Page 39 of Condemned Soul

“Prez says he ain’t at his apartment and he wasn’t in the cage. Accordin’ to Rex he knew somethin’ was goin’ down. I figure he’s taken this as his opportunity to run. He wasn’t part of the deal anyway. No Soul is.” I stare at her, reminding her of what her and Prez agreed.

“No, he wasn’t, but I know how badly Jimmer wanted to make him pay.” She almost looks as if she cares before she remembers where she is and snaps herself back into professional mode.

“Did the others get what I need?” she asks under her breath, with the stern look back on her face again.

“Yeah, sounds like Jessie got you enough to take the Lambronis down. And enough to ensure the Souls don’t get mentioned in your interviews. What you need will be left at the residence, untampered with, you just need to get a warrant to make findin’ it legit.”

“And the other two brothers?” she checks.

“Jessie and Skid have the one at the mansion, Thorne and Hayden got eyes on the other. He’s at a party none the wiser to what’s goin’ on until you show up and arrest him. The one Jessie has is being taken to Burlusconi.”

“No. That wasn’t part of the deal.” Consuela shakes her head and suddenly looks real fuckin’ pissed.

“We’re just followin’ orders, you better take that up with Prez.” I hand over the camera and follow the Temper Twins back to the cage they drove here in. I’ve done my job for the night, now it’s up to Consuela to do hers.

I storm across the parking lot, then through the arch that leads to the motel and Long Beach clubhouse. Tawk’s waiting for me and as soon as he sees me he marches toward me like he’s gonna attack.

“Where the fuck is she?” He looks fearless and fuckin’ fuming, which is a lethal combination, especially for a man his size. I quickly grab him by his lapels and remind him who he’s coming at before he makes a costly mistake.

“Cliff’s gone.” I give it to him straight.

“Yeah, and so is she.” He has that flicker in his eyes that suggests he could do something deadly and I can feel from how tense he is that his body is heaving with frustration.

“I did what you asked, as soon as Cliff and Rex stepped out here I called Storm. But then I hear the girls sayin’ they saw Cliff draggin’ Willow down the motel stairs just after that cage had left. She was screamin’ for help and I wasn’t here to save her because I had to stay in the clubhouse makin’ sure Mac kept snortin’ coke from the governor's daughter's tits. He took her.” Tawk drops back and pulls the long, dark hair back over his head when the words he screams at me sink in. “He fuckin’ took her!”

“Tawk, I know you're worried about her, which is why I’m not gonna kick your ass for framin’ up to me. Trust me, Cliff going AWOL was not part of the plan. But we will find ‘em.”

“How? We both know Cliff ain’t runnin’ from the cops, he’s runnin’ from you. He knows you want him dead.”

“Doesn’t matter what he knows. We’ll still find him and we’ll find her too.” I grip his shoulder and make him that promise. “Now, come on, it’s time to see who we can trust around here.”

“I already know who we can trust and I can’t just sit back and know he’s got her.”

“You ain’t just sittin’ back. Some members in there might have some information on where he headed. You need to fix your head back on straight. Now, fall in line, and let’s go take our control back of this club and figure out where your girl is,” I order.

Tawk nods his head but the rage inside him doesn’t ease as he joins the others behind me and I lead my men into the Long Beach clubhouse watching shock take its place on all the faces of the ones who didn’t expect me to be coming.

Someone cuts the music, and it turns the room silent.

“Church.” I nod my head toward the door where Cliff used to hold his council, noting who looks pleased to see me and who looks fuckin’ fearful.

“Good to see ya, Prez.” Ruckus tips his chin at me as he holds the door open for me so I can step inside, and I can tell by how relieved he looks that this has been a long time coming for him.

The room quickly fills up, and as the Long Beach members take their seats around the table, the Colorado brothers I brought here with me stand in a horseshoe behind them.

I take Cliff’s seat and slam the gavel, noting that snigger Ruckus has on his face as he looks across the table at Mac, Cliff’s Sgt at Arms. Dev’s looking at him, too, cracking his knuckles like he’s preparing himself for a riot.

“I came here as your foundin’ president to tell you all that Cliff Adams no longer controls this charter.” I kick things off and watch all the eyes around the table dart in different directions. “Cliff has betrayed this club, disrespected his patch, and is no longer a member of the Dirty Souls MC. My decision is backed by all our sister charters and if anyone here knows where he is, this is your chance to speak up.”

Nobody says a word, but that’s hardly surprising. If Cliff knew I was coming he wouldn’t have shared his plans with anyone except Rex.

“If any brother here was aware of how Cliff was runnin’ things and happy to support it, you can drop your cuts on the table and head out the door.” I look at Mac in particular, and when he shakes his head back at me I realize what a coward he is. I know from all that Tawk has witnessed that he was in on the shit Cliff was pulling.

“I said leave.” I raise my voice, and when the pussy still doesn’t get outta his seat, Jessie and Troj step in to give him a hand. Troj pins the fucker’s hands behind his back with one hand and slams his face into the table with his other, while Jessie drags the cut off his shoulders.

“You knew what Cliff was doin’ and you knew about that teenage girl he killed,” Jessie speaks into his ear as he leans over him.

“She was old enough to know what she wanted.”

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