by Ambere Sabo
That comment grabs Havoc’s attention. “You really think he’s still in El Paso?”
“Oh, he’s still here. He may not know exactly where y’all are, but from the security cameras on the bar I know he’s seen your bike.”
Havoc shakes his head as his brows draw together. “What the hell does that have to do with him showing up tonight? So, what, he knows I'm close? I’ve been close for months, and he never made a move before.”
“You didn't have his leverage before,” Hyde says looking at me.
I have no clue what the hell he means by that until Havoc roars, “You plan on using her as bait?”
Looking between the two of them, I frown and say, “I don’t understand. Why would Wrecker want me?”
“It's not just you he wants, Angel. If he can get both of you,” Hyde says, gesturing between Havoc and me, “he’ll have Havoc's identification to cross the border and you as a peace offering to Enterrador. Two birds, one stone.”
“Fuck that, I’m not letting him hurt her again. We aren’t going,” Havoc yells as he paces the small room, getting angrier by the second.
Walking over to Havoc, I take his face in my hands. “That isn’t your choice to make, Havoc. If this is what we have to do to catch him, so be it. I have to know what happened to my family, and G’s the only one who can answer those questions.” I stroke his cheek with my thumb, my eyes searching his. “He’s the only one who can help you find your sisters too. I’m not going to miss this chance, especially when we don’t even know if Wrecker will make a move. Please understand that. We have to do this,” I tell him, my eyes pleading with him to understand. Praying he doesn’t fight me on this.
Chapter 19
Havoc
After Angel told Hyde we’d be at the café on time, he left us alone. I’d like to kill those fuckers for not talking to me about the plan before it was set, but I understand why they’re doing it. Understanding it sure as fuck doesn’t mean I have to like it.
Trying to talk some sense into a Latina who’s made up her mind is fucking ridiculous. After one giant fight and the best shower sex I’ve ever had, we’re heading out to the café. There wasn’t a damn thing I could do after she pointed out she isn’t my Ol’ Lady, and I don’t have a fucking say in what she does. She’s right but I sure as fuck am not admitting that.
It’s less than an hour drive to Chopes, and I’m on edge the whole damn time. When we finally pull into the parking lot, I don’t see a single Dominion member, but I know they’re here. More importantly, though, I don’t see any sign of Wrecker.
Climbing off my bike, we walk hand-in-hand to the front door of the café to see what information G can give us. Just before we get inside, I get a text from Hyde:
G will be in the back at a table by the bathroom. Heads up he has the Infierno Cartel tattoo.
Grabbing Angel's arm just as she’s about to walk in, I whisper, “G has the tattoo.”
The muscles in her body tense and she drops my hand so she can run her fingers through her hair—something I’ve noticed she does when she’s upset. I wish he would’ve told me this earlier, so she could’ve prepared better for this shit. It may just be a tattoo to some, but to Angel, I imagine that most of her nightmares center around that fucking tattoo and the assholes who have it.
Angel presses her lips together tightly, all the color disappearing at the pressure she’s putting on them. She’s silent for so long that I start to worry. Maybe I should just take her back to the cabin. But then she takes a deep breath and walks into Chopes with her head held high. Stepping in front of her, I take her hand back in mine and lead her to the back where G is waiting. Angel spots him before I do. The minute she does, her grip on my hand tightens.
He’s an average height, Hispanic male with mahogany eyes. His hair is in a short fade, but I’d imagine it matches the black goatee. He wears nothing memorable. A black t-shirt and jeans. The only reason we know it's him is the devil tattoo on his forearm, that’s standard on every Infierno member.
He stands when I reach out to shake his hand, but when he turns to do the same with Angel, she doesn’t take his hand. Her eyes are locked on the tattoo. Looking at me with sadness in his eyes, he nods and drops his hand before sitting back down at the table.
The waitress comes to the table. Angel speaks to her in Spanish, ordering for the both of us without even looking at the menu.
“Don’t worry, gringo. I didn’t order you menudo,” she says. The small smile tickling her lips lets me know that she's okay.
After the orders are placed, and the drinks are brought, I waste no time. “Let’s get down to business. What do you know about Angel's family and my sisters?”
“Your sisters will take some more time to explain, so let’s start with your family, Angel, and the farm.”
“Your mother called EPPD and reported you missing—”
“She wouldn’t do that,” Angel interrupts. “Caine told them if they involved the law he would kill all of us.”
“Caine also told them taking you would settle the debts he held against your family and their farm, correct?”
“He did.”
“He lied. A week after you went with Caine, some Infierno men went to your parents demanding the money they owed for the protection they’d been given. The cartel knew nothing of the deal Caine made with your parents to take you as payment for their debts. He didn’t have permission to take you. So, when the cartel confronted him about it, he said he didn’t know what the fuck they were talking about. As far as the cartel was concerned your parents were lying, and they still expected their money.”
“How can that be? He took me,” she exclaims.
Reaching over, I grab her hand and take it in mine. Rage fills her eyes with this information. G is basically telling her that she left with Caine for nothing. She spent months in a cell even after he killed her parents, and all of it was for nothing.
After a few moments, she whispers, “What did my parents do?”
“They couldn’t pay the money when the cartel showed up. So the cartel gave your parents five days to come up with it, or they would force them from the farm. The cartel didn’t want you, Angel. They want the land your farm sits on. When that became evident to your parents, your mother went to EPPD for help.” I stroke the area between her thumb and forefinger with my thumb, trying to lend her some comfort and calm her down so she can hear the whole story.
“Someone tipped Caine off that she went, and he had the farm burned down, and your parents killed. I’m so sorry Angel. He acted on his own. It wasn’t a sanctioned hit, so the task force had no clue it was happening. I wish we could’ve gotten them out.” Remorse colors his features, so I know he’s telling the truth.
I know Hyde said G sometimes sends them people running from the cartel. I have no doubt he would’ve helped Angel's parents if he could have. There's no fucking way I could do what he does. Living with the cartel and knowing the evil they create would be too much for me. They’re worse than the Reapers ever were.
“Hold up. You said want… They want the land. Does this mean they’ll still come after Angel?” I question.
“They will,” G says, nodding. “It's why Wrecker wants her. The farm is yours now, Angel. The cartel still wants it even if the land’s been ruined.”
“Why would they want a farm that they can’t farm on? That makes no fucking sense,” I exclaim.
We’re interrupted when the waitress brings us our food. We can’t risk someone overhearing us, so we wait quietly as she places our orders in front of each of us, as she asks if we need anything else. Satisfied that we’re taken care of for the moment, she goes back to the kitchen, and we continue our conversation.
“Tunnels,” Angel says quietly.
“What?” I ask, confused as hell.
“She’s right. The farm is close enough to the border and large enough to hide the entrance. They want to make a tunnel from Mexico to the farm,” G explains. “If you hadn’t gone
with Caine, I have no doubt you would’ve died right along with your parents, Angel.”
She nods her head in understanding and begins eating her burrito. She’s gotten the information she came for. Not that it was what she expected, but at least she has answers now. There’s closure and a sort of peace in that. As for the cartel, they can have her over my dead fucking body.
G and I begin eating our food as well. I have no clue what’s in the burrito she ordered me, but it's fucking amazing. I don’t think I’ll be asking her.
“Your sisters are more difficult, Havoc. There’s only one left living with the cartel,” G says between bites of his tacos.
“What the fuck do you mean there's only one left? What happened to the other two,” I yell, completely forgetting my surroundings.
“Havoc,” Angel scolds in a whisper that immediately admonishes me. I turn and see the people at other tables are looking in our direction.
“Start fucking talking,” I growl.
Looking around, he waits until everyone else goes back to their meals and minding their own business. “Jenny and Claire were both killed. Jenny in the spring of last year and Claire three winters ago. A lot of times, the women the cartel takes are so scared and stressed that they cannot carry a baby to term. Both of them had multiple miscarriages before they were killed.”
By the time he’s finished, I’m seething. Who the hell do these people think they are? Killing off women because they have them scared to fucking death. I can’t even imagine the fear my sisters must have felt after Wrecker sold them. A man who was supposed to fucking protect them. I don’t even want to think about what those miscarriages did to them physically let alone mentally.
“What about Rose?” I ask.
“She’s had two boys, and a girl during her time with the cartel. One of Enterrador’s lieutenants took her not long after she arrived. Rose was one of the first daughters you father sold, so she’s been in the compound long enough to understand how things work. She keeps to herself and takes care of her children. Until recently anyway. She’s taken the girl from your father’s club under her wing.”
“What? What girl from the club?”
“Her name’s Emily, I believe. She just had a boy this winter.”
“Holy shit,” I exclaim.
Chapter 20
Angel
I feel rocked to my soul. Nothing could’ve prepared me for what G told me about my parents. If Caine was still breathing, I’d take his life with my bare hands. For months, my only goal was killing those responsible, and the Hijo de puta is already fucking dead. Now that the only thing driving me is gone, I feel… deflated. Empty. I don’t care if I would’ve died had I stayed with my parents, at least we would’ve been together.
At least meeting with G has brought some clarity. The cartel wanting my farm makes more sense than them ever wanting me. I couldn’t ever figure out why they’d want me in the first place. At least now I have a better idea of why Caine kept me alive all those months. He couldn’t sell me. It could’ve gotten back to the cartel that he did, in fact, have me. More than likely, they would’ve left me there until the farm went up for sale for unpaid taxes or some shit like that and then sold me. God only knows how long that would’ve taken.
Havoc's sisters… I can’t even imagine what’s going through his mind right now. From what I’ve learned about this man, whether for three sisters or just one, he’ll be finding a way into that compound to get her. Rose has made it this long only because she had the little boys first. Her third child was the girl. They tend to keep them barefoot and pregnant, so I’d imagine she’ll be expecting again soon if she isn’t already. If it's another girl… It won’t be good.
My mind wanders over ideas and solutions while Havoc and G continue talking about the cartel and the compound in Juarez. He learns everything he can from G about Rose and Emily. He’s going to play hero, and I know I should be paying attention. Havoc is trying to find out everything he can about whatever G thinks will help get the girls out, but my mind is still reeling about the farm.
“Can I sell the farm to someone on the task force?” I ask suddenly.
Havoc and G stop talking about and look at me in confusion.
“Sweet cheeks, why would you want to sell the farm? I thought that land has been in your family for generations?” Havoc asks softly.
“It means nothing without my parents. If it gets the cartel to leave me alone, I’d rather sell it.”
“No one will touch you again, sweet cheeks. I promise you on my fucking life,” Havoc growls.
Reaching up, I touch his cheek. “You can’t promise me that, Havoc. If this will get them to leave me alone, then I want to do it. I don’t want to have to look over my shoulder for the rest of my life, and you can't always be with me.”
“The hell I—” he starts.
Taking his mouth with mine in a soft kiss, I silence his protest. When I pull away, he doesn’t fight me when I look at G and ask, “Would that be an option? Selling the farm?”
“I don’t know, Angel. It’s not something the task force would normally do, but I’ll talk to my boss and see what he thinks. Ok?” G offers.
Nodding, I say, “Let Hyde know if it's something they would consider, and he can get word back to Havoc.”
“Alright, now I have to get back to Juarez before I’m gone too long. Havoc let Hyde know what the Sons want to do about the girls and I’ll do whatever I can to help from the inside,” G finishes as he stands from the table. After throwing down some cash, he shakes Havoc's hand then mine and walks out of the café.
Turning in his seat to face me, Havoc asks, “Are you sure selling the farm is necessary? The Sons can and will protect you, sweet cheeks.”
“I want to be able to protect myself, Havoc. I can’t do that with a whole cartel after me. I don’t know that I could ever live at the farm or work the land again after what happened to my parents. Besides, the cartel won’t stop until they get what they want. If someone else owns the land, they’ll have no reason to keep coming for me.”
Blowing out a breath he nods and stands. He reaches for my hand and helps me from my seat. We walk out of Chopes and climb onto his bike. As it rumbles to life beneath us, there’s still no sign of the Dominion members or Wrecker. But if what G says about the farm is true, he’ll show his face sooner or later. I’m his get out of jail free card with Enterrador. I doubt he’s going to pass that up.
The ride to Ed’s is uneventful with not so much as a glimpse of Wrecker. When we pull into the back parking lot, within minutes, we’re joined by most of the members of the Dominion MC. A few come out of the bar, but most of them pull up in one truck or another. Hyde, Ink, and Hoser jump out of the first truck to park.
“We didn’t see Wrecker anywhere near Chopes or on the ride there and back. I don’t know if he didn’t know you were riding today or if he figured out that it was a trap,” Hyde says, blowing out a frustrated breath.
“If Wrecker wants us, which I no longer doubt that he does, then he’ll want to make his move when he thinks we have no one to help us. I’d bet money he’s waiting until we hit the open road on I-10,” Havoc replies.
“Alright, let's get inside. We need to figure out a plan, and it’s best not to do that out here,” Hyde tells him.
“Can we do it tomorrow?” Havoc asks, confusing me. “We had a lot of information thrown at us tonight. I really just want a fucking drink, and I’m sure Angel would like a bath.”
Hyde and I both look at Havoc like he’s grown another head. For someone who’s had a one-track mind for five months, I’m surprised that he doesn’t want to head out as soon as possible. Now that we’ve talked to G, we need to get the Sons up to speed and decided what our next steps are.
It takes Hyde a minute before he responds, “Of course, I just thought you’d be itchin’ to get home. But you know y’all are welcome here as long as you like. Let me grab a bottle of Jack, and I’ll take you back to the cabin.”
&n
bsp; When Hyde heads inside, the other Dominion members follow, except for one. Hoser takes a step in my direction, causing Havoc to wrap his arm around my waist and draw me to his side. His eyes examine the two of us for a moment, then with a nod of his head, Hoser follows the rest of the brothers into the bar.
“What was that all about?” I question, looking up at Havoc.
“Just letting him know that you aren’t open for talkin’ to,” he says with a shrug of his shoulder.
Pulling away from him, I turn to face him. I don’t know how his words make me feel. But he needs to know that I don’t appreciate that. “First of all,” I say, holding up one finger, “we talked this morning about the fact that you have no claim on me, Havoc.” I poke him in the chest for emphasis, then hold up two fingers. “Second, when I asked what that was about, I meant why would you want to wait until tomorrow?” I roll my eyes, completely irritated at his possessiveness.
I’ll never again be looked at as property. I know there are couples like mi Reina and Venom who literally own each other’s hearts, but the thought of someone claiming me as his is too much for me right now. Does that mean there’s no future for Havoc and me? I’m not sure. But with the cartel still after me, how much of a future do I have anyway?
Looking down at me with fire flickering in his eyes, he says, “I may not have claimed you as mine, Angel.” He draws in a deep breath like he is trying to control himself, even as his hands clench into fists. “But I’ll be damned, if I’ll let that fucker flirt with you in front of me, again. As for Wrecker, I think we’ve both learned enough shit tonight to deserve a night of happiness, before we risk the chance of going up against that bastard, don’t you?”
Before I have an opportunity to respond, his lips are on mine. He kisses me with such passion, it makes me forget all the bad things we learned tonight… If only just for a moment. Havoc pulls away from me just as Hyde walks out of the bar.