by KJ Dahlen
“Who took the bullet with her name on it?” Traven asked.
“Renegade.” James growled. “Of all people, it just had to be him. I should have kept shooting. I hope at least one of my bullets found a home in his body.”
Traven shook his head. “When are Joshua and Craig getting here?”
James shrugged. “I think dad is sending those two out together.” He snorted. “I don’t think he trusts any of us to get the job done.”
“Do you really think the old man will wait for us?” Traven wanted to know.
“I wouldn’t,” James told him. “I think as soon as Joshua and Craig take off, dad is going to head south. And why shouldn’t’ he? He’s got all the money, all the gold and all the peyote. We never should have come here without him.”
“Yeah, like he would have come here.” Traven shook his head. “After everything that old man has done to us, we still look to him for approval. He thinks we’re just as dumb as he is.”
“Well, aren’t we? James snorted. “We’re the ones being held by an MC, we’re the ones who got caught, he didn’t. He’s sitting pretty when he knows damn well we never will return.”
“The old man was right, wasn’t he?” Traven suddenly remembered Micah Wolf’s words. “He said Dad would betray us for the greed and he was right. Dad isn’t coming.”
James nodded his head. “I think in a way we all knew this in the back of our minds. We just couldn’t or wouldn’t say the words out loud. He was all we knew. He conditioned us all our lives to depend on him and now, he’s leaving us behind.”
“Sounds about right.” Traven sighed. “He always was a selfish bastard. Hell, don’t you remember when Joshua married Luna? He accepted her into the family but he wouldn’t let them live on their own. He expected Luna to take over the kitchen because that’s where a woman went. She protested and he beat her down. Joshua let him do it. He just stood there and watched as his dad beat his wife. But that was our dad wasn’t it? You did things his way or the highway.”
There was a moment of silence and then James asked, “How much do you remember about Mom? I can barely remember what she looked like anymore.”
“Huh.” Traven grunted. “She gave him four sons and then he was done with her. He tossed her out like yesterday’s garbage. She didn’t deserve that. No woman does.” He sat there for a moment then remarked, “He didn’t even go to her funeral, the bastard.”
“I hope Micah’s prophecy does come true,” James said out loud as darkness crept in. “I know I’m going to hell for doing the things he told me to do. But if I’m going to burn in the flames for eternity, I hope he’s standing right there beside me.”
“We’ll know soon enough. This should be over in a few hours. If Joshua and Craig are double teaming it, one will draw the MC away from her while the other goes right for her. I think the one to go for her will be Joshua. Those two have unfinished business and they might not get another chance.”
“You could be right about that,” James agreed. “Come hell or high water, this thing will be finished soon.”
They both sat in silence and waited for the inevitable to come, just as old Micha Wolf had predicted.
As darkness cast its shadows over the town of Killeen, Joshua and Craig moved toward the edge of the town where they knew the Lost Sons were located. Their brothers were either taken by the MC or dead, so this would be their last chance to clear up the past.
Neither of them were stupid enough to think that Michael would actually wait for their return but what Michael didn’t know wouldn’t hurt them. Joshua had learned a few habits from his father a long time ago. One of those habits was how to pick a lock, any lock he wanted. He picked up even more during his time in prison and those habits armed him well. His father might think he was the one holding all the cards but Joshua knew better.
He knew what was at stake here. He’d spent nineteen years behind bars for the deaths of his wife and baby daughter. He wasn’t going back for another murder. He vowed a long time ago, he would never go back to prison or he knew he die there.
He looked through binoculars in the growing darkness but his glasses were equipped with night vision. His vision because clearer as dusk turned to night. He began searching the compound looking for anything out of place. If either of his brothers had been successful, there would be signs of disturbance. Then he found the boarded-up window. Joshua had to grin. One of them got close, but now he needed to know how close and what happened to his brothers.
One of them got a shot off. Was this mission over before he even got here? He didn’t know. He would have to move closer. He heard Craig come up behind him. He had to pause and take a deep breath. Usually, in prison, when someone came up behind you, it meant trouble and he was too new to the outside world yet. He still couldn’t believe he was out of the joint after nineteen years. He thought on more than one occasion, he would die behind those walls.
He never did learn to take orders very well. When he was growing up, not following his father’s orders got him in trouble all the time but that was his only way of fighting back against his father’s tyranny. He never regretted what he did then nor did he regret it in prison. Was his rebellion stupid on occasion? Most likely, but each time he did so, he learned something. He learned to cut off the pain he was being dealt and he learned how to fight back. His dad taught him life was never fair and he often fought dirty, but that only prepared him for the fights he would have in prison. At least his father had taught him to expect the unexpected. He survived his stay in prison and his body carried the scars he bore.
“What do you see?” Craig asked him wheezing slightly.
“The smaller building has a boarded window,” Joshua told him. “My guess is James. He’s the best shot.”
“Is there any sign of James or Traven?”
“Not that I’ve seen but if they were caught or killed, there wouldn’t be would there?” Joshua grunted.
“Well, something went down,” Craig assured him.
“Why do you say that?” Joshua asked.
“I’ve been watching the perimeter and they have a roving patrol in place. I also watched as four or five of them go to a small cabin at the back of the property. They went inside then came out again. I didn’t stick around but there’s something or someone in that cabin.”
“Maybe that’s where they’re holding James and Traven,” Joshua said under his breath. He turned to his brother and growled, “How do you want to play this?”
“We need a distraction. When the compound settles down for the night, if we can get them running one way, we can sneak in the other way. We won’t have much time to get in take care of Kalinda and get out again. The only thing we have to know for sure is where she is.”
“I think I know where she is.” Joshua growled. Glaring at the building with the boarded up window, he whispered, “I gotta ya baby girl.” He turned to his brother and asked, “So what have you figured out for a distraction?”
Craig smiled slightly. “Oh, I got a few tricks up my sleeve since the last time we were together.”
“What’s gonna be your signal?”
Craig grinned. “Oh, you ain’t gonna miss it I promise.” He glared at his brother and added, “You better be ready and get the job done quick.”
“Before you let hell rain, maybe you should check that cabin,” Joshua ordered him. “If Traven and James are there get them out.”
Craig sat there for a moment and looked at his older brother. “Do you really expect dad to wait for us? I mean really?”
Joshua snorted. “No, I know he won’t. He probably left Austin before we got out of town.” Then he grinned. “But I know one thing Dad doesn’t.”
“Oh yeah, what’s that?” Craig wanted to know.
“Dad isn’t nearly as rich as he thinks he is anymore.” Joshua smiled. “I left him enough to get by but not enough to life the good life.”
Craig raised his eye brow. “How the hell did you do that?”
“I just
took back our share.” Joshua shrugged. “He’s shown us time after time he doesn’t need us and I just leveled the field. We don’t need him either.”
“And after this?” Craig asked. “Are we going to stay together?”
Joshua shrugged. “I guess that will depend on what everyone else wants to do. For the first time in our lives, dad isn’t going to tell us what to do. We can go anywhere we want, do anything we want to do, providing we survive tonight.” He looked toward the compound. “I will tell you one thing, I won’t miss him always telling me what to do. I’ll be able to make my own decisions.”
Craig nodded. “Then why don’t we just find the others and leave here? Go out on our own?”
Joshua shook his head. “We can’t do that. I will not live another day with murder charges hanging over my head. And I’ll be damned if I’m going back in the joint again. What we did back then to the Crockett’s we did and there’s no changing it. We can’t undo what’s already done but I’m not going back to prison because of it.”
“We would all go to prison for that,” Craig reminded him. “We did nothing to stop it once it started. We hid what happened too. We lied to the tribal police when they came around asking questions.”
Joshua snorted. “All at Dad’s suggestion right?”
Craig nodded. “He insisted in fact.”
“Did you know he never once came to see me after I was arrested, or after I was sentenced to prison?” Joshua told his brother. “It was like I didn’t belong to him anymore. He turned his back on me. Wrote me off like I wasn’t his firstborn son anymore.”
“He always was a selfish son of a bitch. You were no longer within his realm of reach, so you and yours didn’t matter. For just a moment, I was envious of both you and Kalinda. You were both gone and he couldn’t hurt you anymore,” Craig admitted.
“After tonight, he won’t matter either,” Joshua stated. “Let’s get this thing done. Being this close to the MC is giving me the willies. We got everything to lose if they catch us here.”
Craig nodded. “Ok... I’ll check the cabin and set my distraction. As soon as it goes, you get to the house and take care of your kid. Then we can all just get the fuck out of dodge.” He turned and disappeared into the growing darkness.
Joshua looked over at the house in the distance and prayed this would be over sooner rather than later. The fact he was even here said something but the reason he was here said even more. Kalinda was his own blood and to protect himself he was willing to end her life. He knew he was a miserable human being but this was the last thing he would ever do to hurt anyone.
He wanted a new life and now, he had the money to get one. He’d done some shitty things but he also spent time in prison paying for some of them. He should get some years of a good life. He couldn’t help what he’d been made into by his dad now...it was far too late.
Chapter Ten
Jack watched his wife pace back and forth wearing a path in the carpet of their bedroom. It bothered him that someone had tried to kill her a little while ago. She was so worked up, he didn’t know what to do for her. He hated the fact that she didn’t feel safe in her own home. He hated the fact she wasn’t safe in her own home.
Thank god, Renegade had seen the red light and had taken steps to keep her safe.
Rosa was on the bed with him, Kalinda didn’t want her left alone, not even down the hall from their own room. They both knew this thing wasn’t over yet and he could feel the tension growing. She had a father and another uncle waiting in the shadows, not to mention a crazier than fuck grandfather.
From what Renegade told them, Michael Moon was the worst of them all. He held all four of his sons so tightly under his thumb it was surprising any of them could breathe and now, that she remembered what set this whole incident off, he was worried they might actually get to her. He knew they wouldn’t stop coming after her and he didn’t want her to live with this insane fear any longer. They felt they had to stop her before she put them all in prison for the rest of their miserable lives.
Jack watched her and he could see her literally falling apart. He couldn’t stand it anymore. Getting up, he walked over to her and pulled her into his arms. “Please stop,” he whispered in her ear. “I can’t stand to see you like this.”
Kalinda snuggled into the safety of his embrace. “I can’t help... it,” she whispered brokenly. She took a deep breath and exhaled as she laid her head on his chest. “You know all my life I’ve never had a family that I could remember. I didn’t know I had a dad and three uncles out there or a grandfather either. Now I wish I still didn’t know about them. Then I wouldn’t have to wonder if one of them will come through the door or the window and kill me.”
“That isn’t going to happen.” Jack growled holding her tight. “They can try but we got you covered baby. No one can get through our front lines.”
She looked up at him and smiled. “Oh, babe... I love you but I don’t want you hurt for me. I can’t imagine living life without you in it. Without you standing right beside me. I want to grow old with you. I want to sit beside you and watch our grandchildren playing.”
“I want all that too, sweetheart,” Jack murmured in her ear. “That’s why I can’t let them get close to you, not now, not ever. I’ll kill every jack one of them with my bare hands.”
Kalinda shook her head. “No, I don’t want you to stoop to their level. That’s one thing I couldn’t bear. I don’t doubt that you could do it, I just don’t want you to have to do it.”
“You understand we may not have a choice here, right?”
Kalinda nodded. “I know and I hate that things have come this far.”
“I have a feeling this will be over soon and when it is, we can get on with our lives.” Jack hugged her close.
“Promise me something...” she whispered.
“What would that be?”
She turned her gaze to him before she asked, “If something should happen to me and I’m not saying it will, but if it does, remember me to Rosa. Watch over her and tell her every day that her mama loved her so much. Please don’t let her forget me?”
Jack squeezed her in his arms. “I won’t have to do that because you’ll be there every day for her.”
Kalinda laid her forehead on his chest but didn’t say anything.
Suddenly, the silence was broken by a flash explosion and the sight of flames lighting up the night sky.
Kalinda screamed and dropped to her knees, scrambling to make it to the bed where her daughter laid.
Jack grabbed the gun in the back of his pants and stood over his wife and daughter. He didn’t know what hell was coming for them but he wasn’t going to let them get hurt. The answer came a few minutes later when he heard the sound of breaking glass and rushing footsteps coming toward the bedroom. He slowly lifted his weapon and held it toward the door.
Then the house was plunged into darkness. Kalinda screamed again and the baby cried but Jack didn’t move away from them. It was his job to protect his family and nothing was going to stand in the way of that.
He felt rather than saw the shadows move as someone slipped into the room. When nothing else moved he waited as the tension grew. Then he saw a bigger shadow come into the room. As he didn’t know who it was he waited until the second shadow spoke.
“Kalinda, where are you girl?”
Kalinda recognized a voice from her past and she caught her breath when he called out her name. “Why are you here dad?” she asked in anger. Her worst nightmare was about to come true. She held baby Rosa in her arms and began to rock her gently. Then she frowned as she began to feel Jack’s aura surrounding her and the baby. It was like a shield snapping into place, standing between her and the danger her dad stood for.
“I think you know why I’m here,” Joshua told her through the darkness. “I know your man is somewhere in the room and if you don’t want him to get hurt or killed tell him to call out, so I know where he is.”
“That isn’t going
to happen,” Kalinda told her parent. “I will not put my husband’s life on the line for you or anyone.” She shifted her arms to lay her daughter on the floor. Then she slipped the baby under the bed to protect her. “You should have stayed away.”
“I couldn’t stay away. I spent the last nineteen years in a tribal prison and I will never go back. I will never spend another moment behind bars.”
“Don’t blame anyone but yourself for that,” Kalinda seethed at him. “You deserved every minute of those years behind bars for what you did. You took my mother and my sister away from me and they should have thrown away the key and let you rot in there. You killed those kids and they died because of you...You, your father and your brothers.”
“Damn, I was hoping you wouldn’t remember about that.” Joshua swore. “I was hoping you slept through all that.”
“Well, you hoped wrong. I saw it all. Doesn’t it matter to you that I’m your child? That Rachel was also you daughter and that our mother was your wife? Doesn’t any of that matter?”
Joshua sighed and finally told her the truth, “Your mother and I were never married, I wanted her so I took her home to live with me. But we never said our vows.” He paused then added, “Besides, you might be my child but you also might not be.”
“Was she there willingly?” she had to know. So much of what she remembered now began to make sense to her. “And what do you mean I might not be your child?
“She was sleeping with more than me back then. But it didn’t matter then and it doesn’t matter now.” He told her.
“Oh yes, you bastard, it matters.” She growled. “She didn’t want to be there, you forced her to stay didn’t you? She wasn’t your wife but you forced her to stay with you anyway. I hope fry you!” She screamed as tears ran down her face. “I’m glad that you may not be my father. I don’t want a murderer for a dad! I hope when they stick that needle in your veins the flames of hell take you down so deep you and your fucking dad can’t ever get out of the pits of hell.”
“That isn’t gonna happen.” Joshua told her as he began to move around the room. The flames from the outside were making it easier to see in the bedroom as they were growing in intensity. Then they all heard the sounds of gunfire. Shots were fired and more shots were returned. Someone screamed then there was silence outside.