Chapter 32 Alessa #2
I sit back down in the chair, taking his hand. I almost lost him today. Three of my guys have been hurt because of Viktor and Jay.
Someone on my payroll has been flipped by one of them to help keep Jay’s promise of taking them out one by one.
They don’t realize they did the one thing that would turn the tables.
They just pissed off seven people that would do anything for each other.
I refuse to sit by this time and let them bring the fight to me.
I’m going to bring it to their doorstep this time.
Two hours later, we’re pulling into Rocco’s safe house that Ryder didn’t even know about. Ghost and Caden did a car switch just in case Ryder was being tracked.
I don’t usually show my ass with innocent people, but the minute that nurse looked at me and told me I wasn’t taking Holden with me, I lost it.
She didn’t take long to thrust the papers at me to sign him out against medical advice.
Doc met us in the parking lot with oxygen and supplies so we can take care of him.
He’s asleep in the back with his head on Ryder’s lap, still mumbling that he found something and can’t remember.
Dex pulls to a stop in front of the house, and Ryder runs his fingers through Holden’s hair. “We’re here, Bello.”
It’s only thirty minutes from the city but looks like light years. The house is tucked into a massive group of trees, blocking it from sight. It’s perfect. It only took us so long to get here because the fight with the hospital, and Dex drove around forever, ensuring we weren’t being followed.
Holden blinks a couple of times, groaning when Ryder helps him sit up. “We’ll get you something for the pain when we get inside,” I tell him gently.
We slide out while Ryder gently helps him out. Ryder keys in the code for the front door, pushing it open when the lock clicks.
The house is spacious inside, with an open floor plan, several doors line down the hallway, and a spiral staircase leading up to a huge loft.
Ryder takes Holden straight to one of the bedrooms, so I follow behind him. Together, we get him set up, so he’s comfortable. Zane walks in with a few pain pills and a glass of water. “Take these. They’ll help you sleep,” Zane says, handing them to him.
Holden pushes them away. “I don’t want to sleep. I need to remember what I found.”
Zane sits on the edge of the bed. “You’ll remember in time.
You can’t rush something like that.” He holds his hands out again.
“Take them.” Holden reluctantly takes them before handing the water back to Zane.
“Thank you, Sweet boy.” Holden’s eyes widen at the nickname that I’m not even sure Zane is aware he keeps calling him, and then his face breaks out in a big smile.
We sit there until Holden’s eyelids start drooping from the pain meds kicking in. We kiss him on the forehead before meeting the others in the living room. We need a game plan. Now.
Zane and Ryder pull me to sit on the loveseat between them, Leo and Gage across from us on the couch, and Dex in the recliner to our right.
“What’s the play, Boss?” Dex asks.
“We play this their way,” I start, looking around the room. “I’m done with the bullshit. We take this to them.”
“What does that mean, Baby girl?”
“Viktor,” I declare. “He’s only going to cover for Jay for so long until he throws him under a bus.”
“You want to double down on Viktor,” Ryder guesses.
I nod. “No more petty games. I want to fuck shit up. I want to have him so fucking pissed off he has no other choice but to come after me. But this time, I’ll be ready.”
The guys are quiet for so long that I know they’re working up to have an argument. I can feel it coming. They aren’t stopping me, though. I’ve been playing it safe, doing the right thing. It’s gotten me nowhere.
Zane finally sighs when he sees that I’m not going to fold under their silence. “Any ideas on who your mole is?”
Ryder sits up. “We need to see if any of Holden’s equipment is salvageable. Whatever he found, I bet, is the answer to that question.”
“You think whoever the mole is knows Holden figured it out and blew him up to keep him quiet,” Dex says, picking up what Ryder is saying. Just the mention that someone tried to blow up Holden has bile rising in my throat.
“What they didn’t consider is Holden’s will to live,” I say. “I’ll call Micah to see what he’s found out.”
Pulling my phone out, I dial Micah and flip it to speakerphone.
“How’s Holden?” he answers on the third ring. I can still hear all the commotion in the background.
“He’s good, sleeping right now,” I answer with a smile. Micah might act like he doesn’t like my guys, but he secretly loves them. “Have you been able to get into the house?”
Micah sighs. “Not yet. They just got the fire out, and the whole front of the house collapsed about an hour ago. I’m sorry, Les.”
As much as I love that house, I can’t worry about that right now. “Tell Ghost and Caden to work their magic and get everyone the hell out of there. They don’t need to be in there.”
Micah chuckles. “You made the right call moving them up. They rolled in here twenty deep a piece, making such a fucking racket the cops tucked tail and ran.”
I smile at that and hear Ryder chuckle. “Good. Tell them to get the firefighters out of there.”
“They want to open an investigation, Les,” Micah sighs again. “You can tell this wasn’t a regular house fire, and I know the blast was heard for fucking miles.”
I lay my head back on the couch. I knew that was going to happen, but there is no way they can search through the house with all the weapons and a literal torture chamber in the basement.
“They can’t get in if I don’t let them. Have Ghost and Caden use their crews to guard it twenty-four seven until I can figure something else out. ”
“What about Mani and the guards?”
The guys and I exchange a look. “I have a mole.”
“What?” Micah hisses. I can hear a car door open and shut. “Who?”
“I don’t know yet, but it’s someone who works close.”
“It has to be one of the guards,” Ryder adds. “Les doesn’t keep enough house staff around to pull something like this off.”
“What do you need from me?” Micah asks.
“Meet us tomorrow at Lookout Point. I can’t risk anyone coming here,” I answer. We can’t tell anyone where we are, including the ones we know have our back. The only one that knows is Rocco, and that’s dangerous enough as it is.
“You got it, shithead.”
I smile again. “I love you.”
“I love you too. Be safe.”
“You too,” I reply, disconnecting the call.
Viktor, I’m fucking coming for you.