Chapter 19
GUNNER
I didn’t want to leave Zinnia or Delilah’s side, but I’m needed in church to discuss what’s to come. I know what I would prefer to do, though I won’t do it without the club. Whatever I do would have repercussions against them, and I can’t have that.
I had nearly lost Zinnia . . . again. I’m not about to give them a chance to get to her again. Basa De La Rosa is a dead man walking. His time is numbered and has been from the moment I found out he was behind me losing my woman so long ago.
Fuck.
I hate thinking about it, but I can’t get it out of my head. The sight of her in that room, her body bloodied, laying there seizing. If we hadn’t gotten to her when we did, Zinnia would be dead and gone.
I take my seat in church and wait for the rest of my brothers to follow suit. I lean forward in my chair to brace my elbows on the table and clasp my hands together. My knees bounce in anticipation of what’s to come.
In the past two days, while I sat with Zinnia up at the hospital, my brothers have been looking for Basa De La Rosa, but it seems he’s gone to ground.
While at the hospital, during the brief moment my daughter wasn’t in the room, Zinnia had told me what Basa said to her.
Her death would be a warning to our club.
One I’d heed, knowing I’ve got her alive, but I intend to kill him when I catch him.
No one will make him bleed before me. The bastard will die at my hands, and I’ll savor every moment of it.
“Now that Zinnia is out of the hospital, I’m calling for a semi-lockdown.
I don’t want any of the ol’ ladies to leave the clubhouse unless they have to,” Hammer announces, jumping right to it.
“Avery’s having complications with this pregnancy she didn’t have last time, and she’s not working at the café right now. ”
“She needs to hire someone on at the café we can trust,” Malice growls, rapping his knuckles on the table.
“She’s already on it.” Hammer nods and looks to Cy, “We got anything we can go on in tracking down Basa?”
“No,” Cy mutters and blows out a breath.
“I’m tracking everything I can on him. I’ve got beads out on him and anyone associated with the De La Rosas, the Cintron Cartel, and the Supreme Masters.
” Cy didn’t mention the Delivers, but that group of bastards, he didn’t have to.
We all know that they might seem gone, they never will be.
The Satanic Cult seem to always have a way of rebirthing itself from the hell it was formed within.
“Good,” Hammer grunts and leans back in his seat, and looks at me. “How’s she doing?”
“In the moment that Delilah wasn’t glued to her side, Zinnia told me that her death was to be a warning to the club,” I sneer and glance around the table, holding each of my brother’s gazes.
“I don’t care if you all agree on this or not, but I intend to hunt the bastard down and take out anyone who gets in the way. ”
“I’ve got your back,” Savage states, slapping the table.
“We’ve all got your back,” Malice declares, locking eyes with me.
“Don’t try going on your own on this one.
Zinnia might be your woman, but those of us who know her were around nine years ago and know she’s more than just your ol’ lady.
She’s fuckin’ family and doesn’t deserve any of the shit that was thrown at her. ”
I nod my appreciation and lean back in my seat. “Never want to lose her again.”
“You won’t, brother. We’ll all make sure of it,” Hammer says firmly.
Throughout the rest of church, we go over all we have on the De La Rosas and put in motion a plan.
Wars not as simple as making striking and asking questions later.
It takes time and patience. I’m limited on this, but to take the bastard down, I’ll practice it to get what I want in the end.
There’s things to do in the mean time to prepare for.
We’ve got to know what we’re up against first and foremost.
To take the enemy down, we’ll make sure they can’t touch those who belong to us. However, let them try and get to my woman again, and I’d burn the world down and laugh doing so.
Nothing means more to me in this life than my woman, my daughter, and my brothers . . . this club.
I lost my woman once and found her again after losing another woman I cared for.
One who gave me a beautiful gift, our daughter.
I want to think maybe Quinn had a hand in looking out for Zinnia and bringing her back to me.
I remember talking to Quinn once about Zinnia.
We’d been drinking, and she mentioned the paintings I have in my room here at the clubhouse.
I told her about Zinnia and how she’s the reason I could never love someone the way I did her.
Quinn had understood. I hope like hell she’s at peace knowing that I’m happy, and so is our daughter.