When I heard her stomach growl, I gave in and dropped the subject of her father for the time being. I would get it out of her eventually. If her father really was out of our lives, then there was no rush.
***
It was late when Uncle Jack came back from checking out Boomer’s apartment. I was sitting on one of the couches in the main room with Rory, Flick, Gracie, and Hawk when he walked through the door. As soon as he entered the clubhouse, every brother in the room went silent. The old man’s gaze found mine, and he gave a nod in the direction of Bash’s office.
I kissed Rory quick and hard before getting to my feet. Hawk followed me as I climbed the stairs two at a time to get to my cousin’s office. I walked in as Raven was leaving, but as soon as the door closed behind her, Uncle Jack was talking.
“It had to have been him,” he said to Bash, who was already seated behind his desk. “The place was littered with paraphernalia that could be used to build a bomb. That bastard could have a few with him for all I know.”
My skin began to crawl with the need to slaughter Boomer. He had been a prospect, but he’d still been like a brother to me. I had trusted him—my fucking brother had trusted him, goddammit!
“Any leads on where he might be heading?” Hawk asked.
“One or two. No fucking way he would go back to the Texas charter. Even if Snake is a piece of shit, he wouldn’t welcome Boomer back after he blew up another brother.” Uncle Jack popped his neck left and right, as if gearing up for a fight. “I have my narcs keeping their eyes open. A few are sticking close to Santino’s compound as well.”
“Santino isn’t the one we gotta worry about,” Hawk grumbled. “It’s Enzo Fontana. We gutted his brother looking for Jr. back in New York. He’s the one who wants our heads.”
I didn’t give a fuck who was behind the bombing. I just wanted to make someone bleed, wanted to hear their screams as I flayed their skin back from their muscles and poured salt into their wounds.
There was a double tap on the door. Bash called for the person to come in, and Trigger walked into the room. My tension skyrocketed. “What is it?” I demanded.
“It took a half-dozen calls, but I finally got some answers on the prospect. He was helping the cartel get drugs across the border down in Texas and skimming a little of the profits and the products off the top for himself. The Colombians put a hit on him, so he decided to come this way.”
“No fucking wonder he’s under Santino’s thumb. They own his ass now,” Bash gritted out. “Santino has just as big a hard-on for those bitches as he does for Vitucci. He’s just pissed because he doesn’t have the manpower or the balls to play with the big boys, let alone the men.”
I crossed to my cousin’s desk and slammed my fists down on top of it. “I want Boomer. I don’t give a fuck about Enzo or Santino or the goddamn Colombians. I get that motherfucker. He’s why Warden and my brother are dead.”
Bash’s eyes flicked with electricity, but he gave me a grim nod. “He’s yours. But you do nothing until after the memorial tomorrow. We take the day to respect the dead, and then and only then can you take him out.”
I gave him a nod in appreciation.
“I want Jet and Hawk with you when you go looking for him.”
“Not me,” Hawk spoke up. “Gracie has been too sick lately. I’m not leaving her.”
“Then me,” Bash said without a pause. “Me and Jet.”
“I don’t care who comes, as long as you stay the fuck out of my way when it comes time to put a bullet in his brain,” I told him point-blank.
“You have my word,” my cousin assured me.
After taking care of a few more things, we all left Bash’s office. Rory was still sitting where I had left her half an hour before. Raider had taken my place beside her, with Quinn on his lap, leaving no room for me. Rory stood up when I crossed the room to her.
“Everything okay?” she asked in a quiet voice that only I could hear.
I gave her a stiff nod. “I’m good.”
“Holy shit!” Raven yelled out and came running out of the kitchen.
All eyes were on her as she grabbed the remote and turned on the huge flat screen moun
ted on the wall. “You guys aren’t going to fucking believe this,” she said to the room at large, but her eyes went to Rory after she found the right channel.
It was the local news, and one of the three news anchors was standing outside of the mayor’s office building. “…no news as to what’s behind the sudden resignation of Mayor Michaels…” My gaze shot to Rory, but she kept her eyes locked on the television. “…but sources speculate that he will be putting in his bid to run for governor at the end of the year. A special election will be held next month to fill the position, and we already have confirmation of two of the candidates. District Attorney Royce Campbell will be stepping down so he can put in his bid for the seat, and the other is our very own Jacob Jenkins.”
“Yes!” Gracie squealed. “I knew he would do it.”
“You knew about this?” Hawk asked.