Chapter Forty-Two
Blood for Blood
Ziggy
I was turning off the interstate when Henny called. I pulled over into the parking lot of the shopping center and returnedthe call within minutes.
“Zig?” he all but snapped when he picked up.
“Yeah?”
“You need to get out to Octavia’s. There’s an Irishman on his way out there to pick up your son-in-law.”
“What?”
“Yuh.” He grunted. “Sorry, Rumi, honey, turn that down a minute.”
I couldn’t even hear the music, so I knew he’d said her name for my benefit.
“Shit.” I fired the bike up. “Where is Sammy?”
“Mhm, yeah she’s there, too.”
I dropped the phone and cursed as I coasted toward the edge of the lot.
“Some kind of deal about Sauce. He told Sammy to call you after.”
“Got it.”
I hung up and started toward the cabin. I saw a car ahead of me on the country road. When I reached the lane that it had turned onto, I realized there were two more ahead of it.
“Right on time,” I grunted, shaking my head.
I took my pistol out of the glove box and took the safety off, even as I shook my head and inwardly cursed all of it. My daughter was out there!
Jesus.
I glanced back at the phone and scrolled through the number until I found the one that had called about Sauce being captive.
“Not smart calling this line back,” a voice answered.
It sounded young and cocky. I didn’t know Sean Morgan, but I knew he wasn’t no young punk. He was my age.
“Put Morgan on the phone, son.”
“Excuse–” he started only to clear his throat.
I heard a shuffling sound and then a crisp, Irish accent came through the receiver, “Ziggy, a man I’ve been meaning to sit down with for some time now. How are you then?”
I blinked and stammered for a minute, “Sean– Sean Morgan?”
“Aye. It’s me, well enough. I’d love to talk to you for a while, but I have a date with Young Menace.”
“Where is my son?”
“Your son? Ah, yes. I’ve considered his release in exchange for our blade-loving friend.”
Considered was not a done deal, any fool knew that.
“Never mind him. I have a better deal.”
“Aye, do ya? Well, it’s a shame you’re so far away. I can’t really linger here, you see. I have to take what I can get.”
“I’m pulling in the driveway now.”
“Truly? Aye… I hear the motorcycle. Well, come on then. I’ll be happy to discuss it.” He hung up, and I saw him cross the lawn toward the cabin ahead.
His men swarmed the yard. Menace was on his knees with a gun to his head just to the right of the porch. He didn’t look at me as I approached, and I knew arguing with the generals wasn’t going to get me anywhere. It was Sean I needed to make the deal with.
I found him just inside the door at the kitchen table. I wasn’t interested in sitting there and shooting the shit. Menace had a temper, I knew he’d get himself killed if we left him out there to his own ways.
“Listen, I'm here to offer my life in exchange for my son, for Menace, and my daughter, and my club's future and happiness. Let him go, let Sauce go. Take me.”
Sean instantly nodded, a smile forming sometime later. “I recognize you as a leader of men, a family man and a formidable presence. Our organizations are at war, Mr. Nash.”
I flinched at his use of my formal name, not realizing he knew it.
“It is Wyatt Nash, isn’t it? No one comes through my security without being vetted.”
“You– vetted—” I tried to catch up.
Sean nodded, “Finances, Criminal and military records, half a fucking genealogical profile on some.”
I swallowed, unsure if I should be impressed or disturbed, the more he talked, I wasn’t even sure what exactly I’d walked into.
“I like you. I liked what I found when I vetted you. The problem is, I cannot let the head of rival organizations that I’m at war with walk out of here, it’s principle. You understand, don’t you?”
I stared at him, unsure what he was talking about. I just said that, didn’t I? “I said take my life, we’ll be equal.”
“Taking your life doesn’t make it equal, Wyatt. We’re at war, but there are no rules to our battlefield. The only thing that keeps me from sending you to your maker along with Lennox, and Samantha, is you agreeing to my terms.”
I raised my shoulders, and he waved his hand, gesturing for me to sit with him. I took a deep breath and did so. If he didn’t want my life, what the fuck did he want?
“Let me rephrase.” He waved a heavily-jeweled hand like he was freezing time, “I can’t let an enemy who struck first walk out of this meeting. An ally, however, that’s different. An ally that is sealing his oath in blood. Very, very different thing.”
“I just offered you blood, my man–” I was too mentally drained for this shit.
“Bring Lennox Zade inside,” Sean called.
A wild scream sent both of us scrambling to our feet as Sammy flew out of God knows where and rushed toward Sean. My heart stopped, stunned by the sight of her. Sean was stunned, too, which gave Sammy just enough time to land a good one right on his cheekbone.
I grabbed her before his generals could, but they all crowded the room, bringing Menace with them.
“I’ll kill you. I’ll do it slowly, I swear I will,” she screamed, going half-rabid in my arms.
Sean laughed and rubbed his cheek, “I see why you chose her, Lennox.”
I slapped my hand over Sammy’s mouth in anticipation of the venom she’d spew at him, and it was right on time. Her words vibrated against my palm and contorted to angry, feral sounds.
“Don’t be so sour, love.” Sean smiled at her. “I’ve no intention of taking your father from you today. Not so long as he’s willing to do right by the offenses his organization made against mine. His momentary lack of leadership left two people dead, and a young lady without support.
The room went quiet for a minute, and I slowly started to catch on, “You– want me to marry the widow of Keefe Kilbride?”
“No. I mean to see you married to his sister. Her college bills are mounting.”
“Yeah.” I was shaking my head almost before he got started on that one, “I’ll be happy to pay ‘em. Just bill me, man.”
Sean shook his head right along with me and softly tutted to silence me, “You’ll marry her, or Henny will be interim president of the Savages by night’s end and your beautiful daughter will be shopping for caskets come morning. It’s your call, Wyatt.”
I could feel Sammy’s eyes on me. Menace’s, too.
They could not be serious. College? I had children that age. I didn’t want another wife. Worse, I could see that Menace had dug himself a mile-deep hole that was only going to end with my daughter being hurt during his apprehension or caught up in a mob war. She needed us both; him to get her out of here, and me to do Sean’s bidding until they were clear.
Still, I had to try and make him understand how bad this idea was.
For this poor girl’s sake!
Whoever the hell she was!
“Listen, Sean– My daughter needs me.”
“Yes.” Sean agreed, without really interrupting me.
“But– I ain’t no fuckin’ type of husband, man. I– I tried this shit once, I’m not good at it, and –”
Sean’s patience ran out and he cut me off, “You’ll learn because the other half of the agreement is that she comes to me when fate catches up to our street-pardoned friend, here.”
He motioned between Sammy and Menace.
“Get the fuck out,” I spat before I could catch myself.
“Absolute not,” Sammy huffed.
“Deal.” Menace nodded.
My head whipped toward him, and I threw a right jab with everything I had. The generals stepped aside, and Sammy became hysterical again.
Sean let me mount him and pound on him for a few blows before he spoke up again, “He left insurance for your daughter. She won't be charged, Wyatt.”
His generals ripped me off of Menace and shoved me back.
“Take her and go.” Sean nodded to Menace. “Take her father’s motorcycle. They won’t be looking for that one.”
I didn’t have any objection to him stealing my bike, as long as it got Sammy out of here.
“Dad,” Sammy’s voice carried an edge of uncertainty.
“Go. Hurry up.” I hauled her toward me as she passed and kissed her cheek.
“I love you, Babygirl,” I told her before pulling her back so I could see her face one more time. I made myself shove her at Menace and warned him as I tossed my keys. “If anything happens to her, I’ll feed your fuckin’ remains to Griz’s hogs, mother fucker.”
“I believe you would, Zig, I love you, too, fucker.” Menace laughed.
“I love you, too, Dad!” she called back, as he dragged her outside.