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“How? When?” I choke out, batting away at my own tears. He got worse when I came back?
“Right after we ran into each other at that meeting. I went home and drank myself stupid. I was drunk, and it just came out. I basically shouted it at him. Honestly, looking back now, I think I was trying to push him away. If no one was there watching me day in and day out, making sure that I was alive, then I wouldn’t have to be anymore.”
“Hunt!” I gasp, ready to rush his ass to a meeting right now, but he’s already shaking his head.
“I’m not in that place anymore, Ella. Just like you said you’re stronger now even with what just happened to you. I get it because I am also. I told Dillon and he saw through me. He saw that I was trying to push him away and he wouldn’t let me. He stayed, and helped me through the shit I was wading in. But, I didn’t realize at the time that it was already the beginning of the end.”
“What do you mean?” I ask as I wrap my arms around his waist, leaning in, needing his comfort as much as I know he needs mine.
“Things haven’t been the same since. He’s been pulling away, spending more time with his family and friends, and working all the time. We fight more than we talk. We both knew it was over and that night atAlixerwas just the catalyst. When I told him what happened, he flipped. Said he wasn’t surprised and that we were done. He’s been at his parent’s house ever since then. He knows I don’t have anywhere else to go and our lease is up in a month. I’ll find another place in the meantime and then we’ll just go our separate ways,” he shrugs, pulling me in tightly and holding onto me.
We stand in silence, listening to the waves crashing against the shore. The sound of birds cawing in the distance is almost fully drowned out by the never-ending San Fran traffic. But something he said is nagging at me, like a broken record on repeat.
“What do you mean he wasn’t surprised when you told him we’d kissed?” I murmur, making his body stiffen. He doesn’t say anything for a minute and I look up at him, brows furrowed.
“Ella, isn’t is obv-” he whispers, but we're interrupted.
“Alright you guys, no more tears and heavy bullshit. We have a mega palace to ourselves, unlimited alcohol, and a rooftop paradise. We’re getting fucked up,” Gianna shouts, breaking up the intense moment Hunter and I are having. I open my mouth because I want to know what else he was going to say but he’s already pulling away from me and picking up the bottle of tequila. He takes a huge swallow before yanking off his shirt and diving into the pool.
I’m left standing there more confused than ever.
Why does it feel like what he was about to say would have changed everything?
Stone
"Areyousureyouguys are ready for this?" Chains, the Sons of Satan VP murmurs. The question is unnecessary but I understand his need for reassurance. This is a big job and we are all risking more than just injury to be here. Everything needs to go as expected, otherwise, every single one of us is fucked and 56 innocent lives will be lost forever.
Nyx turns his heated glare onto the unsuspecting VP and I have to swallow down a laugh at the man's response. Throwing his hands up in a placating gesture, he shifts backward as much as he can in the backseat of the Escalade. "Hey man, no need to get all feisty. I'm just checkin'. Wanna make sure everyone's got their heads on straight." Nyx grunts once and turns his head back toward the window. Chains looks at me with his brows raised as if to say,is he always like this?I shrug, but my lip tips up slightly, which seems to be answer enough.
"The question is, are you guys ready for this?" Nyx drawls before checking the rearview mirror once again.
We've been away from home for two days now. Two long as fuck, annoying as hell, days. Our first stop was Bakersfield. We came down a day early to make sure everything was set up and ready. Dynamite, the SOS Secretary was already there, preparing for today. He is the resident pyro and explosives expert for the Orange County based MC and his expertise will be instrumental in our plan.
After solidifying that he had everything under control, we headed down to Los Angeles to correspond with Ruben Paloma, the leader of the notorious LA gang, The Broadway Boys. He is just about as deplorable as Gus is and unfortunately, he is the uncle of Gage and Maddox. They despise the fact that they share blood with Ruben and I honestly cannot blame them. I despise the fact that I have to occasionally share air with the man, so I can only imagine how they feel.
Two of Rubens's top soldiers, Viper and Crusher, were sent with Nyx and I to the rendezvous point in Tijuana, where we met Raul Dial, the head of the Diaz Cartel, and his underboss, Jose Cardoza. They are both pieces of absolute vial shit and I cannot wait for the day when they meet their maker. However, that day is not today, and it is unlikely that it will be soon. The man is more powerful than God right now and he has far too many influential people in his pocket. Augustus being one of them. But, we have people in our pockets as well and a lot of them are on this trafficking job with us, undercover and as committed to saving those innocent lives as we are.
When we were in Tijuana, Raul set back silently, allowing his Underboss to handle everything but we didn't miss the way he sat in the background, watching every single one of us, sizing us up and committing our faces to memory. I would be lying if I said it didn't freak me the hell out. If he catches on that we have anything to do with this shipping container full of bought and paid for humans going missing, we will be dead before we can even blink.
Hopefully, our acting skills with Jose were solid enough to not raise any red flags. Everything seemed to have gone perfectly, but only time will tell.
The dossier was handed over, thecargowas inspected, counted, and verified by Viper and I. As much as I wanted nothing to do with it, I couldn't bring myself to ask Nyxon to look inside of that big rig. His history is enough to have him permanently on edge where this job and any others like it are concerned, and I was not going to be the one to push him over the edge.
The memory of how all of those women and kids looked as they huddled together on the floor will forever be burned into my memory. Terrified, filthy, malnourished, and mostly naked and I had to fucking count them, as though they were livestock. It was fucking horrific. The only thing that kept me from killing every single motherfucker involved and starting a whole ass war was the fact that we were less than 24 hours away from saving them.
Hopefully.
Now, here we are, almost to the predetermined stopping point in this little fleet. Bakersfield is halfway between Los Angeles and Fresno, which is where the shipment is supposed to be dropped off. From there, buyers or their liaisons will be waiting at the facility to pick up their purchases. Those who have not already been bought are meant to be imprisoned until either a buyer is found, or the next auction is held. It's a fucking disgusting cycle but unfortunately, it's never-ending and we can only help so many people.
All we know is that no matter what, the people inside of this shipping containercannotreach that facility under any circumstance. Once they are there, we have no chance in hell of saving them.
The best and only shot at us being successful is here and now in this podunk, country town.
"Two minutes out," I announce as I watch the little red dot signifying the big-rigs location. Viper and Crusher are driving the rig, Nyx, Chains, Axe, and I are in the Escalade we rented, following closely behind them. In another SUV are Glock, the SOS Enforcer, Brass, the Sergeant at Arms, and two of the club's women whose names I've yet to learn, are behind us. "Gas station is up ahead on the left, they've just pulled in."
Pulling into the parking lot, Nyx reverses the SUV into a spot about 30 yards from the rig, so we can keep an eye on everything, but be far enough away from the blast that we're safe. The second SUV pulls into the parking lot but parks on the other side, so as to not draw attention to us. We sit in silence, waiting for cab doors to open. The longer we wait, the more nervous I become. When the doors finally peel open, I let out a chuckle.
"Seriously?" Axe, the SOS Road Captain grunts.
