Bones lifted a hand, waving off Myron’s headshake. “Trust me on this. In war, these men are as infants. We have been giving them too much credit. Credit for planning they are not responsible for. If this is Morgan, he will want to make a statement. Look at where they have targeted so far.” Jabbing his finger at the map, he indicated the pins pushed through the paper and into the wood of the desk. “All of them were acquired right after Mason birthed the Rebels. Strip club, the pawn shop, Tupelo’s, Ink Me. The only thing not on that map is Jackson’s, which is where team two is headed right now. Every other business is less than a decade old, and did not matter to Deacon. He did not see them as a blight on his legacy. He did not see them as Mason’s triumph, not like he would these four things. That will matter to Morgan. We need to call Jackson’s, let those men know they are next on the list, and we need to send our men to Joliet.”
Myron stared at him a moment, then tossed his tablet to the table, reaching out to grab the speakerphone and drag it towards him. Two seconds later Mason’s voice sounded, demanding, “Update me, goddammit.”
Myron stared at Bones for another moment, then gave a succinct summary of Bones’ theory. “Jackson’s is the next target. Boss, this is Diamante, pulling the shit from their Joliet clubhouse. I need permission to authorize a direct hit on that location.”
Mason clipped out one word, followed with, “Approved,” and then the phone disconnected.
Bones echoed him. “War.” He pulled in a breath. “We do this, and he is right. It is war.”
“Hope like fuck you’re right, man,” Myron muttered, dialing another number. “I see it, too. Fuck.” The call connected, and Myron glanced up at Bones before he addressed the man on the other end of that line. “Chismoso, need you in the office, now.” Disconnecting, he stared at Bones. “Feels right, sending him against Diamante. The proof is in the pudding.”
“Jesus,” Red whispered, then slapped Bones’ leg. “Patched. Don’t tear my fuckin’ stitches. I’ll take a van down to Joliet.” That told every man in the room he expected casualties, something they all knew to be true.
A knock at the door and Red reached out, grabbed the knob and threw it wide to admit Chismoso. He took two strides into the room, glanced around and seemed to take in everything in sight. Bones gave him another second, then asked, “You left your phone outside?” Chismoso nodded. Myron picked up his tablet and walked around to where Bones stood, pulling up an app. It showed the room, with only one electronic signal, coming from where Myron stood with the tablet. Bones began talking. “We are hitting Joliet as quickly as we can put together a plan. I need to know everything you know about that clubhouse.” Chismoso’s head jerked back in shock, but he didn’t say anything. “Do or die. You knew it would come to this. Do not pretend surprise.”
“Not pretending anything. Hadn’t thought about this shit coming from Joliet. Dude in charge there isn’t worth a piss stain, so any surprise is about him being able to pull off this kind of shit.” Chismoso took a breath and then started, “Clubhouse is three levels, with a fully converted basement as a bunker. It’s vulnerable to building collapse, but not much else. House was owned by a prepper. He raised the house a foot, put in a reinforced ceiling in the basement. Word was they had food and water for a year so we won’t be able to wait them out.” He bared his teeth, the expression feral and fierce. “Pendajo, I won’t cry when you kill him. He was Lalo’s second in Las Cruces, the one they pulled me out there to replace. Crazy as my cousin was, this guy’s just as bad.” He motioned at Myron with one hand, continuing, “Get me some paper. I’ll draw the space as best I remember it. You can assume they’ll have the standard Diamante security in place, and I’ve given you that already, but let’s go over it again, make sure I don’t miss anything.”
Bones interrupted him, watching his face carefully as he said, “We.”
Chismoso cocked his head to one side, then that feral look was back, and if anything, he looked eager as he nodded, his head moving up and down slowly in agreement. “We.”
***
Ester
The door at the top of the stairs opened. I didn’t hear it, couldn’t hear it, behind a locked door as I was, but the panel on the wall showed every level of the house, and I’d watched as first the front door opened, then closed, then opened and closed again. The code used on the downstairs keyboard showed up on the panel with the word BONES next to it, so I knew who it was.
Two men had been inside the house with me, but not with me. No one had been with me, and that was how I wanted it. If I couldn’t have Bones with me, then alone was better. But now Bones was back, and the other men were gone, and this meant everything would be okay now. Meant everything would be back to as normal as it had been for us.
A knocking at the door to the room and I ran over, putting my palms flat on the surface, feeling the vibration slowly dying away. I was sure but wanted to be surer, so I waited. A moment later, he gave me what he’d promised, the surety that it would only be him who opened me back up. I sang along with the knocks, calling out my part as I returned the knocks, “Two bits.”
Now came the hardest part. I reached out a single finger, one stiffened pointer, the others all tucked into my palm, protected from the panel’s keyboard, looking back towards me for safety. I didn’t like things like this. Didn’t like them at all. I still couldn’t stand the small phones everyone carried around. Every time I was around one, my skin crawled like I could feel the signals they put out, even if people always scoffed at my ideas. This, though, wasn’t a phone. I pretended it was the microwave, which I’d learned to use immediately after the first time Bones brought me a bowl of the special ice cream, softened from spinning around and around inside the thing. “It’s a microwave.” Bones could get in from outside, but I liked him giving me this chance to be the opener, to be the accepter of the opening.
Shave and a haircut sounded again, and I glanced at the door. I’d learned how to deal with the microwave because since the reward was so sweet, it’d be silly not to. This would be sweeter. “Two bits.”
Renewing the stiffening of my pointer, I said the word aloud as I typed it, pushing the green button after each number sequence, knowing without being told what they stood for. “Five, nineteen, twenty, five, eighteen.”
The locks clicked, and the door opened outward, then Bones was standing there, and I was wrapped around him. His arms closed around me, and we rocked back and forth for a moment, his cheek pressing against the top of my head. “You give the best rewards.”
“So do you, my Ester.” His voice was gruff and taut with exhaustion. Still, he held onto me like he needed more, so I stayed still in his arms, running my hands up and down his back. “You are well?”
I knew he wasn’t talking about pneumonia. He was asking where my head was, because for him, being locked up like I’d been for over a day would be torture. “It’s quiet in here.” Quiet was good, because it gave me time to think. So much happened outside, all the time, until it was hard to wrap my mind around how I felt or what I wanted or how to keep up with what other people expected. “This is a good thinking place.” I let him know a little more. “I thought about you a lot.”
“And what did you think, Ester?” Still rocking back and forth, he shifted, putting his mouth to the side of my head, lips to my ear so he could ask, “Did you think good things, my love?”
“You make me happy,” I told him something he already knew, but needed him to know it was more. Pulling back, I put my fingers on his face, tracing across his lips, back and forth. “Not with your words, but with your heart. I thought about that. How happy you make me.”
Pursing his lips, he pressed a light kiss against my fingertips. “I hope to always make you happy.”
Leaning in, I rested my head against his firm chest, knowing under the leather, under the cotton, under the everything he had covering him, I existed there. I gave him back the wish that went both ways, the needings that we gave the other. The everythin
g that was inside me, and on his skin.
“Me, too.”
Catch the fever
Bones
“Boy or girl?” Bones saw Ester’s smile at his question and knew she’d heard him through the kitchen windows. She was in the backyard refilling the bird feeders when the phone rang, and he held it where she could see it, giving her the option of staying outside longer if she wanted to avoid it.
Over Slate’s laughter, he heard sounds in the background of the call, the speaker system of the Fort Wayne hospital making garbled noises. “Pretty little girl child. Means our prez joins the I’m-so-fucked daddy brigade now. He’s been laughing at me with my three girls, going on and on about how life’ll change in a few years. Think he expected with two boys already he’d be a shoo-in for a third.” Slate made a buzzer sound, laughing harder. “Eeeehhhhhnt. Not so fast, buddy boy. Here’s a girl for your ass.”
“Did they name their daughter yet?” Slate was not wrong, Mason had been lording his boys over every Rebel member who had a girl in the past few years. “Garrett’s little sister, he will need to grow up to be as protective as his father will no doubt be.”
“Yeah, sweet name. Dolly Jane Mason. Healthy girl, her momma’s good, too.” Slate’s voice moved away from the phone, and Bones heard him call, “Twins, get yer butts back here.”
“You call your children twins?” Bones laughed, shaking his head. “Which ones are you speaking to?”
“All of ‘em. Wrangling my kids is hard work, man. Glad as fu…crap Mason saw his way clear to what I needed.” Slate yelled again, this time not bothering to pull the phone from his mouth, “I said get back here. Do not make me come after you.” Giggles in the background followed by the rumble of a bass voice. Slate yelled, “Then effin’ take care of ‘em, you asshole.” More giggles, and Bones listened as Slate kissed his children, their whispers of, “Wuv you, Daddy,” so sweet it nearly took his breath. “Yeah, love you, too, shrimplet. Allen, ‘mere, gimme a hug before Uncle Bear takes you home with him.” Squeals, then the muffled sound of Slate talking to his son, “Love you, buddy. Be good, help out with KayHay.”
“Bear is taking all of your children to his home? Is Eddie aware?” Bones kept his eyes on Ester as she moved hesitantly towards the door, opening and coming inside, but staying near the door. “It is good they like children.”
“No fuckin’ shit, man. Jase’s kids are there as much as they are his and DeeDee’s place. Sasha, Bear’s girl, she loves Dani and Allen as much she loves Hayley and Kayley. Jesus, you look into that little girl’s face and all you see is Eddie, all over. You needa come to the Fort, get a visit in before Mason goes home and everything’s crazy there.”
“True. Perhaps I can…” Bones let his voice trail off, because what he had been about to say was he could introduce Ester to everyone, but that would never work, not in a hospital, with so many unknown people. “I will talk to Ester…” Best to give her a heads-up he would be leaving, get her thinking about accompanying him if she could. “…and see if she is up to a visit to see the brand new daughter of my brother. Either way, I will see you soon. Stay safe.” Ester’s head tipped to one side, and she gave him a broad smile, nodding.
Slate laughed, and then responded, “Yeah, brother. Shiny side.”
***
Bones stood in Mason’s kitchen, elbows leaning against the island countertop, eyes aimed towards the living room where he watched Ester sitting close beside Willa, their heads angled in together over the top of the pink-blanketed bundle in Ester’s arms. Garrett was on the floor in front of the women, playing quietly with the toy motorcycle Bones had brought for the boy. The noises he made as he pushed and pulled the toy across the rug were amusing, and Bones smiled to hear how he imitated the real thing.
“All is well?” Bones asked the question as Mason walked up beside him, settling two cold bottles of beer on the counter.
“Better than, brother. Willa’s good, Garrett’s good, Dolly’s perfect. Chase is in a good place again, and that by itself is worth a celebration. Between you and Fury, we got the pain in our asses handled, Morgan’s on the run, and Shooter’s been reminded of who the fuck he is.” Mason lifted the bottle, taking a long drink. “Life is good.”
“Would you like to talk about Chicago?” Bones had given the debrief to Mason about their successful raid on the Diamante clubhouse, done while he was still standing in the driveway, the wreckage of the demolished building visible behind him in the video. Chismoso’s information had saved lives on both sides, and the only Diamante who had died were those who knew they had no option but to fight.
“Nah, we’re good, Bones. You got everything up there under control.”
Mason lifted the bottle again, bringing it down abruptly when Bones asked, “Tell me about Florida?”
“Not a lot to tell.” His voice, which a moment ago had been easy, was now tight, taut with discomfort, and Bones knew his words were a lie.
“You got inside. I know you did because I spoke to Myron. You got inside, and then you got out, and you had to come back here to be at the hospital.” Without looking at him, Bones pressed Mason for answers, knowing that the not telling meant there was something to tell. “What did you find?”
“Office.” Clipped and curt, the single word said whatever this was, Willa didn’t know. Mason raised his voice slightly, calling, “Baby, need to talk business with Bones. We’ll be back out in a minute.” Willa looked up and nodded, her eyes on Mason dreamy, filled with an expression of love Bones might not have recognized a year ago.
Ester looked at him the same, their gazes meeting over the tiny head of the baby in her arms. “I will be only steps away, beauty.” She nodded, careful so her movements didn’t jostle the infant, and then looked back down, smoothing across Dolly’s cheek with the backs of her fingers.
“Hooie, she’s catching the fever, Bones.” Mason’s gruff laughter preceded them into the office he had on the main floor of his home. “Better watch out. You’ll be changin’ diapers instead of oil.”
“Is it so bad, then? Having a child with the woman you love?” Bones grinned, knowing Mason was joking. “Seeing that in your home every day?”
“Naw, man. It for sure ain’t no hardship. God—” Mason sucked in a breath. “—best thing in my life, meeting Willa.”
***
Ester
“She’s so tiny. And perfect. Even Slate said as much. You made a tiny, perfect human.” I bowed in half, craned my neck around to see the flawless curves of Dolly’s ears, and tugged the cap down over the tips. Holding my breath, I watched her sleep for a moment, then let it out in a rush only to pull it back in and hold it again. “So beautiful it makes it hard to breathe.”
“She is gorgeous, isn’t she?” Dolly’s momma’s voice was quietly proud and possessive, and I knew if I were in her shoes I’d never be able to let anyone else hold my human. “Our Garrett was small, too, but still so very there, you know?” I chanced glancing away from Dolly to Willa, and saw a sweet, loving smile on her face, and followed her gaze back to Dolly. “She’s gorgeous.”
“Delicate and fine, like crystal.” At the sound of a quick indrawn breath, I looked at her again, surprised.
“My husband’s mom was named Crystal.” She offered me a smile, and I tried to give one back to her, never certain how well I did when it was forced like this. “I asked him if he wanted to use it, even for a middle name, but he had already settled on Dolly.” Reaching out one hand, she adjusted Dolly’s blanket slightly, pulling it up around her tiny shoulders. “I didn’t ask again, but you saying that, it makes me wonder.”
“Dolly is a right name, if it’s what you call her in your head. If it’s not, then there’s no rule says you can’t call her what you want with your mouth. I’ve always been an Ester, but my brother was given a new name.” I blinked, wondering where that came from. I hadn’t thought about Ronnie in a long, long time. This was something Bones didn’t know about me, and my gut twisted, wondering
if he would think it a secret I hadn’t shared. I didn’t want that, so I needed to unload this burden as soon as possible. “Can you take your tiny human back, please? I need to tell Bones a secret.”
Now she was the one blinking, and I waited patiently until she caught up with me. It didn’t take her long, and I knew it didn’t matter what she called her baby, or what her baby called herself, this momma would always catch up. “Sure, honey. Just…” She reached out both arms now, gathering the warm bundle from my arms. I almost held on, not wanting the empty feeling I knew would follow. I’d held babies in the shelters before, watching tiny humans while their mothers showered or shat. She continued, taking Dolly entirely away, “Let me get her situated.” Another moment and then Dolly woke, turning her face towards her mother’s breasts, probably smelling the milk waiting just underneath the surface. Natural sustenance, and a beautiful thing to watch. “Oh, now,” she cooed at her baby, adjusting her slightly, “who’s a good girl?”
“I am.” There went my mouth again, blurting when it should have been shutting, but at least she just giggled with me. “You feed her, I need to find Bones.”
“Okay, honey, just knock before you go into the office, all right?” Glancing up at me, she gave me a grin. “Might want to tell Bones what’s happening out here, so he’s not shocked when he comes out.”
Standing in front of the wooden office door, I lifted my hand, and then let it fall to my side. My brain had started down the what-if path, and it was hard to stop when that happened. Maybe I should wait, I thought, then a loud rattle came from low on the door followed by a noisy hammering. I looked down and saw Garrett standing there, grinning his little man grin up at me, hand gripping the metal and plastic motorcycle as he whaled on the door with it.
Rebel Wayfarers MC Boxset 4 Page 29
