Page 126 of Renascence

I reach for a map, spreading it on the table and asking Chopper to mark the three locations.

“We’re going to need three teams, hit them all simultaneously. We take the money, torch the place.”

“And Vitalli?” Razor raises a brow.

“I want to ram my fist through his throat, but Em wants this done right. Through the ‘proper channels,’ anyway.”

“Best way would be to have the cops find the money,” Gage says. “Otherwise all they’d have him on is kidnapping, assault, and trying to bribe a judge.”

“There’s also the picture. If the girl will testify that he paid her to do it, that is, and if Emily is okay with handing it over to the cops,” Tek adds. “It will show he targeted her before the kidnapping. I’m still working on getting into his email, but we can scrap that so the cops can find it. If we’re going this route, our plans need to be airtight. So far, Vitalli’s been like Teflon when it comes to the law. He tried to access his accounts, too, so he knows that money is gone.”

Listening to my brothers makes me realize how half-cocked my plan was. I mean, I only thought about it for a few seconds. It’s a good thing I have these men to ground me.

“So we give the cops everything we have? Except for the fuckers from last night. They’re mine.”

“Shit.” Chopper shakes his head. “If this isn’t turning over a new leaf, I don’t know what is. Cops?”

“It’s not how I would do it, but like I said, it’s what Em wants.”

“Now whose woman’s got whose balls?” Gage asks. Einstein snickers.

“She’s not my woman.” My voice is loud enough for everyone to hear, the words leaving a bitter taste in my mouth.

“Yeah, whatever. So we’re agreed we’re letting the law handle this?”

“Yeah, but they’re getting off too easy. Booker.” I turn to him. “Get a message to your brother. See if he can set up a playdate for Junior.”

“Sure thing.”

“So, fellas, we votin’?” Prez asks.

There are “ayes” around the table, and then Gage turns to me. “There you have it. I’ll call Renley. We’ll give him everything except the men. They’re waiting at the warehouse for you.”

“Thanks, Prez.”

We leave the chapel and I head right back to my room. Marisol is here, keeping Emily’s company as she eats. In normal circumstances, I’d make a joke about her stealing my girl, but she’s not really mine, is she?

“Do you want me to stay?” Marisol eyes me briefly before focusing on Emily.

“No, it’s fine. Thanks for feeding me.”

“No problem.”

When she leaves, I perch on the side of the bed, careful not to touch Emily. It’s not that I don’t want to, but I wouldn’t be able to stop if I did.

“We decided to do things your way. Gage is gonna call the sheriff and you can file a report.”

“Okay.”

“You’ll have to leave out the part about me getting shot. Also, we can’t exactly explain away why we kept the men here, so your story is that they shoved you out of the van and drove off.”

“What’s going to happen to them?” she whispers.

“We haven’t decided yet. We’re going to hand over the girl who took the picture, too.”

“She’s here?” She looks up at me, eyes wide.

“Not at the clubhouse, no. She said Vitalli paid her to take it.”