Page 49 of Gio

“You’re damn lucky there is no evidence,” Diesel added. “Or else we’d have even bigger problems.”

“How could these problems get any bigger? Huh? They have Harper and who knows what the fuck they’re doing to her!”

“I get it,” Cole said. “She’s my fucking sister, man, I totally get it and I’m glad she has you in her corner. But what you’redoing right now? It’s gonna get you killed. Or Harper. And it’s gonna suck us into a war we’re not ready for.”

“Ready.” I snorted and shook my head. “Who the fuck is ever ready for war?” I looked around at each of the men gathered in the room because they knew there was no preparation for war. It happened and you made decisions in the moment and hoped they worked out. “The truth is that Viper can’t be trusted. We might get Harper back and we might not, but I’m worried about what the fuck she’s going through now, while you decide what we’re gonna do about it.” I felt sick to my stomach thinking about what they could be doing to her.

“Well we have three less properties to search for her at,” Slate offered up with a laugh. His comment seemed to release some of the tension in the room. “It’s not great but it’s something.”

“Then whoever is doing it should keep doing it. Eventually he’ll find her.” I wouldn’t stop. I couldn’t.

“Stop this shit, Gio. I get it man, they have your woman and you’re spiraling out of control. I’ve been there but it’s not going to help, not now and not with Viper.” He inhaled and let it out slowly. “We’re meeting with Viper and his number two tonight.”

“With what package? The Black Devils have probably sold most of that shit by now.”

“We have it taken care of,” Diesel answered vaguely. “You’ve been up all night wreaking havoc on Blood Reapers’ properties, go take a shower and have a fucking nap.”

A nap, like I’m a fucking child. “I’m fine.”

“It’s not a fucking suggestion,” he shouted. “Cole, make sure he goes home and rests and then make sure you get his ass back here tonight. One hour before the meeting with Viper.”

“You got it.” Cole stood and stared at me until I got to my feet. “Don’t make this harder Gio.”

I stood, anger colored my every move as I shoved the chair back until it tipped over. “What the fuck ever.” I stormed out of the room and made a beeline for my bike because a ride was just what I needed to get rid of some of this anger and tension.

Harper was gone and I wouldn’t be able to rest until she was back here and safe in my arms. “Wait up, Gio!” Cole called after me, but I ignored him.

***

My mind wouldn’t focus on anything. Every fucking blink took me back to that office building where they’d snatched Harper from. When I closed my eyes, I felt the bullet as it tore through my arm and sent me to the ground. When I stood up again, there she was with that asshole’s arm hooked around her, yanking her backwards. They took her from me, dammit and I’d done all I could, but it wasn’t enough. “I shot one of those fuckers right in the head,” I grunted. “I should’ve shot the other one, but he used Harper as a shield.”

“You did what you could,” Cole insisted.

“And it wasn’t enough!” I shook my head. “She was so fucking scared man, the look in her eyes when she realized I was a fucking liar and I wouldn’t save her. I can’t forget it.”

“Harp won’t blame you, trust me.”

Maybe she wouldn’t. Harper had a big heart like that, but it didn’t mean that I wouldn’t blame myself for a long damn time. “I have to find her before they destroy her.”

“We won’t let that happen.”

Damn right because I had a plan. “Right.” We rode side by side for close to an hour before I finally exited the highway and headed home. It wasn’t home without Harper there, but she would be back where she belonged.

Soon.

“I’m gonna hit the shower and get some sleep,” I told Cole.

He eyed me carefully. “Good. I thought you’d put up more of a fight.”

I shrugged. “Yeah well, a man’s gotta sleep, or try anyway. Won’t be any fuckin good for Harp if I’m dead on my feet.” I was too wired to sleep, and a hot shower was just what I needed to give me another burst of energy. I stayed in there longer than usual because I needed to clear my fucking mind. I needed to make sure I saw everything when I found Harper because Iwouldfind her.

I dressed quickly and quietly before I locked my bedroom door and left out the window. I couldn’t risk alerting Cole, so I pushed my bike down the driveway and to the corner before I fired it up and took off. I had a list of other businesses and stash houses that belonged to the Blood Reapers, and I decided that a systematic approach would be best. Last night I’d gone for the properties that would hurt that motherfucker the most, but today my only goal was to find Harper.

Fourteen hours with Viper was too fucking many.

The methodical approach worked well because it kept me focused on one goal at a time, one foot in front of the other. The first stash house was locked up tight with no guard because it was just a bunch of weed and a few guns, nothing worth stealing or fighting over.

But losing it would still hurt the Reapers so that’s what I did, filling the bathtub with every liquid I could find and dumping the drugs into it. Maybe they knew some fucking chemist who could separate that shit out, but it would cost them any profit. No fire, so nothing for Diesel to bitch about.

---