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CHAPTER 12

Rogue

“ D o we have a lock on Benny yet?” I ask Tyrant as Havoc and Creed package up the dead fuckers’ cuts. We will burn them later.

“Nope,” he tells me as we work to drag the bodies up the stairs and out of the bunker.

Fucking men should have laid off the beer, or maybe hit the gym more often. Fat fucks making this shit harder. I probably should have stabbed them top side. We didn’t actually have them for information. There wasn’t anything they could give to help keep Michele safe. We know the threat and truthfully, they didn’t even know who they really were working for. Ghoul looked into it and the communication with them was all done via text messages on burner phones. From what he could sort, they didn’t know they got into bed with the sicario until after the job delivering the head was complete. By then it was too late to change anything.

They are dead, the whole lot of them here in Alabama. Even if it’s a pain in the ass to lug these three back up from the bunker. Luckily, none of us mind a free work out. As for their club as a whole, we’ll be making a trip to Tennessee for a sit down soon. Havoc has already been in touch with their President who seems to want anything but war with us. Too bad he didn’t think of that before letting his boys ride in down here.

No job is ever worth disrespecting another club when you aren’t looking for war. Just how we see it.

Another easy day , I tell myself. Even if it’s anything but easy, every day, every moment you survive, is easy compared to what is to come.

“Ghoul says last known stop for him was Huntsville. We know he’s close, but where he’s tucked down at is unclear. A man like him is seasoned at not being seen.” Tyrant explains what I already know.

“Hired guns are good at flying under the radar.” I say to no one in particular. “Hell, this whole thing doesn’t make sense.”

“Tell me about it,” Tyrant responds. “Most hitmen work alone.”

“Exactly, and they don’t send messages. They swoop in, take care of business, and then disappear. Why send messages to her and Giulia? Why go this far in the taunting to have a club swoop in if the goal is to end Michele?”

The more I talk through everything the more nothing adds up. While love and revenge can make a man do crazy things, she’s been here years. Why come for her now? Why risk getting caught by hiring outside guns? His profession is to end people, he doesn’t need the Demons to end Michele or even to deliver the message. Fred didn’t have to die.

While I don’t know of anyone in Benny’s line of work that have a problem with casualties, most sicarios don’t want added risks of additional bodies stacking up.

My phone goes off alerting me to the panic button on my alarm. No fucking way!

“Shit!” I yell taking off to my bike.

I don’t bother to look behind me.

I don’t have to.

Tyrant knows me well enough to know there is only one thing that would cause me to take off like this. I know within minutes the guys have gotten on their rides, called in the other brother’s and they are all taking my back.

It’s only moments before I hear the rumble of another bike behind me. Looking over my shoulder, Creed is first to reach me, with more not too far behind him.

At my house, I literally pace losing my mind. A body lays lifeless at the bottom of my front steps. The prospect took a bullet to the head. It was a quick end. He probably didn’t even know he was shot, it was simply he was alive and then he wasn’t.

Moving into the house, I find a blood trail. Following it, I find Kitty in my daughter’s room. Rushing to her, I see the gunshot wound on her back. Was she shot in the front and it’s a through and through or in her back? It’s important to stabilize her head and neck. Gently, I roll her over, she groans.

“Kitty, stay with me,” I tell her trying to access her injuries.

“Got shot, Rogue,” she tells me. “Pretended to be dead.”

“Yeah, I see that.”

“They took her,” she whispers, “can’t feel my legs. Getting dizzy,” she mutters as Creed enters the room.

“Shit, Kitty,” he says. “I’ll get a call in to doc.”

“She needs him to come here. She can’t move yet.” I explain.

“Cousin, Rogue. Call her cousin. Not feeling so good,” Kitty rambles going into shock.

Dammit, I need to get up with Giulia, but this woman literally took a bullet at my house, I can’t leave her either.

Henley comes in and drops down beside us on his knees. “Keep her head and neck stable. She is losing blood, but says she can’t feel her legs. Could be shock, could be nerve damage. Doc is on the way.”

I get up knowing Henley will care for Kitty. Rushing back out the door, Havoc stands there holding Michele’s phone.

“Giulia is on the line,” he tells me handing me the phone.

“Got a guy who hacked the SUV satellite radio. Sent the location to your president. Go get our girl, Jennings. I’m counting on you. If you don’t end him by the time I get there, I’m going to.”

She ends the call which is fine with me as I look at Havoc who verifies he has the address with a nod. Leaving Henley and two others with Kitty, the rest of us ride out following Havoc.

Once we pull into the industrial park, he stops us before getting close to the building she is being housed in.

Finding a building closer to the entrance, Havoc has us move everything inside. We all secure our bikes and draw weapons. Creed goes and covers up the tire tracks as best he can so the gravel doesn’t give away our position. The element of surprise is always necessary in a rescue mission.

“Ghoul, go ahead, recon the building report back here, you got three minutes to locate her and give me a head count.”

I pace the small area we have found. While this area is a known business complex, it’s literally a bunch of different warehouse style buildings with store fronts. They have only sold two locations, meaning the majority of these buildings are empty.

I feel like she’s close. I can’t explain it.

Fighting my instincts to take off after her, my experience tells me we have to have a plan. For her safety more than anyone’s we have to figure out an extraction.

“You care,” Havoc quietly observes from me.

“Yeah.”

He gives me a look, an unspoken thing before he tells me what’s on his mind. “She’s in there.”

I pause for a moment and think. “Yeah.”

“Deeper than Ayla.”

I’m a fucking idiot. I met my wife and married her in a matter of weeks. I’ve known this woman years, but not actually known her but days and I’m in deeper than Ayla.

How ridiculous is that?

“When ya know, ya know,” he states like he has some experience and I want to punch him for even trying to talk to me about this.

“I don’t think I know shit, brother.”

“All my brothers falling down in love.” He jokes but in this serious way.

I don’t reply as I keep pacing.

He reaches out grabbing my shoulder stopping me. “She’s gonna be fine. This happiness she gives you, looks good on you, brother. We’re going to get her out of this. You’re gonna learn to live again. Dominiks wants you to have a life, Rogue.”

At the mention of my daughter, my mind goes sharp. I don’t know what my daughter would want. I know if I could turn back time, I would save her.

I can’t do that though.

I can and I will do everything to save Michele.

Ghoul comes back. “She’s in there. She’s covered by six. Benny isn’t on scene yet.”

Havoc lifts a phone to his ear, “update, Cartagena, now.” He clips.

On high alert, I study Havoc looking for a reaction.

“Got it.” He ends the call.

“Cartagena en-route. ETA two minutes.

Approximately two minutes later, two blacked out SUVs roll in. I find this odd. As a hired hitman he shouldn’t have a crew like this and he wouldn’t want to come in with this show of man power. Something isn’t right.

“Havoc, this is off. Stand down, I’m going in. Keep everyone back until you get my go.”

He grabs my shoulder, “think you’re too close on this one, brother.”

I shake my head and shake him off. “I think I have the best skill set to getting close undetected. I will do anything to keep her safe.”

“Rogue,” he warns. “You can’t lone wolf this shit. We’re here.”

I shake my head. “I know.”

He gives me the stare. The one that tells me Havoc is tired of my shit. “You got your name for going Rogue. This ain’t the time, brother. We got a war with the Demons. They are probably putting together resources now. We got an unknown situation with your woman. Don’t do anything fuckin’ alone.”

“I got it,” I assure him.

He gives me a nod after looking in my eyes and seeing I sincerely have no intention on going into this alone. My training taught me a lot. One of those things being when you got emotions wrapped up in a mission it makes you vulnerable. That makes you weak.

I can’t do this on my own.

For her.

Approaching the building, I get low and sit near a garage door that is opened an inch. Dropping belly to the ground, I peer inside. Michele stands in the middle with men all around. A new man enters the room in a suit. He’s not Benny.

He approaches her, cupping her chin, he forces her to look at him.

“Leigh, I can see why Benny is so enamored with you.”

She doesn’t speak just looks at the man.

“You have made it a challenge for me to find you. Alas, you and your cousin still left a trail. Don’t worry, though, I’ve cleared all that up.”

“Where is Benny?” Michele asks the man.

“Hopefully coming for you.”

“Benny and I are over. I left because we were done.” There is a shake to her tone that gnaws at me inside. She’s afraid of this man.

“Had a deal with Benny. He broke that deal when he refused to take a job.”

“That has nothing to do with me. Benny won’t come here for me.”

The man laughs, “You have everything to do with it, the job was you.”

Michele jerks back from his hold.

“Ah, now she gets it.”

“Diaz, I’m not part of the organization.”

The man laughs in her face. “You may think so, but knowing man’s secrets makes you a target. You know more than Benny’s secrets, though, you know many people’s secrets.”

Carefully, I text Havoc: contact Bianchi, who is DIAZ

“I left Jersey, Diaz. You know that. I don’t have anything to do with anyone. I live a quiet life here.”

He leans over and kisses her cheek.

I fight the caveman inside of that that wants to cut his lips off his face and watch him scream.

“I must give you credit. You didn’t take what you know and go to the feds. Alas, that isn’t enough reassurance for me. Once Benny comes, you won’t be a risk for anyone anymore. It’s a shame, you are a beautiful woman.”

Popping up as quietly as I can, I move away from the building at the same time I see a small compact car pulling up.

The driver.

It’s none other than Benincio Cartagena.

Fuck. Michele’s on short time now. This man wants to get rid of any loose ends.

Both of them in the same room, easy fix and then he’s ghost.

I can’t lose her when I don’t even have her completely yet.

No, I won’t lose her.