Eighteen
We had been riding for about forty-five minutes when I could see, up in the distance, a trailer on its side; traffic was light at this time of night, and no one was stopping to see what happened.
Riding up, I could see a body on the ground and someone crouched over it, with some kind of weapon in his hand. I recognized Breech, and was immediately off my bike and running. “Get the fuck away from him!” I screamed, drawing my gun and sliding off the safety.
“No, I won’t let you kill him,” the hooded figure replied; its voice immediately told me that it was a woman. “You’ve already shot him twice; you’re not getting another chance.” She waved the hooked weapon at me.
“Honey, you don’t take a blade to a gunfight; you can’t win.” Flicking the safety back on, I holstered my weapon. I’d heard Murph moving behind me; I knew he had my back. “Who shot Breech, woman?”
She hadn’t moved; she was still crouched over him, and her meager weapon was still pointed at me. “Who are you and what do you want with him?” she shot back. I walked closer and she waved the hook at me. “Stay back!” she said.
I kept advancing and she braced herself then launched her body at me. Using her momentum against her, I pivoted and she flew harmlessly over my shoulder. Landing on the ground, I placed a knee in her back, knocking the weapon out of her hand and pulling her arms behind her back, locking them together at the wrist. She squirmed and bucked, trying to get me off of her, but I was too strong for her.
“Honey, you’re only expending your energy. You have no hope of getting away from me. So quit it and answer my questions.” She stopped struggling and lay quiet. “My name is Sonny, and that guy over there on the ground is my brother. If you know anything about who shot him, I need to know.”
She turned her head and looked at me. “You’re his brother?” she questioned.
“Not by blood, babe, but in every other way. I would lay down my life for him, and he for me.” Murph had gone over to Breech as soon as I had the girl secured. He had his phone out and I figured he was talking to Dukes. He swiped his phone and put it back in his pocket.
“Boomer said the girl did the right thing putting pressure on the wound.” He’s on his way with Dukes and a couple of the boys. He said to keep him warm and keep steady pressure.”
Turning back to the girl on the ground, I flipped her over, causing her hood to fall away. Her light brown hair was stained at her hairline and I could see blood. Her heart-shaped face was pale but her blue eyes flashed fire at me.
“You’re hurt,” I said, reaching a hand to her head. She flinched and tried to move away from my hand but couldn’t move with the hold I had on her.
“I’m fine,” she retorted. “Let me go, please.”
“Tell me what happened,” I responded.
She sighed. “If I tell you what you want to know, will you let me go then?”
“That depends on what you tell me.” She looked up, read my eyes, then let out a breath and bit her lip. “Stop that,” I grumbled.
Startled, she looked at me. “I’m sorry, I’m nervous,” she retorted.
“What’s your name?” I asked.
“Gia,” she answered without thinking, then frowned.
I smiled because I knew she was thinking she should have lied. “Okay, Gia, tell me how Breech got shot and how you are involved in all this.”
Pulling her lip into her mouth again, she chewed on it for a second. “If you don’t stop that, I’ll give you something else to do with that luscious mouth of yours.” She immediately released her lip and her whole body tensed under my hands. “Gia, relax, I’m not going to hurt you, honey.” Slowly I loosened my grip ‘til she could pull her hands free. She sat up, rubbing her wrists.
She looked over at Breech briefly, but then her head swung back to me. “Is he going to be okay?”
Without taking my eyes off her face, I replied, “Murph is looking out for him and we’ve got people on the way to help us help him.”
“They took the girl that was with him, and his bike,” she said.
I sat forward immediately, which scared her because she started to scuttle backward like a crab. “Who took her and where did they go?” I shouted.
Her eyes blazed at me. “Don’t yell at me, I can hear you just fine. There were two people helping them move the horses. The driver’s name was Manny and the handler’s name was Dave. They both work for Brom Hensley.”
“He’s the guy who owns the farm where Breech and Jiji picked up the horses?” I asked.
She shuddered. “Yeah, that’s him.”
I noticed her movement and was about to comment when she cut me off. “He’s also the one who hid those guns in the trailer,” she said. When she said guns, my head snapped up.
“Guns, what guns?”
She pointed behind her to the overturned trailer. “They were in a crate in a secret compartment built into the trailer. I saw them load the crates but didn’t know what was in them ‘til the driver and handler were talking during the drive a little while back.”
Getting up from where I’d been squatting next to her, I reached down and helped her up as well. Grasping her hand, I pulled her with me as I walked over to inspect the trailer. I whistled through my teeth when I got close enough and saw the AK-47s laying near the rear end of the trailer. The horses were still inside and were growing agitated.
Gia tried pulling her hand from mine but I tightened my grip, not letting go. “Please,” she said, “I need to get the horses out of the trailer.”
“You’re not going to run away are you, Gia? We need your help if we are going to get Jiji back—and we will get her back.” I looked into her eyes and she tried to duck her head. “Please, Gia.”
Sighing again, she said, “I promise, Sonny. I wouldn’t wish what Brom wants from Jiji on any woman, even my worst enemy.” Before I could ask her what she meant, she walked away and was climbing into the trailer, murmuring soothingly to the horses.
Turning my back to her, I walked over to Murph and Breech. Kneeling down, I asked Murph, “How’s he doing, man?”
Before Murph could answer, Breech spoke up. “He’s a fucking pain in the ass, and I’m doing just fine, thank you very fucking much for asking.”
Laughing, I looked down at Breech. “Same old fuckin’ ornery Breech,” I said.
“Where’s Jiji?” Breech asked, looking around me. “Why isn’t she here by me, what aren’t you telling me? Is she hurt, what the fuck is going on, Sonny?” He reached out and grabbed me by the front of my shirt, balling it into a fist and pulling me towards him.
“She’s not here, Breech, one of the guys traveling with you took her,” I said.
Breech immediately tried to get up.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” I said. “You can’t get up, Breech. You will bleed out before you can get to her, and what good will that do her? Plus, I do not want to be the one to tell her you’re dead. So lay the fuck down and wait for the guys to get here to help us.”
Breech stopped struggling and lay back down. I don’t think he wanted to, but he was weaker then he thought from blood loss. Grabbing my hand, he looked up at me. “Sonny, we have to get her back, man! You have to help me get her back.”
Gia had walked up to us and kneeled down by Breech. She took his other hand in hers, gripping it tightly. “I’ll help too, Breech. She was yelling at them when they threw her in the truck. I don’t think they will hurt her; Brom would be pissed.”
Breech narrowed his eyes as he focused on Gia. “You’re the girl in the stall,” he said.
She smiled. “Yeah, that was me; no one else ever bothered to help me, but you pitched right in, literally.”
He smiled back at her. “That pitchfork was bigger than you are.” He groaned and drew in a harsh breath. Closing his eyes
for a second, he opened them again and I could see pain cross his features. I wasn’t sure if it was for him or because Jiji was missing.
Murph was on the phone again; he walked over to his saddlebags and came back with a bottle of Jack. He unscrewed the cap and lifted Breech’s head so he could drink from the bottle. “Boomer says this will help with the pain, Breech.” He swallowed a couple of times and then pushed the bottle away. Murph moved his leather out of the way and quickly poured some on the wound in his shoulder, then lowered the bottle to his side and repeated the gesture. Breech was cursing a blue streak and he tried to knock the bottle out of Murph’s hand. Murph backed up fast enough that Breech missed.
“You son of a bitch, what the fuck are you doing, Murph?”
“I’m sorry, Breech, Boomer told me to do it, I was just following orders,” Murph apologized.
“You’re lucky I can’t get up right now, man, but when I can, I’m going to kick your fucking ass!” Breech yelled.
Gia giggled and I laughed. “I’d sleep with one eye open, Murph,” Gia said.
He looked at her and grinned. “I’ll keep that in mind, Gia.”
“Yeah, yeah.” I shouldered Murph away from Gia. “Go stack up those AKs, Murph. I want to get them loaded as soon as the guys get here.” Murph rose and saluted me, winked at Gia, and walked over to the trailer.
Gia watched him go then turned back to me. “That was mean,” she said. Getting up, she dusted off the seat of her jeans, and was about to walk away when I stopped her with a hand on her arm.
“I wasn’t being mean, Gia, we need to roll as soon as the guys get here; Breech needs medical care and we have to go after Jiji. If you can stay here with him, I’ll go help Murph.” With that, I got up and walked away.
Nineteen
I watched Sonny walk away. “He’s pissed,” I mumbled.
“He is a big boy, he’ll get over it,” Gia retorted. She reached down and adjusted the blanket around my chest. “I have some more bad news about Brom, Breech, and I wish I wasn’t the one that has to tell you about it.”
I turned my head towards her. “Lay it on me, babe. The more I know, the better prepared I will be to get her back.”
Taking a deep breath, she reached up and grabbed her braid, winding it around and around her finger. I reached over and closed my hand around her fingers. “It’s ok, Gia; whatever you have to tell me, it’s only going to help Jiji. I’m not a man that’s good with words, but that girl is the light in my life. I will do whatever I have to do, go anywhere I have to go ‘til I have her back safe in my arms.”
“I think your words are just right, Breech. I saw you with Jiji in the barn. I know by watching you together that you love her. It’s not that I don’t believe you or don’t want to help you, I just don’t know how to tell you,” Gia said.
“Just spit it out, Gia—close your eyes if you have to, just tell me what you know.”
She gripped my hand harder and turned her head to watch Sonny and Murph load the crates with the spilled weapons. “Brom Hensley is the devil in disguise. He treats women like playthings, he uses them ‘til they are unable to please him anymore, and then literally throws them away. Somewhere on that farm is his killing field.” Turning back to me, her bleak expression turned sorrowful. “I didn’t help those girls, Breech; I knew what he was doing and the one time I tried to help, Drake beat me. He said I would be next in Brom’s bed if I tried to intervene again. I was a coward; I tucked my tail between my legs and buried my head in a pillow when I heard them screaming. He liked it when they begged him to stop. He’s depraved, Breech.” She didn’t realize she was crying until I released her hand to brush the tears away.
Holding her chin in my hands, I cupped her cheek. “Gia, this is not on you. Men who hit women are not really men—they don’t deserve the title. Men who derive pleasure from hurting women sexually are even worse. Do not take what those two did on your shoulders. If you had tried to help those ladies, you could have landed in a worse situation than a beating. But believe me when I tell you that those people will be dealt with. The Devil’s Wind will see to it. My brothers and I will avenge those girls and bring Jiji home. Thank you for having the courage to tell me, Gia. It means a lot.” Spying Sonny behind Gia, I released her chin and carefully leaned up on an elbow so I could kiss her cheek. She blushed and behind her I saw Sonny’s lips tighten. Smiling to myself, I released her and lay back down.
The sound of motorcycles brought me up on my elbow again. I could feel the rumble of the ground under me; they were coming fast and there were many. Within minutes, several bikes were visible through the night mist. Sonny had gotten up and was waiting by my side when the first couple rolled up.
Boomer was the first one to reach me. He had his med kit slung over his shoulder. “You always seem to find the pretty girls, Breech. If I knew I would have such a beauty holding my hand, I guess I’d let myself get shot too.” He winked at Gia and she laughed.
Sonny came over and offered Gia his hand to pull her up. “Ok, Casanova, that’s enough; Breech needs you to patch him up so we can move out.”
Boomer laughed. “Message received, Sonny.”
Gia looked confused but didn’t say anything as Dukes and the rest of the boys walked up.
“Dukes, I want you to meet Gia,” Sonny introduced them. “She helped Breech until Murph and I got here. She was defending him from us with some kind of hook.”
“It was a hoof pick, and I had no idea if you were friend or foe. He was already shot—I wasn’t going to let you kill him,” Gia retorted.
Dukes laughed. “Spunky little thing, aren’t you,” he said, offering her his hand. “I’m Dukes, and these boys are part of my club, The Devil’s Wind. You’ve met Breech, Sonny, Murph, and Boomer. This here is Danko, Opry, and Gears.”
Each man stepped up and shook hands with her. Opry spoke up, “Thank you for helping our brother when he needed you. We kind of like his ornery hide.”
I heard Breech snort from behind me. “The pot calling the kettle black,” he yelled over to Opry. “Your slick southern manners won’t get you far with this little pretty, Opry. Plus Sandra would skin you alive, so move on, partner.” Everyone laughed while Opry just shrugged his shoulders and took Gia’s hand, kissing the back and releasing it again.
“I don’t care what they say, darlin’, my momma raised me to have good manners, and I can’t help my southern good looks, that’s just good genes.”
Sonny retorted, “Let’s just keep your genes out of this, boy! The lady isn’t interested.”
Gia turned to Sonny, hands on hips. “Excuse me, buddy, but I’ve been speaking for myself for many years, and I don’t need your help when someone is being nice to me.”
Dukes chuckled, “You tell him, girl; he could use a brush-up on his manners.”
Sonny snorted. “My manners are just fine. I’m not the one making a pass here, Dukes.”
Gia stomped her foot. “You listen here, Sonny, Opry was not making a pass at me, he was thanking me for helping your friend, and I think it was sweet.”
“Oh, come on, Gia, he’s a man and that good old boy charm is just a way for him to get in your pants.”
Gia charged forward and poked Sonny in the chest. “I just met the man, which makes it too soon for him to try and get in my pants, and even if he was, it’s none of your business.”
Sonny leaned down so he was face-to-face with Gia. “It is my business when he’s got a girl at home, and she wouldn’t take kindly to him flirting with you.”
Gia snapped right back, “He was not flirting, Sonny, so step off because you’re not my keeper.”
The boys started hooting as Sonny’s face turned red. Gia turned to Dukes. “I was hiding in the trailer when the tire blew and the whole thing started whipping around, and then finally tipped and stopped on its side. I h
eard some yelling and then three pops, then Jiji screamed, and some cursing. Then the bike drove off, and someone unhitched the truck and it took off as well. I saw Breech on the ground and went to see if he was alive. I put pressure on the wound, and was trying to figure out how to get him help when Sonny and Murph pulled up. There are two men—the driver Manny, and the handler Dave. One of them took Jiji, but I don’t know which. They work for Brom Hensley, who owns the farm where Breech and Jiji got the horses.”
No one interrupted Gia as she spilled out the story. All the levity of before was gone, and the guys listened intensely. She continued, “The night before they were supposed to leave, I saw a couple farmhands loading some crates into a secret compartment in the side of the trailer. I didn’t know what was in them until I overheard Manny and Dave talking during the drive.”
Sonny nodded at Murph and Gears. “You guys start loading those crates into the cage; we need to get moving.” Danko and Opry offered to help, but Sonny stopped them. “Those crates are filled with AK-47s.”
Dukes’s head snapped up. “The hell you say, Sonny?”
“Yeah, boss; Brom was running guns and using the horses as a cover. Plus, Gia had information about the man himself. Using the term loosely, and it isn’t pretty.”
The color drained from Gia’s face, and she seemed to shrink into herself. She crossed her arms across her chest and rubbed her arms like she was cold. Dukes noticed the gesture but didn’t comment on it. Instead, he gestured for them to help me to the truck and said, “Gia, thank you for stepping up and taking care of Breech until the boys could get here. If you are willing, we could use your help. We can use all the intel we can get before we launch an attempt to get Jiji back.”
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