VI

Samantha could feel the tension between the two men when she approached with their coffees. After handing them out, she turned and went back into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of the tea that she noticed that Drake had in his fridge. Approaching the patio door, she paused to watch the man who she was falling for gesture wildly at the other man. 

Drake, realizing that his woman was waiting to come outside, waved her out. "It's ok. You can hear this. I promise, Sam, I will never keep anything from you. As my woman, it's expected for you to know something of what we do. We work with severely battered womne and child. Usually, the ones that the law can't help. The ones who have a husband who has too many connections, to0 much political power, and is just too legal savvy , not to mention, a great manipulator. The ones who know exactly which buttons to push, but not get arrested. That's when the agency of law enforcement handling the women and children usually contact us. For those that have no other way out, sometimes local, state and federal law enforcement will send these women and children to us. We take them away, hide them, give them new identities, and a fresh start where they will be safe."

"That's wonderful, Drake. I had a friend in college that I wish had known about you. She was stalked and killed by an overly-possessive boyfriend. If we had know about you, she might still be alive. But, because of what you do, many families will survive." One lone tear tracked down her cheek as she remembered her friend.

Drake picked her up and set her in his lap. "Oh baby, I'm sorry. I wish you had had the help she needed. But now, you can do what you can to help others. It won't replace the memories of what happened, but you can live knowing that you made a safe way out for another woman."

Vulcan, who was all but forgotten, watched on as he smirked. He had been right. Samantha was perfect for his friend. She was feisty enough to stand up to him, but soft enough to be compassionate with the women and children they help. She would be a great asset. Many of the women that they helped where naturally suspicious of them, as men, as biker and as someone that they only had been told were going to help them.

Realizing that they were not alone, Samantha's mouth formed an O as she looked up at Drake's VP. "I'm so Sorry, Vulcan. We are being rude."

Vulcan waved off her apology. "It's ok, Samantha. He seems to be pretty wrapped up in you."

Drake smirked at his friend. "What do you think, man? Will she be a big help or no?"

"Oh definitely a big help. She's naturally soft spoken and compassionate, so she will set the women at ease. I say go for it."

Samantha looked from one man to the other in confusion. "May I ask what you are talking about?"

Drake swallowed past the sudden tightness in his throat. "A lot of the families we help are terrified of us. We're bikers, former military, and we're men. We actually need you to make first contact with them. You could set them at ease. Well, as at ease as women in their situations can be. You can be the go-between for the women and the club. As my woman, you would have access to everything you need to do your job. Information, the ability to build a false background, the false identity. Things that will help these women survive after they get out." He watched her soak in the information that he was giving her. "Please, Sam. I think that you will be a natural."

Turning to look at both men, she remembered the previous conversion. "What happened that brought you out here, Vulcan. Drake was on edge the minute he realized it was you. What's going on?"

"We recently helped a woman with a high profile husband escape with her daughter. When the man, who I am not at liberty to mention, realized that it was us, promised retribution on the club and that he would find his "property" and take her back, the "kid' too, because he owned her as well. When we told him that she was safe from him and that she could never be found, the bastard laughed and said for us to watch. "I have money and power and all of the right connections. I always get what I want. And I want my "property" back." It sent chills up my spine. Sam, I served in Afghanistan and Iraq. I was terrified there. This was a whole other level of fear. This guy talked about his wife and daughter as if he were discussing his clothes. There was no love, no affection. I mean, how can you beat a woman and child, repeatedly raped that woman, and claim to love them. No, this was about losing something that he thought he owned."

Drake growled, and Samantha turned her head sharply in his direction. "All right, My Beast, don't start breathing fire. Cool heads need to prevail here." 

"Your Beast, huh?" Drake smirked.

"Yeah. You're name is Drake. That's a dragon, you sounded like your were about to roar, you were definitely growling, I think if you get mad enough, you might just breathe fire. So, My Beast." Vulcan watched this by-play with a great deal of humor. The woman shouldn't know his friend that well. But, it seemed that she did, indeed know him, and know him well.

"Now, My Beast, how did this despicable man get the information about the location of his wife and daughter?" Samantha asked, frowning.

"We don't know, Sam. There has to be a leak somewhere. In the club. But, I just don't want to believe any of the brothers or their wives or girlfriends would leak it. They all know how important the work we do is. After all, until this happened, we had a 100 percent success rate." Drake didn't like the implications that someone in the club was on the take. It compromised the safety of not just the women ans children they have helped on the past, but also one in the future, as well. Not to mention their reputation.

"Come on, it's late. Let's say goodnight to Vulcan and go fix some dinner and go to bed. We can tackle this problem head-on in the morning." Realizing that she was right, the two thanked Vulcan and said goodnight. As  Drake watched his brother's tail lights disappear down his long driveway, he mused again about the leak. 

"Stop Drake. I can practically see the wheels turning in your head. If you get started thinking about this now, you not only won't eat, you won't sleep, as well."

Turning, Samantha went inside and didn't look back, know Drake would follow her.