Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
HAYES
I didn't want to believe what Sloane and her friends were accusing Toby of. There was no way after years of friendship that I could've missed something so vital. But to prove them wrong, I needed to go along with their plan.
Kidnap Toby and let him set the record straight. It was as simple as that.
At least that's what I was telling myself as we approached the clubhouse Toby was known to spend time at. But maybe there was another way. "Is this really necessary? I could call him and ask him to meet me."
"Not happening."
There was something about Nyx's tone that had the hair on the back of my neck standing at attention. I was clearly missing something, but I couldn't fathom what it could be.
"Let's start some shit." Nyx cracked her knuckles.
The plan was simple. Take Toby by force and kick anyone's ass who got in the way.
Oh, and try not to kill anyone. Beckett was adamant about that. Apparently, he didn't want to start a war with The Outlaws if it could be helped.
We walked through the gate like we owned the place. One of the bikers let out a catcall, but before he could finish it up with a derogatory statement, Sloane punched him in the throat. The guy dropped to the pavement and garnered the attention of a few of his friends.
Before I knew it, a full-blown fight broke out. Men poured out of the clubhouse in droves. The few quick glimpses of Sloane I caught between fighting off my own biker showed she could handle herself. In fact, she was a sight to behold, and I almost wished I could stand back and just watch her work.
Sadly, that wasn't the case because for every asshole I knocked out, another appeared in his place.
I never took the time to do a deep dive into The Outlaws, but shit, there was apparently a lot of them in the charter.
From what I could tell, though, we had the upper hand even though the ratio was skewed in their favor.
A sharp whistle pierced the air and the guy I was currently fighting stepped away with his hands held high.
A quick glance around proved all of the bikers––who weren't lying on the ground––were in a similar position.
I was in the middle of trying to figure out what the hell was going on when a booming voice cut the tension.
"What the fuck is going on here?"
Based on the research I had done when Toby first told me he was hanging around with the motorcycle club, that was the club president, Viper.
"We're looking for Toby Kent." Anita's icy tone cut through the night.
"I don't know anyone by that name."
The president was clearly lying, but I had to give him credit; he had a good poker face.
"Bullshit," Anita said what I was thinking. She grabbed a man off the ground by his cut and wrapped one hand around his neck. "So far, we've avoided killing anyone because we didn't want a war, but that can change if you don't give us Toby."
Viper held his arms out wide. "You really think you can take all of us on? There are six of you and over forty of us."
The odds certainly weren't stacked in our favor, but Viper didn't know who he was messing with.
"I think we already proved your club is no match for us." Anita's gaze never wavered. She didn't have to look around at the twenty-five or so men littered on the ground. None of them were dead but most were unconscious.
"What do you want with Toby?"
My chest ached just thinking about the answer Anita was about to give. I still didn't want to believe my friend was capable of such a heinous act.
"We just want to talk to him. We have it on good authority he's an active participant in organ trafficking. More specifically children's organs."
The conviction in which she delivered her words was apparently enough for Viper. He flicked his wrist at the vice president––Bear.
Less than two minutes later, Bear dragged an unwilling Toby through the clubhouse front doors.
"What the fuck, Prez." Toby glared at Viper.
"If what she says is true, this club won't tolerate that shit.
We live by a code. We don't hurt women or children.
" What he didn't say was everything else was fair game.
Rumor had it they moved drugs and weapons.
And I knew for certain they had no gripe with murder if the situation called for it, but at least they stopped at harming a woman or child.
Bear tossed Toby at Anita's feet. In exchange, she handed over the biker she had by the throat. "We appreciate your cooperation."
Beckett and Nyx forcibly moved Toby away, and when he tried to fight, Nyx kicked him in the back of his knee. Bringing him down with a howl.
"We don't need the kind of heat that shit brings to our door."
We spun around to leave, but Viper had one parting word for us. "Next time, knock on the door. No need for the show of force."
Anita glanced over her shoulder and gave him a chin lift. Apparently, that was the only acknowledgement she was willing to give after what we did.
Toby bitched the entire way to the vehicle. He cursed me and every other person under the sun for the treatment he was receiving.
I didn't say a word as they gagged and bound him. I would reserve my argument for when Toby proved his innocence.
And he had to. Because there was no way I could handle any other outcome.