Steering the prospects into the shadows, Guardrail headed towards the rear of the building. Maverick followed as I searched for the stairs Victor had described that led up to the main office. Knowing what was on that laptop, I was determined to find it – I didn’t care how long it took, what I had to do or how many motherfuckers I had to kill to get it. I wasn’t leaving that fucking warehouse without it. Silence encased us as we made our way through the darkness, making my heart beat excitedly. It is what I lived for—the thrill of the hunt. Anticipation coursed through me as we headed towards the small metal staircase, causing all of my senses to sharpen and snap into high alert. We’d only taken a few steps when the hairs on the back of my neck stood tall, letting me know we weren’t alone. I had no doubt that someone was watching our every move. I could feel their eyes on me, and it was only a matter of time before all hell would break loose. I looked forward to it, burned for it. Being in the heat of the battle gave me a release unlike anything I’d ever experienced before.
The old steel steps moaned with our movements, making it impossible to hide our location. We’d almost made it to the top when the office door flew open, and we were greeted with the end of a double-barreled shotgun. I didn’t stop, I didn’t think. Adrenaline was now pumping through my veins as my instincts took over. I reached out, grabbing the end of the gun with my hand ramming it into the guy’s chest. The force of the hit threw him off balance causing him to fall back against the door, giving me the opportunity to take my shot. Seconds later, his body dropped to the ground, blood rushing from his wound. With one hard shove, I kicked him out of my way, watching the lifeless figure drop to the ground beneath the stairs.
Commotion stirred inside the office, letting me know there were more guys inside. Without stopping to seek shelter, I advanced towards the door. Maverick called out to me, trying to stop me, but my mind blocked out everything – everything except what was waiting for me on the other side of that door. As I reached into my back holster for my second gun, I struck the middle of the door with my boot, splintering it on its hinges. Gunfire instantly exploded through the room; bullets whipped past me at every angle. Without budging from my spot, I squeezed my trigger and released several rounds, instantly killing the two men that cowered down in the corner of the room. Satisfaction washed over me as I watched their dead bodies slump to the floor.
“Goddamn it, Stitch,” Maverick shouted. “You’re gonna get yourself killed doing shit like that.”
“Still standing, ain’t I?” I mocked.
“Seriously, brother. That was fucking insane,” he said.
I surveyed the room and found the laptop on a small desk. I picked it up and said, “Got it.”
“Thank, fuck.” Maverick walked over and grabbed the laptop, then turned to me and grumbled, “Let’s get the hell out of here.”
When we reached the bottom of the stairs, Guardrail was waiting for us with the prospects. I turned to him and asked, “You find the fourth?”
“Two Bit got him,” Guardrail announced grinning.
“Redemption,” Maverick gloated. He gave him a quick slap on the back and said, “We’re heading back. You and Q’ get this shit cleaned up, and make it fast. You have a half an hour before daylight.”
“On it,” Two Bit answered as he grabbed the two gas cans.
I trusted the prospects, so I got on my bike and said, “Heading back to the club house.”
Maverick and Guardrail followed me, but went their separate ways once we hit town. As soon as I got back to the clubhouse, I went straight to Big Mike’s room to drop off the laptop. He was already waiting for me when I walked into his room.
“This it?” he asked as I handed him the laptop.
“One and only.”
“I’ll start on it now, and hey… I got something for you,” he said, handing me a thick yellow envelope. “That’s what I’ve gathered so far on the info you gave me. I’ll let you know if I come across anything else.”
“Thanks, brother,” I told him, shoving the envelope in the side pocket of my cut as I turned to leave.
I was still buzzing from my adrenaline high, and I needed something to settle me down. Tristen was just the girl to give me what I needed. When she’d fallen upon hard times, Cotton had given her access to one of the empty rooms until she got back on her feet. After knocking on the door, I walked in. She sat up in her bed, quickly rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. A coy smile of understanding spread across her face as she pulled the covers back and lowered herself to the floor. Her eyes sparkled with lust as she reached out to release me from my zipper. As I looked down at her, the realization that my cock wasn’t even half-mast made it clear that I wasn’t going to get the relief that I needed from her. The second she touched me I pulled back… Something was gnawing at me – my mind was in a cluster fuck. A daunting feeling that something big was about to go down, something that could change everything, it consumed me. I couldn’t stop thinking about the safety of my brothers and that boy from the diner and his mom. I had to know what was in that folder. I backed up, looked down at Tristen. “Never mind, darlin’. Go back on back to bed and get some sleep.”
Chapter 5
Wren
?
“I’m so sorry, Wren. I went over everything with the judge, but he just wouldn’t listen,” Mrs. Daniels explained. She’d called me right after she left the courthouse to let me know what the judge had decided about suspending Michael’s visitation with Wyatt.
“So that’s it?” I asked.