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Next, I light a cigarette as I watch brothers file in and fill the table. Shane sits at the bottom of the table next to Pope and I’m glad to see the patch on his cut. Though it’s shit with Holly at the moment, I’m even more glad nothing happened between him and Holly. Luca and his chapter join us, and Mason is the last brother through the door. He falls into his chair and rests his head against his hand on the table, no doubt nursing a headache to go with his hangover.
I slam the gavel down harder than necessary, making him flinch.
“We made it home, brothers!”
I lean back in my chair as the table erupts into cheers and I let them continue for a moment before holding my hand up to silence them.
“We celebrated last night, but it’s time to get back to business. Between us and Luca’s chapter, we have failed six times to take out that fuckin’ cunt, Effie fuck-face Rathbone.”
“Not for lack of trying, Leo. Trust us,” Myles says.
“Not saying you didn’t,” I say to him and then to Luca, “What have you go to say about it?”
“Between us and Darius and his crew, we’re searching every day. I don’t think she’s in the country half the time.”
I frown. During the times she showed up at the prison, she was too relaxed about not being found.
“Remember the hanger she had blown up seconds after we left? What if she had it rebuilt, or purchased another? Shecouldbe leaving the country, or at least, traveling to another state.”
“We haven’t been checking air travel,” Slade says.
“Well now you will.”
Dad leans forward in his seat, resting his arms on the table. “You said she wanted to make a deal with you. Perhaps you should play along? She’d have to come out of the woodwork to meet with you.”
I shake my head. “It wouldn’t work. She’s not a fool. She’d see through any act I played her way. As for making a real deal with her, I’m still not up for it.”
“So what’s the plan?”
“We keep waiting to get a hit on her then we strike. Fast and hard. There’s nothing in our way now. Thanks to Luca, he’s taken care of the Dead Rats. We keep Willow’s Peak tight, Luca continues to keep the city locked down, and in time, shit will fall into place.”
I slam the gavel down and light a cigarette. Dad rises from his chair but doesn’t leave.
“When you get a minute, I wanna show you the progress on the new builds.”
Fuck. I forgot all about his pet project.
“Sure.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Holly
The thought of hanging around the club today is like having a noose around my neck. It’s stifling and I just need to be away from here before Leo can get me alone again. I need to breathe and think and to do that, I can’t be around him.
You know what it is, we have our deal.
How could I have been so blind to see that’s all we ever will be? Him being in prison changed nothing. He kept a hold on me so he wouldn’t be alone once he was out. I see it so clearly now. I’m not even that angry with him because my anger is solely for myself.
Getting Rayna ready to leave takes longer than usual. She doesn’t want to go home, and I don’t want to argue with her and cause a scene. I want to slip out and just be gone from here.
“How about, on the way home, we stop and get some ice cream?”
She shakes her head roughly and I’m out of bribes. I simply lie.
“Daddy said for us to go home, and he’ll be there soon.”
She jumps up, dumping her dolly on the floor. Taking hold of her hand, I grab our bag on the way outside and dump it in the trunk as she climbs into the back seat. I buckle her in and close the door, half of my battle conquered. Leo’s standing with Luca and his club, all ready to leave. I stroll over, holding my arms over my chest and swallow thickly.
