“Those fuckin’ Demonios motherfuckers,” I bark out, while we are sitting here holding church. Dealing with these assholes getting the drop on us has all of us on edge.

“Cool your shit, Logan,” Prez says. “All of us here feel the same way brother, but we need to resolve this and do it the smart way.”

I grab the beer in front of me, down the rest of it and light a cigarette.

On top of all this shit, Bella hasn’t returned any of my goddamn texts or calls all fucking weekend. I knew her sweet ass was okay because Reid saw her and her sister downtown at the coffee shop. I have no clue what has crawled up her ass. This morning, when I went to the shop for a few hours to work on one of the brother’s bikes to put on a new clutch cable, she hardly said two fucking words to me.

“Reid, what intel have you found out so far?” Prez inquires, taking a swig of his own beer.

“According to our contacts, Los Demonios have grown in numbers over the last year, and have been known to poach on other businesses. Their Clubs Prez goes by Miguel, but the one heading up the ambush the other week is his VP, and his son, Jorge.” Reid looks up from his computer that he’s been typing away on, and looks at us. “Our sources informed us, recently from the surrounding areas that there seem to be some young girls that have gone missing over the past six months. None of them have been reported in our town that we’ve heard of, but I can contact our guy down at the station to verify that.”

“What the fuck does that have to do with anything, brother?” Prez says, irritated.

Reid puts his hands up, “I’m getting to that. We also have confirmation that Los Demonios have their slimy hands in the skin trade, and have for some time now. Which would explain the disappearances of the girls. Just trying to give everyone a better picture of who we are dealing with here.”

Quinn chimes in, “That’s some bottom feeding scum there.”

Motherfucker.

Looking around, I see that all my brothers have the same look. One thing we don’t do is mess with kids or women. To hear that those bastards, who fucking stole from us, deal in skin, just makes my blood boil.

We aren’t by any means the good guys, but fuck. Skin trading is low as shit.

I drag my hands down my face. “Brothers, we need to find out exactly where they’re holding up. These bastards are good at fucking hiding that’s for sure, but we have one thing they don’t have—The Russians.”

I look to Jake, because he got the call, so he needs to fill them in.

“I got a call from our supplier, the head of the Volkov Family that we do business with. One of their associates got a call from the eyes they have here in the states and made them aware of our little problem. Seems these fuckers have hit a few others that they do business with. And since they are becoming a nuisance for them as well, they would like to aid in taking care of this mutual problem we’re having.”

The Russians getting involved means more resources to men and fire power. I look around at all my brothers. They’ve soaked it all in. I see the thirst for retaliation in their eyes.

“We don’t need the Russians help,” Gabriel grumbles.

“With the numbers Reid reported, we do.” I deadpan.

“Sure, we could pull sources from the other chapter, but they need their men too. Word is, our chapter down in Louisiana has been seeing activity from these assholes down around the south for some time now. Hasn’t affected them yet, but can’t chance it either,” I tell them all.

“Now, we bide our time, for the moment. We need to find out every location they have because when we take them out, we want to take as many as possible. So, for now, we keep a low profile. Let them still think they have the upper hand. With the numbers they have, we will need to keep a closer eye on our family. We need brothers cruising the roads during the day. See something, say something. I don’t want to put anyone on lock down just yet. Can’t be raising any suspicions.” I look around at each of them as I speak.

Gabriel is sitting over in a corner with his jaw twitching.

“Alright, brothers. I’m gonna hand it back over to Prez.”

The tension in this room is off the charts as Jake’s voice booms over everyone else’s, “Okay...listen up. I know sitting on our asses is not what you want to hear, but I expect you to do it anyway. No jumping the gun or trying anything on our own. Keep that shit reined in. You happen to catch one of those dirty sons of bitches lurking anywhere, bring him to the basement. Then, and only then, will you be given the chance to have some fun.

“Get ready for war, brothers!” Jake slams the gavel down and church is over.

We all file out into the common area.

“Logan,” Prez calls out, as he saddles up to the bar.

I walk over and pull up a stool for myself beside him.

“Jake,” I sit, motioning to the prospect to bring a beer.

“I’m going to need you to stick around the club more often. You have a room here, so since you and some of the other brothers don’t have old ladies or kids I’m going to be posting you, and whoever else you need here at the warehouse overnight.”

He’s right. Those of us not tied down don’t have as much to lose.

“You got it, Prez. I want Quinn and Reid on night watch at the warehouse. That’s where most of Reid’s computer equipment is anyway, and I want Gabriel here with us. We’ll put some of the other guys on watch during the day. We have the shops to run and don’t want to risk burn out on anyone,” I tell him.

“Sounds good,” he agrees, downing the shot put in front of him.

“I’m not too keen on the Russians wanting to be a part of all this, but I get it. They’ve been putting up with Los Demonios, awhile now. I don’t like the idea of someone else dictating what we do and when we do it though,” I gruff out.

“Look, we need the extra men they can send. Those fuckers outnumber us. The Russians dropped themselves in our laps, and I’m not fucking up our association with them.”

I know he’s right. Doesn’t mean I have to like it.

“You’re right. Better to have them on our side, than against it.” I down the last of my beer.

“I’m gonna head out. I’ll be back later.”

Jake nods his head and continues with his drink.

On the short ride to my house, I can’t help but think about Bella. If all this shit wasn’t going on I would have already had her in my bed.

Which is why I’m still pissed that she won’t talk to me.

“Fuck.”

I scrub my hand down my face as I pull into my driveway. Getting off my bike, I walk through the door in the garage leading into the laundry room and make my way to the kitchen. I might as well grab a bag of my shit. I’m gonna need it since I’ll be staying at the club awhile.

I didn’t waste much time gathering my things, before loading up and heading back toward the club. It’s starting to get late, and I need to make sure the men know where they need to go by night fall.

I decided to try and call Bella again.

Still no fucking answer.

First thing tomorrow morning, we are going to get some shit straight and find out what the fucking deal is with her avoiding me.

As I’m pulling up to the club, I notice that the guys have decided to cut loose tonight with a party. The music is loud, and I can smell food cooking on the grill out back. I figure, what the hell, they need to unwind a bit with all the shit going on right now, and so the fuck do I.

I grab my bag and head on in.

Walking past the bar, I tell Blake to have a cold beer and a bottle of whiskey waiting for me when I come back down.

I spot Quinn standing at his bedroom door as some blonde wanders out.

“Hey, Logan,” she coos, passing by.

“Are you going down to join the party, brother?” I stop, asking him.

“No, man. I just had my fun for the night. Prez said you wanted Reid and me out at the warehouse, so I don’t need to get too lit.”

“Anyone else you need just let me know. I think I’m going to shower, then head on down and have a drink.”

I turn to go down the hall to my room, and Quinn yells out to me “Yo, Logan. Hear from Bella?”

“Not a fucking peep, brother. Don’t know what’s up with her.”

“You’d better claim her, man, before someone else does,” He adds.

I clench my fist. “What the fuck does that mean, brother? You interested?”

Quinn puts his hands up. “It’s not like that with me and Bella, bro. She’s become a good friend. You’re my friend too, but if you keep sitting on your ass with her, someone else may swoop in is all I’m saying.”

I know he’s right.

“Fuck, we’ve got all this shit going on with the club right now. I can’t risk putting her in the middle of it.”

Quinn eyes me for a moment. “Look, you and I both know she can handle it, brother. That woman is exactly what you need.”

“Enough with these feelings and shit. You’re starting to sound like you’ve grown a pussy,” I smirk at him.

Quinn grins. “Man, if I had me a pussy, I’d be flickin’ that bean right now instead of talking to your ass.”

I can’t help but chuckle. “Call me if anything happens tonight. Later, brother.”

I’ve made my way back downstairs, and the party has picked up. Loud music and the smell of weed fills the air. I sit down at my usual spot at the end of the bar, so I can see everyone and everything. Blake hands me my beer and whiskey. I take my first shot. The burn feels good, so I take one more. Gabriel sits down next to me, grabs the bottle I’m drinking from, and snatches a glass from behind the bar. He pours himself a shot and downs it.

“Don’t like this waiting shit.”

I know how he feels.

“Look, man. I get it, but we need to do this the way Prez said. We can’t be pissing our suppliers off. We need the extra man power. Just wait it out, brother. You’ll get what you want.”

He sits there, gripping the bottle as his nostrils flare.

“Pull it together, man.”

I take the whiskey bottle and pour us another shot. “I get it, brother...don’t wait for death—hunt the fucker down.”