Page 34 of Ink

I scrubbed my hands over my face a few times, then turned to face Ash. “Guarantee me that he won’t have the slightest crack in his case that could put him back on the street.”

Ash’s expression was dead serious. “You have my word.”

“He’s gonna get a hell of a surprise when he sees all the charges,” Wizard said with a wicked chuckle. “Mighta added some drugs and soliciting arrests to his record by accident.”

“Trust me,” Ash insisted. “Every one of us would protect an old lady with our lives.”

I chewed on that for a good minute, giving myself time to think clearly. “Fine.”

My attention returned to my prez, who nodded in approval.

“Go with Kevlar to the armory, take whoever you need. Pick him up, teach him a lesson, then dump him where the cops will find him before he dies.”

I followed Kevlar to the room where we kept some basic weapons—things we used frequently. Once we were inside, the sergeant at arms opened another inconspicuous door that led to a set of stairs. At the bottom was a much larger storage room, this one holding anything else we might want or need to get shit done. It also had another exit that led to a series of interrogation rooms.

Ace, Rebel, Kevlar, and Blaze suited up as well, then we headed to our bikes. My phone pinged, and I quickly checked the text, finding an address from Wizard. Along with a digital hotel key.

Then another message popped up.

King

Forget the key. Sending in Shadow and Cruze for the retrieval. Meet them at the warehouse by the abandoned rail yard.

Fuck.As much as I hated handing over the reins to any part of this operation, I understood King’s decision. Shadow and Cruze were both enforcers known for their stealthy skills, particularly in ”acquiring” things…or, in Shadow’s case, people.

I relayed the message to the men with me, then we rode to the meeting spot and waited for the enforcers to deliver my package.

Four hours later, I dropped a body bag with a barely conscious asshole zipped up inside—which made me feel a little better since I hadn’t actually been allowed to kill the motherfucker—back into his hotel room.

After making sure there were drugs, illegal weapons, and other shit that would get his ass busted—metaphorically since I’d already done it physically—we called 911 and left the phone off the hook.

Blaze was leaving the motel’s main office when I arrived at my motorcycle. He was carrying an empty bag that had been holding around ten grand when he went inside. “No security tape, and he’ll keep his mouth shut. Might actually end up being an asset in the future if we need privacy and a hotel room.”

I was about to respond when my cell buzzed in my pocket.

“It’s Rafa,” I explained before answering the call.

“You get your man?” he asked.

“Taken care of. And Ace had a chat with your bookmaker.”

Rafa had given the bookie an order to provide us with anything he had on Alec.

“Bene. As for the other player, it’s been handled.”

Which meant they’d found the hitman and taken him out.

I exhaled a relieved breath, grateful this shit was finally done. Now, Annika and I could move forward with our life together.

“Grazie di cuore,” I murmured earnestly.

“There is no need for thanks,cugino. You might not be in The Family, but you arefamiliare.”

“So that makes us square after last time?” I joked.

“Sì,” he chuckled. “We are even for The Family getting you shot. But…”

I frowned. “But what?”

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