Page 20 of Torch's Torment

“Fuck. That’s creepy.” Trigger says from his seat.

“The double mint twins.” That comes from Red.

“Better than the Bobbsey twins.” Blayze chuckles from his seat.

I raise my eyebrow.

“Bro. Don’t do that. It’s creepy as fuck that you two are identical. But the same facial expressions too?” Tiny grumbles from his seat.

I take my spot at the table and Jax stays at the end. Bear is staring at the side of my head when I turn toward him. “What?”

“Are we sure this one’s Torch and not Jax?” I swat Bear on the back of his head and all the brothers laugh.

“Fucker, he doesn’t have all my tatts you dumbass.”

Capone slams the gavel on the table silencing the room. Tension rolls off him in waves. “Red found some shit out.” He motions for Red to speak.

“I traced the shipping containers Koyne sent us and they’re owned by a shell corporation which turns out is owned by Valdimer. The Russian fuckhead working with Razor.”

Back before Capone and Danyella were married, Koyne sent us a video of Razor and Valdimer at a shipping dock moving women in and out of the country. We’ve been tracing them ever since, trying to find a connection.

“So, lets blow the fucking thing up.” I voice.

“We can’t. Not yet. It turns out Razor is low level. If we take him and the containers out, Valdimer will get new ones and go elsewhere. We need to recon and see when they’re moving their product, how often and how much.” Red says leaning back in his seat. He isn’t happy about it either.

“This asshole is kidnapping and selling women. I thought we were done with this shit when we took out the Bloody Scorpions in our area.” Blayze is pissed. We worked so hard at eliminating the threat in our city and now it’s back.

“So, we eliminate Valdimer and cut the head off the snake.” Trigger responds.

I watch Jax in fascination. Emotions play on his face that have my brow raising. “Something you want to add, Jax?” I call him out. “You have a shit poker face.”

Jax clears his throat and splays his hands on the table. “Razor tried contacting me months ago and I didn’t respond. He said he has a job for me that’d be worth the money if I agreed. I’m now thinking he was trying to bring me into their business. I don’t want anything to do with him or Bloody Scorpions. I have a family to think about. When Rose came here to hide out against the threat to her family, Razor called nonstop. I’ve ignored him.” Jax looks at Capone. “Do you want me to reach out to him?” Jax’s hands are digging into the table.

“No. No offense, but I don’t know you nor do I trust you. You might look like my Enforcer, but that’s as far as it goes. My club will handle this.”

“Then what am I here for?”

“You’re here because I fucking said so. You have info I need and you’re gonna tell me.” Capone’s voice is low and deadly. “And if Torch decides he wants a relationship with his long-lost twin brother who he knows nothing about, but you know him, you bet your fucking ass I’m gonna protect my men and my club. I was going to wait until later but since your panties are in a wad up your ass, you have the floor. Speak before I rip out your tongue and beat you with it.” Capone leans back in his seat; his black eyes are deadly and his jaw ticks.

Jax shifts uncomfortably in his seat and grabs the back of his neck. “Where do you want me to start?”

“The fucking beginning would be a good start,” Capone responds.

“Back when I was old enough to realize these men my father left me with only wanted to use me, I left. I lived on the streets until I met Rose’s dad. I tried robbing him and he caught me. He must’ve seen something in me and brought me into their family. It’s how I met Rose. After a while I went from doing the shit work and started climbing the ranks until I became head of his security. That’s how I discovered the threat against Rose.

“While I was doing jobs and climbing up the ranks, this guy approached me. I didn’t know who he was but he had a cut on like yours. This was several years ago. Said he needed a place to lay low for a while until the heat died down and I owe our father for leaving Bloody Scorpions. He pulled out his phone and showed me a picture. Then explained. If I don’t give him a safe place to stay, my twin will be rotting in jail for a crime this guy pinned on him. All it’d take was a phone call and Jase was going way for murder. Something about a brush fire turned deadly.

“So, I put him up in a safe house and haven’t heard from him since. Until a few months after Rose came here and he offered me that job.”

“I did some digging into the brush fire and that’s when I learned my mother was killed in that fire.”

“She wasn’t just your mother, Jax.” I snarl. Bringing up these old memories has me on edge. I remember that night crystal clear.

“Yeah, I realized that, Torch. Which is why besides bringing Rose home, I’m here. I wanted to meet my twin and get his side of the story. Hear what really happened that night.”

“Why the fuck should I tell you!”

“Because you owe me!”

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