“You were selling weapons to a man named Vin. He was using those weapons to rebuild a rival crew. They were pushing hard into town and bringing heat on our club.”
“If you tell me you took our guns and cash,” Ed said, “I’m going to have my men shoot you. Then I’m going to cut out your eyes and keep them. Then you’re going to be buried in a shallow grave. Then I’ll piss on the grave.”
“You see the car I’m leaning on,” Blaine said. “I have something for you.”
“I don’t do games,” Ed said.
“Neither do we,” Miller said. “Our MC wants nothing to do with your cartel. We keep separate. We know you have deals and run-ins with other clubs around here, that’s fine. But this ends now.”
“How much is Vin worth to you?” Blaine asked.
Ed smirked. “You mean besides skipping on orders, payments, and fucking with my family?”
“That’s exactly what I needed to hear,” Blaine said. He moved from the trunk and then opened it. “Here you go, Ed.”
Vin was in the trunk, alive. He was tied up. Blaine sacrificed his need to kill for the greater good of the MC.
“You did this?” Ed asked.
“We took out Eight Under,” Blaine said. “No more business there. But this guy has his hands everywhere. He owes you. He owes us. He owes a lot of people.”
“Consider this a peace offering,” Gaige said. “Before there’s any beef between us.”
“I’ll consider it,” Ed said. “Now where’s my fucking guns and money?”
Right on cue, a car came forward. One of the prospect’s drove the car right up next to the motorcycles.
“There are your guns and cash,” Blaine said. “You can check all you want. You can count all you want. It’s all there.”
“Fuck me,” Ed said. “This is really a gesture.”
“No more wars,” Miller said. “Not near our town.”
Ed looked right at Blaine. “You’re the one running this. What’s Vin mean to you?”
Blaine stepped forward, almost bumping chests with Ed. The two men lifted their guns and had then pointed right at Blaine.
“Vin killed my family in cold blood. He put a bullet through my fiancee’s head. Then he put a bullet through my stepdaughter’s chest. He served no time for it. I moved on and found someone else to love. She’s carrying my child right now. He tried to hurt her and my unborn child. I had him strapped to a table, ready to take him apart. Literally. I stopped. For you, Ed. For you.”
“That’s some sick shit. But I’ll take it.”
Ed then offered his hand to Blaine. They shook hands. As did Shay, Gaige, and Miller.
They broke up and Miller slid a hand to Blaine’s neck. “You did fucking amazing, brother. You have no idea what you just did for the club.”
“I love you all,” Blaine said. “I’d do it again.”
They got on their motorcycles and watched as the back window went down. Ed’s beady little eyes stared at Blaine.
“You had a fire, huh?”
“Yeah,” Blaine called out. “Someone tried to burn our clubhouse down.”
“I’m sorry. About that. About your family. About your troubles. Just know Vin will be in good hands.”
Blaine nodded.
Ed then tossed a bag out the window of the SUV and drove away.
Everyone thought it was a bomb and readied to take cover. Shay was crazy enough to approach the bag, not giving a shit if it was a bomb.
It wasn’t a bomb though.
It was the money.
Half a million dollars. All cash.
A little thank you.
thirty-five.
Jessa saw the lights in the mirror.
“He’s got us,” Blaine said. “You ready?”
“Yeah,” Jessa said.
She was terrified. Really terrified.
Blaine kept driving fast, approaching double the speed limit.
The police cruiser got right up on his ass, lights and sirens going wild.
Blaine pulled to the side of the road.
When the officer came to Jessa’s side, she gripped the door handle and started to groan.
Blaine leaned across. “Officer, I’m so sorry. It’s my wife. She’s in pain…”
“Do you understand how fast…”
Jessa let out a cry. She touched her round stomach. “It hurts.”
“Ma’am? Are you…”
“She’s pregnant,” Blaine said. “We went for a drive to look at the mountains. She started complaining of pains. I called for help and they told me to meet them around here. Why the hell couldn’t they send an ambulance?”
“Sir, there are parts around here…”
Jessa groaned again. She leaned forward. “It’s so bad. I think I’m…” She grabbed a bag of water from under seat and squeezed it. It popped without a sound, leaving a wet mess everywhere. She then leaned back and yelled. “My water!”
“Holy shit,” the officer said. “Let meet get you assistance.”
“Call for a hospital escort,” Blaine said. “I have to drive. If you’re going to chase me, then chase me. You can shoot me, I don’t care. This is my first child. I can’t have anything go wrong.”
The officer looked shocked. He had no idea what to do.
Jessa looked in the rearview mirror and saw the box truck. It approached the car. She reached for the officer’s hand and squeezed. “I think the baby… it’s too soon. It’s way too soon…”
“Okay,” the officer said. “Just hang…”
The box truck passed by the car and kept going.