Page 39 of Liberator

“You’ve got other business. These boys need to see the consequences of their actions. Find out why I’ve got a young man bleeding to death on my table,” he commanded.

He was right. Sweet needed to explain things to me.

“Where the fuck have you been? What did you get these boys into? What were you thinking?” I demanded of Sweet.

“It wasn’t me, boss. I was dumb enough to go along with it, but it wasn’t my idea. He was already sneaking out with just the prospects when I discovered him,” Sweet answered.

I asked the question even though I had guessed the answer, “Who?”

“Rage. He couldn’t stand the idea of Vikki being tortured or killed. I understood that because of Jemma. I had to help. She was paying back a debt I was partially responsible for. Jackson was mine. I couldn’t allow him to face the fucking cartel with just prospects,” Sweet declared. “Is he going to live, boss? Did I get Ike killed?”

“I don’t know. He’s lost a lot of blood. Explain what you did. Where’s Rage?” I asked.

I had to give Sweet something to focus on. The big man was near tears and as white as a sheet. He was taking the full blame when it had been Rage who’d obviously ordered the prospects to defy my orders.

“He’s still there. He refused to leave without Vikki. Everything went to hell.”

“Explain,” I reminded him.

“He got the address from Zoe’s phone. It’s a compound outside town. It’s fenced and guarded. We slipped under the fence and searched as many buildings as we could. Then, we found a dormitory. We took out the guards, but someone in the towers saw Rage and started shooting. We killed a few men and managed to get inside. There were guards there too. Women and kids hid under beds and behind furniture. We didn’t find Vikki. The building was burning. We were outnumbered even though we shot a dozen or more. They just kept appearing out of nowhere. I said we should retreat, but Rage wouldn’t go. Ike gotshot. His scream made me lose focus. I’m sorry, boss. I left Rage behind,” Sweet admitted.

“There were mistakes all around. We all carry some of the guilt. I have to fix this. You understand that don’t you? I need you to calm down and focus because I’m about to leave you in charge of everything here. Stay with Ike. Make sure he lives. If it would help to have Jemma here then call her,” I ordered.

I watched as he gathered his wits and shook off the panic. He nodded his understanding and shifted into his guardian pose. He recited the address to me before giving his new wife a call.

He shuddered but otherwise gave no sign of his emotions when Doc came to us with Ike’s blood still on his hands and shirt to say, “The bullet nicked an artery. I got it out and repaired what I could, but he lost more blood than I’d like. He should be in a hospital. I won’t argue about the fact that he can’t be because too many questions can’t be answered. So, I’m going to rig a blood transfer like I did in the military. I’ve called in Specs to be the donor. They share the same blood type according to our records. He should be here any second.”

“Thanks Doc. You’re doing great. I’m leaving to get this mess finished and retrieve Rage, so Sweet’s in charge for now. Check with him if you need approval for anything,” I answered.

It took less than fifteen minutes to rally the crew and have them armed. After looking around at them I felt unsettled and scared, which was a terrible way for the man they looked up to for guidance to feel. I asked them to wait for just a moment and went to my office to gain some perspective and stop second guessing myself.

I plopped into my chair and put my head in my hands. There were decisions to make that I didn’t want to screw up. Out loud to the empty room I said, “I need help.”

The answer came to me abruptly. Once I’d spoken the words an idea had solidly formed in my brain, and I instantly knew it was the correct one.

I grabbed for my phone and called Zoe. She picked up quickly, as if she’d been waiting for my call.

“Prime! It moved. The phone moved! It did not go far, but it definitely is not in the same building it was in before. I was just about to call you,” she declared in a rush.

“It’s not Vikki. She doesn’t have the phone,” I stated before she jumped to conclusions.

“How do you know?” she asked defiantly.

“Because Rage was a dumb ass. He took some prospects and Sweet to the address your tracker showed. She wasn’t there, but my men got into a shoot out with Aguilar’s minions. I’ve got one barely clinging to life and Rage is AWOL. I have to assume they’ve got him. I’m done with this shit. They’ve got two of my people now, and I’ve come too close to breaking a fucking promise. I can’t live with that, so I’m going in after them. Your father can kiss my ass.”

“He is more likely to tear it off along with some other body parts. You will screw up the relationship you have with him if you do this shit. He is not happy with you as it is. Do you really want to sever the ties that bind you to him? That is a dangerous move, Prime. I think you should reconsider. I want your people safe, too. But two people are nothing compared to the entire club and the others you protect. You do not want the mafia for enemies,” she consoled me.

“There are a lot of things I don’t want, but my wants don’t count for shit. What I need is help, the mafia’s help. I need you to go against your father and send me some men. From the sound of it the compound I need to raid is overrun with Aguilar’s men. I don’t have a chance in hell without backup, and I’d have to split my men because someone needs to find Vikki,” I explained.

“You do not ask for much, do you?” she sarcastically replied. “What makes you think our men will follow my orders? Father can have me killed just like anyone else that betrays him, and the men know they would face things worse than death.”

“Don’t give me that shit. You’ve got your damn daddy wrapped around your finger and we both know it. He may truly think he controls you and that you aren’t important to him, but he’s delusional. You have steel for a spine. I bet half the mafia is scared of you,” I argued.

“Some of that may be true, but I will never admit to it. Here is the deal I will offer. I will send some men to aid you, but it must be kept on the down low as your people say. Father can never learn I had anything to do with it. The men I will send are loyal to me. They worship the ground I walk on. It is them who I have wrapped around my finger. But I must have your promise to keep them alive.”

The way she said it sent a prickle over my skin. I didn’t like the thoughts that entered my mind.

Without thinking about the fact that it was none of my business, I asked, “Exactly what did you do to get them wrapped around your finger so tightly that they’d obey you and hide it from your father?”

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