Page 134 of Knox Unleashed
I shake my head and leave them to it, because those two are weirdly effective.
“Who’s in charge?” I ask one of the survivors that’s being dragged in by Saint.
He points to one of the men lined up against the wall, hands tied behind his back.
I march over to the guy. “You got Alvarez’s number?”
The guy is bleeding from a huge gash on his forehead. “Fuck you.”
Given I’m so not in the mood tonight, I pull my gun out and put it to his temple. “It’s no skin off my nose whether you endtonight in here with the living or out there with the dead. Your call.”
“My phone,” he shouts. “My fucking phone, alright. It’s in the back pocket of my jeans.”
I roll him over and grab it. It takes a moment of logistics to open it using his face ID and find Alvarez’s number, but I grin once it’s ringing.
“Eduardo, what the fuck is going on down there?”
“What’s going on down here is me showing you what happens when you walk into my town, hurt one of my brothers, and try to threaten my club. You caught me off guard, once. I caught you off guard, tonight. Now, we’re fucking even.”
“We’re even when I say we’re even,” Alvarez says. There’s controlled rage in his tone, and I smile.
“You wanna walk that path, we’ll walk it. But remember this. I’m the longest serving president of one of the oldest and largest motorcycle clubs in this country. We’ve outlasted every organization like yours. There is no force you can bring that we can’t defeat. You hurt us, we will hurt you harder. You kill us, more will follow to kill everyone you hold dear. I consider us even. You should too.”
I toss the phone back to the man Alvarez referred to as Eduardo.
“Everything okay?” North says, putting his hand on my shoulder.
“Yeah. Let’s secure everyone still breathing. Let’s get everything out of here.”
Between all of us, we get the weapons out of the warehouse, and I can’t believe the size of the haul. There are going to be some happy clubs if we can safely get everyone out of state without being targeted by the cops.
Havoc jogs up beside me.
“You fall over on the ride back, I’m leaving you,” I say.
He claps my shoulder. “I’ll shoot out your back wheel, if you do.”
When everything is loaded up, engines roar, the sound rising into something thunderous. We peel out in a tight formation, the vans tucked in the middle.
There’s no immediate pursuit, but it’s only when the swamp opens up around us that I let myself breathe.
42
MAREN
I’m halfway through checking off the midmorning delivery sheet when I hear the low rumble of motorcycles approaching. And I find myself smiling, because I’m starting to associate the sound with the man I love. I had a false start this morning when I heard bikes, but it was Niro and Cat wanting an airboat ride. At first I was disappointed, but I took them out myself, and I’ve never seen a human being enjoy an airboat ride as Niro did.
Honestly, it was like seeing airboats through new eyes. The guy had a million questions, most of which I could answer.
I let myself finish the line I’m on, even though my focus is gone, knowing I’m about to see Knox.
Then, I hurry out of the storeroom, along the cafe outdoor area, to the side of the building, just in time to see five bikes roll in with Knox at the head, with what looks like over thirty bikes and two vans waiting on the road.
“Well, if it isn’t my favorite customer,” I say when the engines stop.
Sunny grins. “Awe, thanks, Maren.”
Knox scowls at him as he swings a leg over his bike, drops his bandana from over his mouth, and strides over to me to cups my cheeks and kiss me like he hasn’t seen me for a year.
