There was silence again as we both thought about Kingston.
I tossed the butt of my smoke across the lot. I folded my arms and felt the tension build up inside me.
“I know you’re ready to explode on me,” Knox said. “I can smell the smoke, brother.”
“I’m going to get revenge,” I said. I looked at Knox. “You guys can’t stop me. I’ll stay out of trouble. I’ll stay out of jail. But I’m going to fix what was wrong. I need you to understand that, Knox.”
“That’s why I’m here. You’re fucking pissed because Chief Richards grabbed you. You’re taking it personally.”
“I have my reasons.”
“Okay. What can I do to help?”
I looked right at Knox. I knew what I wanted to do. I knew what I had to.
“Find out everything you can about his daughter.”
five
(slam)
MONTHS AGO
Timmy, Tommy, and Don. I had repeated their names in my mind a hundred times, making fun of them for sounding like some dumb TV show. They were the ones with big money and big ties to other work for the MC.
But the way they talked and acted, they always seemed skittish to me. Yet when it came time to vote, I threw my hand up with a yay because I wanted the cash and I didn’t want to go head to head with the entire MC. Granted, I had been pounding whiskey when we went to chapel, so maybe my best judgment wasn’t present.
Either way, I was first in line, cruising along a normally quiet road, the back of my ride stuffed with pieces of weapons. The plan was simple. If I got knocked over in any way, shape, or form, the guns I had could be worked out through the lawyers and court. Not to mention most of the PD was on our side with things. It was just the chief and a few of his brown nosed buddies that wanted to fuck us over big time.
Behind me, Ari drove a truck. If that was opened, there would be a big stack of just-about-to-turn seafood. Enough to make your stomach turn and want to get away from the truck.
If shit did hit the fan with me, then Ari was to park the truck and bail. Then when the coast was clear, we’d have an alternative route.
Most of our runs were flawless. Sometimes we ran into hiccups.
But this one…
This was a fucking set up.
Chief Richards put his foot to the middle of my back and pointed his long ass revolver to the back of my skull.
“I got ya,” he growled. “You filthy piece of shit.”
“Fuck off,” I said.
I knew how to play off getting arrested. Jail time didn’t bother me at all. I could get in and get out, just like nasty sex, you know? Do it because it needs to be done. Then be gone.
Chief had two of his guys stand me up.
He was a little shorter than me. Years on the job had left him with salt and pepper hair, a rough looking attempt at a beard, and crow’s feet big enough that he looked ready to grab dinner and fly away.
His breath stunk of cigar and whiskey.
“Guns. Always the guns with you guys.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said.
“Yeah fucking right,” Chief Richards said. “I’ve been eyeing you for a long time. And we have a box truck about two miles back that’s full of weapons.”
Now that got my fucking attention.
I looked right at Chief Richards and he knew I knew he fucking had me good.
Right on cue one of the police cruisers moved and I saw Tommy standing against another cruiser, his arms crossed, body shaking.
That’s why I didn’t trust those pricks. They were junkies. They were on the search for the next high. It was the only thing they knew. They couldn’t exist beyond it. And they had sold the fucking MC out big time. My name was thrown all over the place and since I was the first guy they grabbed, I was the one who got fucked.
I had no reason to talk as Chief Richards walked me to his SUV. He took me to the box truck and tried to get me to sell out the rest of the club. One thing about the guys in the Reap: we never fucking sold each other out. No matter what.
My lips were shut and stayed shut.
Chief Richards introduced me to his baton half a dozen times and all I did was spit blood on the ground. His biggest deputy slammed my face off the side of the box truck, leaving a bloody smear.
They had their fun.
I would serve my time.
And I would get my revenge.
six
(belle)
NOW