Chapter Ten
Killian had always lived life in the fast lane, never stopping to reflect. When he was young, it had been about survival, and then it had been about forgetting everything that had fucked with his head. He’d never expected to have a family, because he’d never really had one growing up. Killian loved his mother, but she’d been a lost cause, and he spent most of his time on the streets. He’d learned how to steal, to fight, to charm, and later, to kill. There were no other options. When he excelled in his life of crime, he never looked back.
Now that June and Killian were in his life, he was ready to become everything he never had. It wouldn’t be easy, but it would be worth it. He wanted to be a good husband and father, to embrace that love he’d first felt with June ten years ago.
First things first. Killian needed to help Boss tear down the Dead Angels MC. He wasn’t afraid to kill, and he was damn good at what he did.
He stopped at a hotel along the highway to get some sleep. There was no way he could get any rest with June in his arms, and it would be harder to walk away in the morning. She was too much of a temptation. Just thinking about her gave him a boner. He couldn’t believe how lucky he was to have her as his woman. And not just any woman, but the mother of his son.
After a decent night’s sleep, he showered, changed, and hit the road. By the time he pulled into town it was ten in the morning. He wasn’t worried about the element of surprise, not when Manic had practically begged him to kill his own fucking crew. He wasn’t sure if it was an act of valor or the worst kind of mutiny, but it wasn’t his club to worry about. Manic wanted the old-school bastards dead and gone. They were lazy, disobedient to the new prez, and lacked the basic decency that even stone-cold killers managed to hang on to.
Killian didn’t have a problem with prostitution. His own mother had been a whore, but he didn’t agree when under-aged girls were forced into it. Manic’s new members weren’t saints, far from it. They were still hardcore criminals, but at least they had some standards. Even Boss knew where to draw the line.
Killian picked up his cell and called Shadow. “I’m back in town. Did Manic give you anything we can use?”
“He has no fucking clue,” said Shadow.
Killian exhaled his irritation. All the time he’d been away and they were nowhere closer to finding the source of the problem. “Then what? We start handling Manic’s problem? Maybe one of them will name drop with a gun to their head.”
“Boss is sending backup. I think he knows more than he’s letting on.”
Killian squeezed the steering wheel as he drove, trying to contain the fire he felt growing inside him. Didn’t Boss trust him to handle the job? It pissed him off that he’d sent more backup. Killian didn’t need a babysitter. He’d made one fucking mistake when he’d killed the original prez, leaving witnesses, but there had been ten years of clean hits since then. Didn’t that amount to anything in Boss’s books? And why the secrets? After all these years, he’d hoped Boss trusted him with sensitive intel. Maybe pulling a gun on Boss was a fucked-up mistake he’d live to regret.
“Who’s he sending?”
“He didn’t say,” said Shadow.
“Let’s just get this shit done. If I have to end every one of them, including Manic, so be it.”
They met at the safe house near the water. Shadow walked out to meet him at the car. “Have you eaten?”
“I can’t think about food right now,” said Killian.
“Well, I’m fucking starved. Let’s get a bite to eat before business.”
Killian ran a hand through his hair, too tired to argue. He supposed it would be smart to be at their best. Killing worked up an appetite.
Shadow got in the passenger seat, and they drove into town. It wasn’t exactly smart showing their faces around town after the bloodbath last night, but Killian never was one to cower in fear.
There was an all-day breakfast diner close by, so they went in and took a table by the window, facing each other so they could watch each other’s back. Some things were unconscious in their line of work.
“Can I get you boys something?” asked the waitress, pulling a pen from behind her ear, poising it over her worn pad of paper. The place was a dive, a greasy-spoon if ever he saw one. Killian was used to the best. Ever since getting hired on at Killer of Kings when he’d moved over from Ireland, he’d enjoyed the high life. But he wasn’t an asshole, and remembered where he came from every day of his life.
“Give us a minute, sweetheart,” said Killian, still busy scanning the interior. He hated this town, and not just because of all the bullshit since he showed up, but because it reminded him of losing June and finding out he’d missed out on so many years of his son’s life. When this was all over, he wanted to stay as far away as possible, start fresh with the woman he loved.
“Cop,” said Shadow.
Killian looked over his shoulder and watched the lone cop walking the beat along the sidewalk. It didn’t surprise him to see an extra police presence. There was nothing out of the ordinary, until the cop stopped dead in his tracks looking Killian straight in the eyes.
Shadow cleared his throat. None of them liked cops. They didn’t meld with their lifestyle.
“Relax,” Killian whispered.
The cop entered the diner, the bells clanging against the glass. Why was he staring at him? Killian played with the saltshaker, twirling it one way then the other, not taking his eyes off the cop.
“Killian, right?”
The officer pulled an empty chair from another table, the legs scraping along the tile, and sat down at the side of their two-person table. As soon as Killian heard his name, his hackles rose.
“I don’t remember ever seeing you before,” he answered.
“Well, I’d recognize you anywhere. You’re the spitting image of your kid.”
He braced himself to stand up, but Shadow kicked him from under the table. Killian ground his teeth together and sat back down.
“You know my son?”
“I think the whole police department does,” he said before chuckling. Killian wanted to punch him right in the face. “But then again, I’m more concerned about you.”
“Yeah?”
“A few days ago I picked up your ex from the town hall. She was worried about you, thought you were in trouble again.”
“Again?” asked Killian.
So this was the bastard who had his eyes on June, and wanted his son out of the way. He gave the other man the once over, not feeling emasculated in the least. Killian would be able to take him down bare-handed in ten seconds flat. What he didn’t like was a history he wasn’t sure of since he wasn’t around. Had anything happened between the cop and June?
The cop had a cocky smirk that Killian wanted to wipe off. “She’s been single for a reason, right?”
He couldn’t bite his tongue another minute, even though he knew he should. They were in town for a reason, and this asshole was just a distraction he should avoid.
“You know nothing about our relationship, so I’m really not sure why we’re having this conversation.”
“What relationship? You don’t think she’d take you back after all these years, do you?”
“Already happened, Huckleberry Finn,” said Killian. “In fact, I was busy fucking her all night long.”
“Oh shit,” Shadow muttered, leaning back in his chair.
Killian was never one to follow rules or respect authority. There’d only been a couple times in the past twenty years that he’d been hauled into jail, but he’d always been out within the hour thanks to Boss. No charges. Besides, this cop was way out of line.
“You wouldn’t know anything about the shooting last night, would you?”
“What shooting?” asked Killian.
The cop nodded, his eyes narrowed. Did he want to fuck June? She was Killian’s, and he didn’t plan on handing her over.
“June’s not at her apartment.”
“And how the fuck would you know that?” asked Killian.
“Someone had to look out for her all these long, lonely years.”
This wise-ass needed the shit beat out of him. “Well, I’m back, and I’m not going anywhere.” He raised his hand in the air to get the waitress’s attention. Another minute with this asshole and he’d put a bullet between his eyes. “We’re about to order, so if you don’t mind…”
The officer stood up, adjusted his hat and palmed his service revolver as some kind of pitiful threat. Killian had a .357 Magnum in the back of his pants and an arsenal in his trunk. Shadow was always well strapped, and Killian knew that bastard would have his back.
“Good to meet you. I’ll be seeing you around.” The cop sauntered out of the diner, looking back a few times as he disappeared up the street.
“Are you insane?” asked Shadow. “We’re supposed to be on the down low. When shit starts going down again, that cop will have you in mind for the charges.”
Killian scoffed. “I’m untraceable, same as you. Besides, I don’t get caught, and I sure as hell ain’t worried about that hick cop.” Every hitman to sign up with Killer of Kings was wiped clean and had their fingerprints removed. Killian wasn’t worried about being called out for a crime. He was busy planning how he’d fuck him up for playing games with his woman. He needed to show him, police officer or not, that she was his property and Killian didn’t share.
They finished up their breakfast in silence. Killian’s head was elsewhere. The fact the person who’d put out the hit was still out there didn’t sit well with him. He needed to talk with Manic and find out if he’d had any luck rooting out the problem. They drove out to the mansion on the outskirts of town, walking up to the front door this time. Before they even pushed the damn doorbell, they were flanked by four of Manic’s men.
“Why the fuck are you ready for trouble this early in the morning?” asked Killian.
“You showed up, didn’t you?” asked the one with the short beard and facial tattoo.
Killian put his palm over his heart. “Do I look like fucking trouble? I’m just here to see a friend.”
The front door opened, and Manic stood in the entryway wearing just a pair of grey joggers. “It’s okay, Rebel. I was expecting them.”
The men gave them the once over and then left them alone with their prez. He invited them inside, and Killian reluctantly entered. This wasn’t a social call, as he just wanted information.
“I’ll admit, I wasn’t expecting you to show up here,” said Manic. He walked over to a black leather bar with granite top and poured himself a hit of hard liquor, knocking it back.
“It’s not even noon,” said Killian.
“Considering I haven’t been to bed yet, this is the only thing keeping my head on straight,” he said. “You get the job done?”
“Look, asshole, you’re not my boss, and I’m not being paid to work for you. These hits are coming from the goodness of my heart.”
“Relax, big boy,” said Manic, running a hand through his hair. He looked like he hadn’t slept in a week.
Killian walked around the room while Shadow stayed rooted in place by the door, a hand inside his jacket at the ready. “Did you have any luck finding out which member of your club called for the hit?”
“Right to business, eh?” Manic sat on one of the stools. “The call came from here. From inside my house. Your Boss traced the number and reamed me out a few hours ago. He knows more than me.”
“We’ll have to go through all your members. We have ways of getting men to talk,” said Killian. “Those old bastards are probably still sleeping off their hangovers, so it’s a good time to make it happen.”
“There’s more,” said Manic. “A few more teens were taken yesterday. Their parents reported them missing. Young blonde girls, same description as the last two that were kidnapped.”
“You think it’s the same members of your club?”
Manic poured another glass. “Just do what you’re good at and end those assholes. All of them. Find the girls and you’ll probably find your man.”
Shadow opened the front door, so Killian didn’t stay and argue. They drove out to one of the bigger compounds owned by the club and cut the engine.
“This’ll be fun,” said Shadow.
“Two of us against an army isn’t my kind of fun. Not anymore anyway. I need to come out of this shit alive.”
“That’s always the idea.” Shadow double checked all his clips and then got out of the car. The air was already warming up, the sound of birds creating a deceptively tranquil setting. Things were about to get ugly.
As they approached the one-story structure, a gunshot rang off inside, then another, forcing both of them to draw their weapons. They passed the rows of Harleys lined up and kept their backs to the side wall of the brick building.
“Wouldn’t that be nice, the assholes killing themselves off before we show up.”
“It’s never that simple,” said Killian.
The front door burst open, and a teenage girl ran out. Killian holstered his weapons and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her to the shadowed side of the building. When she attempted to scream, he slapped his free hand over her mouth. “Hush,” he said.
One of the bikers came out a few seconds later, looking around for the girl. Shadow came up behind him, a gun pressed to his neck. “Don’t move, motherfucker.”
Once they were all safely hidden from the entrance, Shadow pistol whipped the biker.
“I want to know who put a hit on my woman and kid,” said Killian. “Be smart and answer if you want to live.”
“I know who you are. You won’t let me live anyway, so I’m not saying shit.”
Killian sighed, scratching his head with the barrel of his gun. “Wrong answer.”
He turned his attention to the girl for now. “What happened in there?”
“They said we had to work for them, to sell our bodies. If we refused, they’d kill us.” She started crying. “She’s crazy. You have to help my friends.”
Killian looked over at Shadow, his eyes narrowed as he tried to piece this together. He wasn’t expecting to hear about a woman being involved. As far as he knew there were no women in positions of power in the Dead Angels, so this didn’t make sense.
“Keep them here,” said Killian. “I’m going in.”
****
June left the kitchen after lunch. Her son was still eating and watching cartoons on the flat screen television on the wall. She could hear Bain and Scarlett in the small office off the hallway. They were talking about Killian and not being able to find out what they needed. She even heard Bain say that Boss was probably right about using June to lure out whoever wanted them dead.
No matter what he thought, Killian couldn’t fix this on his own. June was no shrinking violet in need of sheltering. She’d fought every day of her life as a single mom. Assholes hit on her every shift at work, but she dealt with it. June didn’t need saving. Now she had a son to think about, one with a hit on his head, and a man she loved that seemed to have a death wish.
She went upstairs to her bedroom and called Boss.
“Hello, June.”
“I need to take you up on that offer,” she said. “Can you get me out of this house without Bain trying to stop me?”
Boss chuckled. “I sent Chains with no such luck. Bain’s taken your safety personally, so there’s no way I’ll be able to get you out without his consent. Besides, Killian doesn’t want you involved.”
She exhaled, feeling cornered and frustrated.
“There’s something I have in mind. I’ll be in touch.” The call ended.
Not ten minutes passed, when there was a knock on her bedroom door.
“Come in,” she said.
Scarlett slipped inside, closing the door behind her. She had some clothing in her arms. “We look about the same size. I thought you could use something different to wear.”
“Thank you.”
She sat on the bed beside June, resting a hand on her back. “Bain wanted me to talk to you,” she said. “We know you want to help Killian, and that’s fine. I totally understand that. Bain didn’t want you doing anything that could get you hurt, but if you still want to help—”
“God, yes! Please let me help him if I can.”
“The only way Bain agreed to let you go was if Boss took you personally. That says a lot because he rarely gets involved himself. He knows who put the hit on you, and he’ll end it. Boss is a hard ass, but I trust him. I even work for him.”
“And my son?”
“We’ll keep him here. Keep him safe,” said Scarlett. “And don’t worry, Boss won’t let anything happen to you. I know that much.”
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak when so many emotions were on her sleeve. June wasn’t used to people being kind or helpful to her, and she certainly wasn’t used to fighting for love. Killian was all she had. After briefly talking with her mother recently, it had only solidified the fact she had no one else in the world besides her two men.
Half an hour later, there was a knock on the door. June was wearing the cutest floral summer dress thanks to Scarlett. She’d used her time to prepare herself emotionally for what was to come. And she wanted to look beautiful for Killian.
“Chains,” said Bain. “Boss better be in that fucking car or she’s not leaving my house.”
“He’s there. Relax.”
“Nothing happens to Killian’s woman,” he said, a very clear threat in his tone. “Remember what he left behind in Ireland? That’ll be us.”
She watched from a bottom step of the staircase as Chains opened his jacket to expose an array of lethal weapons. “I’ve got this, Bain. It ain’t my first rodeo.”
By the time she got to the vehicle, her nerves were heightened. She’d only heard bits and pieces about the owner of Killer of Kings but never met the notorious bad boy.
“Take a seat,” Boss said after Chains opened the rear door for her.
She got in beside him, a full seat separating them, which she was thankful for. The car began to drive away from the house, and she wondered what she’d got herself into. Killian would be furious that she agreed to this.
“Are you sure this is safe?” she asked.
Boss shifted slightly in his seat. His eyes were dark and evil, his long black hair still damp from a shower, loosely brushed back.
“I promised Killian nothing would happen to you, and I always keep my promises.”
She swallowed hard, feeling intimidated in this man’s presence.
“Who would want to hurt me?”
“Someone who wants to use you to get to Killian. It’s not who I’d expected, but I plan to end them today,” he said. “I don’t like being blindsided. In all fairness though, I found this particularly interesting. I think it’ll work to teach Killian a lesson.”
He spoke in riddles to her.
“And then what?”
What did she expect to hear? Did she want him to admit that he would kill another person? He ran his hand over a series of simple bracelets on his right wrist. They were thin leather bands with tiny black beads, a few of them colored.
He noticed her looking. “It’s a personal tally,” he said. “Of kills.”
“Hits by Killer of Kings?”
Boss shook his head. “My kills. This year.”
Her mouth felt dry and scratchy. She didn’t say another word for the rest of the trip.
They were getting closer to home, her old home. When this was all over with, she wanted to settle somewhere far away from old memories.
Boss pulled out his cell and made a brief call. “Put the word out that June Harris is in town, staying at the Loreli Motel. I want two million for a live exchange.”
June gasped. “You said—”
He put a finger to his lips. “Don’t question my methods.”
His cell rang. “What’s going down?”
She strained to hear what the other man on the line was saying, but she couldn’t hear anything more than garbled voices.
“Shit. This isn’t even our fight. Tell Manic to get his sorry ass down there. I’m not the fucking Dead Angel’s bitch.”
He told Chains to change directions.
“What’s going on?” she whispered.
He chuckled. The man showed no fear, only annoyance. “I wanted the party to come to us, but it looks like it’s already started.”