Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
DREW
“Slater, round up Jedd and Kenny,” I demanded, walking past him to get to my bike. “You guys get on the road as fast as you can.”
“Where are we going?” he asked, right behind me.
I spun to face him, bringing us both to a halt. “You three need to stall ATF from getting to Walsh’s while Ayda and I get Rubin out of there.”
“You think the kid is in danger?”
“I think his kid is too close to his father when this shit is about to go down, and if Walsh catches wind of anything Rubin’s done, he’s going to try and take him down with him.”
“The sick son of a bitch.”
“It’s up to us to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
No more had to be said before Slater was charging back into The Hut to rally the men, leaving Ayda and me to jump on my bike and tear out of the yard as quickly as possible.
There was no doubt in my mind I needed her for this. Rubin was a teenage boy with too much testosterone and even more enthusiasm. In front of me, he’d try to play big, and no doubt get himself hurt in the process. Ayda being there would ground him.
At least that’s what I hoped.
Sirens and engines roared to life in all of Babylon, our somewhat peaceful town suddenly tense and alive with activity it didn’t want or need.
Every time I took a sharp bend and felt Ayda’s arms tighten around me, I was reminded who I had to protect and how much being safe instead of reckless mattered now.
We had to come out of all this unscathed.
Walsh’s mansion came into view from the far end of the road, and I slowed the bike to a crawl before parking it in place in the driveway of an abandoned home farther down the road, behind several thick bushes.
“No cop cars. Slate and the others must have stalled them,” I said aloud. Ayda’s body wrapped around my back as the two of us stared at the building across the way.
“Does it feel too quiet to you?” she asked, reaching for the strap of her helmet.
It felt like the calm before the storm, but I wasn’t going to repeat that thought to her. I’d been in enough tight corners and situations in my life to ignore it when my gut twisted the way it was doing then.
So, instead, I helped her off the bike and began to walk farther up the driveway we’d trespassed, holding her hand in mine the whole time while I kept my eyes on Walsh’s home.
“Quiet isn’t always a bad thing,” I told her. “It isn’t always a good thing, either, but we’re no good way back here.” I turned to look at her, holding her gentle gaze. “You sure you’re okay with doing this?” I asked, aware that I was becoming neurotic already.
Her hand squeezed mine. It was strong, her way of reminding me she wasn’t made of glass. “I will help you any way I can, but if I need to protect the baby, I’ll make it my priority. I promise you that.”
“That’s all I ask.”
Ayda scanned the house and turned her gaze back to me with a resolute nod.
“Things I know: Rubin always said he didn’t need a key to go home at any time of the night.
Their back door was always unlocked. They have a covered porch back there, it’s right under his bedroom apparently, so he uses it to sneak out.
Things I don’t know: is that bastard expecting us? And has he hired security?”
“I guess there’s only one way for us to find out…
” I said, looking back at the house myself.
“Rubin isn’t contactable. We’re the only ones here before Winnie and her crew storm the place, and we’re running out of time and ways to save him.
The kid needs saving. He needs getting out of there.
Even though he might think he hates his father, seeing that father being dragged away in handcuffs will scar Rubin for life.
.. if it gets that far. Though that isn’t my main concern.
I need to get the kid out of there because I don’t doubt for one minute that if Walsh can find a way to pin this on someone else in that house, knowing Rubin’s association with us, he’ll pin it on him.
Turns out I like the boy too damn much to let him take any more heat because of our MC. ”
“Don't underestimate how much Rubin hates his old man. I think he’d be happy to see him dragged off in cuffs, but you’re right that we can’t let him take the fall.
” She tensed, her hand gripping mine tighter.
“Let me go first. I can go around the back, climb the porch and knock on his window. Get Rubin out that way. If his mom catches me, I can just tell her I was concerned about him. Tate hasn’t seen him in school…
he’s been associated with the club. If Walsh catches me, I’m the best case scenario for Rubin. ”
I stared at her, seeing the confidence in her eyes. It was hard to place my trust in her abilities when my heart was screaming at me to keep her safe, but I, more than anyone, knew how capable Ayda was, and how much faith she’d lose in me if I didn’t show some faith in her in return.
“I’m an idiot for agreeing to this,” I muttered reluctantly. “Okay, baby. Lead the way. Be careful, though… please.”
Ayda smiled cautiously and pressed her lips to mine before giving me a quick nod of agreement.
Dragging in one deep breath of preparation, she took off at a slow run toward the Walsh house.
She slowed when she got to the street, making sure to keep it casual like she was always supposed to be there.
Slowing at the end of the Walsh’s drive, she headed toward the house.
She glanced through the windows as she moved past them, careful not to linger long enough to be caught.
The backyard was fenced off, the edge of the porch barely visible from where I was standing, and Ayda slowed as she neared it.
She pressed against the wooden gate gently, peering inside the yard.
She didn’t move for a long time, then, with one glance over her shoulder in my direction, she slipped into the small gap and disappeared from my sight.
I never wanted to lose sight of her, so I followed, moving where she moved, keeping myself as hidden as possible, considering I was six-feet tall.
I didn’t have to wait long to catch sight of her again.
Ayda slipped out of the gap she’d made for herself in the gate, her face pale and eyes wide as she searched for me where I’d been standing when she’d headed to the house.
The moment she found me closer to her than she’d expected, she rushed forward, panic pressing her lips together.
“Rubin has a gun on Walsh.” Her voice was shaking almost as violently as her hands.
My body froze, eyes popping wide as I stared at her and let the words sink in. “Rubin has a gun on Walsh?”
“I saw them through a window. I think it’s Walsh’s office. It looked like he was in the middle of something–” She cut herself off and shook her head. “They’re arguing.”
“Fuck.” I moved quickly, swerving around her and placing the two most important things in my life behind me as I began to march forward. I knew she’d follow, no matter what I told her to do. “Remember your promise, Ayda,” I called quietly over my shoulder.
“I know, Drew.” She followed me to the gate and pointed at a large bay window located farthest from where we were.
I looked up at the high points of the building, checking for cameras or any type of security.
There wasn’t anything in my sight. Even though I knew that didn’t mean it wasn’t there, I pushed on, desperate to get to Rubin and stop him from doing something that could see a bright young kid like him spending years in prison.
Anyone could pull a trigger. Not everyone could handle the consequences that went with that.
I reached the window, pressing myself against the brickwork of their home, back and hands flat to it as I peered around the edge of the window.
Just as she’d told me, Rubin was standing in front of his father, his hands raised high, legs shoulders width apart as he held the gun out like that of an experienced shooter.
Maybe I was underestimating him.
Maybe he had this under control.
‘Maybe’ wasn’t enough of a guarantee for me.
Glancing back at Ayda, I signaled for her to remain quiet, and if necessary, for her to stay out here until I could guarantee Walsh didn’t have a weapon, too.
She gave a nod of understanding, and I saw the flash of love she had for me shining back.
I held onto that for a few seconds longer before I slid my gun from the waistband of my jeans, knocked off the safety, closed my eyes, and counted down from ten.
Then I moved, swinging a foot out to turn me around before I shot at three edges of the window, the noise piercing the air around us as a distraction.
Glass shattered, and I raised a heavy boot to the edges, kicking it out as fast as I could, ignoring the rain of it falling around.
As soon as I had enough clearance, and with my gun aimed high, I jumped over the low ledge, and stepped into the mayor’s home, looking up in time to see Walsh’s face turn pale, and Rubin’s eyes light up with relief.
“Don’t you fucking move,” I warned the mayor, aiming my gun directly at him.
“Get the hell out of my home,” he fired back, his tone authoritative and full of arrogance.
“Go fuck yourself, Walsh. This is my town.”
“Nothing around here belongs to you.”
Shifting some stray glass from under the soles of my boots, I kicked them to the side and eyed Rubin.
“Wanna tell me what’s going on here, kid?”
Rubin’s face was pale, despite his obvious relief at me being there. His arms had begun to shake, and I wondered how long he’d been holding his father in place with his threat of bullets and pain. Rubin looked at his dad, and he licked his dry lips to get his mouth to work properly.
“You’re in so far over your head,” Walsh said sharply.
“You shut your mouth,” Rubin croaked.