Chapter 13 #3
When we reached our unit, the exterior lock was already busted open and the few contents inside had been ransacked, but fortunately, they never spotted the hidden security keypad.
I went over and entered the code, then seconds later, the floor began to disengage, and the stairway that led to the basement vault was revealed.
With Axel following close behind, we trudged down the steps and grabbed one of the gun crates down from the shelf.
As soon as I lowered it, I felt a nasty sting radiate from my wound.
The adrenaline that had been pumping through me earlier was now starting to fade, and I was suddenly feeling the effects of the gunshot.
Unfortunately for me, I didn’t have the time to slow down because of some fucking gunshot wound. I had my boys to look out for, and in order to do that, I needed to make sure the issue with the fucking tracker was resolved.
Doing my best to ignore the pain, I carried it over to the table in the center of the room and started going through it while Axel did the same with another when Shotgun and Hawk came rambling down the steps.
As soon as Hawk saw what we were doing, he told me, “We went through them, Prez. Never saw any sign of a fucking tracker.”
“Yeah, well”—I continued pulling out everything from the crate—“clearly, you didn’t look hard enough.”
He said nothing but joined Shotgun in the search instead. We took everything out of the crates—every gun, every magazine, and every fucking piece of straw, and there was still no sign of anything. It wasn’t until we started taking the guns apart that Shotgun grumbled, “I’ll be damned. I found it.”
“Where?” I asked as I leaned in for a better look.
“It was stuffed inside an empty magazine.”
“You gotta be fucking kidding me,” Axel huffed.
“Yep.” Shotgun held it up. “It’s so small I almost missed it.”
“Keep checking the others to make sure there aren’t any more.”
We went through every magazine, gun barrel, and any other possible hiding place, and once we were sure we’d left no stone unturned, we headed back out to join the others.
As Shotgun looked around at all the Broken casualties scattered throughout the lot, he asked, “You want us to get started on this mess?”
“Yeah, a head start wouldn’t hurt. It’s gonna take Billy some time to get here.” I motioned my hand over at a couple of the bodies and ordered, “Load ’em up into one of the empty units until he gets here.”
“And Bear?”
“Put him in my SUV, and we’ll take him over to the clubhouse.”
“You got it.” He glanced down at my wound. “Hope you’re gonna be heading back soon. Doc needs to—”
“I’ll head back when I head back, now get this shit done.”
Without any further direction, they all turned and got busy doing as they were directed.
I trusted that they could handle things without me watching over them, so I decided to go see about Gladys and Ada.
When I walked into the house, I found Ada at the stove making Gladys a cup of tea.
She placed her hand on her hip with a scowl.
I cocked my eyebrow. “Don’t you start with me, woman.”
“I won’t as long as you don’t start wit’ me.” She poured the tea into the cup and sassed, “The audacity of you fussin’ at me over saving your rear. You should be ashamed.”
“The cops, Ada,” I huffed. “I was worried about the cops.”
“The cops ain’t gonna come around here.” She shook her head and carried the cup over to Gladys. “I’ve shot dat shotgun a hundred times at coons in da garbage, and not one cop has ever showed up here.”
Country’s mouth dropped open. “You shoot raccoons with a double-barrel shotgun?”
“I sure do. Damn things shouldn’t be messin’ ’round my garbage.” As soon as the words left her mouth, she gasped. “Lord have mercy, boy! You’s been shot.”
“It’s nothing, Ada. Just a flesh wound.”
“Don’t give me none of dat. I know a flesh wound when I sees one,” she fussed. “And that ain’t it.”
“I’m fine.”
She let out a breath. “You’s as stubborn as the day is long.”
“No more stubborn than you.”
“Don’t disrespect your elders, child.” She sat down next to Gladys and gave her a pat on the leg. “How ya doing there, dear?”
“I already told you. I’m fine. Now, quit fussing over me,” Gladys answered. “And that goes for all of you. I’ve been through worse than what those goons put me through, so stop with all the nonsense.”
“We just wanted to make sure you’re okay, Gran,” Country complained.
“Well, I am.” She put her cup of tea on the table, then turned to him and said, “I’m more worried about you and your brothers. Is everyone okay?”
“We’re good, Gran. It’d take a lot more than those few assholes to bring us down. You know that.” Country stood from the sofa, then told her, “We gotta get going. You two call us if you need anything.”
“You know we will.”
Before we left, I went over to Ada and explained, “I have some guys coming by to clean up the place. They should be here within the hour.”
“Alrighty.”
“And Ada?”
“Yes?”
“Thanks.”
“Oh, you sweet boy.” She reached up and hugged me. “Nutin’ I wouldn’t do for you.”
I gave her a slight squeeze, then followed Country outside.
By the time we reached the others, they’d already taken care of the Broken and had Bear loaded up in my SUV.
It was done. Soon, the Broken Knights would be nothing more than a distant memory.
I wished I could say the same for their surprise attack.
After losing one of our own, the painful memory of this night would linger in all our minds for years to come, but we could also find some small comfort knowing Bear understood that family was more than the blood he shared. Family was about those willing to bleed for him.
And what it meant to be a Ruthless Sinner.
He’d died fighting for his brothers—the people he cared about most in this world, and any one of us would’ve traded places with him.