“All right. Dodge is in as mytempSAA.” I hit the gavel on the table. “Next on the agenda. I’m meeting with Hero later today to discuss Rudy Dutra’s mom and sister and let him know we have them in the cabin.”
The table banged their fists, sounding like a bunch of apes. They wanted blood. We’d have it, too, without getting our hands dirty.
“I sure hope that asshole cares enough about them to end his own life,” Track poured himself more coffee. “Miguel is chomping at the bit to get him back in Cali. Said Dutra won’t last an hour before he’s taken out. They’re pretty fucking ruthless out there in the Sunshine State.”
“No kidding, brother. If Dutra doesn’t come through, we’re screwed.” I’d sent Track, Boxer, Wolf, and two prospects to capture the women yesterday. It probably was overkill sending so many men, but I didn’t want to take any chances. Our plan had to work, or Hero might take matters into his own hands and kill Dutra on his own. He was hellbent on getting retribution.
Spending life in prison didn’t scare Hero. I’d hoped Tara might’ve kept him levelheaded, but Hero had a one-track mind that leeched off self sabotage.
“I’d lose my mind if someone took my sister. I’d do anything to save her.” Boxer chugged his protein shake. “Those pictures we took made me sick.”
Grunts sounded around the table. We’d all do whatever it took to protect our loved ones.
My brothers hadn’t harmed the women. To get them to the cabin without their knowledge, they drugged them. Then gagged and tied them to chairs to get the pictures we needed. Afterward, the ladies were unbound and locked in a room. We had a couple of brothers guarding them around the clock, feeding them on a regular schedule. They were pretty much babysitters.
We didn’t hold people at the cabin just for the helluvit. The dungeon in the basement was for torturing and ending the life of the scum of the earth. No captive left the shack alive. I didn’t feel I had a choice but to keep the women there. I couldn’t put them in the quiet room here in the clubhouse. Angel and the other women might’ve found out we had them. In these extenuating circumstances, I needed to be flexible. Not something I was very good at.
Using family wasn’t beneath the Knight’s Legion MC. I just hoped to fuck Dutra gave a shit about saving his only living relatives. Otherwise, we’d have one giant clusterfuck of a mess to clean up.
I cleared my throat to get my brothers’ attention. “Here’s how this will play out—”
5
Hero
RUDY DUTRA WATCHED me from across the yard,a tall wire fence between him and the rest of us.It was the first time he laid eyes on me in prison. I stared at him, letting him know I was coming for him. The Knights were well known in the Upper Midwest. People stayed out of our way because of the club’s reputation. It was no secret I was the Sergeant at Arms. The Prez’s and club’sprotector.
It was also known that guys like my brothers and me were ruthless, deadly outlaws. We didn’t sit back and take shit from anyone. Mess with our club and us? You had a death wish.
After a week, word had spread inside. Nobody fucked with me if they ever wanted to see the light of day again.
I tore my gaze off the prick when I noticed Ryder exiting the building with his hands rolled into fists, carrying himself confidently. The dude had a deadly expression he sported when not locked in the cell. Inmates stepped out of his way. I liked that—a lot. The more I got to know the kid, the more I considered offering to sponsor him as a prospect for the club.Ifhe wanted to prospect. Hell, he already had the perfect road name, Ryder. With a name like Ryder Reynolds, the kid was born to be a biker.
It didn’t sound like he had anything on the outside waiting for him. I’d yet to question him thoroughly about his situation and family, but I would, once Rudy Dutra was dead and buried.
“Hey, man.” Ryder dropped onto the bench beside me. “I heard you have a visitor.”
I cut my eyes to his.
“Monday is your visiting day, right?” Ryder kept his voice low. Like he instinctively knew to be discrete. Fucking amazing. Made to be one of us.
I grunted. Storm told me last week he’d come at the end of the day. So my plan to send the enforcer to hell had been delayed until this week. It ticked me off, but I couldn’t do a damn thing about it. I had no choice but to follow Prez’s orders.
Strange that Storm was here. It wasn’t even noon yet. I didn’t want to overreact, but instantly, my mind went to Roja. Unpleasant thoughts of her in danger or wounded pummeled me.
“While mopping, I saw a redhead signing in.” He clasped his hands in front of him, bracing his elbows on his knees. “She requested to see you.”
She? My stomach churned as I clamped down my molars. “You sure it was for me?”
He nodded, scanning the yard. “You’re the only Hero Fuentes in the joint. She’s pretty hot. Is she your girl?”
A low growl rumbled in my chest as a warning for the kid to be careful.
Ryder raised his hands. “Sorry. Just asking.”
“Did anyone else see her?” It was stupid of Tara to come here. Winters might be in Knight’s Legion territory, but the pigs in this place were corrupt. A perfect example was Deputy Miller and his partner Sonny who’d planted that shit on me. But Miller would get his. Storm would make sure of it. After the way he treated Madeline when the Hunter’s had her, revenge would be sweet.
“No.”