Revenge (40 page)

“Nothing makes sense about this,” Alex said.

“I know. He’s kept me at arms’ length, and now he
starts giving me information. I don’t trust what he’s got to say.” Butch
glanced over his shoulder to see Whizz sitting at the bar. The other man was
sporting a frown as he stared down at his glass of water. He didn’t like the
fact the other man was running out in the middle of the night to see Lacey.

This was a very difficult mission. Butch knew so much more,
and yet he couldn’t tell Alex the truth.

“We’re going to have to believe that he’s lying or
he’s telling you the truth to see what you’ll do.” Alex ran a finger over his
lip, contemplating.

“I don’t care. We need to get the women in the safe
house,” Butch said.

He’d made the necessary arrangements for the warehouse
outside of town. For the last couple of days he’d been putting the finishing
touches to make sure no one knew where the women were going.

“No, you don’t put the women to ground until Devil
gets into town.” Alex shook his head. “Fuck, this is happening too fast. If
we’re not careful this entire plan is going to fall down all around us.”

Butch wished he had a better idea. This was going to
be their final time to get at Gonzalez. Ned had already sneaked three men into
town. They were waiting for the go ahead to take out the men Whizz had found.

“We need to tell Tiny,” Butch said.

“No, we don’t. You need to do as I’ve asked and make
sure nothing fucks up between now and then.” Alex pushed past him leaving Butch
to look where he was going.

Moving to the bar, Butch took a seat beside Whizz.

“What?” Whizz asked.

“I’m just making sure you’re okay,” Butch said.

“I’m fine. It’s interesting how we’ve all got a plan
for what’s about to come.” Whizz lifted the glass to his lips and took a sip.
“Shall we toast?” Whizz asked.

“To what?”

“To living and
dying.
Either one sounds pretty good about
now.”
Whizz took a sip and placed the glass back in front of him.

“Have you seen that woman again?” Butch asked.

“It’s none of your business who I’ve seen.”

“I think with Gonzalez around, you should be careful
who you look toward for comfort,” Butch said.

“You’re starting to sound like a broken fucking
record, Butch. You keep warning me about a woman you know nothing about. Back
the fuck off, or I swear I’ll make sure you can’t fucking see for your actual
wedding.” Whizz go to his feet and stormed off.

Staring across the bar, Butch looked at his reflection.

You’re a rat. You’ve got to come clean. There’s no way for you to keep
The Savage Brothers a secret and get away with it.

Running a hand down his face, Butch jumped as his cell
phone went off.

Seeing Danny’s name on the screen, he started to feel
sick. Leaving the club, he took the call.

“What?” he asked.

“I want to know what the word is. Gonzalez has left
Piston County. I’ve got my sources, and yet I’ve not heard your call as to why
he’s on the move.”

Closing his eyes, Butch had to think quickly as he
made to respond.

“He’s coming to the clubhouse. The wedding tomorrow,
it’s all happening, and Gonzalez is coming to the after party at the
clubhouse.” The lies kept melding together making it impossible to keep up.

“Are you sure about that?” Danny asked.

“Yes, I’m sure. Shit’s going down tomorrow, and you’re
going to get what you want. Revenge, it’s what you’ve always wanted, right?”

“Yes, you’re right.” Danny sounded happy. “I’ll see
you tomorrow.”

Hanging up the phone, Butch went to his room to find
Cheryl pulling a nightshirt over her head.

“What is it?” she asked.

“It’s all happening tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

“You’re going to have to be there, but Eva’s promised
to take Matthew with her.”

Cheryl nodded. “There’s nothing we can do. You know
what you’re doing, right?” she asked.

He didn’t have the first fucking clue what he was
doing. “I fucked up,” he said.

“Come clean to Tiny before this turns to shit,” she
said, sitting on the end of the bed.

He wrapped his arms around her. “I’m sorry for putting
us through this.”

“You made a mistake. Come clean to your crew, and
it’ll be fine.”

“I told the Savage Brothers a lie,” he said.

Butch explained what he’d done.

“What are you going to do?” she asked.

“I’m going to deal with what I’ve done.” He kissed the
top of her head. “I love you, baby.”

“Butch, promise me you won’t go in there fighting.”

“I promise.” The lie was another easy word for him to
say. There was nothing else he could do. The wheels had been set in motion. All
he could do was
keep
on with the initial plan.

****

Lexie paced the main floor the club. It was late, and
her kids were getting restless.

“Are you okay?” Phoebe asked.

Was she okay?

No, I’m not okay. My husband is out there on a killing spree, and I’m
stuck here waiting. Judi’s in the hospital in a coma, and there’s nothing I can
do to stop what’s going to happen.

Instead of saying everything that was plaguing her,
she nodded. “I’m fine. Everything is fine.” She offered a smile that she didn’t
at all feel. Her life was not what she wanted it to be. In fact, her life was
fast turning into something she’d never wanted it to be.

When pacing couldn’t calm her thoughts, she took a
seat on the edge of the far bench.

“I know this is difficult,” Phoebe said.

“I know you do, honey. I know you’ve been through this
a lot more than I have. Listening to you talk about everything you’ve gone through
doesn’t make me feel better. Vincent was addicted to drugs, and you pulled him
out of it. I respect everything you’ve done.”

“But this is different,” Phoebe said, finishing her
thoughts.

“Yes, this is different. We can’t stop what’s going
on. There’s a man out there who killed my sister. He killed Jerry and Ashley
and made sure someone beat up Judi. She’s lying in a coma because of the damage
done to her. Ripper won’t leave her side. I know you’ve been through a lot, but
it’s not like this.” Sitting down wasn’t helping Lexie’s nerves. Getting back
to her feet she started to pace.

Simon was watching her. His inquisitive little mind
already knew something was up, and she couldn’t stop him. Sitting back down,
she blew out a breath and made sure to calm her nerves down.

“I’ve got to be calm.”

“You’re a wonderful mother, Lexie. Simon, he’s the
kind of boy who spots everything. You shouldn’t worry about it.”

“But I do worry about it. He’s my son.” She placed a hand
to her heart. Simon was born to Kayla, but within weeks of her sister giving
birth, Kayla had given him to her.

Lexie had done everything in her power to care for the
young boy. She loved him like he was her own son, and as far as she was
concerned, no one else would ever replace him.

“It’s these moments that test all of us.”

Glancing around the room, she saw Sasha was tense
where she’d been put. Her guide dog had her head resting on Sasha’s lap trying
to comfort her.

“Shit, I’m probably panicking her. Give me a moment,”
she said.

Leaving Phoebe’s side, she took a seat in front of
Sasha.

“Hey, honey. How are you holding up?” Lexie asked.

“I think I’m doing much better than you.” Sasha didn’t
move her hand away from her dog. “At least I can’t see the tension, but I feel
it.”

“I don’t know if that’s good or not,” Lexie said. “I’m
going to touch your hand.”

Pussy had been such a good man to Sasha, giving her
more independence than she’d had in the whole of her life since her blindness.
Sasha’s mother, Penny, was still in rehab overcoming her pill and alcohol
addiction.

“Okay,” Sasha said.

Touching her hand, Lexie grasped her palm within her
hands. She noticed how Sasha was shaking.

“Pussy’s told me it’s going to be okay. I’m to trust
him because he won’t let anything happen to me.”
The trust
and absolute faith in Sasha’s voice made Lexie smile.
She had felt that
way with Devil. Then bad shit started to happen, and now she always had her
doubts. She was tired of having doubts.

“I know he won’t let anything happen to you. I’ve
never seen Pussy in love with anyone else before. You’re his entire world.” She
wasn’t lying. The only person she’d ever seen Pussy happy with was Sasha.

“Thank you.”

The door to the clubhouse opened revealing Devil. He
looked ready to do business. “We’re leaving in ten minutes,” Devil said. He
walked off to his office.

“Hey, baby,” Pussy said, stroking Sasha’s neck.

Lexie withdrew her hand as Sasha reached up to try to
touch Pussy’s cheek. He took her hand and placed her palm against his cheek.

“You’re all sweaty.” Sasha wrinkled her nose.

“I’ve been doing a man’s job. I smell awesome.” He
lifted up his arm and sniffed his pit. “Okay, I think I stink.”

Sasha giggled. “You’re getting worse with old age.”

“I’m not that old, and when I’m too old to fuck you,
I’ll lie down and let you ride my cock.”

Sasha pulled away, giggling. “You’re incorrigible.”

She left the lovely couple to it. Pussy picked Sasha
up and placed her on his lap. Even after everything they’d been through, Pussy
always made light about the most stressful stuff.

Entering Devil’s office she saw him grabbing several
guns from the safe he kept locked in the far wall.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“I’m getting loaded up ready for Fort Wills. This ends
tomorrow. I don’t give a fuck how long it takes or what I’ve got to do. I will
never hear the name Gonzalez.”

She leaned against the wall as he checked each gun in
turn. “You were gone this morning before I woke up.”

He’d fucked her into exhaustion.

“I didn’t want to wake you.” He paused in checking the
weapons.

“You didn’t want to give me a chance to find a reason
as to why you shouldn’t go.” She folded her arms over her chest, wishing she
wasn’t right.

Devil turned to look at her. “Lex, I love you, baby.”

“I know you love me. You’re also scared of what will
happen to me if you don’t succeed.”

“I burned the strip club down to the ground,” he said,
staring her in the eye.

“What?”

“Gonzalez had taken over everything. He took the club,
and it was no longer mine. I made sure he can’t use it against me again.” Devil
stopped, placing the weapons on the floor. “When we get to Fort Wills you’re
going to go with Butch. We’ll make it tomorrow morning in time to see Gonzalez.
Pussy doesn’t like using Sasha, but she’s a lure as much as Cheryl. When all
this is over, we’re coming back home, and we’re living our lives.” He walked
toward her.

She stayed still as he reached out and cupped her
cheek.

“Why are you telling me this?” she asked.

“Because I need to know when this is all over, you’re
not going to give me shit.”

“What happened at Jerry’s house? Vincent told Phoebe
where you were going first. I didn’t think anyone lived there.” His hands on
her body were making it hard for her to think.

Devil let out a sigh. “We killed a few pimps working
for Gonzalez. There were girls there. I don’t know their ages. Most of them
looked legal.”

“That’s not all?” she asked.

“Several of the girls had been killed. I don’t know
how or why. I’m wiping away what Gonzalez did out of this town.” He tucked some
hair behind her ear. “When I’m done no one will ever remember what happened.”

“Burning down the strip club was a little extreme,”
she said. She had mixed feelings about that fucking club. On the one hand, it
was where she got a job that helped her situation with Simon. On the other, she’d
hated dancing for men. It sickened her to get naked for a roomful of men who
she didn’t know or like.

“He ruined any memory of what that place meant to the
crew. We’ll start fresh with something new.” Devil pressed a kiss to her lips.
“I’m going to end this and make this town perfect for you. I’ll make sure no
other man will hold a gun at you.”

She touched his face.

“How’s Ripper and Judi?” he asked.

“Last I heard nothing has changed. She’s still in a coma,
and Ripper’s by her side.” She pressed her head to his chest. His heart was
beating rapidly.

“Then our first stop is to the hospital.” He started
to pack the guns in a bag.