Chapter Thirty One
“Grizzly is on the move,” Matthew said into the coms as Garrett pulled his truck into the makeshift gates of the gang a week later.
They waved him through, and he growled, “For the last time, I’m not answering to Grizzly.”
“I’m pulling leader privilege. You’ve done nothing but growl over this situation with Riley.
You’re your own worst enemy. Call it punishment.
It’s something I learned while working with the Serenity Securities Team.
Ivan, one of the found family members, punishes his men by stupid, embarrassing tasks, such as picking flowers or babysitting teething babies. I say I’m letting you off easy.”
“Shit,” he muttered as he parked his truck, where he could easily jump in and run for cover.
Jameson covered him with a sniper rifle, and Matthew waited to create a distraction if needed.
His new brothers watched his six, and it drove home the feeling of belonging to something bigger, something he yearned for.
He slid out and waited while one of the bikers patted him down and searched for a wire.
Too bad they didn’t have someone like Matthew in their gang to know about the latest equipment.
He wore a pin on his cap, which he wore backward, allowing Matthew to watch his back from afar.
Not to mention, he planned to scan the room, giving him access to all the players and their footage to prove they had broken parole.
Entering the main room, he scanned it, taking his time to note any dangers and turned, giving Matthew a view from every angle.
“Where’s Kenny?” he asked, walking toward the bar. “I’ll take a whiskey.”
The man behind the counter glanced at another biker, waiting for permission before he poured the drink.
He slid it across to him and continued stocking.
Garrett didn’t have any intention of drinking anything.
He wanted to show he wasn’t ruffled by Kenny’s claims, regardless of the fact they ate at his gut.
“He’ll be along in a few minutes. Kenny’s finishing up another meeting,” a biker sitting at the bar told him. “You ain’t the only one he’s got business with.”
“I don’t plan on making any deals with him,” Garrett said as he pretended to drink from the glass. “I’m here to visit my beloved mother and to find out what it’ll take to get them to leave.”
One of the bikers coughed and chuckled, seemingly finding him funny.
Fifteen minutes went by, and still no Kenny. Garrett rose and turned to the bikers who escorted him inside the dump.
“Tell Kenny I’ll return some other time. He obviously has other things to do,” he said, heading for the door.
“Wait,” the biker said, jumping up and blocking him from leaving. “We’re supposed to keep you here.”
Garrett shoved the man backward and growled, “Kenny knows I don’t play games. I’m leaving.”
“No. We have our orders,” the sloppy biker informed him.
“Did you set me up? Where’s Bernice?” he demanded.
“She’s with the other club whores. Kenny stripped her of her leathers. He got tired of all her bitching,” the bartender volunteered. “Stitch why don’t you get Bernice while I call Kenny?”
The biker sneered as he rose from his chair and went outside. Garrett continued to stand, ready to leave.
The com clicked inside his ear. “They’re bringing Bernice out of a shed and we have eyes on Kenny. He’s almost to the gate,” Julio informed him.
A minute later, he heard the deep rumble of a motorcycle. Bernice entered the building, glaring at Garrett, sporting a black eye and scratch marks on her face. Kenny walked in behind her and smirked as he shoved her out of the way.
“My business took me longer than expected,” he said as he nodded at the bartender and sat down on the podium, making him higher than Garrett.
Recognizing the power move, Garrett laughed, making it clear he didn’t feel intimidated in the least.
The bartender brought Kenny a beer and didn’t bother to bring Bernice anything. She straightened her shirt and held her head high.
“My time’s valuable. I don’t care to waste it,” Garrett said, making it clear he wanted to get to the point of the meeting.
“He’s an asshole,” Bernice spat. “Kenny won’t let me leave until you pay him for me,” she blubbered with crocodile tears.
Garrett raised an eyebrow at Kenny. “If you think I’m paying for her, you’re sadly mistaken. I’ve never raised a hand against a woman or condoned it. But this one sat by idly while her boyfriend of the month beat me to a pulp for shits and giggles. Her bad choices won’t sway me.”
Kenny jerked his head to one of his men and they dragged Garrett’s mother out of the room.
“Your mother might not change your mind, but I happen to know one of the men from the Mexican Cartel took a shine to sweet Riley. He’s willing to give me a substantial amount of product to have her.
I’m giving you first dibs. You can pay for the woman, or I’ll trade her for drugs to get my money,” Kenny threatened while drinking his beer.
Garrett stepped forward, ready to shove the bottle into his neck. Jameson’s voice spoke in his ear. “Don’t blow it, bro. As soon as you lose it, he’ll have your balls.”
“Riley and I parted ways. It seems she’s like all the other women I know and can’t be trusted,” he said smoothly.
Kenny smirked. “I thought of you every day in my cell, figuring out a way to make you pay me for sitting there. I have some information which might interest you.”
Garrett crossed his arms, not liking this a bit. “Get to your point. As I said, I don’t like wasting my time. You sat your ass in prison because you set fire to my grandfather’s home and blocked my escape. You’re lucky you even got parole.”
“I’m not a selfish man. Give me two million, and I’ll consider us even. After all, I’ve fed, clothed, and boarded your bitch mother. Consider it my punishment,” Kenny said, making the men around him snicker.
“Let me be clear. I have no intention of parting ways with my money, not for you, my mother, or a biker bunny,” Garrett said slowly, letting the words sink in.
“It’s time you take your men and leave Embers.
Killing me won’t get you a dime. It’s unfortunate my lawyer didn’t know how to swim in a lake in early spring.
I’m sure if the cops got a hint of any wrongdoing, they’ll have to investigate.
Before he passed, I ensured my inheritance became ironclad and my mother won’t see a dime of it. ”
“What keeps me from killing you here and now?” Kenny asked smugly as his men closed in on Garrett.
“Do you think I’m stupid enough to come here without my own form of backup?” Garrett retorted.
Kenny leaned over the table with fire in his eyes. “I want the money.”
“Then I suggest you earn it elsewhere, because it won’t come from me. If any citizen of Embers ends up hurt because you want to prove a point, I’ll spend every dime I have to put you away,” Garrett promised.
“You don’t want to cross me, Garrett,” Kenny threatened darkly. “Bad things happen to people with no explanations.”
Garrett leaned in, letting his size intimidate the man before him. “Leave town and don’t think about returning. One incident and I’ll rain hellfire down on you as you’ve never seen before.”
Kenny glared at him as he motioned for his men to back off as he issued his final threat. “You’ll regret this, Garrett. I won’t be leaving anytime soon. I have a deal in play and until I receive payment, I’m sticking around. You’ll have to get used to my presence.”
“Then you’d better be ready for the consequences,” Garrett warned, walking out of the clubhouse, getting into his truck, and driving away.
His heart raced at the thought of Riley or Tara getting hurt because of his mother’s choice in boyfriends.
Reminding himself, they stayed safe on the ranch, and his new brothers had his six, Garrett drove to the farmhouse, where the team planned to meet.
Parking his truck, he entered the house and walked toward the noise in the kitchen.
“What did you discover?” he asked.
“Four men have parole violations. Kenny and his two top men, Stitch and Blade, returned from Mexico. I searched for any credit card charges. There’s nothing for hotels, but gas and food put them in the vicinity of a new gang rising in popularity.
They deal heavily with cocaine and a new product similar to ecstasy,” Matthew reported, clicking away at the computer keys.
“Kenny’s using the bar in town for local drug deals.
Ember’s police tend to glance the other way.
The original biker gang leader disappeared about six months ago and Kenny’s took over his territory. ”
“In other words, he killed the dude,” Jameson chimed in. “Man, you got some dangerous people gunning for you.”
“It’s not the first time they’ve tried to kill me,” he replied. “I have to tell Riley. She needs to stay on the property.”
Julio frowned. “She worked the fields today with the greenhorns. Did you know how knowledgeable she is? Mac shadowed her while she completed the tasks. She’s a great cowgirl.”
Garrett smiled with pride, picturing her on Storm. “Did you give her the horse?”
“Nah, man. Mac said she took one glance at the grey, went into the barn and pulled out one of our horses,” Jameson told him. “Mac says she’s a wild one. I think you’ll have your hands full.”
Garrett held his head down. “I have to talk to her. There’s no telling what Kenny and his gang will do.
My mother seemed roughed up, and it took everything I had not to drag her out of there and keep her with me until she realized her mistake.
Then I recalled my grandfather’s warning.
I can’t have her living with me forever. ”
“Just because someone’s family doesn’t mean they get a free pass to be an asshole,” Matthew advised him. “I didn’t like seeing the black eye and considering what we do here, it’s not in my nature to let it go.”