Chapter 5
NITRO
Icalled Tatum and pressed my phone to my ear waiting for her to answer.
She’d called me a few times this morning and I’d missed her calls while taking care of some things with King.
Her last message had been pissy, which I’d thought odd for her until King informed me about what she’d discovered about Earl.
We’d just pulled up at Billy’s to take care of him, and to say I was more than ready to do that was a fucking understatement.
He’d given Tatum hell for long enough, but she’d made me swear I wouldn’t deal with him for her.
Vegas was too fucking independent for her own good some days.
Her fight drew me to her, but fuck, I’d prefer it if she didn’t come out swinging every time I wanted to help her.
When she didn’t answer, I left her a message. “King called me out to help him with some jobs after you left this morning, and we’re just about to go find Earl. Don’t expect me home until the morning.”
“You ready?” King asked as I slid my phone in my pocket.
I jerked my chin. “Yeah.”
The beat of the music pumping through Billy’s drowned out every other noise as we made our way through the club. I’d never been here on a Sunday; it turned out to be a busy day.
A couple of the girls Tatum worked with recognised me and sent a smile my way, but other than a quick chin lift, I didn’t stop for a conversation. I barely knew them, except for the times Tatum had asked me to step in and help them when they needed the kind of help I could provide.
We found Earl in Billy’s office with him.
“King. Nitro.” Billy glanced between us before settling his gaze on me. “I didn’t realise you’d be bringing King with you for this little talk about your brother.”
“This isn’t about Dustin,” I said, eyeing Earl. “It’s about a little problem we have with Earl.”
“Fucking hell,” Billy said, “If it’s not Tatum with a problem, it’s you assholes. What the fuck is going on?”
King took a menacing step towards Earl. “Do you want to tell him, Earl, or should I?” His question came out a snarl that matched the storm vibrating from him.
Earl was a dumb motherfucker. He squared his shoulders like he was ready to go to war with King. “This has nothing to do with Billy. This is between us, King.”
“Correction,” King said, his eyes blazing with crazy.
“This has nothing to do with Billy yet.” At Earl’s surprise, he continued, “You think I got to where I am today without a brain? Or without having people everywhere keeping tabs on everyone?” He shook his head like he was disappointed in Earl.
“This is why you would have never pulled off what you had planned.”
“Okay,” Billy snapped. “Would someone care to enlighten me?”
King slowly turned his attention to Billy. “I discovered Earl’s plans to take over your gun business. He was coming after me tonight to settle a score he has with me, and when I heard about that, I did some digging and—”
Earl cut him off. “What the fuck are you talking about?” To Billy, he said, “You always did say King was crazy. This proves it. I’m fucking working tonight, so I’m not sure how he thinks I can be in two places at once.”
Billy wasn’t fucking dumb. I might not have liked the asshole, but I couldn’t deny his intelligence. The way he looked at Earl now told me he didn’t believe him.
“King is fucking crazy, Earl, but he’s not a liar,” he said, “So I’m interested to know more about your plans.” Looking at King, he said, “What else have you got for me?”
“Like fuck I’m listening to this shit,” Earl said, taking a step towards the door. I didn’t miss the nervous flare in his eyes.
Placing my hand on his shoulder, I stopped him. Yanking out the chair in front of Billy’s desk, I said, “Sit your ass down. You’re not going anywhere.”
While I held Earl in place, King shared everything he’d learned today. When he finished, Billy hit his manager with a filthy glare. “Tatum was fucking right about you all along. Fuck.”
Earl finally realised Billy wasn’t on his side, and attempted to escape my hold. He shot up out of the chair and took a swing at me, but I saw him coming and ducked. I then did what I’d wanted to do for a long fucking time; I punched the motherfucker and knocked him to the ground.
His grunts of pain filled the office, and he looked up at me with contempt. Spitting blood on my boots, his lips pulled into an ugly sneer. “If only you channelled some of that anger of yours towards Tatum; you could pull her into fucking line. Fuck knows how you put up with that cunt.”
Red rage consumed me and I kicked his stomach hard enough to shift him.
“I would have dealt with you a long fucking time ago if not for Tatum. The only reason you’re still walking is because of her.
” Bending, I jerked him up and slammed him against the wall before punching him again.
Over and fucking over, taking great fucking pleasure every time my fist connected with his body.
It wasn’t until Billy pulled me off him that I stopped. By then, Earl was a bloody mess and the wall of Billy’s office was painted with his blood.
King’s phone rang. “How did you go?” he asked, answering it.
He’d sent Hyde and Devil to locate Earl’s friend, Ian, who Tatum had overheard him talking to this morning, so I guessed it was Hyde reporting in.
After he ended the call, he crouched in front of Earl.
“If I had any intention of letting you live tonight, I’d give you a tip to take better fucking care when choosing the people you align yourself with.
Turns out Ian was a bad fucking choice; he squealed before we even got to his fingers.
” He glanced up at Billy. “And he shared every single name of who you were working with to steal Billy’s gun trade.
” Looking back down at Earl, he continued, “Looks like you’ve got a long night ahead of you while the three of us take turns gutting you. ”
Earl, who was curled up grunting in pain, stared at King through squinted, bloody eyes. “Fuck you,” he spat, “And fuck Billy for being a weak fucking man led around by a cunt who I should have put in her fucking place—”
I had one boot in front of the other before he managed to get that sentence finished, ready to fucking crush his skull, but King beat me to it.
He straddled Earl, gripping his neck with both hands, and bellowed, “You say another fucking word about Tatum and I will take all fucking week to end your life rather than one night.” He yanked Earl’s head up and slammed it back down onto the polished cement floor, the loud crack ringing out like my favourite fucking song.
“King,” I growled, “Get off him. He’s mine.”
The need to deliver pain rushed through my veins.
Every muscle tensed, ready to attack.
Ready to destroy the man who had threatened my woman for far too long.
I would need hours with him to sate this need.
King took his time but he finally stood. His dark eyes met mine with understanding. “He’s all yours, but we don’t do this here. Hyde is about ten minutes out with the van.”
Fuck.
This had always been the plan, but I hadn’t realised how unhinged I’d be after confronting Earl. I should have, though, because Vegas had become my fucking world since I’d made her mine, and I would go to the ends of the earth to protect her. To keep her safe from men like Earl.
I clenched my fists and moved away from him.
“I’ll wait outside for Hyde,” I gritted out. There was no way I could stay in the same room and not tear Earl limb from fucking limb.
King nodded and I exited the office. I’d only taken two steps down the hallway when I turned and punched the wall. “Fuck!” I roared, driving my fist into the wall over and over.
Fuck.
I should have taken care of this asshole a long time ago. I should never have allowed him all this time to fuck with Tatum. I wouldn’t make this mistake again. She was mine to protect and defend, and she could argue with me all she fucking liked over it, but she wouldn’t win this battle.
She. Was. Mine.
And I took care of what was mine.