Vengeful Soul by Emma Creed
Gracie isn’t making it fucking easy. The unshed tears in her eyes prove I’ve hurt her, which is exactly why all this shit between us has to stop. I’d been looking forward to getting away from her, finally putting some space between us. Riding out was exactly what I needed after my fuck up last night.
But now she’s coming with me and I don’t care that Jessie is right, I can only see this as a bad idea. Almost as bad as Prez sending me to take the girl in the first place.
What makes it worse is the fact the club also have a solid lead on Chop. That cunt was sighted over in Denver, which means he’s close by. If the club ends up nailing that son of a bitch while I’m gone, I won’t be accountable for my actions.
I pack a bag with fresh clothes. It’s a long drive to the address Maddy gave me, but I’ll do everything I can to avoid stopping along the way. Heading back out to the yard, I light up a smoke and wait for Gracie in the club’s truck. She keeps me waiting for way longer than ten minutes. But waiting is the least of my worries, especially when she comes out of Jessie’s cabin wearing a cute fuckin’ summer dress and a pair of cowboy boots. The dress shows off far too much of her legs and makes her tits look even more fuckable.
“Let me get that for ya, darlin’.” Squealer, jumps off his porch, stepping into Gracie’s path, he grabs the bag she’s carrying out of her hands and flings it over his huge shoulder.
“It’s not heavy.” She quickly snatches it back off him, flicking her hair as she steps around him. I have to look away so the sassy bitch doesn’t see me smirk.
“Suit ya self,” Squealer shrugs, tilting his head to admire her ass as she comes toward the truck.
Gracie opens the door and jumps in the passenger seat beside Duke. She’s refusing to look at me and I have to admit, she looks cute as fucking hell when she's mad.
I pull off, leaving the club and my brothers behind, hoping that this trip is gonna get us some answers. I need this bitch and the thoughts she puts inside my head gone, before I lose that tiny shred of sanity I have left.
It takes just over three hours to get to Monte Vista. Three hours of awkward silence and side glances that I can’t stop myself from making at her. Those pretty little lips sit firm for the whole of the journey, and all I can think about is how they’d tasted, and how my name sounded spilling out of them when she came for me. She strokes Duke’s fur, in that affectionate way she always does when he snuggles into her. His head lays contently on her lap, and he stares up at me judgingly until I scowl and he looks away.
When we pull up outside the farmhouse, Gracie finally turns her attention to me. “I think you should let me do the talking,” she suggests.
“Fine by me. I just want this shit over.” I laugh a little cruelly.
“And you need to lose the thingy,” her finger points at my cut. “Maybe you could try a smile now and again to help me sell the story.”
“What fuckin’ story?” I ask, shrugging out of my cut and placing it on the bench seat between us.
“We can’t just walk in there and ask for a government classified list. There has to be an explanation and I think I have one, I just need to find out how much she knows first.”
“Whatever.” I shake my head and get out of the truck. At least she has a plan, all I've thought about during the ride here is fucking her all over again.
She follows me through the gate, up the path, then stands beside me as I knock on the door. The woman who answers is short, round, and wears her hair in a neat bun. Despite the fact we’re strangers, she greets us with a welcoming smile.
“Can I help you?”
“Mrs. Deferman.” Gracie stuns me when she dramatically launches her body forward and swings her arms around the old woman’s neck, nearly knocking the old gal off her feet.
“Oh, hello, dear,” Mrs. Deferman pats Gracie’s back, clearly curious by the unexpected affection of a complete stranger.
“I’m so sorry to hear about Joe. When I heard the news, I just had to come and see you.” Gracie’s voice is unrecognizable, so sickly sweet that it almost has me convinced.
“I’m sorry, dear, I don’t recall…”
“I’m Grace, Grace Scott. Your husband worked with my mama. And I was so fond of him.” I look on and watch the woman instantly warm to her.
“Well, me and my fiancé here just had to come and check that you were okay. And perhaps trouble you for a small favor.” I almost choke, while Gracie twists sweetly on her heels and coils her arm around mine.
“Go on.” The woman looks eager to help.
“Well, it’s about the wedding, I don’t know if you heard this, but my own parents passed recently.”
“My dear, that’s awful.” Mrs. Deferman stretches out her hand to comfort Gracie. “Come, the two of you must come in. I’ll make us a drink and you can tell me how I can help.” The woman turns her back to lead us in, and Gracie follows, looking back at me and winking playfully over her shoulder.
“You’re going straight to hell,” I whisper, shaking my head in disbelief at the performance I’ve just witnessed.
“And I’m dragging you with me.” She keeps that innocent natured voice on, as she grasps the front of my T-shirt and tugs me inside.
Mrs. Deferman shows us to the couch and excuses herself to make the drinks.
“If this doesn’t work, I’m gonna keep the old dear talking, and you are gonna go use the bathroom,” she says, keeping the fake smile on her face when the old lady pops her head around the door to see if we want some cookies.
“Cookies would be great, wouldn’t they, Braxton?” Gracie, lifts her eyebrows at me.
“Great.” I smile back at the old woman, making sure that Gracie hears the sarcasm in my voice. She’s gonna pay for this.
“So how can I help you pair?” The woman returns a few moments later, setting down a tray with sweet tea and cookies.
“Well…” Gracie takes my hand in hers and looks at me adoringly. “My mama and papa were taken before we could be married. I was happy to just disappear and have a quiet service, but Braxton here, he won’t hear of it. Will you, darling?” her finger flicks at the tip of my nose cutely, and it takes all my restraint not to snap at it with my teeth.
“Only the best for my girl.” I reach my arm around her, pretending to tickle at her ribs, instead using my knuckles to rub into her flesh and make her double over, but she’s a pro and still manages to fake a giggle.
“You two are so sweet, you remind me of me and Joe when we were young.” The woman watches us admiringly.
“Well, I know Mama worked with Joe, and I thought having some of her work colleagues there on our special day would help me feel closer to her.” Gracie wipes a fake tear from the corner of her eye, and this Oscar-worthy performance teaches me never to underestimate her.
“Oh here, dear,” the woman passes her a tissue from the box beside her chair.
“Thank you,” Gracie snuffles, using the tissue to dab her eyes. “I was wondering if Joe had a list of associates. People they worked with who maybe we could contact to share our day with. You must come too of course,” Gracie adds, reaching across the table to take the woman’s hand.
“I’d be honored,” the old woman places her other hand on her chest. “I don’t know if I can be much help on the guestlist front though, I didn’t know any of his colleagues, unfortunately. Joe never had all that much to say about work. But then, I suppose there isn’t much you can say about selling stationery.” Mrs. Deferman takes a sip of her tea and Gracie looks at me, failing to hide the shock from her face.
“There may be something in his office, you’re free to take a look. Everything’s still there. I haven’t had the strength to go through his things yet.”
“Oh, Mrs. Deferman.” Gracie moves in for another hug. “Thank you, thank you so much.”
Clever fucking girl.
We finish our tea before the old woman leads us up the stairs and opens up the door to a box room. There’s a small desk and paperwork scattered everywhere. Invoices, and catalogs all displaying stationery.
“I’m sure he’ll have had a contacts book here somewhere.” the woman says, perching her glasses on the end of her nose and scrolling her eyes over the bookshelves. I grab Gracie's arm while she’s distracted, pointing my head to the floor space under the desk where I spot a briefcase identical to her mother's.
“Here we go. Joe’s little black book,” the old woman says with a chuckle.
I know anything relating to the agency is gonna be in that case. We need to get it out of here and back to the club. I glance around the room trying to come up with something that won’t involve causing the old woman distress. Then my eyes spot something out the window that gives me an idea.
“Would you look at that,” I come at Gracie from behind, wrapping my arm around her neck.
“Is that an apple tree, Mrs. Deferman?”
“It sure is. My Joe planted that when we first brought the place.”
“Well, I just love apple pie,” I tell her, learning from Gracie and putting on a sweet voice of my own, I’m surprised at how well I actually pull it off.
“You do? That was Joe’s favorite. It’s why he planted the tree,” she laughs, looking out the window proudly. “You must pick some and take some back with you, so Gracie here can make you a pie. I have a great recipe for making the perfect pastry, the trick is to…”
“Why don’t you girls go out back and pick some of those apples. I can copy the names and numbers from the book. And Gracie, you can tell Mrs. Deferman the story about how we met.” I crush Gracie’s neck a little tighter in my arm and smack a kiss on her cheek.
“You’re gonna love it,” I whisper at the woman.
Gracie follows her out the room, looking back at me with evil eyes, and I wait until I can see the pair of them chattering around the tree. Gracie holding a bag, while Mrs. Deferman fills it up with apples. I take the briefcase and the little black book. And sneak back down the stairs, taking the briefcase out the front door to the truck and hiding it under my seat. When I make my way back inside. I hear them in the kitchen, and make my way through to them.
“Well, I think we’ve got everything we need.” I join them, placing the black book on the kitchen counter.
“And I’ve got the apples.” Gracie holds up the bag gleefully.
“We should hit the road if we want to get back before dark,” I suggest, hoping to move things on and get the hell out of here.
“Wait, you still haven’t told me how you two met.” The old woman sounds genuinely interested, so I don’t disappoint her.
“Well,” I take Gracie’s hand in mine, ready for my final performance.
“The truth is. I saw her, and in that moment I knew I had to have her. So, I gave her no choice and swept her right off her feet.” I touch my lips to Gracie's knuckles and watch her mouth drop from its forced grin.
“You cheeky thing,” the old woman lands a half-hearted slap on my shoulder.
“And she’s been driving me wild ever since.” I pull Gracie onto my body, the same way Jessie does to Maddy whenever he’s been away from her for more than five fucking minutes.
“But you wouldn’t have her any other way,” Mrs. Deferman says knowingly.
“No, I wouldn’t.” I place a finger under Gracie’s chin, forcing her to look up at me, and I take the opportunity to taste those lips again. Crisp and fresh, just like the apples she’s holding.
“How lovely,” the old lady swoons.
“We should get going. I really want to make that pie,” Gracie says, shuffling out of my arms and giving the old woman a hug goodbye.
“Thanks again, your invitation will be in the mail,” Gracie calls out of the window as we drive away.
“I can’t wait,” Mrs. Deferman shouts back, waving us off.
“I think you enjoyed that.” Gracie turns her head to me and lets out the most irresistible giggle. She must have forgotten how mad she is at me. I reach under the seat and pull out the briefcase, dumping it on her lap.
“All for the cause, darlin’,” I tell her.
“You were impressed. Admit it… come on,” she goads me playfully.
“Alright, yeah I was impressed,” I give in and smirk back at her.
“Guess you can go back to hating me now.” Her smile fades and her tone turns sad. And I have to force myself to look away from her, the girl makes me fuckin’ hurt.