Page 82 of Texas Hold Em'
She smiled at him.
What’s going on there?I wondered.
Beside me, Brody cleared his throat. “He’s come around.”
Fucking finally.
Jackson jogged back to the bikes and left Carrie grinning in his wake. Sam nudged her shoulder the way an older sister might.
I was glad that was the last I saw of her before we rode out into the night.
Her smile lingered in my mind as we wove down the residential streets, traveling in a pack.
My brothers all around me gave me a sense of peace, but I couldn’t deny the sense of unease spreading in my gut. Carrie had held up her end of the bargain last night, but I didn’t trust Bates. He’d proven time and time again that he was capable of surprising us.
And killing us.
I thought of William.
The night he’d died, we’d all been out for a joy ride. We all knew who Walter Bates was at the time, and we knew he was a newcomertrying to become the new kingpin, but it never really sank in just how power hungry he was until Will was face down on the asphalt, bleeding out while Mason leaned over him and begged him not to die.
I truly thought we’d lose them both that night. Mason took a hell of a risk getting off his bike and rushing to Will’s aid. If the rest of us hadn’t been there, Bates and his men would have gotten close enough to blow him away, too.
And tonight we were riding straight into the viper’s den to face the same enemy.
Even though it was necessary, I didn’t like it one bit.
I wondered if this was the feeling Jackson had when he was overseas in Syria. My hands cramped on the handlebars and I tried to relax my grip. I reminded myself that I had everything I needed. My brothers. Justice. My own moral compass. A beautiful woman tucked safely away, waiting for my return.
When tonight was over, all of this would be a thing of the past.
I could go back to my normal work as the Treasurer. After all the action, I wouldn’t mind some quiet years, and that was something I never thought I’d say.
Funny how a woman could change everything in a matter of weeks.
As we cruised through town in the direction of the landfill, I muttered into the wind to our fallen companion. “Tonight’s the night, William. We’re going to finish it once and for all. Watch out for your brother. He’s going to need it.” Off in the distance, the horizon darkened. That was right where we were going. Out of town. Away from the city limits. Into the darkness of the surrounding desert. “Hell, we’re all going to need it.”
CHAPTER 34
CARRIE
The night was cool, and my nerves didn’t help. I shivered even wrapped up in a blanket Sam had brought out for me. She, Suzie, and I sat around the coffee table on the back porch. A candle burned between us and a bowl of chips sat untouched beside the flickering flame. We each had sodas that we’d cracked open, but none of us had touched them. We all gazed into the tiny dancing flame as the air filled with the scent of citronella.
Had they arrived at the landfill yet?
Was Bates already there, lying in wait?
Did he know I’d conned him?
Had I said something last night that tipped Caroline off, but she pretended to go along with it?
Sam stood up abruptly. “I’m going to find a deck of playing cards. I can’t just sit here. I need something to do.”
Suzie watched Sam disappear into the house before returning her gaze to the candle.
I felt compelled to reassure her. She looked as worried as I felt. “They’ll be okay.”
Her eyes flicked up to me and she bundled herself up tighter in her blanket. “Yeah… yeah, of course they will be.”
