Page 44 of Mace
Alicia stepped forward with a beautiful smile on her pretty face. “It’s so nice of you to visitInna. I hope you can stay and talk for a while.”
My mom looked like she was about to explode with happiness. Me settling down and making babies had been her dream for a long time. Clearly, she saw that was a real possibility now that Alicia and I were together.
My grandmother cleared her throat, so I quickly explained, “Unna-Innais the word we use for grandmother, this is myUnna-InnaRuby Marks.” Trying to be clever and rile my gran up, I leaned closer and whispered loudly, “Of course you can call her anything you like as long as it’s not an obscenity.”
That got me a sharp poke in the ribs from my grandmother and mom said sharply, “Huri, you’re being rude.”
My gran huffed out an exasperated breath. “He’s always had an odd sense of humor, that one.”
Turning to my grandmother, I smiled at her with genuine warmth. “And I always save my strange jokes for the ones I love and respect the most. Even though I joke with you, and you joke with me, you know I love you and I always will.”
I watched my grandmother get a little emotional. She was used to me teasing her in public but not speaking our truth for others to hear. I reached over and gave her a hug. She held me tight before pulling back. “You got your tendency towards joking around honestly. I can say that much about you. Will you stay and visit with us?”
Looking down at her, I replied, “I would love to but unfortunately, club business calls me away.”
“What could be more important than spending time with your family? We’ve hardly seen you lately.”
Before I could get into an argument with my gran about that, Alicia spoke up. “My mom is missing. Your son has been out searching for her.”
Suddenly, my family couldn’t get rid of me quick enough. “Why are standing here talking? You must go, Huri,” my gran insisted.
“I’m going,” I grumbled to her. I leaned forward to whisper in my gran’s ear. “This woman has my heart. Please don’t scare her away before I get back.”
She gave me an indignant huff but gave Alicia a quick kiss and I stalked out the door before my grandmother could respond. My mom was smart, sweet, and kind. My gran was a cat of a different stripe. She loved to huff and puff about everything.Dramatic was the word my father had used to describe her. Still, I loved her, and it was nice to give as good as I got for once.
***
After church I strapped Nine into back seat of my truck and rolled down the window for him, my club brothers had all set off on their bikes, and I hit the road to join them. My mind immediately turned to my mission. My belief was that if me and my club brothers searched diligently every day, our hard work would eventually pay off. And I was reasonably sure that Juan Ramirez would not risk burning hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of his drugs by hurting Alicia’s mother. I had to admit that something didn’t seem quite right about this situation between her parents. I have never known a man who would so easily harm his wife and threaten to kill her to get his way with others. Perhaps I didn’t run in the same circles as her father and my unfamiliarity with such men was why his behavior struck me as odd. Or it could be that there was something going on that we did not yet understand.
Chapter 17
Alicia
Rosie took us to a table in the corner of the bar area. It was in an alcove between the back offices and the pool room. “This is Storm’s private space. He eats here sometimes when he’s tired of being in his office. He likes this table because it has a pocket door that sides out.”
She gripped the side of the framing on the alcove and sure enough, a door slid out. She pulled it almost closed before saying, “Make yourselves comfortable. I’ll bring you some snacks.”
I beamed at her, “Thank you so much, Rosie. You’re always so nice.”
“Around the Dark Slayer’s clubhouse we take care of our own,” she replied.
The minute the door closed I turned to find both women staring at me. Mace’s mother, Wren, stammered, “You said your mother is missing, you mean like abducted by strangers?”
“No,” I said flatly. “It’s complicated.”
Their eyes went wide as I told them my story about how I’d been born in the US, but then my dad had taken me and my mom back to Mexico. How she was an American citizen, but she was stuck there. Essentially trafficked and under my father’s control. How she said he used to be a good man but changed when I was young.
Wren frowned, “Do you think he might have had some kind of head injury. I’m a nurse and I’ve seen people change.”
“I don’t know if that’s what happened to him. All my memories of him are as he is now. A monster and the head of a cartel.”
“A cartel,” Wren gasped and looked at Ruby. “That sounds extremely dangerous.”
I nodded, tearing up. “That’s one reason I’m so worried about Mace. I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but he already got shot protecting me.” Before they could panic, I assured them, “It wasn’t a serious wound, but what if next time he’s not so lucky? I really care about him and don’t want to see him get hurt.”
Ruby leaned over the table and looked me in the eye. “My grandson is a warrior, like his grandfather before him. He’s smart and can take care of himself.”
Wren added, “Don’t you worry about Huri. He’s out with his club brothers, I might not approve of my son being in a motorcycle club, but I know his friends are good. Of all the men you could have chosen, my son has the best chance of finding your mom.”