“Yeah.” Weston takes a seat on one of the couches in the main room.
Since the large space is filled with only brothers, there’s no need to head into church. Besides, with the handful of bikers from the other chapter, church would be overly crowded.
“Colt claimed the sister of another MC’s president and that’s how shit got started. The DEA had the Deranged Hounds MC under a microscope and when I sold them property–which was part of the deal we made with them to get Deranged Hounds to back off and leave Colt’s old lady alone–for one fucking dollar, it triggered the DEA to set their eyes on us. Even more when one of those Deranged Hounds fuckers went AWOL on a suicide mission in an effort to get to Colt’s old lady. I interfered in time but took three bullets and had to have surgery.”
“Ah, hospitals report gunshot wounds, and you selling them property, it’s a direct link. But from what Weston said, this issue you guys have now is the same fucker who wanted to plant evidence with us? And he’s now trying to do the same with you?” Ash asks.
“Matt Carlinck,” Decker says and hands Figor a file which he quickly glances over.
“Same asshole,” Figor grunts and hands the file to Ash. “The woman he used with us was a fucking rookie. I could smell her fear from miles away. All it took was one harsh look and my fingers wrapped around her throat before she started to rattle how he blackmailed her into planting evidence. She didn’t get a chance, though. We let her go but the next day the DEA was all over our club grounds and hauling me off to prison for murder. Even if we had solid proof the woman left healthy and alive and none of us left the clubhouse that night, it took weeks for them to release me. And if you ask me? I think the fucker killed that woman himself in an effort to pin that shit on me.”
“It earned him a bonus of some sorts. And now he’s looking for the same thing…higher up the food chain and he’s using Alfie’s old lady to do it,” Roper quips.
“We should have killed him but it was a club decision to leave it alone,” Ash grumbles.
Figor gives him a hard stare before locking eyes with Weston. “At the time we couldn’t use the heat. Shit was fucked up with me thrown in jail and them thinking we had some sort of dog breeding factory for dog fights or some illegal shit. All accusations were dropped and if we did kill that fucker we would have risked everything.”
“Yeah, and with Matt getting a bonus, he got what he wanted and left you guys alone,” Decker sighs.
“Exactly. And we have enough shit to deal with.” There’s a sly smile spreading his face. “Though, now we have everything rolling smoothly and some time to kill. I guess we can use it to visit a mutual acquaintance for old time’s sake.”
Weston leans forward. “I don’t want a slaughterfest on our grounds.”
“I have something else in mind.” Figor swings his head my way. “Your old lady, she’s the one working with Matt, right? Her partner?”
I’m not liking the sound of this, and yet I don’t have another option but to nod.
“She up for helping us or are you keeping her locked away?” Figor questions.
A surge of pride hits me. “She’s willing to help.”
“Good.” Figor grins. “Because I believe she’s the key. We’ll do everything by the book and this time…it will be Matt who’s going to be swimming with the fishes while everyone thinks he simply ran off to escape prison time. Because for sure as fuck are we going to expose the fucker and send him running from the law. And then we’ll take care of the fucker.”
I have to admit, “I sure am liking the sound of that.”
Figor grabs my shoulder and gives it a rough squeeze. Fucking hell why does it have to be my recently injured one?
“Then let’s get to it,” Figor grunts and drops his hand.
I sigh in relief when the sting in my shoulder fades and hopefully it’s the start where every shitty thing our lives are wrapped in will start to fade from here on out. Because I need the future clear and wide fucking open to enjoy the hell out of it now that I found the right people to embrace life with.
CHAPTER EIGHT
– GRETA –
“Do you want to go over it one more time?” Decker questions and the man sitting beside him is staring at me too.
I swallow hard and give the both of them a confident smile. “No, it’s all clear.”
“Sorry we can’t be in the room with you,” Nick, the FBI agent sitting next to Decker, says.
Decker snorts. “Me and Alfie will be in the bathroom and through the crack of the door we’ll be able to see and hear everything. We’re right there if things go to shit.”
“I would be more at ease if we could do this the official way,” Nick grumbles.
“You owe me,” Decker simply says.
Nick shakes his head. “As a former agent you did a favor for the FBI, a protection job and you end up marrying the woman, Decker. I’d say you owe us. But it’s all good, we’re happy to take out a rotten person in a crucial position. I still can’t believe a DEA agent thinks it’s okay to plant evidence. Fucking hell.”
“That’s the reason we’re here, to take out the trash so everything can go back to normal. Funny, though. The DEA sticking their nose into our business to check if we’re into some shady shit. Yet we’re the one to wrap up the bad seed within the DEA.”
“Don’t remind me,” Nick grumbles and rubs a hand over his face before he shifts his attention back to me. “All we need is his admittance to you planting evidence he’s supplying. As soon as those words leave his mouth we’re pulling you out. Understood?”
“Understood.” I glance down at my chest where underneath my shirt the tiny high-tech equipment is hidden.
They’re going to be listening in on every word voiced and any sigh expelled. Dammit. My palms are damp and my nerves are shot. I seriously wish I could fast forward this day and know all will be well.
What I wouldn’t give to have this shit behind me so I can go riding with Alfie and Joaquin. Either on the back of either of their bikes or take the three horses out for a long ride. Alfie has three horses and though I adore all three, my favorite is the brown quarter horse which is the youngest of the bunch.
He’s dynamite in a muscled package and he keeps me working every second I’m on his back. It’s no wonder Alfie named him Dev, it’s short for Devil. But he’s such a joy to ride and sweet as sugar when I’m grooming him.
But right now, my mind doesn’t need to dwell on all the joys my life has been wrapped with these days. It needs to be sharp and ready because the details I’ve been told about my partner gives me the creeps. Those bikers from the other chapter think Matt killed the other woman he tried to force into planting evidence.
I’m not in the mood for dying. Even more when I feel life has just started. But I’m ready to face him. I’ve been trained to do this. I might be quitting after this is handled, but I’m not weak; I can, and will do this.
“Okay, we’re going to leave but we’re right outside in the white van,” Decker says.
Nick leans on the table. “Don’t hesitate. He might be your partner but if he’s dirty he’s just another criminal who needs to be behind bars. Understood?”