Chapter 23

Cole

Drag Creek, Kentucky

Rebel goes to shove me again and this time I am ready. I hit him with a punch to the gut and a knee to the groin. “Last man who stepped to me got stabbed,” I growl at him.

“You think you’re some sort of tough guy.” He attempts to deck me, but I avoid the contact. “She’s your cousin,” he grits out, slamming into my side.

“Not by blood, only on paper, old man.”

We go to the ground and no one breaks us apart. I faintly hear Grim shouting to let us work it out. Rebel lands a good punch to my eye, and I give as good as I get, breaking blood with a few knocks to his brow.

He’s already growing tired. His breathing is labored and he’s sweating as he attempts to choke me out.

Blood drips down his cheek and trickles on my chin as he wraps his hands around my neck. He gets in a squeeze or two when I buck him off using my knees before I kick the fuck out of him.

“You’re out of shape, old timer.” I grin at him, with blood running between my lips.

He snarls. “My girl ain’t no Goddamn piece of property to be owned.”

“Ask her,” I spit at him. My eye is fucking pulsing. Motherfucker hits like his fists are made of concrete. I’ll be damned if I let him know that though.

His dirty blond hair hangs in his eyes as he shoves some guy off who tried to help him to his feet.

“Walk it off, Reb. Leave me and the boy alone. We need to have words, need to discuss the Devils. It’s time to settle this once and for all.”

Everyone files out leaving me alone with the nasty old son of a bitch, my grandpa.

Once it is the two of us, he cracks a smile at me.

He whistles. “Damn, boy. Knew you’d grow up to be trouble, but shit. Yer momma gonna put a hurtin’ on ye. Now, tell me everything. I mean every-fucking-thing.”

He sticks his head out the door and barks an order for someone to bring ice for my eye and a bottle of Jack.

I take a seat in the first chair I notice. Grim leans against the wall, staring at me intently as I recount finding the diary. Something keeps me from telling him I gave it to my sister. I don’t know why.

Some clubwhore kicks at the door. Grim tells me to get it. She’s holding a tray with a towel full of ice for my eye along with a few glasses and a bottle of dark liquor.

“Sit it on the desk. Pour me a shot, and then see to his eye, darlin’,” Grim tells her.

The dark-haired chick with big doe eyes goes about her business. Once Grim has his drink, I take the towel with the ice in it, holding it to my face.

I tell him all about the guy at the motel, going to Off the Hinges, meeting Harper. I tell him all the jobs I did for her and Marek.

Next, I tell him about Rhyner and the part the Born Sinners are playing. He agrees that I had a good plan. I want to carry it out.

“Tell me what part Morgan has in all this,” he demands.

I stare at him mesmerized by his teardrop tattoos. Gypsy Red mentioned in the diary what they represent. Some appear faded, but the ones on his chest appear to be fresher.

“Did you really kill that many men?” I ask in wonder.

He grins, scratching his beard. “Don’t change the subject. Back to the girl.”

I sigh and reach for his bottle. He gives me a curious glance but doesn’t stop me from pouring a shot. Exhaustion sweeps over me. I am dead tired.

“Morgan is complicated. Honestly, I targeted her. Thought she appeared to be an easy mark, but then I talked to her and she sucked me in. I had to know her. I had to have her. I didn’t know who she was until today. I swear it.”

He grunts, about to say something when Rebel marches back in seeing red again. “They fuckin’ took her!” He roars slamming his fist down on the table.

“Who, what, where?” Grim questions.

“Morgan, they fucking took her, and it’s all this pissant’s fault.” He points to me.

“Whatta ya talking about? Who has Morgan?” I jump up from my seat, my body aching from the day’s events.

The dude known by the name Truth enters the room. “I got your message. Give me your phone, and I will pinpoint her location.”

Rebel tosses him his cell phone.

“The fucking Devils Rejects has my girl.”

“I’ll get her back,” I tell them as Truth exits.

“You’ll stay the fuck outta of it. Doesn’t concern you. He could be working for them right now, Grim. Blood or not, we can’t trust him.”

“You have a point, but he’s my grandson and your nephew. He says he loves the girl.”

Rebel turns his attention back on me.

“I do, love her ya know, and I can get her back. I know their locations. I can walk straight into their hideout, armed.”

“I don’t like this,” he tells Grim, ignoring me again.

“Tell me what you know,” Grim demands.

“I got a call, from Morgan. Said that Harper bitch grabbed her, but there was a guy named Danny, said he was going to help her. The line went dead before I could get any further information. Porter called it in too, said his guy couldn’t locate her.”

“Who’s Danny?” Rebel looks to me for an answer.

“Never heard of him,” I tell him.

“You’re lying.” Rebel comes at me again but the squeal of some lady stops him in his tracks.

“So, it’s true. He’s really here.” Her eyes land on me and tears begin to fall freely down her face.

“Not now Mom,” Rebel tells her.

“You have to be Foxie,” I tell her with a sheepish smile.

I know she’s my grandma, but then I remember the shit she pulled. The shit Gypsy Red wrote about her, and I can’t bring myself to give her the hug she so desperately craves.

“You can see him later. Right now, we have club business to handle. Get out, woman,” Grim orders her.

Her face falls and her bottom lip trembles. “I’m not going any-damn-where. My grandson has returned home. You can’t keep me away.” She crosses her arms over her chest and gives him the evil eye.

Rebel pulls her out into the hall.

“I’ll make you list of every name and draw you a map if I have to, but I’m not fucking working with them, I’ll kill every last one of them. Whatever it takes. I will bring her back,” I vow to him but more so to myself.

Rebel returns moments later, minus Foxie. While he paces the floor, Grim talks. “Chances are they don’t know she has made contact. And she said she had help. Cole, what about this Rhyner kid?”

“I’ll call him. He could get to her before we can. I trust him. He will protect her.”

Grim grunts and Rebel shakes his head.

Rhyner

Lexington, Kentucky

An unknown number pops up on my cell. “Lo,” I grumble out. I tailed Harper and Bridgette back to the fortress, better known as CastlePost.

“Rhy, man. Where are you?”

“Could ask you the same fuckin’ thing. Sitting down the road from CastlePost, debating my next move. Fuckin’ Harper, man. She grabbed Bridgette, and I am sure she already has Morgan. I’m freaking out here. I don’t know if we’ve been made or if Harper is playing one of her crazy games”

“Do you know a guy by the name of Danny?”

“Harper has a brother named Danny. He’s around our age. doesn’t like the life, kind of an outcast. He’s a pyro or some shit, why?”

“Morgan made contact. Said she was with Danny, that he was trying to help her. Do you think he will help her?”

“Hard to know. That guy is loyal to his sister, but like I said he hates the club life, it’s a major sore spot between Devil and Harper.”

“I think Harper is toying with me. She doesn’t know who we are. Not yet. If she did, Devil would have already had us killed. There’s no way she would keep information like that from him.”

“You’re underestimating Harper. She hates her husband. Wouldn’t love anything more than for someone to take him out for her.”

“I need you to get inside.  Play shit cool, find the girls and secure them. I’ll be there soon as I can.”

“Yeah, I’ll be in touch.” I end the call, hoping like hell we can pull this off.