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It was twenty-four hours after concluding that we had no choice but to use me to get Deon to make his move.

We were at the clubhouse in church. I was nervous.

It was rare that anyone, let alone an old lady, was invited in.

And even more rare for anyone not associated with the club.

Leon and Alfred were sitting at the table.

I knew Alfred was taking it all in. He’d been tickled to come to the compound.

He admitted he was dying to see it. Leon was more reserved, but I noticed he was alert and checking out everything and everyone.

When I was told to invite them here tonight to talk, I never imagined we’d be in church and the entire club would be with us.

Talk about stage fright. I knew all these guys and was still in awe.

They made introductions by going around the table and having the Pagans introduce themselves after I introduced Alfred and Leon. It was time to talk.

“Is that wise?” Alfred asked.

“It’s not without risk, but leaving someone like him out there is a bigger one,” Agony said.

“What disturbing information did you find out about him? It has to be pretty bad for you to do this,” Leon stated.

The guys were prepared for one or both men to ask, and we agreed to be as honest as we could be with them, to a point. Agony nodded to Bones.

“You know how he intentionally got Blythe pregnant without her consent. He did it to get the baby. He plans to sell it to someone in an illegal adoption ring. And we’ve discovered that she’s not the first. There were three other women my brother Wire has found that he did this to before Blythe. ” He paused.

“Are you serious? Do people do that? Buy babies?” Alfred asked in disbelief.

“Alfred, people will buy almost anything in this world. Some will do anything to have a child, no matter what they have to do. They don’t ask questions. They just fork over the money and go,” Wire explained.

“Why isn’t he in jail? Those mothers surely reported him,” Alfred protested.

Before we could explain why, Leon spoke up. He’d been sitting there quietly, taking it all in. “Because he either sold the women or killed them. Isn’t that right?” he asked.

“We suspect it is. They’ve disappeared. They were women similar to Blythe with no actual family who would look for them.

He probably isolated them from friends the same way he did Blythe.

There’s no one to ask about them. He covers his tracks, goes to another town, changes his name, and does it again,” Wire said in disgust.

Alfred sat there in shock. Leon slowly turns his head to look at Bones. “What do you plan to do to him after you lure him out?”

Now, was when the guys had to be careful.

They couldn’t come out and say they planned to kill him.

What if one of these men objected? I thought I knew Alfred, and he wouldn’t do it, but I wasn’t positive.

As for Leon, I liked him and got a good vibe from him, but he was still unknown.

When no one replied, Leon smiled. It was a cold one and made me shiver.

“You don’t plan to turn him over to the cops. You’ll torture him for information on the ones running the ring and use that to bring them down. He’ll disappear like those poor mothers did. An eye for an eye in a way.”

“We’ll work with law enforcement to see that those who can be prosecuted are sent to prison,” Dare said.

“Oh, there’ll be a few of them, the lower-level people.

But the big guys at the top, they have too much money and connections to either do time or for it to be significant enough.

Hell, they’ll be like the drug lords and Mafia and continue to run that shit from behind bars.

Terminating them is the only way to stop it and ensure they don’t continue or restart. ”

“We haven’t fully worked out the details,” Agony claimed.

Leon chuckled darkly. “Men like you don’t go into this unprepared.

Bones isn’t risking her more than necessary.

Let me guess – you asked us here to ensure we’d be willing to help and be extra alert while she’s at the shop—no outside appraising.

The door is to be kept locked at all times.

Oh, and there will be more of you around watching. How am I doing?” He smirked.

“We would like that, but only if you’re willing. It’s not without risk to both of you. If you want nothing to do with it, we’ll keep it away from your store, Alfred. We’ll draw him out to make a try for her another way,” Bones said.

“I will do whatever is needed to get this man out of Blythe’s life and, from what you just told us, to keep him from going after others.

I can’t believe this. I never liked him, but I didn’t guess he was capable of this kind of villainy.

Leon, we have no choice. You know what we have to do. ” He stared at Leon.

“Yes, I agree, Alfred. We’re in. However, I’d like to clarify a couple of things first,” Leon stated.

“Go on,” Hulk said.

“When Morton and any of his comrades, whatever you want to call them, are caught, I want to be present for their questioning. And before you say that’s not possible due to the police, I know they’re not going to be arrested.

I’ve been checking into you Pagans, and you seem to have some very interesting friends, not just in other clubs.

The Dark Patriots is one of them. I happen to know the kind of work they do.

I was considering going to work for them when I retired.

“Issues with crime and things such as human trafficking and so on seem to get shut down around your club and those you are friends with. More than one such ring has been dismantled, and pipelines have been destroyed. I understand not confirming anything. You don’t know me.

However, I won’t say a word. I have skills you might find helpful, especially you, Hulk.

You’re the enforcer. We think alike. You investigated me.

Those redactions were for a reason. If you want to know if I’m trustworthy, ask Giovanni Barone at the Patriots.

He and I served together in the Marines.

He’ll vouch for me. Gio got out a few years ahead of me.

He decided not to do twenty. And I can vouch for Alfred.

He’s loyal and would never betray your trust. He thinks of Blythe as a daughter, or maybe closer to a granddaughter. ”

I had to admit that I had no idea who Gio was, but it was clear the club did, and the mention of their friends, the Dark Patriots, caught their attention.

I vaguely recalled the little I was told about them.

Bones had run me through the groups they were close to, but keeping it all straight without knowing them and having faces to put to names was hard.

The room was quiet for several moments, then Agony lowered his head to Leon.

“We’ll have to check with our friends to ensure they’d trust you.

If they give you the green light, we’ll consider bringing you in further.

As for utilizing your skills, we’ll see.

Alfred, you can walk away and have nothing to do with this.

All we ask is that you don’t go to the police.

We’re entrusting you with our freedom. We’re not men who hurt the innocent,” Agony assured him.

“I know you aren’t. Not only had Leon told me what he found about you, but Blythe would not be with Bones if she didn’t trust him implicitly.

After that bastard Deon, she wouldn’t give her trust or heart easily.

I’m old, but not stupid or without blood on my hands.

Sempre fi, always faithful, means something to me. ”

The way he held himself made me want to cry. He was ready to risk himself to see me and my babies safe. Tears pricked my eyes, but I blinked them away.

“When do you think he might make his move?” Alfred asked.

“We don’t know, but we spread the rumor all over town today, and even a few were in Bryson City, so it should make it to his ears soon.

He needs to be nearby to snatch her if he gets the chance.

If he doesn’t produce a baby within the expected timeframe, I don’t see his associates being happy and letting it go.

They’re most likely the type to kill if you fail,” Dare explained.

“It would be poetic justice, but we can’t chance that.

Besides, Blythe and you don’t need to live under the sword forever.

My shop and I are at your disposal. Bring whoever you want in and hide them or whatever.

We’ll control the entry of people as we have been.

Leon and I are armed and know what we’re doing.

If there’s more you need from us, all you have to do is ask,” Alfred vowed.

“Thank you, I can’t say that enough. Blythe and our girls are my life, along with my club. I have to make them safe.”

Bones reached over and offered his hand first to Alfred.

After they shook, he did the same to Leon.

There was no hesitation in either man. They were on board with it, even if it ended in bloodshed.

I knew a call would be made to the Dark Patriots as soon as they left.

I prayed that Alfred and Leon meant what they had said.

I didn’t want to have to visit my man in prison for the rest of his life. The babies and I needed him.

With this explained and out of the way, the meeting came to a close.

They were invited to stay, enjoy drinks, and get to know the others.

Both gladly accepted. The old ladies and children would be in the common room.

Introducing them to these two men would hopefully highlight that there were families here depending on their loved ones. No one better fuck it up.

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