“He’s right,” Diablo admitted.
“And there’re too many damn witnesses. The Highway Patrol would be all over our asses on this,” Chains added.
“Army said the arms deal’s going down end of next week. Once we get the shit, we’ll decimate them.”
“Just like the fuckin’ Demon Riders,” Diablo said.
“We getting the Insurgents to help on this one?” Jigger asked.
“Steel will let us know,” Diablo replied.
“You coming with us?” Chains opened the front door.
“Since I found out Pistons got their money in this shit, I decided to walk out. I’m gonna get Fallon, then get the fuck outta here.”
“You need us to wait around until you leave?” Goldie said.
Diablo shook his head. “I’m good.”
The four men walked out just as Charlie came over. “Have you seen Sam? I can’t find him.”
“Last time I saw him, he was heading out back.”
“I already looked there. Where the fuck is he? I need him in the ring.”
“Don’t know. Ask Jose to announce the fights until Sam turns up.”
“I’ll have to. It’s always one fucking thing after another.” Charlie stomped away.
When Paco came in, Diablo knew Sam’s announcing days at the warehouse were over. Paco clapped his hand on Diablo’s shoulder. “We took care of the fucker. I’m heading out. You need to get the fuck outta here.”
“Planning to. Just gonna get Fallon. See you at the clubhouse.” They bumped fists, and then Paco slipped out into the darkness.
Diablo scanned the room looking for Fallon but she wasn’t around. He hadn’t seen her since the fights had started. He motioned Moe to watch the door, and then he went to find her. As he climbed the stairs, Charlie’s yelling assaulted his ears.
“You’ve always been nothing but a dumb, ugly fuck! You’ve been nothing but a pain in my ass. You’re the reason Joanna left. Your mother couldn’t stand you. She’d tell me how having you ruined her life.”
“That’s not true! My mother loved me and hated you. You drove her away,” Fallon’s voice rang out.
Diablo rushed up the stairs and burst into the family room. White-hot rage surged through him when he saw Fallon cowering against the back wall and Charlie looming over her, his face red and bloated. Shanna sat on the couch, a smirk plastered on her face.Crack!Charlie slapped Fallon hard across the face and Diablo leapt forward, dragging Charlie away from her before slamming his fist into the side of the fucker’s face.
“Oh God!” Shanna screamed.
Charlie, stunned at first, staggered backward, then swung back at Diablo, yelling, “You’re fucking fired!”
“I don’t give a shit!” He punched Charlie again in the stomach and the man bowled over, gasping for breath. “No one fuckin’ disrespects my woman. And no one fuckin’ hits her. No. One.” He struck the promoter again in the face and Charlie lost his balance, stumbling backward before falling to the floor. Diablo dropped to his knees and pummeled him over and over. Blood spurted everywhere and Charlie’s body stopped trying to resist the attack.
“Stop, Diablo! You’re going to kill him!” Fallon’s tear-filled voice broke through his haze of hate and rage. Breathing heavily, his fists stopped in midair.
“You’ve got to admit that he’s had it coming,” Shanna said.
“Please, Diablo. For me.” Fallon’s hand on his shoulder melted some of the fury that had consumed him.
He stood up and she dropped to her knees, pressing her head against her father’s chest. Diablo looked at Shanna. She met his look, her eyes darkened with lust. He shook his head and turned back to Fallon.
“He’s still breathing,” she said as she wiped some of the blood off his broken face. Charlie groaned. “He’ll call the cops for sure. You better go.” Her shimmering gaze locked onto Diablo’s.
“I’m not going without you.”
Shanna cleared her throat. “Go on, Fallon. I’ll handle this. I mean, your dad attacked you and Diablo was only protecting you. Lie low for a couple days before you come back home. By then, I’ll have your dad all calmed down.”
Diablo stared at her, not believing a word she was saying. Something was going on with her that he couldn’t pinpoint. “Come on. We’ve gotta go.” He held out his hand and Fallon took it. He pulled her to him and they walked out of the room.
With her settled behind him, he revved his Harley and sped away from the warehouse. When they arrived at the clubhouse, he planned on having a talk with Fallon.There’s a lot of shit going on inside her, and I’m gonna find out what it is.
It was a starless, moonless night as the gray clouds stretched over the sky. A single beam from Diablo’s Harley was the only light bouncing off the black road and piercing the darkness. Fallon buried her head against him, her arms gripping him like a vise as they put distance between them and the fucked-up world they’d left behind.
