Chapter Twenty-Six
Steel sat onthe back patio drinking a cup of black coffee, absentmindedly watching the changing aspen leaves sway in the crisp breeze. His gut told him Chenoa was on a slippery slope. She smiled at dinner, laughed at his jokes, but he saw the hunger lurking in her, along with her waning strength. Whenever he asked if she wanted to talk, she would just shake her head. She’d reconnected with some of her old friends on the rez; friends who were like vultures waiting to devour her. He’d shut that down immediately, forbidding her to hang with them. She’d yelled at him, told him she hated him, and they’d had one of their biggest fights ever, but he didn’t care; he’d do anything to keep her from getting sucked in. He’d known heroin addicts, and the power of the drug surpassed everything. He was certain Chenoa was fighting it hard, and he prayed the drug wouldn’t lure her back.
His phone rang and he smiled when he saw Hawk’s name. “Hey,” he said.
“How’s it going with Chenoa?” Hawk asked.
“Okay. One day at a fucking time.” He took a gulp of coffee. “What’s up?”
“We got the confirmation that the fuckin’ Demon Riders are the supplier for smack in your county. Banger called this one. These sonsofbitches have gotta be stopped.”
“Fuck! I’ll call an emergency church, but I know the vote will be war.” Steel exhaled.
“We’ve been talking at church with the brothers, and the consensus was that the Demon Riders have been a pain in our ass ever since Dustin and Shack joined up with them. The agreement is that if you want help, the Insurgents are with you all the way.”
Warmth spread through him when he heard Hawk’s words. Brothers coming together to fight a common evil was what the brotherhood was all about. His ties with the Insurgents went way back, and those ties would never be broken. Loyalty for the brotherhood transcended clubs and locations. Insurgents and Night Rebels would ride together.
This is why I love this fucking life. Love, respect, and loyalty were what the outlaw’s world was all about.
“Thanks, brother,” he said.
“Call me back when you got the details nailed down. We’ll all go from Pinewood Springs.”
“Sounds good. I’ll be in touch.”
After his call with Hawk, he texted Paco and told him to let everyone know there’d be an emergency church at five o’clock that evening. He jumped out of the chair and went inside, calling Breanna.
“Hey, baby. Can you come over earlier tonight?”
“Yeah. What’s going on?”
“We got church, and I don’t wanna leave Chenoa alone in the house until I get back.”
“Is she doing okay?”
“She says yes, but I don’t think so. I don’t know if it’s school, living away from the rez, or what, but I got a bad feeling.”
“Do you think she’s using?” Breanna asked in a hushed tone.
“Not yet. I know she’s fighting it real hard, but… I don’t know.”
“Heroin is a powerful drug, and it’s a fucking hard one to conquer. I’m not saying it can’t be done, but it can be extremely difficult. Nicholas has been trying for years.” She paused a moment. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I’m supposed to be positive, and here I am making your fears worse.”
“No worries. I know smack’s a ruthless motherfucker. Anyway, I want you to keep an eye on her. I know I don’t need to tell you, but don’t let any of her friends come over except for Josie and Michela.”
“Is something going on with the club?”
“Yeah.”
“Something dangerous?”
He laughed. “Everything we do is dangerous, baby.”
She giggled. “Okay, that was a stupid question. Is it about what’s going on with the drugs in Alina?”
“Babe, you know I can’t tell you. It’s club business.”
“All right. I’ll leave work a little early and come on over.”
