Page 64 of Wrath

“Understood,” Bruton answered confidently. “When would you want to meet?”

“The sooner, the better.”

“I’ll make the arrangements.”

Bruton took out his phone, then stepped away to make the call. Cotton then turned to Torch and said, “You’re going with Wrath. I want you both ready within the hour.”

“You got it, Prez.”

Once Cotton set his mind to something, there was no changing it, so I didn’t bother arguing. I simply nodded in agreement. A few hours later, Torch and I were loaded up in my SUV and pulling through the Fury gate. I glanced up at the rearview mirror at Bruton’s cargo in the back, making sure it was secured. We’d gone over every inch of it, again and again, and there were no trackers to be found. That should’ve made me feel better, but it didn’t.

The last meet was still fresh on my mind, and I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d made a mistake volunteering to do it again. It was too late now. The brothers were counting on Torch and me to get the job done, and that’s exactly what we were going to do—even if it meant putting our lives on the line.

The winding roads stretched out before us, lined with towering trees that seemed to whisper warnings as we passed. They didn’t do much to help the knot that was growing in the pit of my stomach. Noting my unease, Torch turned to me and asked, “How long did it take for you to realize that the last drop was going south?”

“About two seconds in. That’s when the bodies started dropping.”

“No shit?”

“Yeah, it wasn’t pretty.”

“Any chance of that happening again?”

“I certainly hope not.”

I knew the chances were slim, but the possibility was still there. The men we were about to meet had direct ties with Bruton. That alone told me they weren’t good old country folks who made it to church every Sunday. These men would be nothing of the sort, but then again, neither were we.

We’d been driving for just over an hour when we finally arrived at the designated meeting point—an old barn tucked away from prying eyes. I parked the SUV and killed the engine, and an eerie silence fell over us, amplifying my unease. Thankfully, it wasn’t long before Bruton’s buyers pulled up next to us, and the driver rolled down his window. “Mr. B. send you?”

“Yeah.”

He gave me a nod, then parked. Before we got out, I turned to Torch and ordered, “Stay close and don’t say a word.”

He nodded, then followed me to the back of the truck. I told myself it was just like any other meet as the two men approached. Both were wearing all black and were built like fucking linebackers. Their jaws were tight, and neither said a word as they watched me open the trunk. It was a tense moment, filled with unspoken threats and potential consequences.

The buyers inspected the load, checking each and every one of the weapons with a glimmer of satisfaction visible in their eyes. Once they were done, they nodded in approval, then handed me a sealed envelope. Without a word, they moved the crate to their van, confirming that the deal was complete.

Once they’d closed the back doors of the van, they got back in and drove away. That was it. The job was done, and I was left with a mix of relief and lingering unease. Torch clearly felt the same. “Damn, I’m glad that shit is over.”

“You and me both.”

“So now what?”

“We get our asses home.”

I closed the trunk, and as we started home, I couldn't help but wonder how things were going to play out between the club and Bruton. There were some definite pros to working with a man like him. We would make money like we’d never dreamed of making, but it would come at a cost—but none of us truly knew what that cost would be.

I was still mulling it all over when my burner started to ring. Thinking it was probably Cotton calling to check in, I immediately answered and said, “You’ve got Wrath.”

“Hey, it’s me.” Although she was whispering, I could still hear the panic in her voice as Mia told me, “I’m sorry to bother you. I tried to call Dad, but he didn’t answer. I didn’t know who else to call.”

“You can always call me. What’s going on?”

“I’m at the office. Garrett didn’t show again, and...”

“You’re still at the office?” I interrupted. “It’s after six. You should’ve already been outta there.”

“I know. I’m getting to that.” She cleared her throat, then explained, “I’d run out of things to do, so I went into Garrett ’s office and got on his computer. I wanted to see if he had any old images that needed editing.”

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