Chapter 24 #2
I nod. As I turn around to give myself a moment without having to look at his smarmy face, I realize there’s someone else in the basement. Nova stands in the open doorway, her face pale and pinched.
“You sold us?” Her voice is flat, but I see the betrayal in her eyes.
This cuts her deep. It’s one thing to suspect something, even to have evidence of it, but to hear it from the mouth of a trusted, loved, person, that has the power to destroy.
“You knew what would happen to us. What those men—and other men—would do to us, and that was more acceptable than dealing with the consequences of your own actions?”
“Nova, sweetheart,” Marty begins, “They said they weren’t gonna hurt you, and as soon as I had the money, they’d let you go.”
“You’re a monster,” she whispers, shaking her head.
When she looks at me, the pain I see makes me want to wrap her in my arms and take her away from here, but I don’t move.
I’m furious, but she’s the wronged party here.
She deserves to have her say, and if she wants to use some of the tools in that bag to beat the shit out of him, I’ll stand here and let her do it.
“Just do it,” she says to me before turning around and walking out.
Marty starts to call out her name, but a look from Crusher shuts him up.
I close the door, my brain going through all the options and possibilities.
It’d be easy to end him. Fast or slow, it wouldn’t make a difference in the end.
I want to do it. Make him hurt for what he’s done, the pain he’s caused.
But I’ve gotten to know Nova, and while she could kill someone—even Marty—to protect Layla, it would haunt her.
I can put a bullet in his head and not lose a second of sleep.
But if I do it now, after she’s told me to, she’ll carry that weight, and I can’t do that to her.
As much as I think this guy is a piece of shit, I can’t kill him. Not here and now, anyway.
What I can do, I realize, is use him.
I motion for Ace and Crusher to join me just outside the door so Marty can’t overhear us. Let him think I’m deciding how I want to end him.
“I have an idea of how we can have the home field advantage and take the fight to Meridian at the same time,” I say.
I give them a quick rundown of the plan that’s still forming in my mind and both of them nod their agreement. “I’ll handle Marty’s part of this. You two work out the details we’ll need. By the time we’re both done, we can bring everyone to church and put it all in motion.”
I go back into the room, and Marty immediately starts babbling about how sorry he is and how he’ll do anything to make it up to Nova and Layla. I ignore him. Before I let him know I’m not going to kill him, he needs to understand just how much mercy he’s being given here.
I walk over to the bag and start taking things out.
Marty starts making a high-pitched, whistling sound, and when I pick up a decent-sized, razor-sharp blade, the sharp scent of urine fills the air.
I sigh as I walk over to Marty, careful to avoid the puddle forming under the chair.
I move around to the back and cut through the duct tape holding his wrists together.
“Try to run, try to attack me, do anything other than what I tell you to do, and I’ll give you a real reason to piss your pants.
” I come around to the front again and look down at him with disgust. “In a minute, I’m gonna let you have your phone and you’re gonna make a call for me.
You’re gonna call Meridian and tell them you found out the Kings are gonna be meeting up at the Iron Vipers’ clubhouse, but that the girls are staying here with just a couple of prospects.
You’re gonna tell them that you can get the gate open and that they can grab the girls, as well as kill the prospects as revenge for the men the Kings killed. ”
I can see Marty’s mind working overtime, and I know he’s trying to figure out how to save himself. What he hasn’t figured out yet is that he’s not the smartest person in the room. Once he gets that, we’ll be ready to move forward.
“I tell them that and then what?” Marty asks. “They figure out I betrayed them and I get killed?”
“No,” I say. “Once I’m sure you haven’t double-crossed us, you get an armed escort out of Pine Ridge, and a lifetime ban from being anywhere in Iron Viper or Kings of Ruin territory.
You show up here, go anywhere near Nova or Layla—hell, if you so much as send them a postcard—I’ll end you myself, and you won’t go easy. ”
The color drains from Marty’s face and I’m pretty sure if he had anything left in his bladder, he would’ve pissed himself again.
“You’re gonna talk to them on speaker,” I continue. “You try to give them even a hint of what’s really going on, and I end the call. Then I end you.”
He nods and I get his phone from the table.
When I hold it out to him, I can see him trying to work out if he can dial 911 before I can stop him, and either he’s smart enough to figure out he can’t or he’s too scared to try, because he meekly takes the phone and pulls up his contacts, going straight to Meridian.
“You better have a damn good reason for calling after what happened.” The man on the other end of the call answers on the first ring, which makes me think that, despite his words, he’s been waiting for this call.
“Nova called me,” Marty says, speaking fast. “She told me what happened. I told her to leave the Kings alone, but she thought they could get her sister back.”
“They did get her sister back, you moron!” the man shouts. “And they killed my men to do it!”
“I know, I know, she told me. And I’m sorry. I didn’t know about Layla’s boyfriend and that’s how this stupid MC got involved. But I can make things right. I promise.”
“Your nieces were supposed to be you making things right,” the man says. “Do you have any idea how much bigger your debt is now?”
Marty closes his eyes and swallows hard. Under other circumstances, I might feel bad for a guy who got involved with Meridian, but I don’t have even a flicker of sympathy.
“That’s why I’m calling,” he says. “I got a way you can get both girls and get revenge on the Kings for the men they killed.”
There’s a moment of silence, and then, “Go on.”
“Here’s the thing,” Marty says. “I know I caused you guys a lot of problems, but it wasn’t my fault. I did everything you asked me to do. I need assurances that once I tell you what I know, I’m not gonna end up with a bullet in my head and my body left somewhere in the desert.”
“You’re not in any position to make demands,” the man snaps.
“I think I am,” Marty argues. “I know where the girls are and how you can get them. And we both know you’ll make a hell of a lot more from them than I owe.”
The guy’s laugh has me hoping he shows up here later because I have a lot of ideas of how I can make him scream before I kill him.
“What is it you want?” He sounds almost bored.
“I want to talk to Victor or one of the top guys. Someone with the paygrade to offer me a guarantee of safety.”
I glare at Marty. This isn’t part of what I told him to say. He hasn’t crossed into anything that gives away the plan or could be a warning, but I don’t like that he’s improvising.
“I want to be able to leave the West Coast and not keep looking over my shoulder,” Marty says. “I need to talk to someone who can promise me that if I give you what I have, my debt’s gone and Meridian will leave me alone.”
“Just a minute.”
I cross my arms and glower down at Marty, making myself look as scary as possible.
He pushes mute and looks up at me. “I’m not gonna tell them anything you don’t want me to, but I need to look after myself too. Won’t do me any good to leave Pine Ridge if they’re gonna keep coming after me.”
“Not my problem,” I say. But, since I don’t dislike the idea of catching the CEO of the Meridian Group in our trap, I give Marty the go-ahead to stick with his request.
“Marty.” Another man’s voice comes through the speaker. “I don’t appreciate being summoned like I work for you. Do I work for you, Marty?”
“No, sir, Victor—I mean, Mr. Calder,” Marty stammers. “I know you don’t work for me.”
“Then, tell me, Marty, why I was just interrupted during a lovely dinner with a beautiful young woman?”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Calder, but I know how messed up what happened with my nieces was, and I wanted to apologize to you personally.”
“Marty,” Victor interrupts, “my date charges by the hour. I’ll be adding every minute you cost me onto your already substantial debt.”
I have to swallow a growl. I’m all for women doing what they want with their bodies. Have sex with no one. Have sex with ten people in one night. Film it. Sell it. Share it. As long as it’s her decision. Something tells me Victor doesn’t give a shit about consent.
“My niece called me and said that she and Layla made a mistake. The Kings aren’t good guys and are trying to force them into sex and drinking.”
Marty starts spewing all sorts of bullshit, but it works so I don’t get involved.
“She says they want me to come get them. I said I couldn’t take on a whole motorcycle club, and she told me that they’re all going to some biker party orgy or something at the Iron Vipers clubhouse, but her and Layla aren’t going.
A few prospects are being left behind, but it’s only gonna be two or three guys.
So I was thinking that you could send in a team, kill the prospects, take the girls, and maybe even burn down their compound as vengeance.
” He stops and drags in another breath. “And then we’ll be even and I can leave this hellhole. What do you think?”
“I’m sure I can come up with something more creative than just shooting and setting things on fire,” Victor says. “All right. We have a deal. Send me the date, time, and address.”
The hook is baited, and now it’s just a matter of waiting.
I leave Marty in the basement, telling him I’ll have someone bring him water at some point, and I go to find Nova.