The Sinner Redeemed (L.A. Sinners MC), page 11
The thought of that man makes my lip curl into a snarl. I wasn’t lying when I told Phoenix I would kill him. The club may have agreed to keep doing business with him, but I will end him if she gives me the word.
Yes, that goes against the club that I have sworn my loyalty to. I am very well aware of that. But the way she cried last night, the way her entire body shook with fear, I cannot watch her do that again. And I know that had it been Harper or Mackenzie, any member of the club would feel the same way.
“He’s not going to be here,” Wiggie murmurs, looking through a pair of binoculars. “We’ve been doing this shit for hours.”
And we have. We’ve been sitting here since we took over for Warren and Fletcher, and we haven’t seen any fucking movement. No sign of Tonto whatsoever. But we don’t leave until we’re told to leave. That’s the way this works.
I left Phoenix with Leann. I’m sure she’ll have her out in the garden or sewing baby clothes. With two babies being born into the club, shit is going to be changing quickly.
“There,” Wiggie whispers as though someone can hear us while we’re staked out in the fucking truck.
He hands me the binoculars, and I peer through them to where he’s pointing. I don’t see shit, and I think for a minute that he’s fucking with me.
“Top window, last one on the right. I saw movement.”
I keep looking, and sure enough, a shadow moves across the window. I pick my phone up from the cupholder and send a text to Lucien, letting him know what we’ve seen but that there’s no confirmation it’s Tonto.
“What the hell is a kid doing out alone in this neighborhood?” Wiggie asks.
I rush out of the truck, ignoring Wiggie when he calls after me. I don’t know what the kid is doing here, but it isn’t safe.
“Mico!” I hiss. “Mico, it’s past your bedtime, isn’t it?”
He turns around, a smile breaking out on his face. “Do I look like I have a fucking bedtime?”
Smartass. “You look like you need one. What are you doing out here?”
He gets this look on his face, like he’s completely busted. His gaze shifts to the ground, and he shoves his hands in the pockets of his oversized jean shorts.
“Hey, kid, you can tell me. I’m not going to fucking rat you out or anything.”
“My brother didn’t come home,” he says. “I heard him telling someone on the phone that he was coming here.”
I glance up to the window. I hate myself for thinking this, that my mind works this way. But I need to know who is in that room.
“Tell you what, Mico. I do think your brother is in that upstairs room at the end,” I tell him, pointing up to the window. “And I’m pretty sure he’s in there with the guy who hurt Marina.”
“I’ll kill that pendejo.”
I bend down and put my hands on his shoulders to calm him down. “Marina wouldn’t want this lifestyle for you, now, would she?” He looks away, answering my question without saying a word. “But if you come back down and tell me if he’s in there, I will take care of it for you. He has a tattoo of skulls on each hand and guns on his forearms.”
“Like Day of the Dead skulls?” Mico questions, and I nod.
Then, I send the boy off and pray I’m not sending him to his death. I’ve done a lot of horrible things in my life, but if I get this boy killed, I’ll never forgive myself.
Phoenix
I listen to Leann and Harper chat about their pregnancies as we drive home from shopping. The trunk is loaded with items for Leann’s baby. I’m riding in the passenger seat, and Mackenzie is driving. The two of us are both quiet, letting them have their conversation.
I’ve been focused on the black SUV that’s been behind us since we left the outlet mall. I don’t want to let paranoia set in, but I’m pretty sure I saw the same vehicle in the parking lot where we ate lunch, and at the baby boutique we were at earlier today.
We’ve spent the entire day shopping. Reid had some club business to take care of. I’m honestly dead tired, but it’s been a lot of fun. Harper is excited about being pregnant, and from what she says, Layla can’t wait to have a baby brother or sister. I know she isn’t Harper’s biological daughter, but Harper has raised her.
Mackenzie, on the other hand, has taken absolutely zero interest in shopping for baby items. She doesn’t get gooey over the frilly tutus or swoon over the tiny baseball caps. She is completely anti-baby, and I can’t say that I blame her. I cannot imagine bringing a baby into this world right now. I can barely take care of myself, much less worry about being responsible for another human’s life. I suppose that’s one good thing that came from the governor. He made sure I was on birth control.
We take a right turn to start toward the clubhouse, and the SUV makes a right turn as well. We know it’s not the club because I can see the bike in front of us, escorting us home. I shift in my seat and keep watching the mirror.
Fletcher said the governor would not bother me again. I didn’t prod Reid for answers. I’ve asked the ladies a few questions today, and I’m pretty sure I understand how the club stuff works. It’s like Warren said. He can’t tell me everything when it comes to the club. I don’t know what kind of arrangement they have with Governor Chaise, but whatever it is, they let him walk free in spite of what he did to me.
“Pull into that gas station, please.”
Mackenzie glances over at me but does as I say, firing off a quick text to our escort. The SUV behind us slowly passes us by. The windows are tinted so darkly that I’m unable to see inside. Every instinct I have says it was the governor, but I don’t want to be that person who freaks out when there’s nothing to freak out about.
“Everything all right?” Harper asks, leaning up from the backseat.
“Um, yeah, I think so.”
“Okay, I’m going to run in and pee. Anyone want anything?”
I slump back in the seat and shake my head. I can sense Mackenzie’s concern as Leann and Harper both get out.
“It was nothing,” I say before she can ask me what’s going on.
“I saw the SUV, too. Nothing wrong with being aware of your surroundings.”
“Maybe not, but there is something wrong with me acting like a crazy person. The guy in the store before was probably just a guy in the store. The SUV is probably just an SUV. There’s no one after me anymore. That’s a good thing.”
“Always trust your gut, Phoenix.”
My gut tells me my life will never be the same.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Reid
I knock on the door to Lucien’s office, knowing he’s here working since Harper is out with the girls. He hollers for me to come on in, so I push the door open and step inside.
“Yeah?”
“Me and Wiggie did surveillance on the location the governor gave up,” I say, and Lucien arches an eyebrow, waiting on me to continue. “Pretty sure Tonto is holed up there.”
Lucien stands. “Then, let’s get the fucking guys and get over there before he hauls ass. Put an end to this war.”
“We have a problem. There’s this kid.”
“What fucking kid?”
I run a hand through my hair and sigh. “He’s just a kid. Look, his brother is a Sicario. He’s in there with Tonto. The kid confirmed it. I don’t know who else is in there.”
“I fail to see what the fucking problem is, Reid.”
“I made the kid a promise that we wouldn’t harm his brother. It’s the only family he has left.”
Lucien slams his fist on the desk. “You don’t have the authority to make that call! All of the Sicarios have a death sentence on them! We aren’t letting a single one of them walk after what they’ve done to us!”
“I had to! He wouldn’t make the confirmation without knowing his brother was going to live! These guys are kids. Mico is only eleven years old, and his brother is not even eighteen. Neither of them had a choice!”
“Damn it!” Lucien curses. “Where’s the kid?”
“Playing the game with Wiggie.”
“You brought him here? To my fucking clubhouse?”
“Where else was I supposed to take him? He put his neck on the line for us!”
Lucien storms past me, drawing his gun from the back of his jeans. Mico sits on the sofa beside Wiggie, completely oblivious to the fact that there’s a gun aimed at his head. Without hesitating, I step between Lucien and Mico.
“Do what you have to do, brother.”
I hold my breath, waiting on him to pull the trigger because I know damn well I’ve given him enough reasons to since he’s become our president.
“Lucien! Lucien, stop!” Harper screams, rushing inside.
For a split second, I think he’s going to ignore her, but then he lowers the gun and shoves it back into his jeans.
“We’ll take a vote.” I nod solemnly. “Right fucking now.”
He calls out for everyone to come to church and the guys drop what they’re doing. Harper mumbles something about her and Leann making supper for everyone. Mackenzie goes to the fridge and gets a beer, and I lean down to Mico, telling him to stay put.
“What’s happening?” Phoenix asks, her voice filled with worry.
“Stay with him.”
“Reid?”
I give her a soft kiss on her forehead but don’t offer an explanation. This is club business, and I haven’t figured out what I can and cannot tell her yet. She is so far entrenched due to what happened to her that keeping her in the dark feels wrong. Still, I hold out this hope that shielding her from some of this may keep her innocent somehow.
And I need that. I need her to stay a little innocent. Remind me of what it’s like to be good. Because I fear that I’m already lost to the darkness. If I lose this vote, there may not be any fucking hope for me.
Phoenix
The little boy sitting on the sofa keeps playing the game, his fingers pressing buttons on the controller in a frenzy. Harper and Leann are in the kitchen gathering up some food, so I head in there, figuring he might want a snack or something to drink while we wait on the meeting to be over. I rummage in the cabinet and find a bag of chips before getting a soda from the fridge.
When I turn back around, I catch a glimpse of his face and my breath catches in my throat. I stumble back, dropping the soda on the floor, causing the contents of the can to spew all over the place.
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Harper says, bending down to pick up the can.
“I have to talk to Reid,” I whisper, gripping her arm.
“You can’t, sweetie. They’re in church.”
“I...I have to tell him...something. Now. I have to.”
“I know you’re new to this, but we can’t interrupt church. It’s for members only. You can’t go in unless Lucien approves it.”
I shake my head. “You don’t understand. The kid...”
She turns around to where Mico is still focused on the game he’s playing. Then, in silent understanding, she leads me to the guys. She takes a deep breath before tapping on the door.
“We’re in church!” Lucien roars.
Harper opens the door and steps inside, bravely walking over to Lucien. I see the way his harsh gaze softens at her. The way he possessively wraps his arm around her waist when she reaches him. She leans down to his ear and whispers to him, and his gaze shifts to me, where I’m waiting at the door.
“Reid, go see what your woman needs.”
Reid is sitting at the side of the table, and at the mention of me, I push the door open so he can see me. He gets up and comes around the table to where I’m standing. Harper slips past us and heads back down the hall.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, closing the door. “You can’t interrupt us like that.”
“The kid, Reid,” I say, managing to keep my voice calm and steady. “He’s not who you think he is.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
I look down the hall, wanting to make sure he can’t hear me. I don’t want him to know that I recognize him.
“He was there at the house...when I was there.”
“You saw him outside the house?”
I shake my head, blinking back tears. “No, I saw him inside the house. He...he is one of Tonto’s sons, I think. He watched...he watched sometimes.”
“Son of a fucking bitch!” he hisses, pacing the floor.
“I’m sorry. I should’ve said something sooner, but I pushed those memories down.”
“It’s not your fault,” he says, and then he stops pacing, pulling me into his arms. “I’m so fucking sorry.”
“What’s going to happen?”
“He’s going to take us to Tonto.”
“It’s a trap, Reid. It has to be a trap.”
“And we’ll be the ones setting it.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Reid
I walk over to Mico, the kid now munching on chips as he continues his game. Yeah, he’s playing one hell of a game and I know his own father put him up to it. Even so, he didn’t ask us to spare Tonto. He asked to spare his brother.
“You at a stopping point?” I ask, and his gaze flickers up to me for only a split second. He finishes out the round and then pauses the game. “Can I get you to go back up to that room for me?”
He looks nervous, and I know it’s because he thought we would just go in guns blazing. He thought we would fall into Tonto’s trap. He’s also worried as hell that if he fails at his mission, what he was ordered to do, he’ll suffer severe consequences.
Phoenix said he watched what was happening to her but that he was forced to. That Tonto would bring him in and make him sit in the corner and watch what he did to her.
“I know I told you I’d take care of the men who killed Marina,” I say, and he nods. “But my boss doesn’t want to do that. He wants to make a deal with them instead.”
“But that’s not what you told me!” he argues.
I can see that Marina’s death has taken a toll on him. I doubt it’s the first person he’s lost in his young life, but she mattered to him, and he knows she died at the hands of his father.
“I wish I could keep my promise, but it’s not my call. My boss wants to keep the peace. You want peace, don’t you?”
He slowly nods, blinking back the tears in his eyes. “And my brother will still be safe?”
“Yes,” I answer, knowing I can’t guarantee that. “All right, let’s go.”
To keep up appearances, Wiggie and I go together, just like we were when we saw Mico. I have a small duffel bag in my lap, filled with cash, a few AKs, and a little something extra.
When we arrive back at the building, the window is lit up, indicating they’re still there. From the outside, it looks like a typical apartment building. But Harco did some recon, and there are no other tenants. The place was condemned two years ago due to mold. The city didn’t bother cleaning it up. I’d bet my left nut the people who lived here before are still out on the streets sleeping in cardboard boxes and on park benches.
“What do I need to do?” Mico asks.
“Take this bag in and tell Tonto that the Sinners want peace. If he’s game for that, he needs to let you know if he’s willing to meet at the diner tomorrow at ten. He’ll know which one.”
“Then what?”
“Then you come back down and tell me his decision.”
“That’s it?”
I nod. “That’s all, kid.”
He climbs out of the truck, and I hand him the bag, telling him not to be a nosy fucker about it. Once he disappears inside, I turn on the app Harco installed on my phone so Wiggie and I can watch and listen. There’s a small camera attached to the duffel bag. If things go down as planned, the kid will make it out all right. If not, he’ll be another casualty of this war. He sure as hell won’t be the first.
I can hear men laughing when he walks into the room. Hearing him call Tonto father makes my jaw clench in frustration and anger. He says what I told him to, almost verbatim.
“Did you fuck up, Mico?”
“No, sir,” he answers. “He wants me to let him know if you will meet.”
I hear the zipper and know Tonto wants to check the goods in the bag first. Fucker shouldn’t dig too deep. Everything he wants is right on top. Money and power.
“They want peace,” Tonto says. “You hear that? Those pussies want peace!”
The other men in the room laugh, and I wonder just how many of the Sicarios are holed up in there with him. There shouldn’t be that many remaining after the amount we’ve already slaughtered.
“We should hear them out,” one of them says, and I think it’s Mico’s brother. “Doesn’t mean we have to agree to their terms.”
“My son is right. We’ll hear them out,” Tonto says, and I hear footsteps. “Wait, Mico! Enrico will go tell them.”
“Shit,” I hiss.
“What the fuck do I do now?” Wiggie asks, holding the detonator. “Still blow the place? The kid’s in there.”
“Enrico doesn’t know them. If he goes out alone, they’ll kill him!”
This kid is smart. He lied to me, and I won’t forget that, but he’s smart.
“You go together,” Tonto says.
It’s only a minute before we see Mico and his brother exit the building. It’s only seconds before that fucker is blown. Guess I was able to make good on my promise, after all.
Phoenix
I watch the women bustle around the clubhouse, prepping food for when the guys return. Leann said this is something we need to do more often, but that it definitely has to be done when they go on dangerous runs. You never know what can happen. Her husband, Soco, was killed not too long ago.
“Can I help?” I ask, tired of sitting on the barstool watching everyone else around me work.
“Do you mind cutting up the veggies? The meat is almost ready,” Harper says, pointing toward a grocery bag at the end of the counter.
