18
El Jefe
“I’m twenty minutes out,” I answered the call. Immediately, I heard gunfire. “What’s happening?”
“We’re under attack! We can’t hold them much longer!” Quino yelled into the phone.
“Where’s Silvia?” I bolted ahead of my crew, and I pointed ahead. They’d know it was an emergency.
“Tito left her in the officer’s hallway.”
“You need to get eyes on her.” I needed to know she was okay.
“It’s not that easy, boss. The windows are blown out around the building.”
“Fuck!”
“I’m in the bar. I’m sure she’s fine. Tornado and Spearmint were hit. But it’s not serious. They’re still in it. We took out half of Miguel’s men. I can see him regrouping. You need to get here.”
“I’m going as fast as I can. Where’s my mom?”
“In the safe room.”
“That’s where you should have put Silvia!” Goddammit! The safe room was built for the women, and my own woman wasn’t even in it!
“Yeah, well, he caught us by surprise, asshole!”
“You need to get eyes on my woman right the fuck now!” I yelled at him.
“Holy shit!” Quino shouted.
“What?” My heart jumped into my throat, sensing something went terribly wrong.
“I have eyes on her. She’s walking out of the building waving a makeshift white flag.”
“Go grab her! Stop her!” I punched it, but I knew I wouldn’t get there in time.
He barked orders and I listened to the chaos. Why would Silvia leave the clubhouse raising a white flag?
What was I thinking? She was giving herself up to save the others. Jesus, Christ.
“Quino, talk to me!”
“He’s got her, brother. She went with him on her own.”
I ended the call, seeing red. Tears blurred my vision. When I get my hands on her, I will blister her ass, so badly, she wouldn’t be able to sit for an entire month. But after I kissed the hell out of her.
Slay caught up to me and pointed to his helmet and gestured to call him.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“The club’s under attack. Miguel has Silvia.” Just saying the words made me almost throw up.
“Jesus.”
“We need to find him before he hurts her.”
“Yeah. I’ll call Quino.”
“Good.” I didn’t think I could talk anymore. I was a mess and terrified what that psychopath might do to my sweet woman.
As we neared our property, Slay waved me to turn onto the 191. We were two miles away from our street. I trusted he knew what he was doing and followed. And my crew followed me.
“The skypark!” Slay yelled beside me.
I nodded. “Of course, the private airport. He probably had a plane waiting for him. Shit!
About a mile ahead I spotted a black SUV. Miguel . It wasn’t easy going through this hilly terrain on a motorcycle. In a truck, we could easily catch up to him.
My phone rang and I answered it. “Yeah.”
“Louis is coming down 191 in his truck. He’s going to make him swerve off the road.”
“You called him to help us?” Louis was a man in his seventies who worked at the cemetery up ahead.
“Yes. I also called Patty at the Kennel Estates. If Louis fails, she’s driving her tractor out to the frontage road to block him from getting to the airport.”
“Jesus, those two could get hurt.”
“Yeah.”
“And they’re doing this for my girl?”
“Yes. None of us want her with Miguel.” Quino wouldn’t just say that if he didn’t mean it. He truly liked Silvia.
Damn. I was getting choked up.
It was usually the club that helped in the community, not the other way around. I had no words to express what this meant to me.
“We’ll owe Louis and Patty a good chunk of money,” Quino said.
“That’s fine.”
“I knew you’d be okay with it. Keep us posted. I imagine you’re getting close to them.”
Just then, shots were fired at us. I veered to the right and almost crashed into Slay. I raised my hand for my crew to slow down behind me. We were on a two-lane road. On either side of us, there were rocky hills and trees. The further we went up, the more dangerous it would get.
“You okay?” Quino’s voice came from the Bluetooth.
“Yes. We’re slowing down and giving him space.”
“Good. Can you see Louis yet? He texted that he’s on his way down the mountain.”
I squinted my eyes and saw dust. “Yeah, I think I can see him.”
“Just keep a cool head if they go off the road.”
“Don’t even say that.” Another call was coming in. “I gotta go. Silvia is calling.” I hung up on Quino and answered. “Baby, are you okay?”
“You need to stop. If you get any closer, he’ll put a bullet in my head.” She sounded calm and unafraid. How was that even possible, considering the grave danger she was in?
“Put Miguel on the line.”
“You’re on the speaker, idiot. Do you think I’d let her call you if I couldn’t hear?”
“Let her go, Miguel. She’s innocent.”
“Ha, that’s rich. You turned her into a goddamn whore with tattoos! She’s useless to me now.” He was for sure strung out. I could hear it in his voice. He had that shaky quality I recalled from long ago.
I’d kill him when I got my hands on him.
Should’ve done it years ago, after he murdered my old man and Silvia’s mom.
But I felt sorry for him and gave him a second chance to get his life together, and because Tonio begged me not to.
But after Tonio died, I should’ve taken out Miguel. That may go down as my biggest regret.
“Then just let her go if she’s useless.” If I could keep him talking, he might not notice the pickup heading right for him.
I wasn’t sure how many men were with him, or if he was the driver.
It seemed like there was only one driver, so maybe there were only three of them in the cage, including Silvia.
“You’d love that wouldn’t you? Was she a good piece of ass for you? It didn’t bother you that she wasn’t even born when we became friends.?”
“No, should it? She’s a grown woman now.”
“You’re pathetic,” he hissed.
“So are you.”
“That truck is coming straight at us!” Silvia yelled. “Watch out, Miguel! Swerve!”
The SUV went off the side of the hill. I watched it flip multiple times and heard Silvia screaming. The sound of crunching metal chilled me to the bone. I hit the gas hard with only one goal, to get to my woman.
“Silvia!” I yelled at the top of my lungs. “Talk to me, baby! Please talk to me!”
Nothing. Dead silence.
She better be alive. I can’t live without her.
“Do you hear me? She better have survived the crash!” I shouted to God.
A black cloud of smoke bellowed into the sky from the side of the hill. I eyed the spot, forcing my hog to go faster but it wasn’t that easy uphill. Louis was making his way down the hill when I arrived.
I jumped off my Harley and ran with my heart in my throat. A small fire had ignited. The vehicle was upside down.
Making my way down, I lost my balance and slid on my ass. Hissing and cursing as my jeans tore, and searing pain burned the back of my thighs.
“Silvia!” I saw her in the second row. The window on the door was broken and the frame was smashed. Only a child could fit through the small opening.
“Andy, I can’t get out.”
I assessed the condition of the SUV. The way it landed the front was completely flattened against the ground. Those in the front couldn’t have survived, and even if they were alive by some miracle, I didn’t give a shit about them.
“Don’t worry Vee, I’m gonna get you out.” I tried to yank her door open, but it was too damaged and not budging.
“Hurry, Andy.” She cried, reaching her hand out to me through the small opening. “I can feel the heat from the fire above me.”
“I see it.” And knew if I didn’t get her out fast, it would blow. We would all get caught in the explosion.
“We can’t get to her on the other side. They’re up against a massive tree,” Slay said. He and the others joined me. Together we pulled on the door. And nothing. It still wouldn’t budge.
“It’s not working,” Silvia whimpered. “Move away. It’s going to blow.”
“No, I’m getting you out.” I put all my strength and might into opening the door.
Adrenaline pumped through my veins, but it wasn’t giving me Superman strength. I had never been more scared than I was right now. I couldn’t leave her. I couldn’t let her die.
“Everyone back!” I shouted at my brothers as the flames licked my face. “Get back.”
“Save yourself, Andy. It’s okay. I’m not afraid. I’ll finally see my parents and Tonio,” she told me, sounding defeated.
“No, goddammit! Stop talking like that.” If she was going to die, I was too.
“Don’t say the Lord’s name in vain.”
I smiled, then started crying. “Don’t leave me, Chiquita.” I slammed my hand on the fucking door. “You’re the only woman I want.”
“That makes me so happy to hear. Now, I can die in peace.”
“Shield your face, Silvi!” Slay hollered. “We’re coming in from the back.” He swung a huge sledgehammer on the rear window and shattered it.
I went around to see what he was doing. “Do you think she can make it out the back?”
“I sure as hell hope so. This thing weighs a ton.” He swung again and most of the window was gone. “Silvi, try to make it out honey. Come on.”
I held my breath watching her try to maneuver her body out the back of the SUV.
“She needs to go faster,” Cactus said from behind me. “The flames are raging.”
“Hurry, baby! You can do it.”
“I’m trying.”
I reached my hands toward her. “Come on. I’m right here.”
“It’s not looking good, boss.” Slay tapped my shoulder.
“You all get back.” I shouted.
“You’re almost here, Silvia. Keep your eyes on me.” She reached for my hands and the tips of our fingers touched.
A small explosion at the front made me duck.
“It’s blowing!” Cactus yelled. “Take cover!”
I stared at Silvia as I reached her wrists, then I pulled her out and ran with her in my arms.
The SUV burst into flames just as we hit the ground.
Old man Louis stopped his truck in front of the clubhouse. I refused to let Silvia out of my sight, and she was in no condition to ride bitch on my hog. So, we hitched a ride with Louis after my crew put my bike in the back.
“I appreciate the lift, Louis. You were a huge help today. Appreciate it.” I opened the door and exited the truck, holding my girl in my arms.
Against Silvia’s wishes, I made her sit on my lap. She seemed to be okay, just some minor bruises and cuts. Now I would carry her into her new home, a bullet-ridden clubhouse. But it was still standing and could be repaired, that was all that mattered.
“Anytime, neighbor. If there’s anything you need let me know.” Louis lifted his hand.
“Same,” I returned the sentiment.
“I can walk,” Silvia said.
“I know you can, but just let me do this, okay? You almost blew up today.”
She sighed. “Don’t remind me. Look at this place. I did this.”
“No. Miguel did this.” I kissed her head.
A crowd formed at the entrance to greet us.
“I’m so happy to see you,” Letty said.
“Oh, Hijo. You scared the life out of me.” Mama kissed my cheek, then Silvia’s. “Mija, are you okay?”
“Yes. He won’t let me walk.” She rolled her eyes.
“Well, yes. Let him carry you. Let him baby you.”
“Exactly,” I agreed with my mom. Silvia wasn’t used to people doting on her, but she had better get used to it, because Mama Virgie loved to take care of people.
“I took tamales out of the freezer and they’re steaming right now. We’ll eat good, then clean up this mess.”
“Mmm, sounds delicious. I’m starving.” Silvia patted her tummy.
Mama Virgie hiked a curious brow. “She’s pregnant.”
“We just met,” Silvia and I said in unison. We looked at each other and laughed.
Honestly, I wouldn’t mind if she was pregnant. I wasn’t getting any younger. I’d be forty in a few years, so if she was the one, then we’d better get busy making babies—at least two.
“There’s our hero.” Yoli stepped forward. “What you did for us was truly courageous. You have my blessing to be the property of El Jefe.
I was shocked to hear her praise my woman.
“Thanks, Yoli. It means a lot to me.” Silvia gazed at me. “Property of El Jefe has a nice ring to it.”