"I'm sorry-"
I put a hand up to cut him off. "Stop saying you're sorry. What's going on, Curtis? Is this a Devil's Hawks thing? I thought that was in the past. There hasn't been a club war in Green Bluff in almost a decade." I knew it broke rules for me to ask, even more for Curtis to answer.
"I can't say. Really. But Dex told me to make sure you know you shouldn't worry."
I shook my head, forcing back a bitter laugh. It was the most ridiculous thing the kid could have said. Even more so if it really had come from Dex. "Right. So I'm not supposed to worry, but he thinks I need a bodyguard anyway."
Curtis put a hand out and patted my shoulder. "It's really just going to be for a little while. A day or two tops, then everything will be over."
He plastered a smile on his face but something dark clouded his eyes and my heart fluttered. Dex had said as much last night ... that everything would be handled in a couple of days. I shuddered thinking about exactly what he'd have to do to handle it. I had to work on shutting off those feelings. It was a skill I'd perfected for years. Getting into the habit of it again made me feel physical pain.
"Am I allowed to go out?"
Curtis took a step back and leaned against the opposite wall. "He didn't say you couldn't. But, Ava, I don't know how bad it's going to get. It would put Dex's mind at ease-hell, it would put the whole club's mind at ease-if you stayed put until everything is over."
My heart went beyond fluttering and now jackhammered behind my breast. This wasn't just bad, it was Armageddon. It meant people were going to get hurt. Badly.
I had a mix of emotions. I wanted to go to Dex, beg him to stay out of whatever was coming but I knew that would be futile. I wanted to rail at Curtis and tell him to get the hell out of my sight because this had nothing to do with me and I resented being dragged into it again. But mostly, I felt stone-cold fear. No matter the outcome, I knew my life, and probably Green Bluff, would never be the same again when this was over. And I was a liar and a hypocrite. Just telling Dex to go away was never going to make him leave my heart.
Chapter Twenty
Dex
There would be retribution against Pagano and his people, but not without the full vote of the membership. We would not let what happened with Tiny slide. He was alive. Gravely damaged, but alive. But the shots in front of the Den hadn't just been a warning, the order had to be shoot to kill.
Sly had hoped to end our association with Pagano's crew without bloodshed but that option was off the table. None of us relished the thought of open warfare with one of the most dangerous, well-connected mobsters in the country, but he was the one that struck first. There could be no doubt now that the attack on Franco had also come from Pagano. There were only so many times I could say I told you so. Everyone at this table had to understand what was at stake.
They'd grown complacent over the years. Sure, some of the members had to rough up Pagano's enemies from time to time but none of them really got their hands dirty. The younger members didn't know what it was like during Blackie's time when casualties and prison sentences were the cost of doing business inside the club.
"Londo said he'll meet with us," Billy said. He too had dodged another kind of bullet. Sly had decided to postpone the vote on me taking over as V.P. until we dealt with the threat to the club. I was fine with it. Until we'd crushed Pagano's hold over the club, nothing else mattered. "We meet at Westwood warehouse tomorrow at three."
Sly nodded. "Pagano himself is going to be there?"
Billy nodded back. "That's the deal. If he's not there, we bolt."
"Is he denying the hit outside the club was them?" I asked. Billy shrugged.
"Not an open admission, no. This was meant to get our attention and it did."
"Does everyone here understand what this vote means?" I said. It was bold of me to say it, maybe it was Sly's place. But I looked around the table. Charlie. Billy. Sly. Colt. Sawyer. Me. We were the ones who understood what a war vote really meant. Tiny did too. The rest of them, the newest members-Big John, Ford, Marcus, Avery and Jake-they were too young. The prospects like Curtis and Gunner were too.
"Good." Sly rapped his knuckles on the table. "Everyone clear on what their role is tomorrow?" He got nods and "hell yeses" all around. I said a silent prayer for all of them. It was one thing when I was fighting to survive in Marion Penitentiary. Then I could convince myself my body was the only one at risk.
"Families are safe here," Charlie said. We had a couple of members-Big John and Marcus-with wives and children. We'd cleared out the living quarters and closed the bar, bringing everyone under the Great Wolves roof. It tore at me not to have Ava here as well. I had half a mind to just tie her up and bring her here for her own good. I'd checked in with Curtis this morning though. She was spitting mad but staying put. He knew not to leave her side until he heard from me. It was the best I could do and the only thing that was fair to her. It killed me to be away from her but she'd made herself clear. Thirteen years ago, I pushed her away to protect her. Now she pushed me away for the same reason. How could I live with myself if I didn't respect her decision? For now, though, I had to shove the emptiness in my gut aside. I had to make it through the next few days.
Though it wrenched my heart, it let me focus on the only other thing that had kept me sane all those years behind bars. It was time to end George Pagano's hold over this club once and for all. No matter the consequences to me. The man had to go. Hesitating had nearly cost us Tiny and that was on me. Sly and me.
Less than twenty-four hours later, Sly and I stood together outside the club. We'd stolen a rare few minutes alone before the rest of the crew came outside. Sly put on his helmet and snapped it.
"I feel like I'm going to keep saying I'm sorry for the rest of my life."
"For what." I shrugged. A breeze picked up, kicking a swirl of dust a few feet ahead of us.
"I thought I could manage Pagano. Do just enough to keep him at bay. I didn't fully appreciate how hard he'd push to use us for his money laundering. No matter what, Dex. I won't do it. You know that."
"I've said this before. You've had an impossible job keeping all of this together for so long and you did it alone. My father would've been proud of you. Hell, I'm proud of you."
I put a hand on Sly's shoulder. He squeezed his eyes shut then turned to look at me. "God, I'm glad you're back, Dex. I don't want to do this alone ever again."
I smiled. I wanted to tell him he wouldn't have to. But in that moment I knew it was but one more promise I couldn't keep.
"Are you going to go after her?"
My gut clenched at the mention of Ava. I hadn't told Sly about our last night together after the shooting. He knew both of us well enough to guess what went down.
"How many times do you think I should be allowed to fuck up her life?"
Sly laughed. "Is that your decision or hers?"
I shook my head. "This time it was hers. She's had enough bullets flying by her head to last a lifetime. I can't blame her."
"Maybe. But maybe you're entitled to just that amount of luck in your life. Enough to make it okay to try and get her back."
I couldn't answer him. I couldn't answer it for myself. I needed to keep my head in one place.
"Dex." He leaned forward. "Dex! Whatever happens today. When it's done. You do what you have to do. I'm going to understand, okay? Like I said, you've earned your little piece of happiness. So has Ava. You don't owe me or the club anything. No matter what, you're still my brother."
I squinted into the bright sun and tore a hand through my hair before I put my helmet on. There was movement back by the door and the rest of the crew started to file out of the Den.
"If we're gonna burn," I said, "let's burn together, brother."
Sly's mouth cracked into that lopsided grin that had earned him his nickname. He mounted his bike and circled two fingers in the air to signal the others it was time to roll.
Eight of us rode out. First day of fall. I suppose that was fitting somehow. But the sun blazed hot and high in the sky. Billy looked about ready to murder Sly when he got the news he'd be staying outside during the meeting but it was necessary. Things could go bad. Very bad. And Billy was still V.P. for the time being. If something happened, he had to be ready to do what was necessary to run the club and protect the members.
Sly and I took point with Billy right behind. Sawyer and Colt followed in the van. If anyone got hurt, we needed a way to get them the hell out of there and fast. The Westwood warehouse was about three miles outside of town. It wasn't one of our properties and that had me twitchy. Sly said it was one of about seven places Pagano's people used for their gun drops. I didn't like that a bit.
The terms were clear. Londo, Pagano, Sly and I would meet alone. Our crews would stay outside. When we rolled up to the warehouse, Pagano had three limos parked at odd angles in front of the loading entrance. When we parked, the first limo door opened.
"That's Londo," Sly whispered to me. Ed Londo was tall and broad. He looked straight out of a mob movie with thick, black hair and a permanent scowl cut across his tanned features. He wore a shiny gray suit and a yellow tie. Sly peeled off his helmet and stood in front of his bike. I joined him so we stood shoulder to shoulder. If we were going to burn, we'd burn together.