Page 47 of Mace
“They expect me to trade your mother to get my merchandise back. I won’t stand for it, Alicia.”
“They’re just worried about her. So am I. Why don’t you let her come and visit with me for a few days? Maybe I can talk them into giving it back if you show that you’re willing to work with them and be fair.”
“Alicia, for a daughter of mine, you aren’t very smart. You think I’m gonna let your mama out of my sight? If you want to see her, you must come to us.”
I hesitated because the last thing I wanted was for both of us to be in their clutches. I didn’t know if I called my handler right now how long it would take them to arrange a SWAT team or their equivalent. But maybe this was my chance?
My father picked up on my hesitation and added, “Your mama hasn’t been feeling well. All she does is cry and ask for you.”
Fuck. My heart clenched in my chest. My old man knew exactly what buttons to push to get me to do his bidding. I realized it was now or never. I couldn’t leave my mom in his clutches any longer. I’d have to roll the dice and hope for the best.
“Okay, I’d like to meet you, but I don’t have a car.”
“I know where you are,” he said in a menacing tone. “If you leave through the back of the property and walk through the empty field, on the other side is a two-lane road. We can meet you there.”
“They have prospects guarding the gate,” I said.
“You walk past the gate, turn right, and around a hundred yards there’s a group of bushes. The fence is damaged there, you can escape.”
At his words I felt a chill. My father had clearly been spying on me, or on the MC. What had he been planning? If he knew this, then what had stopped him from launching an attack on the clubhouse. I knew there and then that I had to do this, it was the only way I could keep Mace and his club safe from my father. But I was still worried.
“No, that’s a bad idea. If the Slayers see you waiting for me, things might escalate fast. I don’t want Mom involved in anything like that. Tell me where you want to meet, and I’ll get a ride.”
His tone was dark when he answered, “Do you think I am an idiot? Call me when you’re on the road outside the clubhouse and I’ll give you directions in real time. Come alone, if that dirty biker is with you then you’ll never see your mama again.”
“Alright, I can be there in three hours. Anything quicker than that will arouse suspicion.”
“Of course, Alicia. Your mama will be so relieved to finally see you.”
“If anything changes, I’ll text you, okay?”
“Perfect,” he replied, clearly pleased to have me right where he wanted me.
Of course he had to add a threat at the end, because that’s just how he was. So, he added, “Don’t even think about double-crossing me. If you dare to do anything other than what I say, you know what will happen to your mother.”
He didn’t give me a chance to respond before ending the call. The minute my screen went dark, I went into my contacts list and called my handler.
He answered, “Alicia is everything okay?”
“Yes. My father is here and wants to meet with me.”
“Finally, the others said I was wasting my time by dealing with you, but I knew it would pay off.”
I frowned at that statement as it seemed a bit odd, but I supposed that in the weeks I’d been in touch with the feds I hadn’t really managed to give them anything of use, so maybe they were tiring of me? That just hammered home that this was my only chance to get immunity for me and my mom.“Remember, you promised to protect my mother and give us immunity. She’s not part of what he does for a living, and neither am I.”
“Yes, yes, your mother will be spared.”
Shock roiled through my gut as I tried to wrap my mind around what he just said. She will be spared, it sounded like they’d already decided to shoot my father on sight. I would have thought he’d be a better asset to them alive, but what did I know about how US government organizations worked?
His voice turned a shade darker. “Where is he? Tell me now.”
“He wouldn’t give me his location. He’s going to give me directions once I’ve left the clubhouse. As long as you keep your promise to protect my mother, I’ll lead you right to him.”
“Alright. We’ll do it his way. You better not think about double-crossing me, Alicia.”
Why on earth would I do that? He sounded as crazy as my father right now. I didn’t care if he was an egomaniac too, as long as he kept to our deal. “I won’t try anything. I want my father behind bars like he deserves, so me and my mom can be free and happy. I made arrangements to meet up with him in three hours. Will that give you enough time to get organized on your end.”
“We’re the federal government, Alicia. We’re always ready. Are you still at the biker’s clubhouse?”