Chapter 19
19
Knox
I saw Robyn coming into the clubhouse through the CCTV system in my office. Diesel, Jagger, and I were just ready to go downstairs and spend some time with her when Marlo’s Lincoln Town Car pulled up outside the parking lot.
My stomach feels heavy and tight as we make our way downstairs to the main floor.
“This can’t be good,” Diesel mutters.
“Marlo Hughes is never good,” Jagger adds.
We find her seated at the bar. Diamonds hanging from her earlobes twinkle as she gives Shay a thankful nod for the glass of prosecco she just served her.
“I didn’t imagine I’d see you here after our last conversation,” I say, my gaze scanning the entire room.
The handful of club members present are all seated and tight-lipped, watching every movement with sharp eyes and stiff shoulders. Samson stands a couple of feet to Marlo’s left while her goons guard the front door, hands in their pockets.
“Honestly, I wasn’t sure whether I should come here,” Marlo says, “but I decided to look past that disagreement and give you another chance.”
“Another chance to do what?” I ask. My phone buzzes. I briefly check it. It’s a text from Paulie saying he’s got Robyn, and they’re headed to her place. I should feel a sense of relief, especially as I glance outside and notice Calvin next to Margo’s limo. “I’m pretty sure we don’t owe you anything, Marlo.”
“You don’t. But that’s not why I’m here,” she says.
“Then why are you here?” Diesel rolls his eyes, thoroughly unimpressed.
“I have a business proposition,” she replies.
I stifle a groan, fully aware of what’s about to come out of her mouth. We called it days ago. It was simply a matter of when, not if, she’d bring it up.
“I take it our guys have been making it particularly hard for you to restart the drug routes in and around Redwood?” I ask with a half-smile.
“The Rogue Riders make excellent vigilantes or glorified sheriff’s deputies, I suppose,” she says and chuckles softly. “But it’s time to stop playing these stupid games. You fellas need to go back to doing what you’re good at.”
“Move your drugs around,” I say.
“You already have a transport company, an infrastructure. You built it on the back of my father’s business if you remember.”
“No, we built it on our own backs. Our work, our time, and our money went into it despite the damage inflicted upon this district by your father’s business.”
“Knox, I’m getting everything back on track, with or without you and whether you like it or not. I’m simply trying to avoid unnecessary aggression and bloodshed. I’m also giving you and your men the opportunity to make a lot more money than you’ve ever dreamed of.” She smiles. “Our new suppliers are big players from Mexico and Colombia. I’m talking millions in fees and the Riders could get one hell of a cut.”
Jagger scoffs and shakes his head, visibly disgusted. “Your audacity is astonishing.”
“Your self-righteous bullshit is what’s astonishing,” Marlo hits back. “How long did you think this knights-in-steely-armor bit was going to last anyway? You can’t stop the flow of narcotics in this area—not forever. Sooner or later, some cartel boss will want to carve himself a slice of this territory. Why let him when we could keep it in-house?”
“In-house,” I repeat, hoping she might pick up on the ridiculousness of her statement.
“Yes, in-house. The Hughes family were among the founders of Redwood. We helped build this town and its surroundings.”
“I understand that’s what your father told you, Marlo, but it doesn’t make you or anyone in your family some kind of Redwood hero,” I say. You’re drug dealers, plain and simple. As long as you operate outside the scope of the law, you’re putting every single resident of this district in danger.”
“You can’t stop progress, Knox.”
Diesel holds back a laugh. “It’s not progress we’re trying to stop here. It’s the return to one of the worst periods in Redwood history.”
“We were thriving!” Marlo says, sounding confused.
“ You were thriving. Sure, the club was thriving too. Making money off the suffering of others. Profiting from addiction,” I say. “We worked hard to turn this club around, and frankly, I’m astonished by your decision to come here and ask us to set all that aside so you can go back to making more money from drug and gunrunning, because we both know it won’t be just a truck of heroin here and there, especially if you do business with the Mexicans and the Colombians.”
She takes a long sip of her prosecco, allowing herself a moment to mull over my words. “I’m not asking you to set anything aside. I’m simply asking you to repurpose what you already have, the existing infrastructure like I already said.”
“You want our trucks and drivers,” Jagger says.
“Yes, and we can certainly agree on a percentage for your support. I’m even willing to do a part-time collaboration. You can continue with your transport business if you love it so much if you give me four out of, say, seven days per week. It sounds reasonable to me.”
It’s hard not to laugh in her face at this point. It’s not audacity, it’s madness. It’s some kind of madness on Marlo Hughes’ part to think she can walk into our clubhouse and talk like she’s the one doing us a favor. I clear my throat and take a step closer to the bar.
Her goons stiffen slightly.
“Don’t do this.”
“Excuse me?”
“Don’t do it, Marlo. Don’t rekindle this fire. The Rogue Riders have grown over the past four years. There’s more of us now and we have the full support of law enforcement. The people of Redwood have already expressed concern and dismay regarding the recent drug busts and the spike in overdoses across the district. I know you’ve got dollar signs in your eyes, but I’m warning you, you’re about to destroy everything you have left if you insist on going down this road.” I pause to give my words extra impact. “It won’t end well for you, I promise. You don’t have the same support from the locals because they’ve moved on.
“Many got clean. They found decent jobs. I’d say the Riders have provided Redwood and its surrounding areas with plenty of new work opportunities. Our taxes are feeding the system and making sure the district has the funds to maintain and develop its infrastructure further. What you’re suggesting is a regression, and we will resist.”
“Not only that, but we will oppose you at every turn,” Jagger adds.
I nod in agreement. “Marlo, this isn’t the Wild West. This isn’t no-man’s-land. You only have the interest and likely the financial support of some very dangerous cartels. They expect a clean and smooth takeover most likely, which is not what you’re going to get out of us. What will you do when your project gets delayed and the Sinaloa execs start calling your private cell number expecting positive updates?”
“It won’t get to that,” Marlo bluntly replies, the goodwill gone from her eyes.
“What if it does?”
She scoffs and says, “Knox, darling, perhaps I didn’t make myself clear. I didn’t come here for business advice. I didn’t come here to ask for your permission. You don’t want to play nice, and I get it. With or without you, business will go on. I was hoping you wouldn’t get in my way, but if you wish to turn this into something adversarial, then so be it. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Does Calvin’s parole officer know about this?” I ask with a flat smile. “I’m guessing Calvin is totally on board with your ambitions. But legally speaking, he is vulnerable.”
“What are you going to do about it? Rat him out? You have no proof,” Margo snaps, then mirrors my expression. She looks like a Victorian doll that’s about to slit my throat open, though. “From what I’ve heard, the Riders are on the wrong side of the law right now, and with the appropriate evidence too. Calvin just works for me. He’s legally my employee. His paperwork is in order.”
“Is it, now?” Diesel mutters.
“Employment contract and everything,” she replies.
“Why him, though?” I ask. “I’m genuinely curious.”
“We go way, way back,” Marlo says. “I know him better than most, better than that ex-wife of his. Which one of you fellas is banging her these days anyway or do you take turns? How does it work?”
My blood boils. I’m inches away from tearing her throat wide open.
To my surprise, Diesel calmly places a hand on my shoulder, discretely holding me back. “Calvin’s got some idea of how the club works. He’s useful to you. You could’ve just said that instead of twisting yourself into knots in a sorry-ass attempt to insult us. It makes you sound bitter, and I’m pretty sure we’re not the first men to turn you down. Learn to take no for an answer. Have some dignity.”
“Oh, I’ll enjoy destroying you,” she says, gritting her teeth.
“The door is over there,” I shoot back. “Get the fuck out. The next time I see you or any of your people around here, it’ll get ugly fast.”
“Is that a threat?”
“I don’t make threats, Marlo. I simply explain the facts and how they’re going to unfold. Whether they unfold or not is entirely up to you. But I will make you a promise.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “Go ahead. This should be good.”
“You go anywhere near Robyn or her daughter, and I will be gunning for you and Calvin, and there won’t be enough cartel money or gunmen to protect you,” I say. “I know Calvin has your ear, and I get that you want to help him, but stay the fuck away from Robyn and Kyra. They’re not your concern. Do you understand?”
“Relax, I have no interest in either of them,” Marlo mutters. “That’s Calvin’s past to deal with, not mine.”
“For his sake, remind him that the restraining order is still valid,” Jagger says.
Marlo points at the Lincoln all the way across the parking lot. “You do see where I left him, right, though I don’t see your club whore anywhere.”
“Get the fuck out of here,” Samson snaps. “I’ve heard enough of your bullshit.”
“Maybe I’ll come for you first, old man,” she says with a giggle, then casually walks out the door followed by her goons.
Minutes pass in the heaviest silence while we wait for Marlo and her people to get ready to leave the parking lot. We watch, still and quiet, as she saunters to her car. Calvin gets behind the wheel while her bodyguards jump into another vehicle. Once they take off, I feel like I can breathe again.
But with this breath comes a devastating wave of pure rage as I punch the top of the bar, startling everyone around me. “That fucking bitch!”
Heat courses through me, clouding my judgment. It rarely happens, but, together, Marlo and Calvin seem to have that effect on me.
“It’s going to get a whole lot worse,” I warn them. “Marlo doesn’t take no for an answer.”
“We need to close ranks and get the legal team involved,” Jagger suggests. “With Spalding watching us, you know he’s going to make everything ten times harder. We can’t fend off the DEA and keep Redwood clean of Marlo’s drug deals without some legal advantages.”
“What legal advantages do we have?” Diesel asks, his brow furrowed as he stares at the floor. “I mean, sure, the DEA’s case against us is circumstantial at best, but until that clears up, he can still raise hell and turn us inside out. It’ll give Marlo the edge she needs to take us out one by one.”
“And with Calvin’s inside knowledge—” Jagger says, but I cut him off.
“It’s not going to get that far. Calvin knew enough four years ago. Today, things are different. We’ve cleaned up a lot of the club’s activities and records since he’s been away.”
“We’re not done, though,” Samson reminds me. “All it takes is a good forensic accountant and an overzealous Fed with a search warrant. Let’s not forget about what’s in that basement.”
“Fuck, we can’t move any of it either,” Diesel scoffs, “not with Spalding watching the clubhouse day in, day out.”
“We can’t move anything right after Marlo’s visit either,” I say. “Spalding will put two and two together if he hasn’t already.”
“He’ll draw the link between us and the Hughes family again,” Jagger replies.
I shake my head slowly. “She did it on purpose. Marlo came here specifically to cast a light on our history. Spalding is probably rubbing his hands together with glee and calling his superiors. And Robyn and Kyra need us now more than ever.”
“Calvin played his cards right, didn’t he?” Samson grumbles and retakes his seat at the bar.
Shay refills his glass and gives us a worried look. “What do you want us to do, boss?”
“Nothing for the time being. Let’s give it twenty-four hours and see what movements occur in the area,” I tell her, then turn back to Samson. “You need to get more eyes on Redwood. Pull the prospects from the neighboring towns. We’ll cover the meals and the lodging. There will be rooms aplenty for them over at Mikey’s Motel by the northern Redwood exit. We need them close, and we need them riding out regularly.”
“Ring road and interstate checks too?” he asks.
I nod once. “And have the more seasoned members ride past the old trade spots during the day: the playgrounds, the school, the fast-food joints. Wherever the Hugheses’ boys were dealing before is where they’ll be moving in again. Marlo will test our response, rest assured. It needs to be swift and decisive.”
“I’ll talk to Sheriff Bentley,” Jagger says. “Let him know things are about to start moving again, and not in a good way.”
“Yeah, he needs to get his deputies locked and loaded and ready to intervene,” I reply, then look at Samson and Diesel. “Make sure the prospects don’t take the law into their own hands if they come across Hughes or Hughes-affiliated dealers. Even a citizens’ arrests will be under intense scrutiny. You saw the kind of lawyers that Marlo’s packing. They will challenge the courts at every turn.”
Jagger inches closer. “What about Robyn and Kyra?”
“What about them?”
“Do we tighten security for them as well?”
“They’ve got enough security for now,” I say. “There’s a prospect watching Kyra’s school, someone watching the house, and someone at Robyn’s work as well. I don’t think Calvin is stupid enough to try and make a move anytime soon. He and Marlo have bigger fish to fry.”
“Yeah, I’m not buying the whole ‘he’s useful to me’ shtick Marlo tried to sell us,” Diesel cuts in. “He’s a greedy motherfucker. He’s never going to settle for whatever scraps she might think of tossing his way. Calvin will gun for a generous cut of the profits.”
“Besides, he knows we’re watching him,” I say. “We’re over a hundred strong, each of us determined to string him up by his balls if he breaches that restraining order again. Jagger made sure of it.”
“I could make sure of it some more now that I know where to find the fucker.”
“No, we keep our noses clean. All we need is one day to observe and see where the pieces fall,” I reply. “And Samson’s right. We need to figure out a way to safely clear what’s in the basement too before the DEA busts down our door.”
I pull Diesel and Jagger off to the side and out of Samson’s earshot, my gaze nervously wandering around.
“What?” Diesel asks me.
“We also need to figure out how steep the cost of keeping Robyn and Kyra in our lives is going to be. This is clearly no longer a simple issue of keeping the ex-husband away from them. Shit just got real, and I want the three of us to be on the same page here.”
Jagger exhales sharply. “What are you saying, Knox? That we let Calvin have at them?”
“No, for fuck’s sake, Jag, listen to me. We’ve kept everything aboveboard until now, but what’s about to happen next might require more than what the legal channels can give us to work with. I need to know we’re all ready to do what it takes.”
“He means going outside the law,” Diesel tells him.
“Precisely,” I say. “And we need to agree that we’re willing to pay that price, because Marlo isn’t kidding, and Calvin is riding her coattails hard. He will take advantage of his position as soon as he sees an opportunity.”
My heart can’t fathom a life without Robyn or her precious daughter, but my brain still yanks at my conscience once in a while, reminding me of how hard we’ve worked to get to this point with the club.
“So many people depend on us,” I add, “not just Robyn and Kyra. There may come a moment where we might have to choose between them.”
“Say that again,” Jagger mutters, getting angry.
“It’s the fucking truth,” I hiss. “Listen to me, Jag. I’m laying it out now, so it doesn’t take us by surprise later. We need to be aware of this. How far are we willing to go to keep Robyn in our lives? I’m asking you. I know my answer; I know what I’m going to do. I just want to know how you feel about it.”
A heavy silence falls between us. Jagger looks around.
Diesel keeps quiet.
I think I know their answers before they even utter the words. I can feel their inner fires burning as brightly as mine. Their anger and their determination echo mine.
“We survived a couple of wars together,” Jagger says. “We took bullets for this country, for one another. And we found something incredible in Robyn, something we’re never going to find with another woman. That much is clear, right?”
“Right,” I say.
“We’ve also poured years of our lives into the club. The Rogue Riders rely on us. This whole fucking town depends on us,” Diesel hesitantly replies. He gets me. He understands my doubts, and he’s finally speaking his own truth on the matter. “At the end of the day, we can’t let anybody take any of this away from us, not the club and certainly not Robyn. The best we can do is fight hard for both.”
“And if we end up having to choose between one or the other?” I ask him.
The look of pure torment on Diesel’s face tells me everything I need to know.
“Then we’re set,” I say. “We know what we have to do next.”
“We just have to make our peace with it,” Jagger sighs deeply.
Redwood is about to delve into a bloody, ruthless war. Marlo is ambitious, and she’s got the financial means to bring the entire district back to the bad old days. With Calvin by her side, she has a notable advantage against the club too. It may not be enough to destroy us, but it could be enough to slow us down just enough to give the DEA the chance they need to deliver the final, devastating blow.
No matter which angle we approach the situation from, one thing is clear: Somebody’s going to go down in the upcoming fight.
We have to make sure it’s not one of us.