Page 16 of Last One Standing (Saint Brothers #5)

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

ANGEL

“Still no answer?” JJ asked as he entered the kitchen with a bag of groceries.

I’d texted Pika a few days ago and he’d sent me a thumbs-up, and that was it.

So, my brothers and I, just the five of us, went to Stilettos and Sangria for the next show.

The plan was that two of us would go inside, thinking Pika had let them know.

The other three would go around back and as soon as the show was over, before Kona could change, we’d get him and his brother and bring them to our house.

The problem was, not only had Pika not put our names on the list, the bouncer actually told me that Anita Pounding’s appearances were canceled this week.

Way too coincidental after meeting with Pika. I’d texted him as anonymously as I could. Just wondered where he was the other night. Nothing. I didn’t want to text-bomb him in case others were reading his phone.

“Nothing.” I stared at my cell, wishing for something from Pika to pop up.

“I have a bad feeling.” Shep dropped the last of the bags on the counter and sighed. “I think Brick may have gotten wind of something, is holding them at the clubhouse.”

“If that’s true, it’ll be near impossible to get them out of there. The Dead Kings are one percenters, outlaws, not good people. They’ll be armed to the teeth.” JJ crossed his arms. “If you all die trying to save them, I’ll be pissed.”

Shep chuckled and kissed JJ’s pouting lips. “We wouldn’t go in there without a plan.” Shep looked at me, determination in his eyes. “But we voted to save them, and I don’t think Brick’s just holding them there. If what Pika said is true, he punishes harshly.”

I nodded curtly. “I’ll call a family meeting for tonight.”

I helped them put the groceries away and then texted everyone to make sure they were free at eight. We always tried to eat dinner together, but people made plans. Tonight, I needed them all here.

That evening, after dinner, everyone gathered in the living room. I explained that I’d still heard nothing, and Shep shared his theory.

Noel and Nick brought out their laptops and were typing away while we talked.

“The Dead Kings tore down the original structure and rebuilt it to be their clubhouse. Now, when you do that, you have to surrender blueprints to the town, get licensing approval, all that stuff,” Noel said. “I was prepared for them to have not done that, but they did.”

“They’d have cops and shit on their doorstep if they didn’t. They don’t want unwanted attention.” Gabe shrugged.

“Seriously?” JJ scoffed. “I’m shocked they haven’t been arrested for some of the stuff they do to storefronts and their owners. But they threaten them, so they won’t press charges. How do the authorities not see this?”

“They do.” I sat back in my chair. “They’re probably just as afraid or being paid off.”

A cacophony of uh-huhs filled the room.

“All right.” Nick shifted, grabbed the remote, and turned the TV on. “I’m linking my screen so you can all see.” A blueprint appeared. “Now, this is what they claimed as their blueprint, but like us they likely withheld some things, so we need to be vigilant about it.”

“There are too many of them.” Four sighed. “Even with me helping you, it’s not gonna be possible.”

“Well, when is the time there are the fewest?” Mason shrugged. “I mean, that would be the best time, right?”

“We don’t have their schedules, Mason.” JJ rolled his eyes.

“Why not just get them away from the clubhouse?” Phoenix’s voice was a whisper, as if he thought he wasn’t allowed to speak. He was getting better, but every time we had votes or meetings, I believed part of him still felt like he didn’t belong.

“How so?” Nick and the rest of us all faced him.

“Well…I mean…what would make them all leave, or at least most of them?”

Noel gripped Phoenix on both sides of his face, earning a squeak from the timid man, then planted one hell of a kiss on his lips.

“You’re a fucking genius,” he shouted once they’d separated.

“I am?”

“That’s actually a really brilliant idea.” I winked at him, and he blushed.

“Don’t be hittin’ on my man. Go get your own.” Noel playfully growled.

“Isn’t that what we’re trying to do?” Nick gestured to the TV screen with the blueprint.

“He’s not my man!” I argued. “Pika asked for help; that’s why we’re doing this.”

Shep chuckled. “No one said it was Kona.”

Narrowing my gaze, I pointed at my brother. “Pika’s fifteen, who else would you be talking about?”

Everyone laughed, but I wasn’t finding humor anywhere. This was a serious situation, and I wanted to snap them out of it.

“Pay attention! The longer we fuck around, the more Brick could be hurting those boys.”

That sobered up the room, and everyone got to work brainstorming and researching.

“I got it!” Mason held up his cell phone like a sword. “Two months ago, they bought that abandoned bread factory or whatever it was.”

“I’m on the edge of my seat.” Gabe smirked, but Mason ignored him.

“That factory was empty for, like, over five years. I called this guy I know at the utilities company, asking about it like I was interested in purchasing it and wanted to know what electricity would run me. Obviously, playing dumb like I didn’t know it was bought.

He gave me an estimate but then told me the new owners had a deal with the company, so it likely would be higher. ”

We all stared unblinkingly at Mason. “Am I the only one not understanding this?” Phoenix asked.

Mason huffed. “They aren’t using that factory for anything legal, I guarantee it. I think we maybe get a drone up, take a peek. If it’s anything big, we can sabotage it. They’d all come running for sure, leaving the clubhouse with a skeleton crew.”

I guessed Mason was right—they weren’t making bread, no way. They might be storing guns or drugs in there, and fucking with it would for sure get them there, but if we destroyed their livelihood, they’d come at us guns blazing.

“You know if there’s illegal shit in there and we destroy it, they’ll not only come at us for Kona and Pika, but for retribution also.” Shep said what I was thinking.

“That MC has to go. That’s the plan here. Save Kona and Pika, and get rid of them. How do you think we do that, by asking them nicely to leave?” Nick snorted. “It was always going to end in a ‘them or us’ scenario, and this is our territory.”

“We’re not the mafia.” JJ laughed.

“No, but Nick’s right, as much as I’m loath to admit it.

” Nick gasped, but I powered on. “If we weren’t going in there for the guys, it would be something else, someone’s hire, or us realizing we had to end it.

I know us, we’ve dealt with the unimaginable.

We can do this. And if it comes down to Brick or me, I will be the last one standing. ”

“Let’s get to work, then.” Noel clapped his hands together, and we built our plan to get Kona and Pika out and end the Dead Kings.