Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 63542 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 318(@200wpm)___ 254(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63542 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 318(@200wpm)___ 254(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
“All right,” Mrs. Martinez says. ‘Who am I to turn down protection from a handsome man who clearly thinks my daughter is as special as I do?”
“She is pretty damn special.” And she didn’t deserve to get fucking shot.
After getting Ms. Martinez into her car, I jump on my bike and take off for a ride to clear my head before returning to the clubhouse.
My bike eats up the road while my mind churns at all the shit that’s gone down recently. Devon and Jordi are dead, and Havana murdered beside them. Willow taking a bullet to the back. And for what, a little bit of weed and some guns?
It’s un-fucking-necessary, and these fucking guys seem so willing to end a life over such insignificant shit. Sure, it’s how we make our money, and none of my brothers are opposed to kicking ass when necessary or taking a life when it needs to be done. But this? it’s something else altogether.
It's fucking bullshit, is what it is. End of story.
When my thoughts don’t calm down, don’t settle into something less than white-hot anger, I know it’s time to get back to the clubhouse.
Riding by myself any longer will either cause an accident or force me to do something stupid, something that might make it, so I’m not there when Willow finally opens those pretty blue eyes.
I ride past Club Dynasty just to see what the fuck is going on this time of day. The idea of a connection between Nogales and the cartel won’t let go. Even without proof, I’m pretty sure there’s some kind of connection, but that’ll have to wait.
“Oh, shit,” I say, and put on the brakes as I spot a familiar bike.
It's a little banged up, but the leather and chrome bike with red script across the fuel tank and fender that says Iron Kings 4 Life tells me I’m right.
“Call Ace,” I grunt into the speaker inside my helmet, a broad smile spreading across my face as I make the first available turn after the club.
“I thought you were waiting for Dix to call you back,” Ace growls into the phone.
“I was waiting, but then Lady Luck paid me a visit.”
“Explain.”
I suck in a quick breath and circle the area around Club Dynasty again. “Guess whose bike I’m staring at right fucking now?”
“Joaquin...” he says in a warning not to waste his time with bullshit.
I smile. “Nogales. That shitty red script is easy to spot, even from the road. Parked in the lot of Club Dynasty.”
I hear Ace suck in a breath, just as I knew he would. “Be careful,” he says. “We’re on our way.” His voice has a new sense of urgency as he ends the call.
As much as I want to go in there guns blazing and empty my clip in Nogales’ head, I don’t have a death wish. I circle the block and wait before circling it again.
It feels like a goddamn eternity passes before Ace arrives with Shades, Dix, Lucky, and Preacher. Coop pulls up beside me, and I grin at him. “Managed to pull yourself away from your family, huh?”
He laughs. “What can I say? I do love a good ass-kicking.”
“You and me both, brother.” Though, today, I’m not looking to put a hurt on anyone. I’m looking to put lead into some Iron Kings.
I point to the lot just as Nogales steps outside with sunglasses over his face, limping toward his bike while shit-talking with the last standing Iron Kings. He’s protected by all four men, two in front and two in back, like he’s the goddamn President.
Ace gives us the nod, and Coop and I pull out our pieces, aiming at the two assholes in front of Nogales. They both go down immediately, falling to their knees and sending Nogales scrambling back toward the Club Dynasty entrance.
Coop and I take off at a run, laying down fire in front of the other assholes so they can’t make it back inside.
“Get the door,” Nogales shouts, practically dragging his bad leg behind him.
Shades takes out one of them with a shot to the leg and then one to the head. Nogales trips over him, landing face-first on the blacktop and reaching for the only man still on his feet. I stop and aim, hitting him right in the back. For Willow, asshole. He’s not dead—yet—but he will be soon enough.
I’m closing the gap between me and Nogales, and he’s drawing closer and closer to the door, army-crawling and keeping his head down. I reach him before Ace does and step on his bad leg.
“Going somewhere, asshole?”
Nogales freezes and tries to flip over onto his back. “You enough of a pussy to shoot a man in his back?”
I laugh. “I don’t see a man. All I see is a piece of shit who gets off on hurting women.”