Quill: Wicked Throttle MC #3, page 8
“Some she inherited from her father, others from her mother, but a few properties she bought herself as an investment. Val also owns a large building where women can go to have a safe place to stay. She does a lot of charity in this city, but she shouldn’t be here. She should have stayed in Italy where her mom dragged her off to a decade ago. She never stands in the spotlight or does press-fucking-statements. She leads her empire on a slow burn, pulling all the strings tightly in her hands. Never…she doesn’t show her damn face on fucking TV,” Beecher informs us, anger a thick undertone in his voice.
Every pair of eyes are locked on Beecher.
“Stop looking at me like I’m the damn creep in the room. I have a past, she was in it, I kept track. Nothing more, nothing less,” Beecher snaps and crosses his arms in front of his chest.
“Do you have any idea what this fucker might be blackmailing her with?” Blake asks.
I watch as Beecher turns slightly pale but he recovers fast and gives a shake of his head.
“Fine, don’t tell me.” Blake shrugs. “Though, I hope the thought that went through your head isn’t something she’s being blackmailed with because she’s fighting this and most times this shit doesn’t end well and secrets still end up on the street. But I guess we might find out when we meet her, seeing she isn’t worried about him throwing it out either.”
“What went through my head stays there. No damn way is there any proof and if there is,” Beecher swallows the words he was about to spill and clears his throat. “Like I said, there isn’t any, she’s as clean as a whistle. Whatever Hoffa Nerrs has she doesn’t have to worry about making it public.”
“Pretty confident there, Beecher.” Blake grabs his bag. “But I guess we’re about to find out.”
Me, Beecher, Prez, and Corban all head for our bikes and follow Blake who’s in his car, and head over to Quintellair Enterprises.
Corban whistles low. “Maaaaaan, what a building on the outside, but the inside? How much money does this chick have to her name?”
“Billions,” Beecher mutters.
A man in a dark blue suit, holding onto a file, strolls up to us. “You must be here for the appointment with Ms. Quintellair. Follow me, please.”
We all trail after the dude who leads us into an elevator. Getting off on the third floor, we’re ushered into a huge boardroom. A large, square table dominates the room with five chairs on opposite sides. One side doesn’t hold any seats and there’s one large chair claiming the head of the table that faces the large windows.
Even though one side of this room holds floor to ceiling windows, the whole room is a dark auburn. On the floor underneath the table is a beige carpet. I tip my head up to take in the ceiling. Quite impressive and both a shocker when I notice the incredibly realistic painting. It’s an underwater view with fucking sharks. The whole thing has a reality vibe to it, even more due to the lighting which is formed by crystal jellyfish. I wonder who the artist is.
“Gentlemen, have a seat, please. I have a very tight schedule.” The voice of the woman strolling inside is both dominating and powerful and leaves little room to object.
Everyone takes a seat and I now notice Beecher was hunched over, hiding his face behind Zerox. What the fuck is that guy hiding for? He takes a seat across from me and the farthest away from the head of the table where Valentina sits down. This way he can hide behind Corban who’s sitting next to him, leaning on the table, blocking Beecher from the woman’s view.
“Thank you for meeting with us today,” Blake starts but she cuts him off.
“If it wasn’t for our mutual friend at the FBI, who vouched for you, this meeting would have never taken place,” Valentina states.
Blake chuckles, “Good to know Kirk has more value than I thought.
“He wishes.” Valentina flashes Blake a grin but it slides right off and into a look of all business as she continues. “Now, as I said, my time is limited and I believe we don’t have much to discuss since I won’t go into the details of what Hoffa Nerrs is trying to blackmail me with. Emphasis on trying due to the fact I have no skeletons in my closet I’m ashamed of.”
Beecher leans forward. “Are you one hundred percent sure about that, Val?”
The room goes dead silent and when I glance at Valentina she looks as if she’s staring at her own death. Pure horror, shock, pain, and a whole lot of other emotions are slicing through her.
She stands up in a flash. “This meeting is over.”
Everybody is as stunned as I am, except for Beecher. He slowly rises and blocks Valentina from exiting.
“Move, Shaw,” she snaps.
“Not a chance,” Beecher says in a menacing tone.
Valentina grabs onto his leather cut, setting me and my brothers on edge since all of us have experienced what happens when a woman touches him. To say it doesn’t end well for the woman and Beecher along with it is an understatement.
His gaze slides down to where her tiny fist holds on to the leather and the corner of his mouth twitches. “It’s been a long time since I’ve allowed a bitch to touch me.”
Valentina’s eyes flare and she pushes him back against the wall, her face leaning into his personal space. “I am not some bitch,” she growls low.
“My point exactly,” Beecher says and wraps his fingers around her wrist. “Now sit down because we have information you need to know.”
“There’s nothing you have for me that I need to know.” Anger is making her voice shake slightly.
Beecher takes a deep breath to calm himself. “Quill’s Old Lady has a stepsister, Hazel. Hazel was a druggy and a fuck-up. One who had a gang and together they hit houses to gather money to fund their drug addiction. The last house they hit belonged to Hoffa Nerrs. Still think you don’t need to know what other information we might have?”
Her fingers let go of Beecher’s leather cut but since he’s still holding on to her wrist, she places her palm on his pecs. “Go on.”
“Adley, Quill’s Old Lady, has this quirk…she collects business cards and it’s like an addiction. Adley’s also a nurse and since Hazel fucked up with hitting Hoffa’s house—thinking he wasn’t home but clearly, he was when he or his guards opened fire on the home invaders—she had Adley kidnapped and brought to the place they were hiding out in to fix her buddies who got shot. All went to shit with them turning on each other and in the turmoil Adley managed to escape. Due to this quirk she has, she snatched up two business cards she noticed on the floor. Turns out they weren’t business cards. We have reason to believe they are keycards to a safe. Keycards Hoffa desperately wants back and has even sent one of his men after Adley to get them.”
“Oh,” Valentina gasps. “That explains a lot.”
She steps back and strolls to the chair at the head of the table. Beecher steps forward to follow her but shakes his head as if to clear it and detours to his place next to Corban.
“When Hoffa Nerrs contacted me a few weeks ago he expected me to sell one of my properties at a fraction of its worth. If I didn’t, he would leak things to the press. He didn’t put it in many words but the blackmail would entail the threat that if I didn’t give him the property he wanted, I would take a huge financial loss due to losing deals and stock. It wasn’t until Shaw made me question things because I have nothing else in my life Hoffa can hold over my head. Neither am I ashamed of my lifestyle or any choices in life I’ve made. Now, the deadline for my answer to his blackmail was a few days ago. I told him to show me what he had on me and if he couldn’t present anything, I would turn the tables. Needless to say, my deadline for him was yesterday and he presented nothing. Hence the reason I openly called him out on his shady business since he has the cops in his backside pocket. But what Shaw just mentioned…the keycards? What if the so-called evidence was kept in a safe? A safe he couldn’t get into without the keycards.”
Fuck. This thing just turned into an even bigger shitstorm, dragging Beecher and this powerful woman right in along with it. And why the fuck does she keep calling Beecher Shaw?
Chapter Nine
***Quill***
“You okay, man?” I ask Beecher as we stroll into the clubhouse and he’s about to escape toward his room.
He doesn’t glance back at me but mutters, “I need to be alone. Don’t worry, I won’t hit any mirrors.”
Okay, then. I make a mental note to check up on him later but first I need to find Adley. The whole meeting with Valentina turned out to take longer than we all anticipated. Beecher acted indifferent when we were leaving but he didn’t fool me. I could tell he didn’t want to leave. One of the reasons being Valentina denying any help from us.
I also have to add she ignored Beecher for the rest of the meeting and acted like he wasn’t there at all. All of this assures me something huge happened between those two that left an impact on both of them. And for sure as shit it has something to do with Beecher not touching other women while clearly, she can put her hands on him.
But like I said, first I need to find Adley and not to mention I can’t do anything about this thing between Beecher and Valentina anyway. The door to Zerox’s office opens and the women stroll out one by one. Adley heads straight for me and there aren’t any words to describe the feeling flowing through me when she wraps her arms around my waist.
I grab hold just as tight and slide my fingers into her hair to tip her head back and take her mouth. Fucking hell, I’d love nothing more than to ravage her mouth and feel her naked body against mine but we’re still standing in the middle of the clubhouse and the hollers are what drags me out of my lust filled haze.
I tighten my fist in her hair, making her gasp and giving me the ability to break our kiss. “Missed you,” I tell her the two words and place her head against my chest while I shoot a death glare around the room to shut everyone the hell up and to mind their own business.
Zerox, Corban, and Barlow shoot me a knowing grin while they tuck their Old Ladies against them. They get what it’s like to have an Old Lady. To have the missing part in life, you don’t realize how big the hole was until she filled it right up.
“Come on,” Maci says. “Tracy found something you should see.”
We all follow her into Zerox’s office where Maci tells Blake to close the door.
“Should Beecher be here since he went along with you guys to the meeting?” Tracy questions.
“Does the shit you want to show us involve Valentina Quintellair or Quintellair Enterprises?” Zerox asks.
Tracy’s head bounces. “Yes, mainly Valentina.”
“Then no, we need to hear it first. I can’t have him freak out and heading over to her. Those two are connected and neither the fucker nor she, wants to share what happened in their past. Not to mention they ignored each other the rest of the meeting. And I get it, privacy and all, but shit kept secret can screw up and backfire at any given moment so it’s up to us to keep our heads in the game and make sure the information flow toward them is controlled.” Zerox glances around the room to make sure his words hit home before they land on Tracy again. “Show me what you found.”
Tracy clears her throat and with a few keystrokes she turns the laptop our way and I swear every one of my brothers has the same thoughts as I snap, “What the actual fuck?”
“Holy shit, is that Valentina?” Barlow steps closer to the screen and tilts his head. “How does…ouch. Man, for real?”
“Uh, huh, she’s a dominatrix. Check this,” Tracy says and flips the screen to a video where Valentina gives a demonstration with a bullwhip dressed in all leather and the highest of fucking heels I’ve ever seen.
“I vote we don’t show this to Beecher,” Zerox mutters, eyes fixed on the screen.
“I second that shit because the fucker ties up his women and when you see the woman who’s supposedly his one and only according to the legend…let’s just say I don’t see him tying her up but the other way around,” Corban cringes.
“My point,” Zerox winces.
Barlow steps closer to the laptop and hits pause on the video. “She did put her hand on him, though. He didn’t fight or flip out either when she did.”
“She did? He didn’t?” Adley gasps. “Then, in my opinion it’s the very reason why you should show this little piece of information to him.”
“Why?” Zerox’s voice is hard and his eyes find mine when he adds in a normal tone, “Can you explain your thoughts as to why you think it’s a good idea to show a guy who always ties up the women he fucks that the woman he craves is someone who leads a life tying dudes to crosses and whipping them? You might as well step on his cock and say ‘oops, sorry buddy, you should have seen that one coming when my foot aimed for your cock’.”
“And maybe, just maybe, this woman and Beecher function in their way of normality and found this is their quirk to cope with what happened. How they can continue to live their life; in full control. Ever think of this possibility? Both in charge of things. Beecher not allowing any woman to touch him, but when Valentina did, it didn’t trigger his normal reaction? Yes. I think this will show him she’s not the controlled, all classy, inspirational businesswoman who doesn’t have a care in the world. All people have issues and deal with shit in their own way, and if you think I judge her choice of lifestyle, you’re wrong. This woman is strong and clearly knows what she wants in life and takes it without any fear or resentment to enjoy her life to the fullest. Why do I say this? Because Tracy said it was all well-hidden. The fact Valentina owns a BDSM club which is high-class and a well-respected one overseas. One where rich clients are on a long waiting list for a chance at a membership. If she has the guts to make the blackmailing stuff front page news…she’s not ashamed of any of it, as she shouldn’t be. Besides. The both of them are adults, they need to deal.”
“I think she’s right,” Maci says.
Tracy nods. “She has valid points.”
“Fuck,” Zerox grumbles. “Quill, get Beecher in here.”
I spin on my heels and head for his room. I knock twice and it doesn’t take long for him to open the door.
“What’s up?” Beecher quips in a way too cheerful tone.
“The Prez needs you in his office,” I simply state and head for the office, hearing Beecher close his door and his footsteps following me through the hallway.
I slip inside my Prez’s office and I see him standing in front of the laptop. I wait for Beecher to get inside and close the door.
“Well, I’m here, lay it on me ‘cause I’m guessing it has to do with my Val since you’re all hogged up here and looking at me. Out with it,” Beecher says and puts his hands on his hips and braces himself.
Zerox doesn’t say anything but simply steps aside and hits play on the video. We all watch how Beecher’s eyes light up and a smirk slides over his face. “Yeah, she looks pretty damn hot in leather, don’t you think? Hey, did you check out the demonstration where she…”
“Stop. Fucking. Talking. We didn’t see anything but the first few minutes of this one,” Zerox snaps.
“Shame, you should check it out, she’s a killer with a whip but when she…”
“Stop. Fucking. Talking, asshole.” Zerox steps forward and leans into his personal space. “Are you telling me you knew about this part of her life all along? You’ve been fucking other women knowing…man, I can’t even say the damn words. The second I met my Old Lady I didn’t feel anything stir my cock, only her. While you…you…fuck,” Zerox seethes and drags a hand over his face in frustration.
All of us are keeping quiet because every single one in this room—except for Blake since he isn’t part of this MC—has an Old Lady. All of us know what it feels like to meet the one and only. Yet Beecher knew for all those years and kept his distance and did nothing. Well, like Zerox just pointed out, he did do something…mainly not the right thing any of us would have done.
A blank look slides over Beecher’s face. “We can never be together, not with the shit that happened. I’m destined to be alone so ex-fucking-cuse me when I give my cock some attention in my own twisted way. And who the fuck are you to judge while all of you are with the ones you’re supposed to be with?” He points at the laptop and glares at Zerox. “Enjoy the fucking show because that’s all I’ve ever been able to do. Watch from afar, knowing who she is, where she is, what she can do, how fucking much she’s grown into a strong and fierce woman with the shit that happened. So, leave me the hell alone since my actions and sins are mine and I will always own them, no matter how deep they are carved or how many times salt is sprinkled in there when I fuck a nameless bitch while all I ever want to be is balls deep inside the woman I love but can never have.”
Beecher spins around and leaves the room. A few breaths later there’s a loud bang and all of us know he slammed the door to his room shut. Nobody says anything. Adley steps closer to me and snuggles close.
“It really sucks to be Beecher,” Adley sighs.
“You can say that again,” Zerox says and pulls Maci close.
Blake’s gaze is aimed at the floor, clearly uncomfortable with everyone holding onto their Old Lady. All of us understand the fucked-up situation Beecher and Valentina are in but there’s nothing we can do.
Like Beecher said, it’s between them. None of us know what happened and for Beecher to say, and think, they can never be? We have to assume he’s right. Some of us have fought the legend and none have been able to resist. For Beecher to know where his one and only is, keeping an eye on her for over a decade…yeah, no one can interfere, it’s all on him.
“Quill.” Blake crosses the room to stand next to me and Adley. “I was talking to a friend of mine on speaker when I was driving back and he thinks we should get Adley into the police station to give her statement. Tracy has managed to dig up surveillance tapes showing she was kidnapped when she left the hospital. We now have solid proof Hoffa Nerrs isn’t the squeaky-clean fucker he appears to be on paper, since Valentina dragged him through the mud by placing that front newspaper article. They have to be aware of this whole situation so this is the moment to clear Adley’s name in the shit her stepsister dragged her into.”
