Page 80 of A New Era

Ben spreads a map of the docks across the hood of the car. Jamie Boy steps closer and points to a bay in the docking area.

“This is where her shipment is coming into. You and your men will arrive on foot and come from here,” he says pointing to one side, then, “and here.”

Ritchie is next to say, “Our men will be on these rooftops,” pointing to the warehouses surrounding the docks.

“And we’ll come in bold as brass and we’ll shoot the fucking lot of them,” Cody says.

“So a sneak attack?” I mutter.

“Basically,” Jamie Boy says.

I let my brothers know the loosely formed plan and after Ritchie spends ten minutes on the phone, he hollers his watchers have notified him Effie has been seen driving toward the docks.

Rounding up the brothers, I tell them, “When we hit the docks, we’ll split into two. Half of you follow me, the rest follow JJ. Once we give the okay, shoot anyone who isn’t us but don’t take out Effie. Just surround her.”

The rush that comes with impending violence washes over me. My brothers and I ride until we hit the entrance to the docks. I’m well aware it’s myself and the club who are taking the biggest risks, but this is what we’re good at and to get the city out of Effie’s control, it needs to go down like this.

Turning to my brothers, I remind them, “It doesn’t matter what the Haywards or their men do. Our focus is taking out as many Rathbone men as possible. Leave no one alive. And for the love of God, no one gets shot.”

“Prez?” Myles grunts. “We’re the ones who should be saying that to you. Last check it was you with a bullet in your back.”

“Yeah, yeah, okay. Let’s do this.”

There’s something about launching an attack that takes over you. Tunnel vision automatically hits you and the grip on your gun becomes second nature. The docks are unusually quiet, and I put that down to Effie making it so. It makes our job easier.

We don’t see any Haywards or their men on our way around the shipping containers. Not until we reach the last shipping container. I was expecting a boat but in its place is a fucking ship. Effie’s men stand out in their suits, not so different from the Haywards and their men. Luca and the Dog City chapter are waiting off to the side, their prospect leaning against the van.

Because I know my brother as well as I do, I can see his jaw set tight. I sent him a text warning him he’s got sixty seconds before we attack. That should be enough time for them to finish unloading the ship to the van.

Effie strolls off the ship and walks over to Luca. She hands him a folder and as he flips through whatever’s inside, he shrugs. He knows I’m here somewhere. If it was anything I needed to worry about, he would’ve let me know with a look.

My phone buzzes in my back pocket.

Move in.

I forwarded it to JJ.

Raising my hand, I signal to my brothers to do as Jamie Boy instructs and move in. The brothers and I focus on the men on the ground, and the shots from the rooftops flying over our heads target the men still on the ship. Effie’s men go to surround her, but my brother’s chapter whip their guns out and aim them at her men. Luca has his gun against Effie’s temple and as I raise my gun to shoot, searing hot pain spreads across my upper arm.

“Fuck’s sake, Prez, I was only joking about not getting shot,” Myles grunts, coming up behind me.

I shoot the fucker who shot me, and he falls to the ground in a heap. Effie’s men drop like flies, and we close in within a few minutes. Luca’s chapter kills her closest men. The Haywards SUV rolls in and Effie’s shoulders sag when she watches the brothers climb out of the car.

If looks could kill, my brother would be six feet under right about now with her glare she’s shooting him.

“I should’ve known,” she mutters.

“Nothing personal, sweetheart,” he grunts.

Ritchie walks straight up to her and leans in her face. “It’s personal to us, though, darling.”

He looks over his shoulder and nods. Two of their men come over and take one of her arms each and haul her toward the SUV.

“What the fuck?” Luca grunts. “We deserve to see her die. She killed Ford!”

I step between Luca and Jamie Boy. “Where’s she going?”

“To England,” Ritchie tells me curtly.

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