Page 43 of The Devil's Redemption

No. Don’t think of them.

How much more intimidating are the men that Maggie is used to than Death’s Road?

“Well, maybe some of them are more intimidating,” she continues. “But the Devil’s Skull, they’re a good club. Scary enough to get their point across to people who need a kick in the ass, but decent enough to do good for their town.”

She looks down at her hands and starts playing with her nails.

“It’s just… The Royal Bastards arehuge. There are countless chapters throughout the country, and even a few overseas.”

“Oh…Wow.”

It’s my only response. The only club president I know is Stone, and I couldn’t imagine him having any kids. I laugh to myself when I think of him having a daughter of his own. It would serve him right.

I look back to Maggie whose lips are at it again. Twisting and turning with hesitation. She’s debating on what else she should say. How much she should tell me.

“I had someone once,” she finally speaks. “He was perfect. Compassionate, strong, loyal. There were only forty-five more days until our wedding when I got a knock on the door from a casualty notification officer letting me know that he died as a result of a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. It went off as his convoy drove by, killing almost everyone on his team. There was only one soldier who survived, the pilot who was supposed to fly them all to safety.”

I wring my hands in my lap. I don’t know what to do or say. The only person I can think of is Steve who has been deployed over there four times since the war began after the 9/11 attacks. He’s been lucky enough to come home each time.

“He was brought home in a casket, but there wasn’t a need for one. There was no body to bury. The casket was merely a symbol for another American soldier who had given the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom.”

“I’m so sorry, Maggie…” I begin before realizing she wasn’t finished with her story.

“It’s okay. That was five years ago. But over the past couple years, my father has been pushing an arranged marriage with a member of another club, outside of the Royal Bastards. Something that will strengthen the ties, and therefore the business, between them. I don’t want to have anything to do with it. A few days before I was taken, he told me I was to be wed the following week. So I fled. I took a bike and was well on my way the hell out of town when I hit a rock and took a bad spill. Mysaviorended up being my worst nightmare…”

She trails off then. I don’t know who exactly it was who picked her up, but it was someone from Death’s Road. That’s how she ended up there. Immediately, I hate her father. I don’t care who he is. The president of some dumb MC or the president of the United States. It doesn’t matter to me. He’s an asshole who tried to pass his daughter off as a bargain of some kind, and that’s not okay. Not by a fucking long shot.

I’m glad I didn’t try to bring up the threat before she told me this. I was right when I said she doesn’t need any additional stress in her life. I think back to when I overheard her tell Hawk not to call her father. I get it now.

I wouldn’t want to go home either.

Chapter Seventeen

I’m relievedthat Sasha has someone to talk to about what she went through. As horrible as I can only imagine it was, I think it’s important for Maggie and Sasha to talk about their experiences. Hanging with her also gives Sasha something to do while I handle some club business. Stone called us into church just as we were finishing breakfast this morning. I hope he has some helpful information for us.

“First and foremost, Royce said that the Bastards haven’t received any threats. It’s my opinion that they didn’t realize who Maggie was when they took her and then kept her. Jasper is a crazy motherfucker, but I don’t think he’s got a death wish. He knows better than to mess with the Bastards.”

Yeah, the RBMC have a lot of power at their disposal. They’re relentless and unapologetic, but so are we. It infuriates me that Jasper thinks we’re weaker than the Bastards just because we don’t have the numbers they do.

“Second, the Detroit Bastards checked in with the crew that Jasper used to roll with. They haven’t seen or heard from him in a long time. However, they did say that Jasper may have reached out to his former Wayne County cellmate. Doobs, a.k.a Dwight Herbert, was transferred to Franklin County Jail in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania after completing his sentence in Michigan. He recently got out. The G-burg Bastards reached out to their law enforcement contact and were able to get the address he has on record from his parole officer.”

That’s a decent lead.

“So Jasper’s former cellmate just happens to live in Chambersburg. A mere hour, hour and a half from Whispering Valley,” I state. “That’s an easy drive, and it enables him to slip in and out of town quickly.”

I look around the table as several of my brothers nod their heads in agreement.

“When do we pay this ‘Doobs’ a visit?” I ask, my mind already wandering to my bike in the garage. I’m ready to begin the next leg of the hunt for Jasper.

“The Bastards had to take care of some unrelated business, but they should be back later tonight. We leave in the morning.”

That’s not what I want to hear. Not caring to stifle my anger, I shoot daggers at Stone.

“Take what you can get, son.”

Whatever.

We shouldn’t need to wait for the Bastards before we go after Jasper again. I get that there is strength in numbers, but if Jasperisthere, the longer we wait to check it out, the better his chances are for getting away again. I think the Bastards don’t want to risk us finding him first and taking him out before they get the chance.

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