Staring through the narrowed slits of my eyes at the man who had hurt my mom, a man who could come back and kill us both, I knew what I had to do. There was no way I could allow the bastard to come for us again, and there was no doubt in my mind that he would. That’s what the Lycaon Wolves did. Kill, maim, make people suffer. Not this time. Not my family.
“Griffin.” My mother’s voice was weak as she stared up at me, her body a bloody mess. “We need to get out of here,” she rasped, shoving her dyed blonde hair out of her face. “Their friends will know where they are. When they don’t come back, the club will come looking for them.”
I raised my head, looking around at the place I’d called home for the past eighteen years, before glancing back at my mother. “They won’t find them, or us,” I said quietly, as I pointed the gun at the wolf who had started to move… and pulled the trigger.
140
Shadow
“I need you on this, Shadow.”
I nodded, taking one last swig of my beer before setting the empty bottle down on the bar. “When do we leave?”
“There is no ‘we’ on this one. I’m staying in Nacogdoches. Take at least two other patch members with you. Your choice.”
My eyes narrowed as I stared at Darryl Calhoun, vice president of the East Texas chapter of the Dark Leopards MC. “I’m not leaving you, Rooster.”
“You don’t have a choice.”
“I’m. Not. Leaving.” I was the enforcer for the vice president, had worked my ass off to get this position in the club. I took it seriously. Even though it wasn’t a requirement that I stay glued to his ass 24/7, I normally didn’t get further than thirty miles away just in case Rooster needed me. I was a loyal bastard, the cat in me would allow no less, and I refused to walk out that door for over a week and leave the man unguarded. Well, unguarded by me. I knew there were others who could handle it, but it was my job. My right.
Rooster rolled his eyes, tapping the bar and motioning to the bartender for another beer. “Don’t worry, your little chic will be just fine.” When I just stared at him, refusing to give an inch, he grinned. “Come on, man, I’m doing you a solid. This shipment you’re acquiring is supposed to go to the Lycaon Wolves MC. Trust me, you want in on this.”
The Lycaon Wolves. That changed things. Fucking bastards had taken so much from me over the years. Hunting me and my family down after I killed the fucking dogs who hurt my mom and threatened all that I cared about. It had been a fight to stay alive for the past fifteen years, one my mom didn’t survive, and I hated the mangy mutts with all that was in me. I would be more than happy to acquire the shipment of weapons if it meant those bastards wouldn’t get them.
“When do we leave?” I asked again, rage filling me as an image entered my mind of my mother’s lifeless body lying on the ground in front of me, her eyes wide in death. My little brother, Brady, kneeling beside her, tears streaming down his face. Even at ten years old, that cub had fought for all he was worth. Blood coated his hands and chest as he clutched Mom’s hand tightly. That was the day he changed from the sweet, innocent kid I’d always known to the sullen, withdrawn man I knew now. Fiercely protective of me, a brawler like no other, he’d earned his own patch with the Dark Leopards at just eighteen, along with his club name. Demon, because that’s how he fought, dirty as hell.
“At first light. The shipment is supposed to hit Forth Worth in three days. I want you to have time to scout, make a plan, and be in position when it comes in.”
“When is the meet with the wolves?” I asked, signaling Stonewall for another beer. If I wasn’t leaving until the morning, I had time for one more.
“Day after the shipment hits. You are going to take it before then.”
I nodded, knowing not to argue the fact. Rooster was more worried about the weapons than taking out some dirty fucking wolves. Unfortunately, for him, I wasn’t. I would do my job. Get the weapons and make sure the guys I took with me ghosted with them. But, after that, those fuckers were mine. I grinned, my eyes going to were Brady stood talking to one of the club whores, Trixie. Ours, not mine. There was no way Demon would let me have all the fun to myself.
“I don’t even want to know,” Rooster said, shaking his head as he rose from the stool he’d been occupying for the past half hour. “I’m going to talk to Wraith. Choose your team and meet for Church in ten.”
“We’ll be there,” I promised, taking another drink of my beer as my eyes skated around the room, landing on my other choices. It was a given Demon would be with me. He went where I went. I would need three others. One to drive the truck, two to flank him on the way back to Nacogdoches. The decision was easy for me, as was the last man I picked for something altogether different. Rooster wasn’t going to like it, but that was his problem, not mine.
Exactly ten minutes later, the men I’d chosen sat at the round table with me, waiting for our President and Rooster to make an appearance. It didn’t take long. I saw Rooster’s eyebrows raise as he took in my choices.
“I said two patch members, not the whole fucking crew.”
I shrugged, leaning back in my chair, waiting until Wraith and
