Page 106 of Menace

He needed them to help him find them.

The very next second his phone was in his hand and he was dialling a number he had memorised a long time ago.

“Yeah?”

“It’s Lucky. I need the family’s help, Uncle Etienne. My woman and son has been taken by Carmella Mendez of the Los Rojos cartel and the Italians, the Salvatore group specifically.”

There was a second or two of stunned silence and then his Uncle replied in a very quiet voice.

“Fils de putain(Son of a bitch)! Your cousins will be on their way to you within the hour. You stay strong, Antoine, we’ll get them back. I have some contacts to reach out to. I’ll call when I have more for you. If anythin’ changes your side you let me know, yes?”

“Oui(Yes), yeah, I will. One more thing, Uncle Etienne. Remember back when I was a kid and a woman called Gloria Garcia had my nuts in a vice? She came back from the dead and was tryin’ to entice me to go to Mexico with her, sayin’ we had a son. It’s a fuckin’ lie. Turns out the bitch is really Carmella Mendez.”

His uncle grunted, it sounded dangerous.

“Were they lookin’ to extract what you know through torture?” He asked.

“Yeah, they’re after logistical information and it’s all in my head. But that’s not all, we have a rat, he helped them get to my woman. If we have one, you have one too. Be careful who you trust. Our rat has been here for almost a year, it points at long term plannin’ from the cartel.”

His uncle laughed soft and menacingly. “I’ll be sure to investigate.”

Lucky heard movement behind him and glanced over his shoulder. Grave and Ren stood on the other side of the desk, saying nothing, just watching him. He turned back to the window and continued the conversation with his uncle.

“If you can send Bas I’ll be grateful. He’s the best tracker I know. I have no idea where they’ve taken her and I need the best to track them.”

“He’s comin’ to you and bringin’ some help. He’s got those fuckin’ hounds of his loaded and ready to head down the bayou. I’ll head to Baton Rouge to talk to your parents, leave it to me, yes?”

He gave a sigh of relief.

“Thank you, Uncle Etienne; I wasn’t lookin’ forward to callin’ Maman with the news that I have a son with a woman she met in South Africa and liked, a lot. She’s likely to jump in the car and head back here to kick my ass.”

His uncle laughed because they both knew his sister would do exactly that.

“Don’t worry, we’ll keep her here and safe. You and your cousins get your woman back and once they’re safe you come and spend time with us. No excuses, yourMémé(Grandmother) and the family need to meet your woman and your boy. And the two of them need to meet your family.D’accord(Okay)?”

“Oui, d’accord(Yes, okay).”

Ending the call he turned and dropped his phone on his desk.

“I’m not listenin’ to anymore advice or…”

Grave held a hand up and he fell silent.

“I’m not here to tell you what to do, Lucky. I’m here to say I’ve got your back. If her brother is as fucked up as you say then she’s definitely not safe with him, and that slut with him worries me. I say we use whatever we have and everyone we trust to help us find her. They have quite a head start but…” He didn’t finish because Bates, their medic, rapped on the door as he walked in. Interrupting him.

“Viper’s awake. We’re ridin’ to the hospital. Prez wants the three of you with him.”

Having delivered his message he turned and was about to walk out again when Ren called out to him.

“How are the other two doin’, Bates?”

“Still in surgery, we’ll know more when we get to the hospital. Let’s get goin’ brothers.”

Lucky grabbed his phone and followed his brothers out.

There was nothing more he could do for Harper and Ry right now but he could see to Bren for her.

She would want him to do that. Take care of her friend.

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