“Shut up,” Grudge barks.
“What’s the plan here? Why take me and not just the baby?”
“All in good time,” Grudge says then looks back to Ruthie.
“Go ahead. Make the call. I’m ready to finish this and leave this hell hole.”
“You’re the bait to get James here.” He flicks the tip of my nose and pulls his cell phone out. “Got something that belongs to you. Yeah. You know the place. Come alone. No fire.”
Chapter Thirty-six
Fuckin’ knew that old bastard was dirty. “He’s at the cabin. He’s expecting me alone.”
“No way, Prez.” Hound shakes his head.
“You remember the place. You’ll need to park at the bottom and go up the backside of the mountain. I’ll ride up alone. Gotta play this shit smart and safe.”
He gives me a chin lift. I dial East to update him on the situation. “How is she? Grudge called and asked to meet.” I relay the details of the phone call. Wylla Mae is shaken but trying to stay strong. East wants to meet to ride with us, but there’s not enough time, and I’m not waiting. “I want this done. Let’s roll.”
We put our knees to the breeze. Each mile of pavement bringing me closer to Alexa. Closer to finishing this business with Ruthie once and for all. Letting her go was a mistake. Trusting Grudge to do his God damn job was an error that I’ll never repeat. He’s going to ground, but I’ll give the honor to East. I got a score to settle with my cunt of an ex-wife.
I signal for Hound to go up the other side. Not taking any damn chances. I go through the creek and up the dirt path Grudge’s old man called a driveway. At the top of the path I pull up next to Wylla Mae’s jeep. Stole her kid and her car. Scummy son of a bitch. I get one foot off my bike when a gunshot fires.
“That’s far enough,” Grudge yells from the porch. “You alone?”
“Just me and the fucking turd I got in my pocket. The fuck you think. You see anyone else?” Stupid fuck.
“Toss your weapon out.”
“Look, man, I did as you asked. I’m here. Alone. No weapon. Where’s my Old Lady and grandkid?”
“You can have Alexa if you do what I want.”
“What’s that?”
“Ruthie and me need money for our fresh start.”
“You’ve got to be shitting me.”
“Paid my dues to the club. I think I’ve earned a little kickback.”
“Only thing you’ve earned is a bullet in your skull.”
“No money. No bitch.”
“How much?”
“Three hundred.”
“Thousand?” I have to bite back my laughter. He knows the club doesn’t have that kind of cash laying around. All our shit is tied up in property and the guns we run.
“That’s right. For her, me, and the kid.”
Now he’s really starting to piss me off. “You and I both know you won’t leave this mountain alive.”
“I’m ready to go to hell if that’s what it takes for Ruthie to get what’s hers, but are you ready to send Alexa there with me?”
Fucking hell. Where’s Hound? I need to keep this fool talking. “Let me see her then we can talk money.”