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“I’ve got the soldiers out there and recruited a hell of a lot more. We got cousins and brothers of kids already running for us. But there’s gonna be some losses. That’s gonna look bad on us.”
“Then let’s get out there.”
“Not a good idea,” he says. “We’ve come a long way and we have a lot to lose if we get caught hurting any of these guys. Will Meli visit you in prison?”
“We’ve got to start rattling some cages, Bert. Ma was hurt on our streets, and I can’t let that go. We’ve got to pay some visits in person, get more names, so we can take them out one by one until we get to the top.” My patience is gone. I want this done with, and I want the fuckers who hurt Ma.
“What about the Palmer brothers? Get Jolene to lure them for a meeting. We can turn up.”
I nod, getting on my phone.
Mav is acting shady when I turn up to the club. He rushes to get me into his office and gives Rylee a look which tells me she’s also hiding something. “I came by to give you an update,” I say, taking a seat. “I’m waiting for Jolene to arrange a meeting with the Palmer brothers so we can ambush, although I have to be honest, she’s acting odd considering her brothers are dead.”
“In what way?” he asks, his eyes darting to the window looking out over the club.
“She’s not upset, or even quiet. Maybe it hasn’t sunk in yet. Anyway, I’ve got guys out on the streets in force today. We’re getting things under control.”
“I had the chief of police on the phone this morning. He was telling me the crime rate’s through the roof this week. Two stabbings came in while we were on the phone.”
“He called to tell you that?”
“No, it was about something else. So, do you need me to do anything?”
I shake my head. “No. I just wanted to update you.” I stand. “Is Meli around?”
“No. Something about shopping,” he mutters, waving his hand dismissively.
“She didn’t show for work.”
“Oh. Maybe Rylee mentioned she was sick, I can’t remember. You know what women are like. Shall I get her to call you?”
“You’re acting weird. Yesterday, you were mad as hell, and now, you’re . . . not mad.”
“Meli’s right, it’s her life. Did you guys fall out?” The door opens, banging back against the wall, and Grim fills it, looking angry as hell. “Grim, leave it,” warns Mav.
“She’s a fucking mess,” he snarls. “A few weeks and she’s already embroiled in whatever is going on in your fucked-up life,” he growls.
“What are you talking about?”
“Christ, Grim, she didn’t want him to know yet,” Mav snaps, then he stands and rounds his desk. “She was jumped walking home from yours. It was a street robbery is all, but Grim’s got it in his head it’s to do with everything that’s happening right now.”
I don’t wait to hear the rest. I head for her bedroom, bursting in to find her sleeping soundly. She doesn’t stir, so I quietly close the door and move closer. I inhale sharply, shocked at the sight of her. Her face is bruised and her eyes are swollen. My hands ball into fists, and I want to hurt the fucker that dared to touch her. I take a snapshot and send it to Albert.
Albert: Fuck, what happened?
Me: I think she’s the woman you told me about earlier, the one that was attacked.
Albert: I’ll start asking questions. We’ll find whoever did it.
Me: Two people have to die today, Bert. Today. One for Ma and now one for Meli.
I kick off my shoes and slip out of my jacket, then crawl into bed behind her, wrapping my arms around her and burying my face into her hair. She stirs, stretching before groaning in pain. I sit slightly, lifting her T-shirt to see more bruising. “I’m gonna fucking kill whoever did this,” I whisper.
Her eyes open. “What are you doing here?”
“I thought you were mad at me, so I left you to cool off. If I’d have known, I would have—”
She removes my hand. “I haven’t told my brother because he would lose his mind,” she says, wincing as she pushes to sit up. “But my memory came back to me, and the men who did this wanted to send you a message.” My blood runs cold. “How did they know about us, Arthur? We’ve only just started seeing each other.”
