Page 75 of Vandal Unbound

Or maybe he lives in my building and we’ve passed on the stairs.

Elsie grins, then turns to me, confused. “What’s a VIP?”

Ridge rustles her hair. “It means a very important person.”

Elsie shifts her head away from Ridge and looks up at him suspiciously. I’m never going to tell her that she has to allow men to touch her, even though Ridge meant no harm.

The new guy lifts his hand to his hair to slick it back from his face. And then I see it. The tattoo sits low on his wrist, over his pulse. Black ink. Sharp lines. A crown and blade.

Suddenly, I’m thrown back into the past again, my heart thudding in my chest. I nudge my chair closer to Elsie’s as I assess the exit. They stand between Elsie and me and the door.

I’m not sure what to do. Do Sunny and Ridge know who the man is? Are they here collectively for me? Or do they not know him and somehow this guy has gotten past the club’s or their safeguards?

If I just blurt what I know, the man could get violent or hurt Elsie.

My hand tightens on the edge of the table as I try to school my face. Carefully, I grab my phone and try to act casually while I type a message to the only person I can trust to help me navigate this.

Daisy:One of Alvarez’s men is at Maren’s with Sunny and Ridge. What do I do?

Vandal:What? How do you know?

Daisy:Don’t be mad. I recognized his tattoo.

Vandal:Let me call Sunny. Be ready to grab Elsie. I’m about twenty minutes away. I’ll fix this.

I have no choice but to put my faith in Vandal. Casually, I throw my arm over the back of Elsie’s chair, even as my hands shake. A moment later, Sunny’s cell phone rings. He looks down at the number, then briefly at me, before he answers his phone, thankfully stepping back from the third man. “What’s up, Van?”

I see the humor fade from his features as he glances down to the cuffed sleeve of the stranger’s shirt. “Yeah, fancied some cake,” he says as if nothing is wrong.

The words don’t match the grim look on his face. He checks the stranger isn’t looking before he gestures that I should cover Elsie’s eyes.

“Yeah,” Sunny says. “Doing that right now.”

I reach for Elsie, cover her eyes. She squirms and wriggles against me, but I tug her close just as Sunny brings the handle of his gun down hard on the man’s head.

“What the fuck?” Ridge shouts when the man slumps to the ground next to him.

I let out a fast whoosh of air. I guess that move confirms that the club didn’t know who he is.

Maren slides her chair back and jumps up. “Oh my God, Sunny.”

Sunny drops to the floor and puts his knee on the man’s back before stripping him of weapons while he’s out. “He’s one of Alvarez’s men, right, Daisy?”

“He is,” I confirm as Ridge suddenly turns in my direction, the look of confusion still plastered to his face. Then he snaps out of it and produces a long cable tie from a pocket.

I don’t want to know why he carries them with him, because I doubt it’s for home renovation.

“Momma, you’re hurting me,” Elsie says as I stand with her still in my arms, her head pressed against my shoulder.

Ridge grabs my arm and Maren’s. “We can talk about how you know this guy in two seconds, but first we’re getting the three of you out of here.”

I follow his lead. And Maren points to the boathouse. “It’s concrete. We’ll be safe. I can lock the door.”

“Feels like I need hazard pay,” Ridge says, as he hurries us along. “If I fuck up looking after the prez’s old lady, unborn kid, and Vandal’s…” He looks at me and shrugs. “Fuck knows what you are…but both V and Knox are gonna kick my ass.”

“It’s one of Alvarez’s men,” I say quietly. “He has a tattoo on his wrist. They all have them. A crown and blade on their pulse point. Like, they’d give their life blood for him or something. I noticed that guy had one when he raised his hand to push his hair off his face. I didn’t know why he would be with you, so I messaged Vandal.”

Ridge blows out a breath. “Before we leave today, I’m gonna make sure you have my number so you can message me directly.”