Chapter 3
Three
Blitz
Throwing my duffel over my shoulder, I pull my door closed, not locking it because Twitch is going to have to get in there and clean up the mess that I made.
As I clear the mouth of the hallway, I look around for Charlie, needing just another glimpse of her to know that she is here and is safe.
Panic seizes my thoughts when I don’t find her behind the bar smiling and sassing the brothers.
Movement by the door to the kitchen catches my attention when Twitch comes through the doorway holding a rack of glasses.
My feet finally come unglued. “Twitch, I need to get my room cleaned up and get the broken shit replaced while I’m gone,” I call as I make my way to the bar.
He looks over his shoulder with a furrowed brow. “Yeah sure. Anything in particular you want it replaced with?”
“Get with Charlie. Whatever she says I need, then get it,” I tell him without thinking through what just came out of my mouth.
Terro turns on his bar stool with that knowing smirk that is always on his face. “Charlie? Are you finally ready?”
“You’ve finally fucking lost it, brother.” I reply as I glare at him. “She is the one who has helped update and replace all the shit in this place since she’s been here. It seems that the smartest thing would be to have her continue to do so.”
“Rrright. If that’s what you have to tell yourself to sleep at night,” Terro drags out. He stands and then makes his way to the door.
I take the seat next to Raider, which Terro had just vacated, then wave for Twitch to grab me a drink. Raider runs his finger around the rim of the shot glass in front of him, seeming to be lost in thought. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I start to check some emails when his words stop me cold.
“Are you ready to tell me what's got you so damn twisted up?”
Swallowing hard, I meet his eyes. “I don’t know what you're fucking talking about. Want to give me a few more context clues?”
Raider narrows his eerie two-toned eyes at me. “You have until you come back from Arizona to get it fucking straight or you will have some fucking problems. Is that enough fucking context?”
I open my mouth when he holds up a hand, placing his phone to his ear. “Yeah?”
Spinning my beer bottle in my hands, I listen to the one-sided phone call.
“Fucking now? You know, a little more of a fucking heads-up would be nice,” Raider snarls.
“Yeah,” he sighs. “Thirty. At the slaughterhouse.” Raider lays the phone on the top of the bar, pinching the bridge of his nose before looking over at me.
“Get the brothers who are here and not in the middle of something. The Italians have a delivery for us. The three of you leaving should have just enough time to help with the handoff and then be on your way to the airport,” he states before standing and heading for the door.
Picking up my phone, I send out the message before following him outside.
I throw my leg over my bike and start her with a roar, feeling some of the ever-present tension slide off my shoulders as the beast rumbles under me.
Raider is sitting on his bike, waiting and watching as Terro, Rhino, Pope, Anvil, and Blender file out of the clubhouse.
Once everyone is loaded up and ready to go, we make our way towards the slaughterhouse.
A growing sense of dread settles in my chest the closer we get to the slaughterhouse.
We pull onto the long driveway like a wave of thunder.
As we make it around the bend into the parking lot, I instantly take note of the fact that the rest of the brothers are here as well as three large blacked-out SUVs.
As we park our bikes, the doors on the SUVs fly open all at once, and out steps a group of large Italians.
Standing from my bike, I hang my helmet on my handlebars and fall into place to the right of Terro, who is standing to the right and just behind Raider with Anvil taking up post on Raider’s left with Mercy matching my stance just behind Anvil’s left shoulder.
Giaco steps out of the center SUV with a look of pure rage on his face. “I find your disrespect beneath you, Raider.”
Raider matches his glare. “Only dumbasses and the fucking dead show up unannounced. Seeing as you're breathing, that tells us which you are.”
Giaco lets out an exhale through his teeth. “I’m the man with a goddamn gift that I can just as easily take back and deal with.”
Raider shrugs without shaking his head as if completely disappointed before looking back up at Giaco. “Would this gift be something that was taken from us to begin with?”
The man’s mouth quirks mockingly. “Aww, now I see. We’re still pouting about not having all the answers.”
“Giaco, get to the point of what brings you away from your glass tour?” Raider’s tone is taunting. “Seems like such a waste doing all the work of a boss and holding only the title of underboss. Must sting doing all the heavy lifting and getting zero credit for it.”
The world around us seems to go completely quiet.
Giaco and his men stand there, all but frozen in time.
Telling us all that Raider has information he shouldn’t, and that seems to make the Italians across from us not exactly nervous but evidently not okay.
The tension is beyond thick, and it wouldn’t take more than a small spark for this shit show to go up in flames.
“Seems that I’ve got a leak in the ranks. That’s noted,” Giaco growls. “Now, do you want your gift?”
“It’s not much of a gift when you fucking took it to start with,” Remedy chuckles.
Giaco’s lip curls slightly. “You say I stole it. I say I just borrowed it. Now I’m here to return what was borrowed.” He waves his hand in the air.
The men around him move, pulling a very shaken and slightly dirty Shea with a bag over her head out of the back of one of the SUVs.
As her feet hit the ground and the burlap sack is ripped off her head, she looks around wildly, her face going ashen when she sees the club standing there.
She starts fighting the hold on her arms so fiercely that I swear she just might break her fucking arm.
“By looking at her, I would think you and yours have lost the art of interrogation,” Anvil states haughtily.
“Do you want it, or do I just need to handle it?” No sooner do the words leave his mouth than two throwing stars sink into the dirt at his feet.
Giaco looks down at the ground before locking eyes with Raider.
The monster under the nice suit shows for just a moment before he straightens his sleeves.
“As much as I’ve enjoyed this little back and forth, I’ve got better shit to do than stand here with you boys,” Giaco snaps, his ever so present glare on his face.
“I would like to say it was a pleasure as always to see you, Giaco,” Raider sighs sadly. “But we both know I’d be lying through my teeth. Thanks for returning what was taken. Blender, Mercy, go get your new play toy.”
Mercy moves from his place at Anvil’s side, and Blender materializes from fucking who knows where, prowling toward a terrified Shea.
They make it to Giaco, who holds a hand up in front of Blender as if to stop him.
Blender’s eyes don’t move from Shea for him to acknowledge the second in command of the Mafia standing there.
Giaco’s eyes come back to Raider, ice cold, “Get control of your men.”
Raider shrugs, lips curling in a mocking smile. “I’m not sure I know what you mean. He didn’t injure, maim, or kill anyone. Seems perfectly under control to me.”
He turns, looking at the psycho twins as they close in on Shea, who has gone completely still.
Blender’s hand snaps out, wrapping his fingers around her throat and lifting her slightly off her feet.
He brings her close to his face, whispering something low enough that no one can hear him.
Shea’s eyes go wide before a single tear runs down her face, and she goes completely still.
Mercy lays a hand on Blender’s shoulder, causing him to look back at him.
A full conversation passes between them before Mercy turns and gives us a nod.
Raider waves them off, and they take Shea into the slaughterhouse.
Giaco turns back to us with an eyebrow cocked.
Anvil chuckles. “See? Completely under control. I’m going to supervise while y’all finish here.”
Raider nods in acknowledgement, not saying a word.
I move to take Anvil’s position at Raider’s left shoulder.
Giaco steps towards us, causing everyone to tense until he holds his hand out.
Prez meets him halfway, taking his hand and pulling him into a one-armed man hug.
Giaco says something quietly into Raider’s ear that causes him to go stiff before he pulls away.
“It’s time for you to fucking get out of my goddamn city,” Raider says before abruptly turning to make his way over to us.
He stops mid-step and turns, leveling a glare at Giaco.
“Oh, and Giaco, one more thing—we might have an arrangement that benefits us both extremely well. But show up in my fucking city one more time unannounced and you will learn exactly how out of control my goddamn enforcers are. Do I make myself clear?”
The men in suits look increasingly pissed with every word. Giaco tilts his head to the side, reminding me entirely too much of the psycho twins. “And here I thought we were starting to become friends.”
“Seems once again you’ve told us exactly what side of the dumbass or dead you're on,” Raider tosses at him, before marching towards the slaughterhouse. Several brothers follow him in while me, Rhino, and Remedy hang outside to make sure our unwanted guests leave.
Once they’re loaded up and their taillights are out of sight, we finally head inside. When I clear the door, I’m shocked to see everyone standing around talking. Searching all the faces, I find the psycho twins are missing.
“You let them at her without questioning her first?” Rhino wonders, taking a seat at the table.