The Iron Tiara Read online

  "I'll give you one last chance to make the right decision. The smart decision," he told her, letting go of her wrists and stepping back.

  She rubbed her right wrist where he'd squeezed a little too hard. There was no way she was going to let this Frankenstein-size man ruin her plans. Raising her chin, she added, "Your plan is flawed. He'll never pay you. I'm not important to him. Van Chapman doesn't care about anybody but himself."

  Anthony cocked his head to one side and considered her words. It was true that Van's life had obviously taken a nosedive in the last couple of months. Vivian may have given him control of the dealerships when Bobbi died four years ago, but he would bet that the business was still in Vivian's name, along with the bank accounts. Which was probably why Van was hitting up sharks for extra money. He was hiding his financial indiscretions from his wife. Van may not care about blondie, but Vivian would. He would take his chances.

  "Last chance," he said.

  "I told you no. You are going to have to drag me kicking and screaming. And I can take care of myself. I'm not afraid of you," she said through trembling lips, hoping he wouldn't notice.

  "You're sure?" he asked her calmly.

  "You heard me," she replied, taking a step back and crossing her arms. She was hit with an instant wave of nausea and willed herself to swallow back the fear that was causing her stomach to churn.

  "Then kicking and screaming it is," he said evenly. "I'm sure I can find some rope and duct tape in the garage." He had no intention of tying her up while she was fighting him. He started to pull his fist back, mentally gauging how much of a blow would be needed to knock her out without killing her. But she was faster. Spinning around, she started running for Vivian's open bedroom door when Anthony managed to catch her by the arm.

  She was pulling away from him with all her strength. Before he knew it or could prevent it, he realized he was losing his grip on her. She broke loose, and he heard the sickening crack of her forehead as it collided with the open edge of the bedroom door. He caught her before she hit the floor.

  He looked at the thin red imprint the door left on her forehead and was relieved she wouldn't need stitches. It was a complication he wouldn't have wanted to deal with. She would, however, have a huge lump and possibly even two black eyes. Not to mention a whopper of a headache.

  Cradling her to his chest while bending low, he easily snatched up the bag she dropped and turned off the light with his elbow as he left the master suite. He effortlessly carried her downstairs, shaking his head as he went.

  Good thing you knocked yourself out, princess, he thought to himself. I take no pleasure in punching a woman. Even a sarcastic, spoiled brat like you.

  Chapter Three

  Naples, Florida 1977

  One Year Earlier

  Jason “Grizz” Talbot reached over the console of his black Corvette and squeezed his wife’s leg. Kit had been staring out of the car window. She turned and gave him a knowing smile. Grabbing his large hand, she brought it to her lips.

  “Thank you for the best day ever!” she told him.

  “Ah, I knew it was something you’d enjoy, Kitten,” he answered.

  “And the fact that it was something I know you didn’t enjoy is what made it even more special. Thank you, Grizz.”

  He looked at her and saw the shy smile she was giving him and knew that his resolve to spend the afternoon at the Ringling Brothers Circus Museum with the woman he loved hadn’t been for naught. He reflected on the last two years and how much his world had changed because of her. He never dreamt that having her abducted back in 1975 would turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to him. He’d never expected to fall completely and totally in love with her, and he knew the day she’d been recognized by a school friend and refused to identify herself meant she was falling for him too.

  Their first Christmas together he’d vowed to give her anything she wanted, and when she asked that he let her attend church every Sunday, he honestly had no way of knowing how he could make that work. The likelihood of her being recognized had been too risky. Until he realized there would be less of a chance of that happening if he, or someone else, drove her over Alligator Alley to the west coast of Florida every Sunday morning. When he took her, he usually tried to make it a small getaway by staying overnight or hanging out a little longer to have some alone time before heading back home to Fort Lauderdale.

  They’d arrived Saturday night and stayed in an upscale hotel on the beach. The next morning, he dropped her off at church and headed back to the room to make some phone calls. He picked her up after the service and took her to a nice brunch and then surprised her with the museum visit. Nothing made him happier than seeing Kit smile.

  “We have to make a pit stop on the way home, Kitten,” he said matter-of-factly.

  “Business?” she asked.

  “Yeah. I need to talk to Bear,” he replied as he pressed on the gas pedal. “This conversation needs to happen in person.”

  Kit leaned back in the comfortable leather seat and remembered the first time she’d heard about Anthony Bear. It was last year, she’d already been married to Grizz and was living with him at an old motel where he also conducted his business. Her husband was one of the most feared MC leaders on the east coast of Florida, and she’d just witnessed her first murder of two innocents who’d been lured back to the motel as a ruse to steal their motorcycle. She’d been so shaken, she defied Grizz’s order to never leave or drive anywhere by herself.

  Grunt found her a little while later. Grunt was the younger brother of Grizz’s second in command, Blue. Grunt convinced her to go back to the motel. Back to Grizz.

  She peeked at the man sitting next to her that she was so in love with and secretly thanked Grunt for his wisdom that day. She would never condone the things Grizz did, but she also couldn’t deny her love for him.

  Her thoughts went back to last year after she’d returned to Grizz, and how she'd noticed that name when her husband had paged someone and picked up the phone a few moments later.

  “Bear?” he’d answered on the first ring. “She’s back. Thanks, man.”

  After hanging up, Grizz had explained that Anthony Bear was the leader of his own gang on Florida’s west coast. The two had known each other for years, but played the part of rivals to squeeze out any moles or traitors in their individual groups. Grizz told her he’d called Anthony when he realized that she may have driven across the Alley.

  “What if I had driven over the Alley and Anthony or one of his guys found me?” she’d asked, her eyes wide.

  “We would’ve put on a big show of making some kind of trade,” Grizz answered. “And I know what you’re thinking, so don’t. You would’ve been safe with Bear. He wouldn’t have let anybody touch you. Just like I would do the same for him if it ever came to that. Which it won’t.”

  “Why wouldn’t it come to that?” she asked, her curiosity piqued by his last comment.

  Grizz’s forehead creased and he looked thoughtful. “Bear’s not the type to fall in love. I’d eat my own shi…shoe before I’d believe that Anthony would settle down.” He noticed Kit’s smile when she recognized that he was doing his best to watch his language around her. He usually caught himself about one out of every hundred times.

  “I bet a lot of people had that same assumption about you, Grizz,” she told him as she wrapped her arms around his waist and looked up into his bright green eyes.

  “Yeah, I guess you’re right,” he said, giving her a mischievous grin. He kissed the tip of her nose and headed outside.

  She was startled out of last year's memories when Grizz came to an abrupt stop.

  “You could’ve made that traffic light,” she said, nonchalantly.

  “Yeah, but I can’t do this when I’m driving,” he answered, his deep voice low and soothing. He used the moment to lean over the console and pull her into a long, exploring kiss.

  After their lips parted and Grizz drove on, she asked, “Does Antho
ny have a motel? A place where he runs his…um..." She paused as she contemplated her next words. "His business?”

  “He meets with his crew at a former kids camp in the Everglades. It was abandoned in the sixties after one of the counselors was attacked by an alligator. The guy didn’t die, but once word got out, it scared off the parents of potential campers. And just like I have my bars which I run as legitimate businesses, Anthony has a landscaping company.”

  “Does he live at this camp?” she asked. “You know, like we live at the motel?”

  “No, but he could. It was a pretty classy place back when it opened. Apparently, it was the in thing for a while. The wealthy are always looking for unique ways to stand out, and giving their kids a real Everglades experience was supposed to be cutting edge back then. Unfortunately, I don’t think anybody considered how real it could be until after the gator incident. Anthony bought it for pennies on the dollar; that was a steal since it was built for wealthier clients. I was only there once when nobody was around.”

  “So, is that where we're meeting him?” she asked as she started taking in her surroundings. “I feel like we’re in the middle of nowhere.”

  “We are in the middle of nowhere. And no, I can't go to the camp. We’re going to his house.”

  “Don’t you two still have this pretend rivalry? Isn’t there a chance we might be seen by one of his guys?” Her voice sounded worried. “What if it’s a setup?”

  He glanced over at her and smiled. “Don’t worry, Kit. It’s not a setup, and Anthony has only one rule. No crew allowed at his house except for his second in command. Just like I have my second in command, Blue—who knows that Bear and I are friends. Anthony’s guy knows too.”

  “Seriously? Only one rule? No gang names or anything?” Considering how many rules Grizz had, she was surprised by this.

  “Nope. His club doesn’t even have a name. They don’t wear official jackets. No patch. Nothing like mine.”

  “Well, how are they identified?” she asked.

  “They’re not. And that’s how Anthony wants it. Although they're unofficially known as the Black Souls, the Dark Souls, maybe even the No Souls. I don't remember. Anyway, when we went our separate ways in the sixties, he came over here, not to establish a gang, but a business. However, Bear is a natural leader, and before he knew it, bikers gravitated toward him. He bought the old camp, established headquarters there but chose not to live there. I guess he just uses it for official club business. Like I use the motel.”

  She didn’t say anything else as they rode in silence for what seemed like forever along a paved but extremely dark road. They finally rounded a bend, and a large ranch style house came into view, its front porch light the only indication that someone might be home. It was a starless night, but there was enough natural moonlight that Kit could see the house had bars on the windows.

  She gasped and then asked, “Why does he have bars on his windows?” her voice a little shaky.

  “Kitten, stop it. You’re acting like Bear is someone you need to be afraid of. People should be afraid of him, but you’re not one of them. He bought the house in an auction. It belonged to a drug dealer. Hence, the barred windows.”

  A few minutes later, they found themselves standing in a tastefully furnished living room in front of the most handsome man Kit ever recalled laying eyes on. She honestly couldn’t remember ever meeting someone with such classic good looks. She extended her hand thinking he would shake it.

  “It's nice to meet you, Kit,” Anthony said in a deep voice, the words sliding off his tongue like silk. He brought Kit’s outstretched hand to his mouth and laid a gentle kiss on it. She stared into eyes so dark they appeared black and bottomless. She looked away first and was certain she was blushing all the way to her toes. She chanced a glance at Grizz who rolled his eyes.

  Grizz was sure that Anthony didn’t have a clue about the effect he was having on Kit. He was only being polite. Grizz wasn’t sure how he felt about his wife’s reaction to Bear. She did everything but giggle like a schoolgirl.

  Kit was so wrapped up in Anthony’s greeting she hadn't even noticed the woman who'd sidled up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. Working her way to his right side, the woman barely made eye contact with Kit, but did a double take after glancing Grizz’s way. “Aren’t you going to introduce me, Anthony?” she purred as she raked her eyes over Grizz.

  “No. It’s time for you to leave,” he told her as he removed himself from her grasp.

  “My shift doesn’t start for two hours. I can stay a little while longer and keep you and your friend company,” she told him, glancing seductively at Grizz and ignoring Kit's presence entirely.

  Kit thought she saw a flash of mild irritation on Anthony’s face, but it quickly dissipated. She couldn’t help but stare at the woman who was tall and slender with flawless caramel skin and straight black hair that fell just below her shoulders. She had dark green eyes, high cheekbones and dark, sultry lips. Lips that were whispering something in Anthony’s ear.

  He gently shrugged off her advances and said, “You can walk yourself to the door, Veronique. Stop acting helpless.”

  Her demeanor changed instantly and she practically stamped her foot as she grated loudly, “Fine. But next time you wanna get laid, don’t call me.” She huffed her way over to a nearby chair and retrieved her purse. “I’m a doctor! I don’t know why I bring myself down to your level. You're a criminal who rides a lawn mower for a living yet I’m not good enough to get an introduction. Do me a favor. Never. Call. Me. Again.”

  With that, she charged out the front door, slamming it hard enough to shake the windows. They heard her car start and then peel out as she sped away.

  Grizz chuckled and Kit elbowed him in the ribs.

  “Um. I’m sorry we seem to be here at such an inconvenient time,” Kit stammered, not daring to look up at Anthony. When she finally did, Anthony was smiling at her. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw a dimple on his right cheek.

  “Don’t be sorry. She marches out of here mad at me at least once a week,” he said, and Kit couldn’t be sure, but she was almost certain his dimple got a little bit deeper. "She'll be back."

  Less than an hour later, Grizz and Kit were making their way home when she blurted out, “I’m just in shock how he took the news, Grizz. I mean, you told Anthony that not only was one of his guys sharing his business secrets with one of your guys, but that he was also throwing Anthony’s name around to get the attention of some unsavory characters that he plans on double-crossing. And when he does cheat them, they’ll be going after Anthony for retribution.”

  He reached for the radio and turned it down before answering her. “You don’t need to worry about Anthony, Kit. He’ll handle it. He already knew something was up anyway. I just confirmed it.”

  “Grizz, let’s be honest here. If he’d given you that news, you would’ve screamed, cussed, probably even put a fist through the wall. He did nothing. He nodded and listened to you and thanked you. His face was unreadable, like he was void of emotion. I couldn’t believe he was the same man who kissed my hand. His calmness was downright scary. I can’t even imagine how he plans on handling it.” The windows were cracked and the night air was warm, but she shivered anyway.

  When Grizz didn’t comment, she huffed out a breath and her bangs blew up and softly landed back on her forehead. “Even when Veronique made a scene he didn’t lose his cool. He smiled. I’ve never seen someone handle themselves like that. It’s the mild ones who people need to watch out for. Goodness knows what’s brewing behind his eyes. They were black, Grizz. Black!” She ran her hand through her long hair and asked, “What kind of business is Anthony in anyway? You know, other than landscaping? I heard him mention that he wanted to set up a meeting with Axel to talk about a sensitive delivery."

  Ignoring her last question, Grizz tried to lighten the mood. Maybe taking her along to meet Bear hadn’t been the best idea. “You think Bear is mil
d?" he asked, shaking his head as if he knew better. Before she could answer, he added, "But yeah, him smiling is a rarity, that’s for sure."

  “But the other stuff, Grizz. Not showing any emotion. Not even one “f” word. Look how upset I am and it’s not even my problem to deal with.”

  “With all your fussing at me for cussing you’re telling me you wish he had?” Grizz asked, the amusement in his voice obvious. “Because Bear does lose his temper and he definitely cusses, Kit. He's not perfect.” After a thoughtful pause, he added, “But now that I think on it, I’ve known him for a long time, and I’ve never seen him cuss out of anger or in front of a woman.”

  He glanced over at her and thought he saw the concern in her eyes replaced with what might've been admiration. He didn’t like it.

  “You’re not going to be crushing on Bear because he doesn’t cuss in front of women, are you, Kit?”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. Of course not. I find it interesting is all,” she answered as she rolled her eyes.

  “Good, because you know I’m jealous. I don’t share. I don’t even think about sharing.”

  She gave him a small smile and shook her head. “You know you never have to worry about anything like that with me, Grizz. I love you. You’re my husband. You’re the only man I’ll ever love.”

  “Good,” he replied, and after a long pause he added, “Because I wouldn’t want to have to put a cap in Anthony’s head.”

  She sat straight up, the seat belt pulling tightly against her breasts. “Don’t even joke about something like that, Grizz. It’s not funny,” she pleaded. “You said he was one of a few trusted friends. Why would you kid about that?”

  Turning to his wife he gave her a serious look and said, “I’m not joking about what I might do just thinking about you having feelings for another man, Kit."

  Reaching for the stereo volume, he turned up Bachman-Turner Overdrive’s “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet” as he sped through the darkness toward their home on the east coast.