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Ace must’ve read his thoughts and lifted his hand.

“He sells for Anders, and until this fucking shitshow, he was moving up the ranks pretty quick. Anders lets him sit in on some meetings, taking him under his wing. That’s why the cops were trying to get to Zeke ’cause they knew getting to him would be one step closer to Anders.

Had they been successful, that would’ve meant a lot of heat on all of us, considering our connections. ”

There was still so much risk.

“How can you be so sure you can trust him?”

Cross scoffed. “’Cause he knows we’ll kill him if he doesn’t do what we want.”

“Anders could offer protection,” Oz countered.

“But he won’t ’cause as much as he fucking hates the MC, he won’t put his own men on the line for Zeke. And” —Ace said— “We’ve offered Zeke an opportunity to prospect. Aligning with us ensures his safety.”

Nash scoffed. “Making deals with the devil?”

Ace shrugged. “It’s not the first time and won’t be the last.”

Nash paced around the room trying to formulate their plan. He wouldn’t be privy to all the details. Inez, much like Oz, acted in secrecy, with only her closest allies in full knowledge.

“What’s your plan?”

Inez sucked in a long drag of her cigarette. “He crossed me. You know what that means.”

Yes, I do.

“I’m gonna blow up his fucking world.” Inez laughed. “And I’m going to use your security to do it.”

Nash cupped his mouth. When Inez got an idea into her mind, there wasn’t anyone on earth who could talk her out of it.

“I believe you owe me, personally , Nash. Things could’ve turned out a lot differently for your girl had Zeke gotten to her before my boys.”

I do.

“We’re listening,” Oz said. A united front. Nash didn’t expect anything less.

Inez looked over at Ace and pointed. The president of the club stepped forward.

“After we had the meeting with Anders, he said he needed to think about the deal. We offered sixty-five, thirty-five. Fair considering our distribution means we’d be taking the risk on delivery.”

It was a little high, but Ace had a good point.

“Got a call from a friend asking a lot about our affiliation with Ghosttown Riders.”

Nash furrowed his brows. As far as he understood, there was no affiliation. Even when Ghosttown did a few jobs for the Underground, they were the lowest risk and never put them in connection with Killcreek, as far as he knew.

“Why?”

Ace smirked. “He’s in talks with a buyer.

A huge deal. It’s a lot of product. But part of it requires transport, and he’d have to take the route straight through Ghosttown.

He’s looking out for his own ass, not wanting to get on the bad side of the Underground.

Said the buyer offered him double his usual fee. Wanna guess the customer?”

He didn’t have to. Anders.

“Without our deal he doesn’t have the option to go through the state. But he’s trying to backdoor it.”

Oz squared his jaw. “Ghosttown is not an option. That deal was made a long time ago through East.”

Ace snickered. “I know that. And you know that. But they fucking don’t.”

Inez stepped forward. “All we need is for you to make a call to Anders. Tell him you’re willing to cut a side deal without me. Anders can make that deal with the out of state seller, and for a fair payout, you’ll allow passage through Ghosttown.”

What? He jerked his gaze between Inez and Ace.

She waved her hands, rolling her eyes. “I know the deal with Ghosttown. I’m not looking to fuck with Mayberry. But we need Anders to think he can move product through it. Just need you to make the call and sell it to him.” She spread out her arms. “And we’ll do the rest.”

Nash was trying to see her vision but struggling. “He won’t go for it, Inez.”

“He fucking came to you initially, didn’t he?” she snapped.

“And Oz turned him down. He knows our ties and loyalty to you are too strong.”

Inez snorted. “You don’t think like him, Nash. You’re thinking like the Underground. Anders isn’t part of us, and he doesn’t think that way. There’s no loyalty or honor with that fucker. And we’re gonna use that to our advantage. Put it in motion.”

“And why are you requesting our security?” Oz arched his brow.

“Because using yours makes Anders think this is all legit. You send in your guys to act as allies for him, he’ll get comfortable and won’t question it.”

True.

“And one more thing,” Inez said, and her gaze drifted past Nash’s shoulder. “I want one of mine working with yours.”

Nash turned to the woman leaning against the wall. He hadn’t even clocked her when he’d walked in. It wasn’t a fault on him, she was just that good. It had been years since he’d seen her. But her reputation was notorious.

Nash lowered his chin. “Jessie.”

She smiled, cocking her brow. “Hello, Nash.” If Inez had a secret weapon, it was Jessie. Loyal to only Inez. She slowly angled her head and straightened. She couldn’t have been more than five-six, but the woman had a presence. She looked over at Oz. “I look forward to working with you, sir.”

“As do we, Jessica.”

Jessie knew how this world worked. She’d been in it long enough. The ranking, the hierarchy. And her place, which was higher than most. Jessie had earned it. She wasn’t Inez’s second, but she was next in line.

Oz turned to Inez. “You’ll work directly with Nash on the details.”

Inez smirked. “Sharing your boy with me, Oz? Appreciate that.”

And the grudge continues. It would never die, but Nash wouldn’t feed into it.

“And the product being transferred?” Nash arched his brow and watched Inez smirk and share a look with Ace.

“Finders keepers, brother.”

Nash bit back his smile. They’d need to iron out all the details. A complex operation like the one being proposed would take a lot of planning. He had no doubt they’d make it happen. Proving once again, the Underground was a united front.

Impenetrable.