We finally agree to tail the Wind Dragons, with Rhett’s permission, and head to their stomping ground to see what we can find. Diesel and I head there for a day trip, but we are aware we might have to stay longer. Cara said she will go to Natalie’s apartment and stay there with her while I’m gone. We each take our own car so we can separate and follow individual suspects. I told Rhett to give everyone a day off today, just so we can see where they go in their own spare time. It’s a risky game, and we might come up empty, but I want to know where this could lead us.
I’m almost there when Rhett calls. “Yeah?”
“Just heard something that might be of use,” he murmurs, referring to the cars that he bugged. “Zeke got a call from someone, and he told them he would see them soon at the spot. This just happened, so if you manage to follow his car, it might lead us there.”
“I’m on it.”
I see the car leaving just as I arrive at the clubhouse and follow behind Zeke’s black Honda. Rhett is back at the clubhouse with Con, so if something goes down, it’s going to be us who has to handle it, and he gave us blanket permission to take down anyone caught with Marko, even his own members. I have no idea how this is going to play out.
I stay a few cars behind but keep following him for about fifteen minutes until we reach our destination. I then realize where “the spot” is, and spoiler, but it isn’t Marko’s hidden hideout.
It’s a fried chicken place.
Where he meets Sledge, and the two of them order a giant bucket of chicken and sit there and eat like a bunch of Neanderthals.
Great mission. I now know Sledge prefers wings to drumsticks.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Natalie
I am a terrible fucking person and I know it.
“Are you sure you want to do this? Atlas is going to be fucking pissed,” Rhett says, scanning my eyes. “You know that, right? And he’s going to be angry at all of us, not just you. He just lost his twin and his stepbrother. He’s barely fucking holding on. Imagine what would happen if he lost you, too.”
“I know,” I admit, wincing. “But what else can we do here? We need Marko caught, now. We can’t keep living like this. We can’t lose anyone else. We’re sitting ducks right now. Do you want to bring a baby into this world where you have to worry about it getting shot?” Low blow, but it does the trick and shuts Rhett up.
With Atlas away to try to work out who the mole in the Wind Dragons is, I called Rhett and told him my plan. He brought Con to his mother’s house and came down to try to talk me and Cara out of this. That was a losing battle. I decided to offer up myself and go with my original plan. Yes, Atlas’s going to be furious, and feel betrayed, but we will catch Marko this way, I know it.
And then everyone I love can be safe and we can live our lives normally.
First, we decide to use whoever the mole is to work for us, by telling Zeke, Sledge and Bear that Cara and I are going on a little girls’ trip together, and that everyone was worried about it because of the Marko thing. We got them all to play their part, and make it realistic. Rhett confided in his three men about this, and we are hoping that one will take that information back to Marko.
In fact, we are counting on it.
Now, this might not work, but I’m hopeful.
Cara and I are both wearing necklaces with tracking devices in them, just in case something goes wrong, but the plan is for Marko to come to our spot, which is going to be a secluded Airbnb about thirty minutes south of where Cara and I live. Then the Knights are going to grab him while he comes for us. There’s another scenario where we let Marko kidnap us back to his hideout, and then they track us and come there. We are all playing it by ear, and we don’t know how it’s going to go, but just that it needs to go.
Atlas doesn’t know a thing—he’s busy two hours away, and I feel bad I have to do this, but I know he would have fought against it no matter what.
And I love him for it, I really do, but I want to do this.
I just need to make sure that all goes okay so I can say “See, I told you so” at the end, instead of “I’m sorry I’m dead” from beyond the grave.
I’m gambling with my life, and I’m glad Atlas isn’t here to witness it.
“Yeah, we’ll have Marko, but then Atlas is going to kill us anyway,” Rhett says, making a sound of frustration. “And Cara? Did she tell Decker?”
I shake my head. “No, Decker is at work and has no idea.”
“I think you guys are playing a very dangerous game here.”
“I have full faith that you will come for us,” I say, nodding. Cara arrives at my house, dressed unassumingly in a sundress, with a wide hat and sandals.
“I’m ready for our little holiday,” she says, forcing a smile. “By the way, Clover tried to join us, but I told her she needs to stay with Fire. She was not happy.”
“No one is happy,” Rhett replies, rubbing the back of his neck. “Thank fuck Con is pregnant and can’t try any of this bullshit.”