No woman would ever bend me to her will.
Especially not Aspen.
She wasn’t my weakness anymore. Just because I thought of her often, they weren’t happy memories. I’d be a pussy if I let that shit go so easily.
Nope, not happening.
Storm hit the mallet to quiet everyone. Spirits were high this morning as we devoured caramel rolls and breakfast pizzas. After weeks of limiting my diet in preparation for the New Year’s Day event, I savored each bite of the high-carb foods.
“Ciro will be calling soon.” Prez cut his eyes to me, then to Wolf. “All packed if you need to take off right away?”
Wolf and I grunted.
“Good. Since I have no doubt Campbell will enter our territory, I want him taken alive if one of you catches him. Boxer will take care of him in the dungeon.”
I issued Storm a short nod. Fuck yeah, I would. My switchblade Ricky and I would love to slice that motherfucker open from his dick to his neck. It wasn’t about retribution for me, not really. He hadn’t done me wrong, or so I told myself. I just needed to let my brutality out on the prick after hurtinga womanthe way he had. I couldn’t let that shit go.
Aspen’s face flashed behind my eyes. I shook it away quickly.
“Grizz, you’re up,” Storm told him.
The flatscreen on the wall came to life. An image of a man appeared, dressed in an expensive suit.
Storm cleared his throat. “That dashing, smug dude is Casso Campbell. Drug kingpin of the Pacific Northwest.”
I stared, rolling my hands into fists under the table. Fuck, he looked like a celebrity. Probably had his own stylist to keep him looking like a million bucks.
Aspen’s ex-boyfriend. This was the man who got to fuck my woman. Kiss her, touch her. He put his baby in her.
I growled, seething with rage, remembering the bruises on her throat, the bite mark on her shoulder, and scars on her wrists. I heaved in air, on the verge of losing my shit.
“Stay cool, brother,” Lynx hissed. “We’ll make the fucker pay.”
Storm’s cell phone rang. He put it on speaker. “What do you got?”
“Good morning to you too, Storm,” Ciro laughed.
I didn’t like him.
Prez grunted, clearly unamused. He was in my camp. Dealing with the Remottis wasn’t something any of us wanted. Now our hand was forced.
Ciro sighed. “Okay, I’ll get on with it. My people have confirmed he took Tony to Texas. He has six other men with him. They’ve been searching the area for Aspen.”
I blew out a relieved breath. Only eight goons to worry about.
“Why so few?” Storm asked.
“I imagine he wants to ensure she doesn’t get hurt. He knows Tony betrayed him by helping her escape. I assume he’ll keep his circle even smaller after this betrayal.”
Storm cracked a smile. “Huh, that works to our benefit.”
“It certainly does,” Ciro agreed. “However, there is another new development. An announcement went up on the dark web and is making its way through the criminal underworld in major cities like a rampant virus.”
Shit. I held my breath, knowing this couldn’t be good.
“He’s offered an obscene reward,” Ciro continued, “in exchange for Aspen or her whereabouts. Her face is everywhere.”
“Fuck,” I hissed.