Chapter 37
CHAPTER
THIRTY-SEVEN
Brew
Leaving Erica again isn’t intentional, but we have to strike while the iron is hot and get this motherfucker Ridgely.
For the last couple of years, he’s flown under the radar, eluding me and anyone else looking for him.
But he got complacent. After getting the information out of Evans, we only have one mission now; to find Ridgely.
Evans sang like a canary, maybe he was thinking he’d somehow be let free if he gave up the information so soon.
Unfortunately for him, it doesn’t work like that in our world.
Just as it doesn’t work for all those innocent women.
Now it’s going to be his turn to find out exactly what it feels like to be prey.
Mark my words, he is a dead man. And I’ll take pleasure in giving him exactly what he’s been begging for.
Erica
24 hours later
“What do you mean his trial date was moved up?” I haven’t shared much of the details with Olive. She knows the basics, but I didn’t want to make her afraid.
“I know, I’m just as shocked as you are,” Amber says. “But I had Payden go over the case, and she’s pretty confident from what she knows of the retrial, they’re clutching at straws.”
“But it’s enough for them to retrial.”
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean he’ll get out.”
“Tomorrow is too soon.”
“I know, but you and Olive can stay with us until Brew is back, no arguments.”
I don’t like the idea that I’m not safe. My past is supposed to be just that, but all of a sudden, everything is turning upside down.
“I’m scared,” I say out loud. “I know he’s your brother…”
“Don’t,” Amber says. “I hold nothing good in my heart toward him. He’s a bad person, E, and you don’t have to feel bad about what he did. That isn’t on you. It never was.”
Although I know that, the pain still cuts deep.
It tears me apart that so many lives were ruined and I was brainwashed so easily. Guilt creeps in, but I push it down, reminding myself I turned a corner a long time ago.
“I know, but it still hurts. The damage he and Vincent did is irreparable to a lot of people.”
“You’ll never have to see him ever again, no matter which way this goes,” she says.
I know what she’s saying, I got it loud and clear.
And it’s her brother. As the years went on, Amber and Steven grew further and further apart, in the end, they were more like strangers and us like sisters.
We bonded in a way two people who are stuck in a bad situation can, and we never looked back.
I take a breath. “I don’t want Olive to endure any of this.”
“She won’t.”
“She never even asks about him. While she is aware of what’s going on, I don’t want to burden her with it. I don’t want her thinking she isn’t safe.”
“I don’t know what I would do if it were Vincent,” Amber sighs. “I’d want to go pull the trigger myself. Bastard.”
I want to believe in the greater good, but not in this scenario.
“Brew has prospects outside until he gets back, then he’s talking about the cabin.”
“I think Brew has plans for you,” she sings.
“There’s nothing wrong with my apartment.”
“No, but if things go well, Brew won’t want you anywhere except with him. No matter what happens with my brother, somebody still knows your address.”
“I know,” I whisper. “It freaked me out a little more than I let on.”
“I’ll come over after work with Bronco, and we’ll get you settled in at our place, and before you ask, Brew knows; he suggested it.”
Of course, I’m the last to know most things around here. I sigh. “Of course he did.”
“I’ll see you in a few, and I know this is difficult, but try not to worry.”
“I’ll try,” I say. “I just want this to be over, one way or the other.”
“I couldn’t agree with you more.”
Brew
Erica told me everything over the phone. I’m torn between staying to look out for her and finishing what has to be done. Hearing her tell me it’s okay and to do what I need to do offered a little comfort, but I feel selfish.
I feel like a total asshole.
I’m not delusional enough to think that I can single-handedly stop trafficking, but I can sure as fuck put a stop to this motherfucker and his operation in Louisiana once and for all. It’ll send a message to anyone who thinks they can get away with this kind of criminal activity.
If you fuck with the Nomad Brothers and the Rebels MC, you will go down.
It may have taken me a long time to find this piece of shit, but now that I have the details of his seedy underworld operation, we can finally put an end to this.
I’ll not only enjoy killing this motherfucker, I plan on drawing it out, making him suffer the same way Valencia and so many have suffered.
What Ridgely doesn’t know is Evans knew more about him than he planned. He thinks he’s a stealthy son of a bitch, but he slipped up this time. Evans has been to his home on the border of Louisiana and Arkansas.
The police report making headlines was Evans is being held in police custody, but that ain’t true. We want Ridgely to feel like he got away with it. Like he’s invincible.
Now, while I sit outside his fucking mansion down the street, I can’t help but wonder if the exhilaration of this finally being over will be enough to convince Erica that I’m all in.
That I do want her. I want to move on with her, start a family and leave the past behind. I want that more than anything.
We didn’t tell Willow shit about what we got out of Evans. This is a job for the MC. With Bane still in town, his men are backing us up, as well as the Irish mafia on standby. Cash has a longstanding agreement with the mob, and we help each other out from time to time.
With Rock, Jett and Sawyer all working on shutting the power down on the entire street, taking Ridgely out has never felt so sweet.
He knows a bust went down, and the bastard just hides in plain sight.
He thinks he’s protected, but thanks to Callaghan and some of his police connections, we have new friends in low places.
The Arkansas police may be getting huge kickbacks from the likes of Ridgely’s organization, but not every cop looks the other way.
I’m not the world’s biggest advocate for law enforcement, but even I know when higher forces are needed.
With Ridgely being protected — like most underworld criminals are who have power, money and influence — something had to give.
A shakeup in the local police department might just be the thing they need.
You can bet your ass this piece of shit lives in an astute, family friendly neighborhood; another thing that makes me sick.
Bentonville is too good for this bastard.
“Does he really think he’s so far above the law that nobody can touch him?” Logan shakes his head. My brother may stay out of most of the mayhem we create, but even he had to take part in wiping this asshole and his cronies off the face of the earth.
We’ll make it look like a drug bust gone wrong.
“Clearly he thinks he’s above most things,” I mutter. “But with Callaghan’s connections, we’ll have the element of surprise before the men who protect him find out.”
“Willow’s gonna smell a rat,” Haze says. “She’ll put two and two together.”
“And when she does?” I counter.
“Of course I’ll deny everythin’. Willow may think she’s in charge around here, but we’re not in Kansas anymore. She has no jurisdiction, but that doesn’t mean she won’t be pissed.”
“Any excuse for her to be pissed at you is a good one,” Logan says, patting Haze on the back.
“Not when she’s the one holdin’ a gun to my head,” he grumbles.
“Like you don’t enjoy it,” I counter. “Fuck sakes. I’m so sick of hearin’ about you and goddamn Willow, either do somethin’ about it, or let her go.”
“Listen to you, all self righteous,” he snickers. “I think gettin’ yourself an ol’ lady has softened you, brother.”
I smooth a hand over my beard. “Shut the fuck up and let’s concentrate.”
My cell chimes, and I answer it on the first ring.
“Showtime in ten seconds,” Rock says. “We’re gonna trip the safety too, which will throw him into a little chaos for a few minutes. The entire street’s power will be off so it won’t look as suspicious. A minute or so after, an outage for the neighborhood will be issued by Sawyer.”
“Thought of everythin’,” Logan mutters.
“Guess you could say we left nothing to chance,” Rock says. “See you on the other side. Stay safe.” Rock hangs up.
“You heard the man, let’s get ready.” We’re all in full tactical gear, ready to pounce and make a move until I hear Cash on the headpiece a few seconds later.
“We all have our positions,” he says. “Now is the time to dig deep and remember who we’re fightin’ for. Not just our club or our city, but our children and ol’ ladies. Their safety. Their freedom. And for those who were not so lucky.”
I close my eyes momentarily. This is it. If Ridgely gets away this time, there’s no fucking telling when he’ll resurface again, maybe never.
“I’m ready,” I tell Cash. “Time to move.”
“Roger,” Cash says. “We’ll see you on the other side.”
I’ve never heard such sweeter words.