by S. Nelson
“No, but we didn’t stay long. Linc fought, made it look good, and went down convincingly twenty minutes into it. Boland was declared the winner and we left. And we made sure not to have any contact with Ford or Owen, in case they did have people there watching, which I’m sure they did. We just didn’t see ’em. It wasn’t anyone obvious. No one with Reaper cuts on, and no one we recognized otherwise.”
“You didn’t see the woman, then?” Tripp asked.
“What woman?” Linc looked genuinely confused, but I supposed I understood as Tripp had contacted his cousin and not him or Jagger about who showed up here with the van before it exploded.
Marek looked to me to explain. “Some bitch showed up at the salon a while ago. Chelsea did her hair, then she came back later claiming she lost her wallet. Braylen thought she seemed shifty and mentioned that some of us were on our way there. She left right after. Then that same chick showed up here with the minivan, saying she broke down and that she needed help. But Cutter wouldn’t let her in, told her we were closed. That’s when she took off, and before I could get him away from the gates, the fuckin’ thing exploded. There is no doubt she is with them.” I took a much-needed breath. “I’d hate to think what would’ve happened had Cutter let her in.”
“He’s not dumb,” Trigger grumbled. No one disputed because he was right. Cutter would’ve never let her inside, no matter how desperate she seemed.
Tripp’s phone chimed. “Owen and Ford are fifteen minutes out,” he announced after swiping the screen. “They got video.”
While we waited for them to get back, I wasted no time in asking the same questions I had before. “Who’s stayin’ here and who’s goin’ to the farm?” I didn’t mention the two Reaper charters because I knew those locations would be included with the takedown. Going to the farm was more important to me because I believed that’s where Braylen and Zoe were, and if Marek tried to pull a fast one and send me somewhere else other than there, I was gonna let him know I was going against his orders.
“This place isn’t secure right now with the gates not operational.” Miles took the opportunity to speak. “Is there anywhere around here everyone can stay?”
My first thought was either Indulge or Flings, seeing as how both of our strip clubs were closed until we could get a better handle on the situation. Only, the more I thought about those locations, the more I didn’t like the idea because those two places were obviously associated with us. We needed somewhere which had no affiliation with us whatsoever. Problem was, I didn’t know where that would be, and especially on such short notice. We didn’t have weeks or even days to plan something. We only had hours to act.
“Anyone have any suggestions?” Ace spoke up that time. “Because we need to move now. We can’t wait around for that fucker to call back and tell us what else we have to do.”
Marek shot him a look that either screamed “shut the fuck up” or “we’re all aware,” most likely shuttling between the two.
I offered up my options, but Prez voiced what I’d been thinking, that they were too closely associated with us. Some of the guys suggested hotels, houses that belonged to relatives and even the option of our Laredo charter again.
None of them were a go.
Drumming my fingers on the edge of the table as a distraction, I was relieved when Tripp and Hawke’s cousins finally showed up. Marek rose from his chair but then sat back down when Ford shoved his phone at him. I hopped up and moved toward the head of the table, Ryder flanking me on my left side, both of us peering over Prez’s shoulder when he hit the button to start the video.
Ford had stood off in the corner, getting every possible angle of the space. The place was packed, people shouting in excitement over the upcoming fight. As he panned over the crowd, I didn’t see anyone I recognized, with or without Reaper cuts. Then Linc came into view, Jagger walking closely behind him as they headed toward the ring. There was an uproar, women vying to touch Linc when he passed by them, but he didn’t look affected by their attention in the least. Boland waited in the ring, bouncing on his feet, craning his neck every few seconds to talk to the large bald man standing in his corner. The guy was bigger in bulk than Linc, his hair slicked back off his face. As soon as the announcer introduced both fighters, the bell rang, and at first nothing much happened. It looked like Linc toyed with his opponent and then out of nowhere he hit him with a quick uppercut, followed by a kick to the guy’s ribs. I realized the fight was now over and done with, and that Linc lost the bout on purpose, but I was still waiting for him to knock the guy out as I continued to watch the footage.
Every strike Linc made was precise, but when he allowed Boland to strike back, absorbing the hit to his jaw, then the hit from his opponent’s knee to directly below his rib cage, I knew the end of the fight was coming.
I had to hand it to my man. If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve thought his loss was legitimate, too. The bout ended when Boland managed to land a kick to the side of Linc’s temple which knocked him off his feet. He stayed on the ground, claiming the loss. Right before he went down, though, right before Boland raised his leg in the air, Linc turned quickly to look back at Jagger, who gave him the subtlest nod. Everything had been planned, and after Linc gave a good show, he knew the exact moment to end it all.
“Looked believable,” Ryder mumbled. “Who picked up the winnings?”
“We saw a woman fitting your description.” Ford pressed a button on the screen, fast-forwarding a bit, and hit the button again, canceling the speed up. “Right there, by the corner of the hallway. Is that her? Because she was the one who went into a back room and came out with a duffle bag.” I didn’t get a good enough look at her to verify that was in fact her on the video.
“Hawke. Take a look. You were the only other one, beside Cutter and Chelsea, who saw her.” The nomad was next to us in a few short strides.
“Yup. That’s her.”
“Was there anyone else with her?” Marek asked the question we all wanted to know.
“This guy,” Owen added, “was the only other one we saw next to her. They never said anything to each other, that we noticed, anyway. But he wasn’t but a few steps behind her the whole time. We followed them outside, and he got into an old Bronco and she got into an Uber. They both pulled into their place off Grenadine.”
“That’s their charter here,” Jagger grumbled, even though he’d stated the obvious. Every single man in this room knew where the Reapers were located.
“So, what now?” Ford tucked his phone into his back pocket.
“We can’t wait for Griller to call because I don’t think that’s gonna happen.” Ryder ran his hand over his face, looking wearier than he did five minutes ago, and with good reason. He wanted to go and find his family, and I was on board.
No more waiting.
No more guessing.
No more assuming.
We needed to make our move. And whether Griller and Dutch and the rest of them were expecting it or not, we needed to strike now.
Instead of answering Ford’s question, Marek stared at me. “You good to go to the farm?” He held up his hand, halting my speedy response. “I don’t want you sayin’ yes just because you wanna go. I need to know that you’re a hundred percent, especially after bein’ knocked on your ass from the blast. If you’re feelin’ any type of way, I’m gonna need you to stay here and keep watch over everyone while we do this.”
When he finally snapped his mouth shut, there were only two words I needed to utter.
“I’m good.”
He nodded, then looked to Ace and Linc. “What we’re about to do is somethin’ that we’re unfortunately used to, although it’s been a while. But you guys aren’t. I need you to know that if you don’t think you’ll be able to handle this shit, puttin’ someone in the ground, most likely at close range, I’ll tell you what I just told Brick. I’m gonna need you to stay here because once you go down this road, there is no coming back. Enemies or not.”
This was one of those times when I thought there would be a longer silence, the guys contemplating seriously about what Marek told them. But there wasn’t.
Their agreement to go came swiftly, without reservation. Not an unsure shrug or a worried expression was shared between them. Nothing but absolution. Now he just had to give that same speech to the prospect and his son.
“Okay. Now we only have the issue of where to bring everyone because we’re kind of out in the open without those damn gates.” Nash was the one to remind us all of one of our biggest issues, as if we forgot.
Stone recapped our conversation for Ford and Owen about finding a place for the rest of them to lie low until we handled everything, ending with the fact we didn’t have a viable option and were running out of time to find one.
“I think we can help you with that.” Owen smirked, peeking over at his older brother. “Walt’s cabin.”
“Ah… yeah, that’ll work.”
“Who the fuck is Walt?” I asked, annoyed at not knowing, yet relieved we finally had a possible solution.
“Walter Dessoye.”
“The famous movie producer?” Ace asked, looking as confused as the rest of us.
“Yeah. And he also happens to be our father-in-law.” The corners of Ford’s mouth curved up but flattened quickly after. “Call him.”
“On it.” Owen walked into the corner of the room while Ford remained to explain further.
“He has a family cabin about forty miles from here in Modesto. It’s tucked away on ten acres, and trust me when I tell you that it’s secluded. It’s very hard to find unless you know where you’re going.”
“But is it big enough to house everyone?” My lips moved silently while I counted. “We have twelve people and that doesn’t include whoever of us is gonna stay behind with them.”
“It’s big enough. There are five bedrooms, six bathrooms, and plenty of couches. More importantly, it’s outfitted with a top-of-the-line security which includes at least ten cameras covering the house as well as the immediate perimeter. And since the place is owned by someone not tied to anyone in this club, it’s perfect.” Owen gave his brother the thumbs-up, continuing his conversation. “It’s yours if you want.”
“We don’t have another option, Prez,” Stone said, rapping his knuckles on the table. “But if we’re goin’, we better do it now. The longer we sit here, the worse shit can get.”
“I agree,” our leader seconded. “We only have so many men to spread around between three places, four if I count the cabin.” His attention bounced back to Ford. “I’m bankin’ on your option being safe for our families while we handle this.”
“It is.” Ford’s response held the highest conviction, putting my mind at ease, as well as Prez’s, enough so he rattled off his next words with authority.
“Okay. Then, Trigger and Miles, you’ll stay at the cabin with everyone. I don’t need to tell you to guard them with your life.” Marek raised a brow, needing verbal confirmation from both men before continuing.
“They’ll be safe,” Trigger promised.
“Nothin’ will happen to any of them,” Miles added.
Marek took a breath before passing out additional assignments, looking a bit worse for wear, and I bet it had everything to do with the possibility that some of us might not be comin’ back alive. We had weapons and the element of surprise, because even though some of the Reapers, namely Griller and Dutch, thought we still might retaliate against them, I was sure there was a small and arrogant part that believed we’d sit here waiting to hear what hoop we needed to jump through next.
“Ideally, we’d hit the charter close by in Hilmar, then the one in Santa Clara, then head to the farmhouse, but I can’t risk any of them alerting the others that we’re comin’. So, Linc, Ace, Tripp, Jagger, and Owen, you’ll hit their clubhouse in Hilmar.” He stopped for a moment to stare at Linc. “Are you too hurt to do this?” Marek’s finger twirled in the air, pointing at Linc’s swollen eye.
“Nah, I’m good. The only thing hurt on me is my pride.” His eyes bounced from me to Ryder, landing back on Prez. “But I’d do it again if I had to.”
Marek acknowledged Linc’s response with a swift nod before continuing. “Hawke, Nash, and Rez will hit the Santa Clara clubhouse. Kaden and Tag will be goin’ with you, too. I’ll tell them when we’re done here. Which leaves me, you”—he looked at Stone—“Brick, Ryder, and Ford to hit the farmhouse. We’re gonna hold off until the attacks can happen at the same time, so none of us will be makin’ a move until we get to the farm, which is the furthest location at three and a half hours.” He looked around the room one last time. “Make sure your phones are on but set on vibrate.”
Marek rose from his seat with the gavel in his right hand. Normally he’d ask if anyone had anything else, but no other topic was important enough right now to bring to the table.
Only one thing mattered, and that was getting Zoe and Braylen back safely.
The deafening boom of the mallet had me hopping up and walking toward the door, hell-bent on putting an end to those fucks and bringing my woman home.
41
After the men said goodbye to their families, promising to return soon, promises I hoped were kept, Trigger and Miles loaded everyone into two separate vehicles. I asked Addy to keep a close eye on Morgan while I was gone, her smile telling me I didn’t have to worry now that she was in charge of my cousin’s well-being.
When Ford and Owen arrived, they’d rented a Lincoln Navigator, which thankfully had three rows of seating with the capacity to hold eight passengers. Ford handed Trigger the keys to that vehicle and Miles drove the other five in Braylen’s SUV, which Ryder had a couple of the guys bring back here from the parking lot of the doctor’s office.
Hawke drove the club van with his group while we commandeered Ace’s truck, with me in the passenger seat while Marek drove. There was no way I’d fit in the back with Stone, Ford, and Ryder. Those guys weren’t small, but I wasn’t about to be squished between them.
We all took what we thought we’d need for the strike, the back of our SUV loaded with semi-automatics, enough rounds for a small army, and a dozen hand grenades, just in case.
Every mile that brought us closer to the destination where we believed the women were being held hostage put me more on edge. What would we find when we finally arrived? If Zoe and Braylen were there, what condition would they be in? The numerous options made my heart race, igniting the anger I’d managed to keep on a simmer.
As if knowing I needed words of hope and encouragement, Marek smacked my arm. “We’ll get ’em back.” When I turned to look at him, his lips tightened into a straight line, his eyes finding Ryder in the rearview. His assertion wasn’t for my ears only.
As time passed, I was left to wonder if Zoe would ever be able to forgive me for not protecting her from those soulless bastards.
Fuck! Would I ever be able to forgive myself?
“We’re five miles out,” Prez announced, his words doing nothing but amping me up, preparing me for what would come next. “Do you remember if there’s a place we can pull over that’s close but far away enough not to be seen?” His question was for the only other person who’d been here.
“There’s a clearing about a half a mile before the driveway entrance to the house,” Ford answered. “We could pull over there and walk the rest of the way. Luckily, it’s dark and there’s enough woods surrounding the place we should be able to approach undetected.”
Soon enough, Marek veered off the road and into an opening, one we found only because of Ford’s instructions. Once we exited the truck, I adjusted my gun into my waistband, adding another securely in my hand, hiding several rounds of ammo in my pockets. The moon’s light guided us closer to the old farmhouse, but while we were still yards away, Marek placed a call, first to Tripp, then to Hawke, telling both men to proceed in five minutes’ time. I wanted to act as quickly as humanly possible because one more second without Zoe i
n my arms was too long. But I also wanted time to freeze, because right now, in this moment, hope still existed that we’d all walk away from this battle unscathed. Once the first bullet was discharged, there was no prediction as to how this would all end.
Before Prez ended the call, he asked to speak to his son, walking away from the rest of us so his conversation with Kaden was kept between them. A minute later, he reemerged from behind one of the many trees surrounding us, jerking his chin and pointing forward.
“We check the barn first, then we’ll hit the house.” One by one we shuffled quietly toward the wooden building, making sure there wasn’t anyone else nearby before we cased the entire perimeter. The hinges squeaked when Ford tugged on the door, the sound drifting into the eerily otherwise silent air. The only thing inside was a black van, empty of all contents.
Moving back toward the tall double doors, we halted all movement, Ford calling on his military training and throwing his fist up. He didn’t need to explain what that meant. I’d seen enough movies to know he wanted us to remain still.
“There’s two guys on the porch,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper, but loud enough for us to hear him clearly. “I see another inside, in the front room.” He raised his head. “There are no lights on upstairs.”
“We’re thinkin’ there’s only three men here?” Stone bumped into me after speaking. “’Cause we should be in and out.” Right after he got done with his assessment, however ill-informed it was, two cars pulled up to the house. There were two men in the first vehicle but four in the second. And to compound the issue and make matters worse, a black van, identical to the one in the barn, pulled in behind them, three men exiting to join the rest.
“Do you see Griller or Dutch?” I asked, more so to Marek than anyone else.
Prez shook his head. “They could be there, but it’s too dark to get a good look.” The porch light was on, but the illumination wasn’t enough to give us an accurate visual of each of the Reapers.