Chapter 30 Leo
Leo
The relief of JJ being right, that Hopper was making his way home, is at least one thing we’ve called correctly.
The miles of riding weren’t for nothing.
They’re still alive, we have Mason back, and he’s come back to us strong and fired up to kill.
Always a good combination when gearing up for the fight of a lifetime.
He drains a bottle of water and lights a cigarette before he grins at me. “Good to see you, brother.”
“Like wise.”
The warehouse we’ve taken over is on the outskirts of the city and brothers from the southern chapter and Five Falls chapter arrived ten minutes ago and are waiting on orders.
“Draw a map of the place from what you can remember,” I instruct him.
Angel hands him a pizza box and a marker. He doesn’t draw much but enough of the outside for us to get a good start on.
“I don’t know what he’ll do cause I ran, he’s unpredictable and he’s psychotic.” “Are you good to go back?”
“Fuck yeah.”
I nod and take a seat, Zach soon joins me and passes me a cigarette.
“My mom’s planning to leave town, she wants me and Nina to go with her. I'm not, I'm gonna stay.”
I couldn’t imagine Zachery hanging up his cut and leaving town, but it’s a fucking relief to hear confirmation.
“You won’t stop her from having contact with Rayna, will ya?” he asks.
I look at him and shake my head. “Your mother does my head in, but I wouldn’t hurt my kid like that. Where will she go?”
He shrugs. “No idea.”
“What do you see in the future?”
Without hesitation and with full confidence, he answers, “I see the club strong.”
“It’s gonna take some rebuilding.”
“It ain’t nothing we can’t handle.”
Luca joins us and says, “We’re ready to go.”
I nod and stand. I take in the mass of weapons we have in the back of the vans. The brothers all staring at me.
“We know why we’re here,” I begin. “Four of our brothers’ lives hang in the balance. Hopper has them in his clubhouse.”
Grim steps forward and asks, “What’s the plan, Leo?”
Smirking, I tell him and everyone else listening, “There is no plan. We're going to sneak up and blitz attack them. Mase said there are around forty of them, we’re now more than equally matched. Luca and the Five Falls chapters have supplied more than enough weapons for us, and by the end of this night, I don’t want a single bullet left. ”
Guns are cocked and the lack of cheering doesn’t deter me. The silence means they’re focused and prepared.
The prospect fills my mind and though I swore to deal with it when I got home, I can’t stop thinking how close Holly came to losing her life. She's meant to be safe in our home. The one place that is hers and our family’s. This night needs to be over so I can get back to her.
“Tonight we prove what being a Lost Soul is about. No one comes for us and lives to boast about it. We’d prefer to make them pay but we’ll have to settle for their quick deaths. This club doesn’t die tonight. What are we?” I bellow.
In chorus, they all chant, “Lost Souls till we die!”
“Let’s go!”
The warehouse becomes a blur of movement and van doors slam shut as the brothers close themselves in. I haul my ass slowly into the van Angel is driving with Luca sat up front with him. There’s no one else I’d rather ride with into a fight to save my dad than him.
“How much you wanna bet tonight?” Angel asks Luca.
“You couldn’t afford it, besides, it’s getting pathetic how much you lose against me.”
Angel snorts and says, “It’s pathetic how your memory sucks. Last time, I won by two kills.”
“Last time, I had to let you ride bitch on the back of my bike cause you got shot.”
I listen to their back and forth, keeping Holly’s face in my mind. Ultimately we’re going in to get my father and our brothers back, but it’s her I’m bringing them home for. When the club is strong, the families are safe.
“Mase?”
He looks up. “Yeah?”
“When we’re through the gates, focus on shooting, not getting to Myles. Him and the others will know to keep themselves safe. Until we’re stepping over the dead bodies, I need you in the game. You hear me?”
His jaw tenses and his left eye twitches but he nods and gives his word.
“Five grand,” I hear Luca say up front.
Angel whistles. “If I bet five grand, Rudi’s gonna cut my balls off.”
“Sounds like she already owns them if you fear her reaction. Unless, this is you admitting you know I’m gonna win?”
“Like fuck, sweetheart. I’ll take the bet, maybe take Rudes away for a couple of days with the winnings.”
Luca barks out in laughter. “Funny, I was just thinking that I’ll give the winnings to Tor. She’d love a new ride.”
Anyone else would tell them to quit with the bullshit but I know first hand this is their way of preparing for a fight. And to be honest, it helps keep the adrenaline running steadily.
“Deal or no? We’re nearly there,” Luca asks.
“Deal.”
Releasing a hand from the wheel, Angel holds his hand out and Luca shakes it.
“Thirty seconds, Leo,” Luca says.
The vans all come to a stop and the lingering Hogs hanging out the front are suspicious. Lowering the window, Luca takes out the gun with a silencer screwed on and pops them off one by one.
Making sure I'm loaded, each pocket and each strap filled with a shooter, I throw open the door and signal for everyone to follow my lead.
Doors fly open and slide open, brothers pour out, many of whom holding a gun in each hand.
Taking the lead, I stop by the gate and grin.
Dad, Sparky, Myles, and JJ, are stood in what Mason described as a boxing ring.
The four of them see me and drop to the floor.
Dad is last to drop, and his grin is manic.
Hopper sees me and the flicker of surprise on his face satisfies the blitz attack plan.
After Mason got away, I would have thought he would be expecting us.
Not wasting a second more on him, I let off shots from each gun and limp my way over dead bodies as he orders his men to shoot.
Gun shots echo all around me, but I don’t fear a single one.
Hopper has caused more than enough chaos and destruction in my club and tonight, it comes to an end.
The price will be repaid and in full with blood.
Hopper runs towards the ring, and I aim my gun at him, only the fucker reaches JJ and drags him up and hides behind him.
“Look who’s risen from the depths of Hell!” he calls out.
I come to a stop in the middle of his lot, and take aim at his head.
“You should’ve made sure I was dead before you high-tailed it outta there.”
“My mistake, now if you’d kindly fuck off, I'll let your brother live!”
I’m done letting anyone think they can tell me what to do. The side of my body feels like it’s on fire, but I hold my aim steady and narrow my eyes to keep him clear in my sight.
“Three, two, one!” I countdown and Jay smashes the back of his head into Hopper’s face.
He drops to the ground, and I walk toward Hopper as I unload the clips in both guns into the president of the formally known Hades Hogs Motorcycle Club.
Ignoring the painful ache in my back and side, I step up into the ring and stand over his body.
Blood gargles from his mouth, his body jerking as he dies slowly.
Leaning over him, I make sure he can see me. I grin. “I promised you over Lily’s grave that I'd be the last face you see. I keep my promises.”
He tries to talk but nothing intelligible escapes. “Everything you’ve earned over the years is now mine. I'm gonna take the fuckin’ lot.”
His body jerks for the last time as he takes his last breath. Hopper dies in front of me and I fall to my knees beside his corpse.
“You looked every inch the president walking in here.”
Glancing up, Dad stands above me, his hands free and a grin on his face. He holds his hand out and I take his offer of help up onto my feet. As soon as I am, he yanks me to him and squeezes me too fucking hard.
“I thought you were dead,” he whispers. “Never been so fuckin’ scared in all my life.”
“I’m good, Dad. I'm here.”
He slaps my back and lets me go. I look around and take in the dead Hogs and drop the guns to the floor.
“We shouldn’t stick around, after all the gunfire, someone was bound to call the cops,” Luca says approaching.
He slaps Dad on the back and tells him, “If you keep getting us running around after ya, we’re gonna put you in a care home.”
I expect him to scowl. His laughter has to be down to shock and too much adrenaline. Whatever it is, it’s fucking weird to hear.
“Love you, too, son.” He then looks at me. “I love you both, nothin’ will ever change that.”
Luca arches his brow. “No one’s dying, father dearest. No need to get soft on us.”
“I can’t tell my boys I love them?” he asks lighting a cigarette he plucks from behind Luca’s ear, taking the lighter from my pocket.
“No, it’s weird.” Luca then looks to me and says, “We really should get out of here.”
Facing my club, different chapters, but still my club, I order, “Take what’s worth anything. Then burn it down.”
It’s a fucking massacre, we should at least clean up a little.
JJ comes up behind me and slings his arm around my shoulder. “I tried tellin’ ya dad you weren’t dead, no one would listen.”
Grinning, I tell him, “Let’s get the fuck home.”