sight, but I find Charlie nearby, chatting with a woman I’ve never seen before. As I draw near, he glances up at me and gestures me closer.

  “Claire—”

  “This is Claire?” the woman asks quickly, her eyes falling on me. I place her somewhere in her mid-forties, with thinning brown hair and vibrant matching eyes. She immediately extends her hand to me. “So you’re the latest one of Charlie’s angels?”

  “I’m what?” I chuckle, shaking her enthusiastic hand.

  Charlie laughs. “Of all the ways I can describe you, Miley, angelic isn’t exactly the first word that comes to mind.”

  She slaps his arm with playful fingers. “Oh— stop it. It’s just what I like to call us — the ones Charlie brought back to life.”

  I smile and look at him. “Really?”

  Miley lowers her voice. “I got into a bit of trouble about ten years back… nothing major—”

  “Oh, that’s not how I remember it—” he chuckles.

  “The details are not important…” she urges with a sly grin. “But a mutual friend — may she rest in peace — sent me to Charlie and life has been… well, life ever since.”

  “I had nothing to do with that,” he says. “You saved yourself. I was just there.”

  Miley looks at me with a smirk. “There he goes again. He never gives himself enough credit, does he?”

  I look at him with pride. “No, he doesn’t.”

  He stays silent, refusing to admit it and I know he never will. Charlie has always been a big believer in that change comes from within. He’s told me plenty of times that he had nothing to do with me changing my life, but it’s quite the opposite. I don’t even want to imagine where I’d be if I were never dumped at his door — a strange thought considering the nightmare my life has become in recent days, but as I’ve learned, it can always get worse. Rock bottom is a myth.

  “You did a great job with this today, Charlie,” I say, looking around.

  He gives me the slightest of smiles but he keeps his eyes low. “Well, I guess I’ve gotten a little too good these things.”

  I inhale sharply realizing the mistake I made. Luckily, Miley breaks the awkward silence with what I assume is her trademark cackle. “Oh, Charlie—” she says. “Do you remember…”

  My eyes drift over Charlie’s shoulder as Tobias comes into view again. “Excuse me,” I say. “It was nice to meet you, Miley.”

  “You, too, sweetie—”

  Her high-pitched voice carries on behind me as I navigate through the small crowd, inching towards Tobias more with each step. He locks eyes with me before I reach him and I see him inhale a deep breath. “Hey…”

  He opens his mouth to speak, but suddenly stops as his e
yes drift above my head. His expression changes quickly from one of pensive sadness to immediate panic. “Claire,” he says, “get behind me.”

  “What?” I ask, turning to look over my shoulder.

  “Get behind me.”

  I shift quickly, spinning around to conceal myself behind Tobias’ back, but it’s too late. He’s already caught me; the one man I never expected to show up here today.

  Thomas Eastwood walks in through the club’s front door, wearing a jet black suit jacket and slacks — possibly the nicest outfit I’ve ever seen him in, and that includes what he wore the day he married my mother. He steps through the crowd at a determined pace, his eyes locked on mine as I peek out from behind Tobias.

  “That’s far enough,” Tobias says, extending an arm.

  “I ain’t here to fight with you, kid,” Thomas mutters, his eyes shifting quickly between the two of us. “Where’s my brother?”

  “Thomas,” Charlie says, drawing his attention.

  Without a second glance at us, Thomas moves away and walks over to Charlie. Tobias latches onto my arm and pulls me back around to face him. “This is bad…” he says.

  “He’s surrounded by Alphas, Tobias,” I point out. “I don’t think he’ll start anything.”

  “Still—” He keeps his grip on me. “I’d feel much better if he wasn’t in the same room with you.”

  “I’m inclined to agree,” I say, recalling Thomas’ threats against me.

  An eye for an eye, brother.

  I follow close behind Tobias, shifting my hand down to his to entwine our fingers. We move towards the back hallway and Tobias flags Devlin down on the way towards the door. “Keep an eye on Thomas,” he orders. “If he leaves, you let me know.”

  Devlin nods and pats Tobias’ shoulder to signal he understands before following the trail back to Charlie.

  “Tobias, we shouldn’t leave him—”

  “He’ll be all right,” he says, throwing open the hallway door.

  I gasp, frozen solid in the doorway, blinking several times to ensure that it’s not some wicked mirage plaguing my vision. Rick stands in the hallway, leaning casually against Lillian’s office door with his hands in his pockets, sporting a shirt and tie. When he sees us, he pushes off the wall and grins. “Oh, is the party over?”

  I feel the rage in Tobias’ grip. “Get out of here,” he growls.

  “No,” Rick replies.

  “Why are you even here?” I ask.

  “I came to pay my respects to the dead, Claire,” he says. “It’s what civilized people do.”

  “You don’t exactly qualify—”

  “Claire,” Tobias interrupts me, along with Rick’s low, guttural laughter. “Go back inside.”

  “I’m not leaving you two—”

  “Oh, it’s fine, Claire,” Rick grins. “Go back inside like the man says. I wouldn’t want you to miss the big surprise.”

  A chill rolls down my spine. “What big surprise?”

  His lips curl.

  Tobias turns towards me and lays his hands on my shoulders. “Go find Amy,” he whispers. “Have Ryan get you two out of here.”

  “What about you?”

  “Just do it, Claire.” He puts a bit of pressure against me to get me moving.

  My instincts tell me to stand my ground beside him, but his eyes beg me to go. I turn around and rush back onto the main floor, leaving him and Rick alone. My heart screams, urging me to return to him, but I scan the crowd for Amy instead like he asked me to. I spot Ryan lingering by the entrance and bolt in his direction. “Where’s Amy?” I ask him with wide eyes.

  He sighs. “I was hoping she was with you.”

  The entrance flies open again and I jolt with fear as a line of at least a dozen men walk inside, some of them more familiar than I’d like. Several former Alphas stand with the Kings, Trevor the Terror himself among them, along with Owen, Ryan’s cousin.

  Ryan shifts in front of me. “What the hell is this?” he asks Owen as he passes.

  Owen pauses next to him, his posture stiff and perfect. “Boss has some business here.”

  “Not today,” Ryan snaps. “Do you have any idea what’s happening right now? These people are mourning.”

  “Not our problem.”

  Ryan shakes his head. “What’s gotten into you, Owen? This isn’t what we signed up for—”

  “There is no we anymore.”

  I see the extreme disappointment in Ryan’s stunned eyes. “The Kings I knew would have never crashed a wake. Enemies or not, the Alphas deserve a day of peace.”

  Owen looks forward like a soldier standing at attention. “Traitors deserve nothing from us,” he growls.

  Ryan pushes in, refusing to back down. “You know I’m right. Turn around and go home.”

  “You lost your chance at being our leader, Ryan,” Owen says, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye. “These men would have followed you anywhere, but you made your choice.”

  “Yes, I did,” Ryan nods, “and you just proved that it was the right one. I would never have been a part of something like this and you shouldn’t be either.” Owen’s expression shakes, his eyes falling to the floor as the other Kings pass around him and station themselves about the room. Ryan watches them go with worried eyes. “At least let the women leave, Owen. This isn’t their fight.”

  “Look, we’re not here to hurt anyone,” Owen whispers out of earshot of the others.

  “Then why are you here?” I ask. He flicks his eyes down at me, but he doesn’t answer.

  Ryan scoffs with annoyance. “It’s intimidation. Plain and simple.” Owen walks away from us to join the other Kings. “Claire, do you have your phone?”

  “Yes.”

  “Call Amy — she may not answer me right now, but she’ll answer you.”

  I reach into my purse and my fingers brush lightly against the handle of Rick’s switchblade as I grab my phone. My fingers slip on the screen as I struggle to find her in my contact book. “Tobias wants you to get us out of here.”

  “He and I actually agree on something then,” he says. “You two are the last Dames for them to target.”

  I hold the phone to my ear and listen to the dim ringing on the other side. “Come on, Amy…”

  A second ringing calls out, this one close by. Ryan instantly recognizes the tone and rushes to the center of the room, following the repetitive sound. I trail behind him, until he finally bends over and grabs Amy’s phone off the floor. His face turns red with rage as he straightens up again. “Where’s Tobias?” he asks me.

  “In the back with Rick,” I answer slowly. I scan the room for Amy, fantasizing about her rolling her eyes and laughing at us for worrying about her, but she’s nowhere to be found.

  The crowd stares at the Kings, who have now blocked every exit available. Most of them seem confused, as they should be, while the others — the many generations of Alphas — look ready for a fight with their hands rolled into fists.

  I lock eyes with Charlie near the bar and he stares back at me with a solemn, regretful expression. Thomas follows his sight and peeks over his shoulder at me. My chest shakes with fury, drawing me towards them. I ignore Charlie’s eyes, the ones telling me to stay away.

  He holds out his hand to stop me. “Claire, no—”

  I shove Thomas forward and he slams face-first into the bar. “Where is she?!”

  Thomas stands up tall and chuckles back at me. “It’s a little ironic, isn’t it?” he asks me with a calm voice. “You demand to know where someone is and I refuse to tell you…”

  “Where?!”

  Charlie lays a hand on my arm. “Claire — it ain’t worth it.”

  “It’s Amy,” I cry.

  “And Tara is my wife,” Thomas seethes. “Seems like a fair trade.”

  I shake my head. “You choose now to do this? You do this at your ex-girlfriend’s funeral?”

  He chuckles. “You say that as if I cared about her.”

  �
��You did once.”

  “Maybe,” he says. “But now, she’s served her purpose and she’s dust.”

  “You’re using an awful lot of energy to find a woman your own son already knows the location of—”

  “Claire—” Charlie interrupts me, his fingers digging a little more into my skin.

  Thomas glares over my shoulder for a moment and I turn to see Rick lingering back a few feet away from us. “That may have been true until this morning…” Thomas says, “but now, she seems to have been misplaced again.”

  I spin around to face Rick. “So that’s what this is? You fucked up so you’re throwing a temper tantrum? Grow up, you pathetic piece of—”

  Charlie reels me in closer. “Stop—” he urges.

  I jerk my arm from his grasp and take wide strides towards Rick. “You tell me where Amy is right now or I promise you, I’ll—”

  “She’s in the trunk of her car,” Rick interrupts. He reaches into his pocket and drops her car keys into my shaking palm.

  Thomas steps forward. “What are you doing, Rick?”

  “We’re done here,” Rick answers, barely look at his father. He keeps eye contact with me and smiles. “Tobias has taken care of it.” I furrow my brow in confusion. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Claire.”

  He steps around me with a quick nod and the other Kings follow him towards the exit.

  “Rick!” Thomas calls, his face red and angry.

  “You heard him, Thomas,” Charlie says. “You’re done here.”

  Thomas stands his ground. “You know, brother…” he pauses to swallow his spit, “you should really rethink who you spend your time with. Especially considering what they did to your baby girl.”

  My breath catches in my throat. Charlie keeps still, but I notice his eyes twitch.

  Thomas smiles. “That’s what I figured… You didn’t know. I’d stick around and tell you myself, but I’m sure your son will be more than happy to fill you in on what really happened to poor, little Mary.” He turns around and walks away from Charlie, his boots tapping against the floor as he goes.

  My toes shake, trembling my balance, as I study Charlie’s face for any reaction, but he stays as stoic as ever — the most recognizable Eastwood trait if there ever was one.