The Broken Pieces of Us (The Devil's Dust #2.1)

I inform the boys of what is going on and Babs’ death. I try to be strong when telling them, but it’s fucking killing me to accept the fate of it all. I head out of the chapel. Locks is missing and not answering my calls, and Cherry, an ol’ lady of one of our men, has refused lock down, again. She is always going against the rules, thinking they don’t apply to her. If her ol’ man, Lip, didn’t save my ass when those cops pulled us over, her ass would be out of this club. She’s a fucking headache. I am almost positive Augustus is the one ordering these hits, but he is big, more men and more firepower. I have to think rationally. I have to know for certain it was Augustus before I start that kind of war. I head to the kitchen in search of some coffee. Just looking at the coffee pot brings fucking memories. I close my eyes, silently telling myself to get a grip.

I lean against the counter and light a cigarette. Digging in my pocket, I pull out my phone and try and call Locks again. It goes straight to voicemail. I’m nervous. Was he hit? Is he laying in the street somewhere run over? I need answers and I need them now. I dial an old friend, someone who is friends with everyone. He would know if Augustus was out for blood.

“Hey, Bull, what up, my man?” Brenden answers the phone.

“I need you to tell me something, no bullshit, you got it?” I demand.

“Sure, man, what’s up?” His tone turns from happy to serious.

“Is Augustus out for my club?” I ask.

“Ah, man. You know, I did catch some wind about that. Something about your girls nearly killed his nephew or some shit,” Brenden replies. “One of Augustus’ men told me.”

I hang up, my questions answered and my mark set. I see the radio sitting on the shelf; its red light indicating it’s on. I walk up to it and hear David Grey “This Year’s Love” playing. I quickly turn it off; its lyrics not helping me right now.

I exhale and head out of the kitchen.

“There you are,” Bobby says, his voice nervous.

“I was almost killed. A car chased me,” Cherry cries, slumped over, her makeup smeared all over her face.

“I ran into a store and hid there until they left,” she continues to wail. Maybe this will teach her ass to get here when I order it. Dani rubs on Cherry’s back, her pink cast standing out as she rubs up and down. Dani’s arm was broken when she was attacked. I’m thankful that’s all that broke. Three of my women have been chased, one dead. This ends tonight, damn it.

“Church, now,” I command the boys, pointing toward the Chapel doors.





I light a cigarette, not sure how the fuck I am going to pull this off.

“This is the third ol’ lady who’s been attacked,” I inform, my tone grating on anger and sorrow.

“The attacks are speeding up,” Old Guys says, his observation obvious. I try not to put him in his place.

“I think we need to get on this and quick,” Shadow suggests. The boy has always had a thing for taking a target out, never afraid to kill. His obsession for blood at this moment, I favor.

“I agree, but we retaliate smart,” Bobby says to Shadow. Bobby is the only thing that seems to keep Shadow tied to the ground, makes him see rationally. Shadow has had a rough life. If not for this club, who knows where he’d be.

My phone rings.

I hold my hand up, trying to quiet the boys, but they keep talking, ignoring me. “Quiet, boys,” I yell when I notice Augustus’ name on my caller ID.

“Augustus,” I greet, trying to sound calm.

“Bull,” Augustus replies coolly. Hearing how relaxed and collected he is makes my hands fist with rage, my attempt at acting controlled and calm gone.

“You have attacked three of my ladies, one of whom is now dead,” I inform, pissed.

“Ladies who passed their line of territory, and this is news to me that one of them is deceased. I’m sorry to hear that,” Augustus replies, his apology fake. Fuck it, I’ll die in Babs’ honor. I won’t stoop to this asswipe’s level.

“You want a war, you got it,” I clip, reaching over to turn the phone off.

“Unless you want me to put that pretty little daughter of yours in the ground along with the rest of those white trash biker whores, I expect you at my warehouse in two hours,” Augustus threatens, hanging up. I look across the table at Shadow who is looking at me with fear, not an emotion I’ve seen on Shadow’s face. I can relate. I’m terrified of something happening to Dani. I’ll have to play by Augustus’ rules if I want my daughter and grandbaby to live.

“Let’s take care of business, boys,” I order, my tone confident, but to be honest, I fear one of us will not be joining us at this table in the morning.

***

I head to my room and grab an extra gun, placing one in the hem of my jeans and the other in my holster.

I’m digging around the drawer for some ammo when I come across a black thong, Babs’. I smirk. That dirty little bird must have put it in here. I clench the fabric in my hands, thinking of her.

“The person who killed you will die in my hands tonight, darlin’,” I whisper. Hoping wherever she is, she knows I’m not letting this go until someone pays.

***