Chapter Twenty-Four
Tank
Meeting with the crew, Tank and Sledge put their plan into motion. After leaving Sapphire’s room this morning, Tank had gone straight to Sledge’s. Montgomery needed to be eliminated. That was the only way to remove the threat against Sapphire; and after what happened this morning outside of the restaurant, Tank was even more convinced that the man needed to be taken care of.
“So, everyone understands their part in the plan?” Sledge asked.
“Yeah,” the group answered in unison.
“Just clear the way for me to enter,” Diesel said. “And I will take care of the rest.”
“Are you sure this is what you want to do?” Reaper asked.
“Do you have a better idea?” Tank asked in return.
“We can call in the authorities?” Diesel suggested.
“They have had suspicions for years and haven’t been able to pin anything on him,” Tank replied.
“Then we do this,” Sledge nodded.
Tank watched as each member of the team nodded their heads in agreement. These guys were his brothers. He would lay his life down for any one of them, and they would do the same for him.
Waiting until the darkness of night, the team took the stairs to Chaz’s floor, the penthouse. Along the way, Reaper hijacked the security cameras, playing back repeat footage. There would be no way to even know that the Henchmen were ever there.
Slowly, Sledge stepped to the stairwell door. Using skills he had perfected over the years, he silently opened the door. Crouching low, the team entered the hotel suite. Clearing the kitchen and living room areas were easy with the suite’s open floor plan. Like ghosts, they moved down the hallway that led to Chaz’s room.
With a hand signal, Sledge brought Diesel to the front. The group stood, unmoving, listening for any sign of movement. When nothing reached their ears, they continued as planned.
Again, using his skills, Sledge opened the bedroom door only wide enough for Diesel to enter. From this moment on, he would be on his own. The remaining Henchmen would stand guard outside of the room.
Tank started to feel anxious. Diesel should have been out by now. What could be taking him so long? Just as he was about to say, fuck it, and enter the room, Diesel walked back out of the door.
With a nod of his head, the team turned to exit. Just as quietly as they entered, they left. Back down the stairwell they quickly, but quietly, made their way back to Sledge’s room. Nobody said a word. Not a sound was made.
Reaching their destination, Sledge opened the door to their floor, but brought the team to a halt. Slowly closing the door, he raised a finger to his lips. There was someone in the hallway. They couldn’t exit without being seen. Four men dressed in full operations gear would be rather suspicious, especially when a dead body was found in the morning.
Rechecking the hallway, Sledge gave the order to move. Silently, they moved out into the hall and quickly into Sledge’s room.
Closing the door, Tank turned to Diesel, saying, “What the fuck took so long?”
“That motherfucker is a light sleeper!” Diesel replied. “I am seriously surprised he didn’t wake up when Sledge opened the door.”
“What happened?” Sledge asked.
“Seriously, the man would wake up to a mouse fart,” Diesel sighed, flopping into a chair. “Anyway, it’s done. The threat has been eliminated.”
Relief flowed through Tank. He knew he should feel regret, but he didn’t. Sapphire’s safety was number one for him. He would always do what was necessary to protect her. And Chaz Montgomery was a huge threat.
“I owe you one,” Tank said to Diesel as he removed his gear.
“Nah. You don’t owe me anything, brother,” Diesel smiled. “We do what we do to protect the ones we love.”
“I’m heading out,” Tank said with a nod of his head towards Diesel.
“Me, too,” Reaper and Diesel called.
Leaving Sledge’s room, Tank didn’t even bother to stop at his. Taking the elevator, he pressed the button that would lead him to Sapphire. He knew it was late, but he had to see her. He had to lie beside her, hold her in his arms. That was the only way to stop the ache he felt from being away from her.
Standing outside of her door, Tank pulled the extra key card from his pocket and let himself in. For a moment all he could do was stare at her. Even in sleep, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
Quickly stripping out of his clothes, Tank climbed into bed behind her and pulled her against his chest.
“What are you doing here so late?” Sapphire mumbled.
“I just needed to be with you,” Tank replied honestly.
“Where have you been?” she asked, turning over and throwing her leg over his hip.
“The guys and I had an assignment to take care of,” Tank answered.
“Oh ok.” Sapphire snuggled closer to his chest.
“How did you know it was me climbing in bed with you?” Tank asked. “I could have been some pervert sneaking into your room.”
“You are a pervert that snuck into my room,” Sapphire chuckled. “But I knew it was you because of your smell.”
“My smell?” That didn’t sound good. He smelled?
“Yeah,” she yawned. “I like your smell.”
Tank couldn’t help but smile. Before he could say another word, he felt her breathing even out. She was back asleep.
He laid there for a while just thinking about life. All the things that had happened. Everything that led him here to this moment, with this woman. He prayed he could be the man she needed. He prayed that she would even have him.
A loud knock on the door caused both Sapphire and Tank to sit up, hearts racing.
“Who the hell could that be?” Sapphire asked.
“I don’t know,” Tank grumbled, slipping into his jeans. “But whoever it is, they’re about to get a foot in the ass.”
Opening the door, Tank was greeted by several police officers. Panic replaced anger.
How? Nobody saw them.
“Stephanie Kimber,” the officer said. It was a statement, not a question.
“I’m Stephanie,” Sapphire said walking up behind him.
“Ma’am,” the officer replied. “We need you to get dressed and come with us.”
“Why?” she asked. “What’s going on?”
“Just get dressed.”
Sapphire quickly dressed. The entire time Tank’s mind was racing.
They thought it was her.
What had he done?
As soon as the officers escorted Sapphire down the hall and into the elevator, Tank rushed from the room. Taking the stairs, he made it back to Sledge’s room in record time. Pounding on the door, he waited for his friend to answer.
“Cops took Sapphire,” Tank blurted as soon as the door opened.
“What?” Sledge asked.
“They just left,” Tank said. “They came to the room and made her leave with them.”
“Why her?” Sledge questioned.
“I don’t know,” Tank was in full panic mode. “I don’t fucking know. Maybe they think...”
Tank immediately closed his mouth when someone else knocked on the door. On full alert, Tank stood ready for battle as Sledge answered the door.
“The cops took Sapphire,” Raven said, pushing her way past Sledge with Piper and Scarlet following closely behind.
“I heard.” Sledge closed the door. “But why?”
“Chaz was found dead a few hours ago,” Raven answered.
“But that doesn’t explain why the cops took Sapphire,” Sledge repeated.
“Someone witnessed the altercation between them yesterday,” Raven finally answered. “Fuck!”
Tank could agree with that! Fuck, was exactly what he was saying in his head.
“Sledge, make a call and get her out of there,” Tank spoke.
“I don’t know if I can,” Sledge sighed.
“What?” Tank demanded. “Call Banjo. Have him do something!”
“Tank!” Sledge shouted. “He can’t.”
“Then I will,” Tank said heading for the door.
“What are you doing?” Sledge asked, stepping in from of him.
“I’m going to tell the police that I killed Chaz,” Tank answered. “I have to get her out of there.”
“You aren’t going anywhere,” Sledge replied. “Calm the fuck down. There is nothing they can pin on her. They literally have nothing.”
“What’s going on?” Piper asked, eyeing the two men.
Tank knew the cop in her was picking up on the tension vibe in the room. Could he trust her and tell her the truth?
“Nothing,” Sledge answered.
“Bullshit,” Piper’s eyes narrowed. “Spill.”
“We...” Sledge began.
“We need to focus on getting Sapphire out,” Tank interrupted.
“Agreed,” Raven said. “So how?”
“Piper, you’re a cop. Go to the police station. Get whatever information you can,” Sledge ordered. “The rest of us will be waiting outside.”
“Okay,” she said. “I’ll try my best, but being that she’s my sister, I don’t know how much, if anything, they will tell me.”
“Just try,” Tank said.
“Will do.” Piper headed out the door.
It wasn’t long until the Henchmen and Angels were lined up across the street from APD — waiting. Tank wanted to storm the place. He wanted Sapphire out. No time during their planning did they ever think the police would look at Sapphire. Tank had wanted to remove the threat, not create another one.
Way to go, Asshole!
This is a great way to get your girl!
For the next two hours, Tank paced the sidewalk. With each click of seconds, his patience grew less and less.