Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 80902 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80902 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
“No reason?” Phoenix takes a couple steps closer to get General’s attention. “You fuckers decided you wanted to redraw the borders and left me for fucking dead. You think we're just gonna take that sitting down?”
The straw-haired guy smirks. “Looking pretty good for a dead guy. They’re fucking lying.”
“Phoenix,” Eagle-eye warns, stopping him in his tracks before he does something stupid.
King, our VP, steps forward. “You accusing my old lady of lying, too? Because she helped fix him up when we got him home.”
Shadow, who was right there with us at the bar, nods. “And me? I heard the phone call come in when you assholes took credit for the attack and warned us off.”
Eagle-eye holds up a hand for silence. “Think, General. What the fuck would we have to gain from taking pot shots at your boys?”
The big officer at General’s side shrugs. “You’ve been shifting your operations around for the past few years, less anarchy, more business. Don’t think we haven’t noticed. So far you haven’t encroached on our trade, but maybe that’s changing.”
General nods. “Hellfire's got a point. Are we being made obsolete?”
Well, at least we've got a name for him now.
Eagle-eye shakes his head. “We’re not hurting for cash. I’ve got no fucking interest in weapons and even less in the mercenary shit you get up to.”
“If nobody has a reason to fight, why bring my daughter into it?” Shelby asks, her voice rich with pain. “She’s just a little kid.”
“Who the fuck brought that bitch to the party?” Straw-hair spits on the ground next to his bike. “The grownups are having a fucking conversation.”
I put my arm on her shoulder in support, while Sledge steps in behind her. Phoenix is very obviously resting his hand on the grip of his gun.
Annoyance flickers across General’s face. “What are you talking about?”
“This is fucked up,” I say, too quiet for the Sons to hear. “I feel like someone’s playing a game and we’re the pieces.”
“Are you losing control of your boys, old man?” Eagle-eye asks with a half-smile that belies the deadly tone of his voice. “Yesterday, someone plucked this woman’s girl right out of her daycare and left her in a diner for us to find, with a note questioning our ability to protect our own.”
“The fuck?” Hellfire looks disgusted. “You really think we'd kidnap a fucking kid to make a point?”
General nods. “We play by the rules, Eagle-eye, you should know that. Our rules anyway. Come at me and I put a hole in your ugly head, but I’m not going target your fucking families.”
“You’re actually listening to them?” straw-hair snarls. “It's all a—”
“Shut the ever-loving fuck up, Badger.” General cuts him off with a glare. Officer or not, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of fucking love lost there.
I grin at Badger, which only makes him look even more sour.
General fixes on Eagle-eye. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I’ll back off and check my side if you promise to do the same. I find out that any of my boys are stirring up trouble, I'll toss ‘em over your fence with my own damn hands. I expect you to do the same.”
Nobody on their side looks happy, but most are nodding. Living outside the law doesn’t mean we don’t have rules. If anything, the ones we have are enforced quickly and brutally, so knowing what is and isn’t acceptable is even more important in our world. Last time we found a traitor in our midst, let’s just say the trial of his peers was fast and absolute.
Eagle-eye nods. “It sounds like maybe we both need to have some talks with our boys, doesn't it? And then you and me? We can discuss again, without the fucking circus.”
“Do we believe them?” Shelby watches them go until the last bike rides out of sight. “Are Mia and I safe?”
I shake my head. “I wish I could say yes but that was at best a first step. Until we know who was behind what happened yesterday and what they want, you need to stay here.”
She frowns, but this isn’t something she’ll fight us on. The risks are too high. “I’m going to go check on her.”
“Sure, we’ll catch up in a moment.” Phoenix looks pissed, and I wanna know what about. As soon as she’s out of earshot, I turn to him. “What’s wrong?”
“That asshole that kept trying to stir things up? Badger? I know that fucker. I don’t know how the hell he slithered his way into being an officer with the Sons, but he was in the Pit Vipers back in the day and I didn’t like him any better back then. Combine that with Grinder living down the street from Shelby and I don’t believe for a fucking second that they aren’t connected. Fuck if I know how, though.”