And just like that, they were gone.
It wasn’t until I heard the squad cars peel out of the gravel lot before I was steady enough to ask, “What the hell just happened? I thought Sheriff Valenti was on our payroll.”
“He is. But the Iron Horsemen went above the Sheriff and paid off the mayor,” Gray stated. “That’s the only reason our boys are in cuffs.”
“How do you know that?” I demanded.
“Not our first rodeo,” Gray replied.
“What do we do now?” I asked, trying to stem the flow of panic. I’d just watched Colt being carted off to jail. Was this the first time of many to come? I didn’t want to think about it.
“We call Vance, the club lawyer,” Torque said.
“And we get Knight and his boys back here,” Gray said. “Because most of our club is in lockup and we don’t have the manpower to defend our shit if the Iron Horsemen show up.”
“Guess it’s a good thing you and I didn’t go to the park that day,” Torque said with a grimace. “Otherwise we’d be locked up too.”
Gray scratched his beard. “Gotta get the women and children to the cabins.”
“Cabins?” I asked. “What cabins?”
“Colt didn’t tell you about the cabins?” Gray’s eyes pinned me, his brow furrowed.
I shook my head.
Gray and Torque exchanged another look.
“The club has cabins in the Kisatchie National Forest in Louisiana. About six hours from here. So if shit ever hit the fan…”
“This is shit hitting the fan, isn’t it?” I asked.
Gray nodded.
“We get all the women and kids and we send them to the cabins,” Torque said. “Gray and I will stay here. Get Knight and his boys back. Call Vance. Get shit sorted as fast as possible.”
“Need to call Flynn, too,” Gray added. “Let him know what’s going down.”
My mind was in overdrive. What would happen to the club with most of the boys locked up? At that moment it seemed like the Iron Horsemen were going to take over Waco, regardless of whether or not Sanchez and his men came to our aid. I didn’t like the idea of Colt behind bars. And I especially didn’t like him injured and behind bars.
“How long will it take to get Colt and the others out?” I asked. Fear ran deep. “How do you know Dev doesn’t have guys waiting for Colt and the boys in jail?”
“We don’t know, but those boys can handle themselves,” Gray said. “They have to now. It’s gonna at least be a few days before we can get them out.”
“A few days,” I murmured. “We need to act and we need to do it fast.”
Torque frowned. “You’re not part of we. You’re part of the women and children.”
“I’m not leaving town,” I protested. “All this shit started because of me. Dev made this personal. And now he’s got my man behind bars so he can wreak havoc? Pick us off one by one? I don’t fucking think so.”
“We can’t involve you in club business, Mia,” Gray said. “Even though I enjoy your spunk, we don’t put women into the line of fire.”
“Have people forgotten that I took a shot at Dev in the park? I’m made of stronger stuff.”
“Darlin’,” Torque began. “I don’t want to be a dick, but I’m gonna be a dick. You might have shot at him, but you didn’t get him.”
“No one else got him either,” I muttered under my breath.
“Safest place for you is with the others,” Gray said, clearly not having heard me.
“Fine,” I said. “I’ll go with them.”
“I’ll call the lawyer,” Torque said.
“I’ll call Knight,” Gray added. “Mia, get Darcy. Tell her everyone is going to the cabins and to get people ready.”
“Sure, I just need to use the restroom real fast. Then I’ll head out back and talk to her.”
Gray didn’t say anything since he was already pulling out his phone. Torque did the same.
I went into our bedroom, struggling to keep my shit together, praying Colt had left his cell phone on the nightstand.
Bingo.
I picked up the burner and scrolled through the numbers, finding the one I wanted. He answered on the first ring.
“It’s Mia. I need your help.”
“I don’t want to go to Louisiana,” Silas complained as he buckled himself into the back seat of Darcy’s Range Rover. Captain was nestled between him and Lily, who sat behind the driver’s seat. Cam was riding shotgun.
“It’ll be fun.” I forced a smile. “You get to be outside and sleep on a bunk bed. I bet if you ask nicely, Cam will let you have the top bunk.”
“But then how will Captain get up there?” Silas inquired.
“You’re a smart kid.” I grinned. “Maybe the bottom bunk is better.”
“Why aren’t you coming?”
“Because I have to run some errands,” I lied. “Trust me. You won’t even notice I’m gone.”
“Why isn’t Colt coming?” His voice sounded panicky and not at all like normal kid panicky.
“Hey,” I said softly. “Look at me.”
He reluctantly turned his gaze to mine.
“When you get back from your fun trip, do you want to pick out a paint color for your room?”
“Really?”
I nodded. “Yeah. We’ll paint it whatever color you want. I promise.” I bent down and hugged him. “You’re stuck with us, kid. Don’t think of leaving us.”
He let out a nervous laugh, but I could tell it was laced with fear.
I pulled back, scratched Captain behind his ears, and then shut the car door. I went to help Darcy who was still loading the back of the Range Rover with sleeping bags, food, and clothes.
“Thanks for looking out for him,” I said.
“No problem.” She peered at me. “You sure you know what you’re doing?”
“No.”
She smiled slightly. “The boys are gonna be pissed when they find out you didn’t get in my car.”
“They will thank me when all this is over and our boys are out in the world again.”
“Promise me you’ll tell me everything that goes down?”
“I’m not supposed to talk club business,” I said with a wide smile.
“So you’ll tell me and the girls at our next girls’ night?”
I hugged her. “Can’t wait.”
“Be safe.” She embraced me back hard and then let go. “And if you can, keep my husband out of trouble.”
I held my tongue, not divulging that I had plans to use her husband and his skills. I knew what I had in mind would work, but I didn’t know if I’d be able to convince Gray and Torque to help me.
I went to Joni and Rachel to say my farewells. Allison was already gone, having said goodbye to Torque earlier. She’d taken her younger sister and gotten out of Waco fast. Joni looked pale and shaken up, despite Rachel attempting to crack jokes. Even she looked worried.
“It’ll be okay,” I told Joni, my voice soft.