Page 47 of Ruthless Angel

When we pulled up in front of the Gods’ house, I turned around to face Daire. “Do not fuck this up. We need their help. If you screw this up, Daire, it will be the last thing you ever do.”

“Fuck off, Cash,” he muttered. He was smart enough not to push me further. It took a lot to make me snap. Nobody wanted to see that.

I let Blaze lead the way. He approached the door first while I kept Daire at bay. His history with Raina would sink this entire thing if he opened his mouth and said something awful.

With Gage glaring over her shoulder, Raina answered the door. She ushered us inside, leading us into the living room where Havoc and Knight sat.

“Any news?” Raina’s eyes were hopeful. The nervous way she fidgeted with her wedding ring revealed her inner turmoil.

Blaze took the lead. “We were with the Sinners not long ago. They found us a lead. We’re going to need help.”

“Anything,” Raina promised. “Tell me what you need.”

As Blaze explained the situation, I kept an eye on Daire. He stood next to me, his expression neutral. I didn’t trust him not to blow this. He shocked me by keeping his mouth shut.

Raina listened to Blaze, chewing a fingernail as he spoke. When he finished, she glanced around at all of us. “I think I know what to do. We’re all going to go pay my dad a visit.”

Nobody questioned her or argued. We had no choice but to trust her to make the right call. Raina’s father was a mafia boss that nobody fucked with. Truth be told, the thought of being face to face with him made me a little uneasy. Did he know what we did to his daughter? I fucking hoped not.

“He doesn’t know anything,” Raina said, reading my mind. “I’m going to ask him to attend the auction. He’ll get in easier than any of us. If Clover is there, my dad will bring her home.”

Sending Desmond Monroe into the auction made sense. He was older, had a serious reputation, and was loaded. He had a better shot at getting Clover back than we did. I hated that we needed his help. I was man enough to accept that this was beyond us. Sometimes being strong meant asking for help. I didn’t care what it took. I would humble myself before anyone who could bring her back to us.

Twenty minutes later we pulled up in front of a large, swanky house behind Havoc’s Lexus. Daire had been surprisingly silent the entire drive. He seemed to be lost inside himself.

Raina’s father greeted her at the door. The rest of us hung back behind her. He pulled his daughter into a hug while she apologized for the late visit.

Desmond Monroe had silver sprinkled dark hair. Tall and lean, he looked like he kept himself in decent shape. I guess running the mob demanded one to be able to throw down no matter their age. His jaw was covered in silver and black stubble, adding a ruggedness to his already intimidating appearance.

He stepped back to allow us inside, eyeing us each in turn. I nodded in greeting, offering what I hoped was a friendly smile. We all gathered in his large kitchen, sitting around the dining room table.

“Can I get anyone anything?” Desmond asked, standing in front of the fridge.

“No thanks, Dad,” Raina answered for all of us. “We’re all good. We need to talk about something important. It’s kind of life or death.”

Desmond’s expression grew hard, his brows knitting together. “What’s going on?”

Raina motioned for him to take a seat at the head of the table. “Sit. It’s bad. Really bad. It’s about Clover.”

He listened while she filled him in on everything that had taken place. His expression never changed once. Not until she’d finished. His brows came together in a tight frown, his fingers tapping on the table’s surface.

Desmond’s gaze swung toward me and the other two guys. “Someone you know took Clover? How exactly do you know this person?”

“We killed his brother,” Blaze said, opting for the truth. “They were into the trafficking business back then. We wanted to take them both out, but this one got away. This is his revenge.”

“I see.” Desmond rested his elbows on the table, steepling his fingers. “How long have you boys been involved in this kind of activity?”

The three of us exchanged a look before I said, “A few years or so. Give or take. We target those that have escaped the system, for the most part.”

“And I understand that you’ve also targeted my son-in-law and his friends in the past.” Desmond inclined his head in Havoc’s direction. “You’ve stolen from them.”

“It’s not a problem, Sir,” Havoc jumped in, surprising me by coming to our defense. “It’s true that we’ve had bad blood with the Angels in the past. I’m pretty sure they’ve learned not to mess with us anymore. We want to help them. This is about Clover now.”

“Of course.” Desmond nodded. “You’re an honorable young man, Havoc. I want to help Clover too. She’s a sweet girl. I can’t imagine how scared she must be. However, I do have some conditions.”

“Name them,” Daire blurted. “Anything you want.”

A tight, tentative smile crossed Demond’s face. “Clover must mean a lot to you. I will go to the auction and get her back.In return, you three will never again mess with my family in any way. You’ll also work for me from this point on.”

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