“We didn’t do any damage. We were looking for someone.” What was his game? I’d asked myself this question several times the last few days.
“You know how it works, Storm. You ask for permission.”
“As if you would’ve given it,” I hissed, on the verge of exploding.
“I guess we’ll never know now. You broke protocol. This war is your fault.”
Yeah, we’d broken fuckin’ protocol. I couldn’t explain why I had a weird gnawing in my gut. Something felt off. Jordy was into all kinds of illegal shit. Going to war with us would waste his time and resources. He had to want something. Why the fuck wasn’t he spitting it out?
“What do you want, Jordy? I have your daughter, your only child. Don’t you care?”
“Jesus, Storm. You think too highly of me. Would you let your daughter work in a strip club where she fucked the customers if you cared about her? Irisah is a waste of air. Her mother was a club whore. Had she been a boy, I’d feel differently.”
Fuckin’ hell.I seethed at his words as I reached for my glass of whiskey and tossed it back. This motherfucker had no soul the way he treated people. He was a selfish, greedy scumbag. We needed to take him and his whole fuckin’ club out, but we couldn’t just go in and bomb where they slept in a city full of gangs. Utter chaos would break out. The Vipers were the law, and strangely, they’d maintained a level of peace and cooperation among everyone.
Jordy cleared his throat. “Don’t think you can have my daughter for free. Make her a club whore. She’s good at it. But I want one hundred Gs for her.”
Christ, I wanted to blow his fuckin’ head off his neck. “No deal. I’ll set her free.”
“Whatever.”
“What’s your game, Jordy?”
“Finally, a question I care about. You’re in with the Mafia up in Canada. If you want my club to back off your little small town, set up a meeting with Morrison and Remotti. I want to run the guns.”
Hero shook his head and was out of his chair. He knew the business inside and out with Stephen and Ciro. It didn’t appear they would welcome dealing with Jordy’s crew. I didn’t give a fuck. I wanted out of the illegal gun business. Our contract was almost up, so I’d happily pass it over to the Vipers, but I didn’t think it would be easy.
I scratched my chin, watching Hero pace. “And if they don’t want to sit down with you?” Stephen probably would. He was a little fish in a big lake dominated by the Remottis. He’d meet with anyone who might better his business.
“Convince them it’s in their best interest. Put in a good word for me.”
“Fuck no. I won’t ever put my stamp of approval on you, motherfucker. I can ask for a meeting, but that’s all I’ll do.” I couldn’t believe this guy. Recommend him to the Mafia? If it all went to shit, Ciro would wipe every Knight and our families off the planet. Nope, not happening.
Jordy made atsk tsksound. “Arrange the meeting. I’ll be ready to make them an offer they can’t refuse. I look forward to your call.”
“Wait,” I barked.
“What?”
“What about your daughter?”
“Use her, kill her. I don’t really give a fuck what you do with her.” The line went dead.
“Jesus Christ.” Boxer reclined in his chair. “What in the hell are we gonna do?”
“Ciro does not like to have his hand forced. He does his own research on people. If he wanted to work with the Vipers, he would.” Hero scrubbed his hands down his face. “What kind of offer can Jordy make that Ciro can’t refuse?”
I shook my head and poured another fuckin’ drink. “No idea. What am I to do with the woman?”
“Have you talked to her?” Boxer asked. “Maybe she hates her old man and can give us intel on him.”
“Good point.” I hadn’t been in to see Irisah since we put her in the quiet room. Copper had been guarding her. “I’ll go talk to her.” I swallowed my drink. “Patch said Ire could go up to his room. He needs to rest but can do whatever he feels up to. I want you to deal with him from now on.”
“Happy to.” Boxer shifted in his chair. “What about Ava? Before her attack, he wasn’t Mr. Nice Guy. He played rough with the kittens. If he doesn’t remember how that night had changed him, he could be mean to her.”
Hero cut in. “We can’t let him fuck up with her. She’s in a vulnerable position just being around him.”
“Yeah, well, she’s stubborn as hell,” I told them. “You won’t be able to keep her away unless we lock her up with Irisah. Even then, the old ladies would be up our asses about it.”