“Three hours ago. Dammit, Chance. And you said there was a meeting at Shea’s house?” I start to pace the kitchen. “They are keeping an eye on everyone involved. This is bad. Shea is also pissed at Kinney, he mentioned something to me. Shit, shit, shit. I need to go, and you’re coming with since I can’t leave by myself.”
“You’re right,” Chance says, not looking like he’s consumed that much alcohol until his eyes go left and right and he holds a finger up. “First I need to grab that prospect by the balls and order him to keep an eye out since I’m leaving. And I can totally order him cause look.” He jabs a finger against his own chest. “Noooooot a prospect anymore.”
Fucking hell, this is going to be much harder than needed.
I turn and push the buttons on the coffee machine to make him a very strong coffee. Once finished I put it on the table and point at a chair. “Sit and sip that coffee. I’m going to get changed and then we’re leaving.”
Chance sighs and plants his ass on a chair grumbling, “You’re very strict.”
It makes me snicker because many around me have mentioned it. I don’t mind, I like order. And if things don’t go as planned someone needs to step up, and most times it’s me. Except when Kinney is around. Dammit, Kinney, what the hell is going on? I stalk out of the kitchen and head for my room, we’ve wasted enough time. Who knows what’s going on, what Shea is planning or what he’s done?
I decide to go for my black jeans, boots, and a black sweater along with a black hoodie. Yes, all black because my gut is telling me something is wrong and I’d rather be safe than sorry. Meaning if I have to stalk through the bushes or into a house while it’s still dark without being seen, I need black clothes instead of a bright and catchy orange shirt.
Knowing which drawer contains Kinney’s spare weapons, I grab a knife along with a leather sheath and put it on my belt. A tiny handgun is next before I stalk into the kitchen where Chance is filling a large takeaway mug with coffee. He moves and I notice his gun holster.
“You ready?” I question.
“Yup. Told Bell, the prospect, to keep his eyes on the security feed and let him know there’s one old lady still in the clubhouse who has high priority protection. Bell’s on the edge of his seat now and has his gun within reach if something goes down here.”
We both glance at Mira who is still eating peanut butter with a spoon in front of the TV while the sound of cartoons fills the main room. Totally oblivious to what’s going on and to be honest? I’m not even sure I know what’s going on myself. She hopefully gets to stay oblivious, watching cartoons while having the munchies.
“You rock, Chance. Come on, let’s hit the road.” He follows me out of the clubhouse and once outside he throws me the keys to an SUV parked out front.
“Do we have a plan?” Chance quips as he sips his coffee.
I don’t take my eyes off the road and head for Shea’s home. “For now, we’re just going to swing by Shea’s and see if they’re still there or if anything is out of place. I’m pretty sure Lanshes has his eyes on Shea’s mansion so we have to be careful. For all we know they are just taking their time to talk through stuff but I have this gut feeling, you know?”
“Yeah, I get it. You should always trust that shit. Instinct guides you when you need it. When I was a rookie cop it got me out of some pretty screwed-up situations.”
Now my eyes do leave the road for a few breaths. Stunned I ask, “You we’re a cop?”
“Uh huh, quit around three years ago when I arrested a dude I knew from way back. Seems my colleague also knew him and my supervisor was on the payroll of the scumbag my old buddy was working for. Fucking dogfights. I went higher up in the chain to report them all and internal affairs looked into it. It got swept underneath the rug and they all looked at me like I was the fucking criminal. Assholes.” The anger is still stinging each word and I know exactly how it must feel for him.
“You did the right thing. And I’m sorry people are assholes, but they really are. Believe me, I know. You expect those who work in law enforcement to be honest and stick to the whole vow to do what’s right. It hits harder I guess, to experience some have their own personal agenda and don’t care about anyone else.” My voice holds less anger and more defeat and disappointment.
“You and I both worked in the same line of work: to get justice to those who deserve it. Yet we both had bad experiences. I’d say there are a lot more assholes walking this earth or we just run into them more, or attract them, whatever. But I’ve made my peace with giving up the whole dream to become a detective. I’m happy the way I live my life. I work security for one of Kinney’s companies and from time to time I help out one of my buddies who’s a private investigator. Not to mention I’m free to ride my bike and hang with people who I can trust and have my back no matter what.” The last sentence carries a smile and I reach out to pat his knee.
“That’s why we’re besties, Chance,” I tell him and it makes him chuckle.
We fall silent as I drive around the block. Shea lives in a large mansion and there’s one guy standing outside. My eyes fall on a small van across the street and I recognize the license plate.
I curse underneath my breath and it makes Chance ask, “What’s wrong?”
I glance around and circle the block again. “There’s a van on the right. I recognize the license plate and I’m pretty sure Lanshes is inside with one of his colleagues. He has a hard on for Shea and has been working this case on his own for quite some time. He always delegates and supervises but when it comes to anything Shea related? He handles it himself.”
“Thank fuck we decided to come check because the hairs on the back of my neck are standing on end. Such a bad fucking feeling, Aspen,” Chance grumbles.
“We’re gonna ditch the SUV and double back. We need eyes on the house to see if Kinney and the others are inside.” I park the SUV and jump out, muttering underneath my breath, “Dammit, Kinney, if you end up dead I’ll come and find you in hell to throttle your ass.”
Chance snickers beside me. “I need me a woman like you.”
“Focus, Chance. First, we’re gonna make sure my man is okay. Then we can head out and find a girl to suit your needs.”
“Oh, I have needs alright,” Chance croons, making me slap his chest.
The both of us squat down simultaneously when we see movement from inside Shea’s mansion. Why the hell is that guy carrying jerry cans?
CHAPTER TWELVE
— Kinney —
“I don’t care if he’s my half-brother. I am going to skin him alive, rip his limbs off and slaughter him into the next decade,” I seethe and kick a plastic chair sending it flying into the wall while Kier steps aside to dodge it.
“I’ll hold him while you do it, but you need to calm the fuck down so we can figure out how to get out of here,” Kier growls.
Nics is leaning against the wall, cool as a fucking cucumber and states, “What he said. But since this is practically a metal cage with a ventilation system, I’d say we’re fucked until someone opens the door from the outside.”
I am such a damn idiot leaving my warm bed with the perfect woman lying right next to me. I should have said “Fuck my asshole brother,” and snuggle closer to Aspen, close my eyes and sleep. But no. I had to drag my ass out of bed when Dan, the prospect called.
I put him on watch so I knew the second Shea would be up to something. Dan called with an update. There was some major activity going on at Shea’s mansion. Biggest mistake ever, but I never expected this shit and didn’t see it coming.
And I damn well knew Shea wouldn’t leave this shit with Leon alone. He wants Leon’s head on a stick. And he wants the woman carrying his son’s kid. The fucking idiot doesn’t care the DEA has eyes on Leon or the fact Aspen warned how the special task force she worked for has set their eyes on Shea.
He’s risking everything and it gives me reason to think he’ll leave for Italy the second he’s finished dealing with everything.
Kier steps closer to me. “If he takes Mira I won’t stop until he’s dead. I will hunt his ass down and get my old lady back with me where she belongs.”
“And the fucking rat is dead once we get back to the clubhouse,” Nics snaps.
I give him a tight nod. Dan. The fucking prospect. Right now, I’m not even able to process the fact we had a fucking rat at the clubhouse who somehow put together the fact that Mira is the one who Luigi knocked-up.
A man’s voice snaps outside of the room we’re locked in and right after there are sounds of a struggle. I signal to Nics who closes the distance and is now hugging the wall next to me. Right next to him is Kier. We don’t have any damn weapons because we were held at gunpoint by four guys while one took away our stuff.
The door slides open and I brace myself for a fight, for anything really because Shea can easily have given the order to kill us. Because the shit he pulled and the things he said? There is nothing more except some technical DNA link between us. And if I ever see him again, I’ll fucking kill him.
But it seems like I’m bracing myself for a straight hit from my woman as she launches herself at me. A grunt rips from me and I wrap my arms around her and bury my face into the crook of her neck.
“Yeah, that’s cute and all but we need to move. Come on, guys, this place is leaking blood and Aspen noticed a van across from this place that has eyes on the mansion. Not to mention the fact the asshole we took out was playing around with gasoline. Yeah, we need to leave, now. We’re heading out through the back,” Chance says over his shoulder with his gun raised in case others come back.
But I know they aren’t coming back.
“We have to go to the clubhouse right now. Chance, get on your phone and call the clubhouse, we need to warn them before we’re too late.” Though I know we’re probably too late already.
Aspen pulls back. Glancing up at me with a worried look she asks, “What’s going on?” Worry turns to shock when she gasps, “Please tell me he doesn’t know.”
“He knows,” I tell her, lace our fingers, and head out of the room.
“Where the fuck did he leave my stuff?” Nics growls and heads for the room on the left, the one we also need to go through if we’re leaving through the back.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Chance mutters. “The one who did this has a sick fascination with fire. Fuck. That smells bad.”
“Who is that?” Aspen questions and takes a step into the direction of the dead body lying on the floor. His skin is burned off and his stomach is ripped open showing off his scorched insides.
“Found our stuff,” Nics quips and hands me my phone and gun. “Ah, yikes. Is that Leon?”
“Shea tortured and killed Leon in his own home?” She swallows hard. “We need to go. He’s not coming back here is he?”
Nope. That was my fucking guess too. “I suspect he intends to set the place on fire to dispose of the evidence and cover this shit up, or he’s heading back to Italy and doesn’t intend to come back here at all.”
“That would explain what the fucker was doing you took out, Aspen,” Chance says as we all head for the back door.
“Do I even want to know what he was doing?” Nics mutters.
“Carrying gasoline cans.” Aspen palms a gun as she opens the door and steps outside.
A gunshot rings out and Aspen grunts, slamming her body back against me. I can barely wrap my arms around her to prevent her from crashing to the ground.
“All of you get out here,” a voice barks, another gunshot blasts through the air to give his words some force.
Chance and Nics move backward while I step out while holding Aspen in my arms, Kier is right behind me.
“Lanshes you fucking asshole,” Aspen grumbles and raises her gun.
“Drop it, Aspen. All of you stay where you are.” Lanshes grabs something from his pocket and I gently slide Aspen to her feet. She balances herself on one leg since Lanshes shot her in the other.
“I can’t believe you,” Aspen snaps, somewhat lowering the gun but keeping it ready nonetheless. “You did it again, didn’t you? Let me guess, no back-up, right? Just go in and risk it all so you can have all the credit. Don’t you realize you’re a damn supervisor? Someone who needs to delegate a team and you fucking work as a team? Such a damn idiot.”
Lanshes’ anger and attention is fully focused on Aspen and this is her damn plan. But if she is trying to sacrifice herself for us she’s sadly mistaken because there’s no way in hell I’d ever let her do that.
“You shot my woman, you asshole,” I growl, making his attention shift to me. “Obviously you know what’s gonna happen next.”
“Your ass in jail,” he says with a sinister smile. “You along with your friends. Where is Shea? Is he back there? Come on out. I finally have you on tape.”
Aspen overdramatically smacks herself on her forehead. “Such a freaking idiot. He’s not here, Lanshes! Shea killed Leon and took off.”
Lanshes looks confused for a moment then anger overtakes him and it makes him fully focus on Aspen as he steps forward. He doesn’t pay attention to me and I stealthy move to the left to make room to take him out at the right moment. Meaning the fucker needs to lower the damn gun slightly or in any case not aim it at Aspen.
“You’re lying. He came in and didn’t come out of the house. He’s still here.” He points the gun over Aspen’s shoulder and shouts, “Show yourself!”
My eyes connect with Aspen and she gives a slight nod. I take my chance and launch myself at Lanshes. Aspen falls to the side the same time Lanshes’ gun goes off. He pulls the trigger again and I feel a slight sting on my arm but I have to focus on crushing the hand which he’s palming the gun in.
Nics is suddenly standing on his hand and it allows me to wrap both my hands around his neck. Gripping tight I take pleasure in the way his eyes widen as realization sets in; his life has come to an end.
I lean in next to his ear. “You hurt my woman and not just with the bullet you fired today. You risked her life too many times and I’m going to end yours for it.”
The fucker tries to gurgle but there is no way he’s going to survive this. It takes more time than I would like to have given him but ultimately his body goes slack and his heartbeat is missing underneath my hands.
I push myself up and kick him in the balls for good measure. “I should have castrated you. Ripped off your balls and fed your dick to some pigs and let rats eat you away.”
The smell of fire assaults my nose.
“We need to go,” Aspen says as she pulls my arm.
Chance, Kier, and Nics come rushing out of the house.
“Now, let’s throw this asshole into the oven. This place will burn quickly. The way Shea’s guy drenched the place with gasoline...it will make the fire spread like wildfire, we need to move while we can still drop his body into the house,” Chance says.
“What the fuck?” I mutter.
Chance shrugs. “I dropped a match, figuring with this fucker here being dead we don’t need fingerprints and shit of ours in there. Now help me throw him inside.”
I bend down and pick up Lanshes’ arms while Chance and Nics grab his legs. We all rush in and out and head out the back toward the direction Aspen is limping in.
She stumbles and crashes to the ground. I easily lift her into my arms and ignore the stabbing pain in my left arm. Glancing at her leg I see the spot where she’s hit and her black jeans are soaked with what I know is blood.
She must have either passed out from the blood loss or pain. Either way she needs medical attention and she needs it right fucking now. Chance holds the branches out of my way until we get to the street where all of us come to a stop.
A woman gasps and shoves her hands behind her back as she babbles, “Oh, my gosh. What happened? Is she okay? Do you need help? Who are you? Do I need to call an ambulance? Can you—”
A shot ri
ngs out and the woman crumbles to the floor, a bullet hole right between the eyes. My head swings to the right where Chance still has his arm raised due to the shot he just fired.
“What the fuck, man?” I whisper hiss.
Chance shrugs again. “She was the chick I saw back at the mall, the one Aspen mentioned working with Lanshes.”
“Thanks,” I blurt, since I don’t know what else to say when Nics rips the woman’s jacket back which reveals the woman was reaching for her gun.
“Chance, you take them to the clubhouse. I already called the doc and he’s on his way,” Nics says.
“Can’t, I’m drunk,” Chance says and we all look at him. “What? I was just patched in and your woman found me nursing a beer when she ordered me to come check on you guys. I only had time to knock back two coffees. I don’t want to fuck this up by drunk driving.”
Nics punches him in the shoulder. “You shot a woman right between the eyes, I’d say your reflexes are good.”
“Help Nics, I’ll drive,” Kier says.
Chance points to the left. “Aspen has the keys: the SUV is parked back there. Grab this bitch’s arms, Nics, I’ll grab her legs. We need to move before the house is swallowed by flames or the firemen get here.”
We all jump into action. We’ve tried calling the clubhouse but there’s no answer. The guys who were out have been called and are on their way back. Aspen regains consciousness when I apply a tourniquet.
“Hang in there, love,” I croak, emotions heavy in my voice. “We’re almost there. A doctor should be at the clubhouse the same time we arrive. Which should be within a few minutes, can you hang on for me?”
A groan leaves her lips and I know she’s hurting.
“Just hang the fuck in there,” I growl, getting pissed at the fact she’s hurt. “And don’t lose consciousness again.”
“As if I did that shit on purpose,” she grunts.
I cup the side of her face and whisper, “Don’t leave me.”
The Fallon Brothers: Kinney Page 11