Vengeance: The Program Book 4

by N. M. Catalano

  “No shit,” Gringo snaps.

  The office door opens.

  Snake is at the coffee shop, so we know it’s not him. Out of the four of us, Snake is the most patient, so he’s the least likely to be climbing the fucking walls stuck next door. Besides, he and Rock did what me and Gringo did last night. Talk and plan. And probably screw, all four of them, him, Raven, Rock, and Summer. Together.

  The three of us are on our feet and ready to take out whoever just came in.

  “Steady boys.” It’s Hawk. “You really need to do something about that lock.” Closing the door behind him, he steps inside and leans a shoulder against the wall, like he didn’t just break in to our shop. He has the same training we do, there aren’t too many places he can’t get into, except maybe the Pentagon and the White House.

  Rock lowers into his seat. “Come on in,” he says tightly.

  “I did.” Hawk replies.

  Hawk. AKA the Grim Reaper. Silent, deadly, and unpredictable. The kind of man you hope is on your side, because if he’s not, you’re already dead.

  “Talk.” Hawk is a man of very few words.

  Just fuck him.

  “You’re staying here. We’re going in,” I tell him.

  His eyes slide to me. “I know. Give me the updates on the situation.”

  I fold my arms across my chest, mostly to keep from smashing his face in. “Sure. First, why don’t you tell us if you’re here to put a bullet in our backs?”

  The corner of his mouth curves into a half smile. “If I was, I’d have already done it.”

  “Alright, enough. We don’t have time for this shit,” Rock cuts in.

  Hawk nods slowly. “Especially since you’ve got half the Steel Brothers about ready to arrive. Now, why don’t we dispense with the bullshit before the kiddies get here?”

  “Fuck,” I snarl.

  Things are about to turn into a three ring circus, and all the monkeys will be out of their cages.

  Gringo and I stare at each other.

  “How long do we have?” Rock asks tightly.

  “About five minutes, ten tops,” Hawk replies.

  “Shit,” Rock hisses.

  My first instinct is to go next door and warn Gwen and the ladies. Give them a minute to psychologically prepare. The Steel Brothers are a fucking shit storm, but I’d rather have them getting my back than having them after my ass. If they’ve got orders to protect you, they’ll do whatever is necessary, criminal or not. If it were up to them, I’d bet they’d prefer criminal.

  I text her instead.

  The motorcycle club is almost here.

  I keep the phone clutched in my hand like some kind of pussy, waiting for her to reply.

  Nothing. Silence. I don’t blame her. I was a total bastard this morning.

  Had to do it.

  “This is what we’ve got,” Rock motions to Gringo, “pull up the stills from the mill.”

  Gringo clicks a few keys, then swings the laptop around so Hawk can see the photos.

  “This is our target; we’re going in at three hundred hours. It was an abandoned mill which is now occupied by the party who wants to purchase it.”

  “They don’t own it? Somebody might want to tell them that.”

  “We are. At three hundred hours. We’re going to have quite the welcoming, fireworks and all,” Rock grins.

  “Thanks for the invite. I’m glad I brought my party favors.” The corner of Hawk’s mouth twitches, it’s his form of a smile.

  Two smirks in five minutes, that’s a fucking record.

  Rock fixes Hawk with a hard look. “Thanks for coming.”

  He means it. Because his woman is in danger as well.

  Hawk dips his head in acknowledgement, a big gesture for him.

  Rock turns his attention to the pictures, switching back to business. “The last time you were here we went in for the first time. These surveillance photos were taken a couple of nights ago with a drone. It seems they’ve upfitted the place.” Photos of crates lining the hallways flash on the screen. “We’ve gotten back some translations of the print on the boxes. The fuckers have got materials for chemical warfare.” Gringo clicks and the lab comes up. Rock points to the picture, “But this steel room they’re building is new.”

  Hawk and Rock exchange stares while in my head I’m already blowing up the place.

  KAPOW.

  Gringo doesn’t say anything as the next picture comes. It’s the cells.

  “These cells were there the last time. However, they’ve added the chains and the handcuffs.”

  I steal a glance at Gringo. He’s shut down, the only thing emanating from him is rage.

  “We didn’t send the drone in during the day. But they’ve got two guards on duty at night. There was only one before. They’ve increased security, and from the looks of the lab, they’ve amped up operations as well,” I add.

  Gringo continues going through the last pictures as the need for violence comes off of him in waves.

  “So they don’t own it yet?” Hawk questions.

  I shake my head, “No, but not for lack of trying. It turns out the place is…well, was, owned by shareholders, the families of the former employees of the mill. All of them sold their shares. All of them except one.”

  Hot fury burns through me once again as all eyes fall on me.

  “Let me guess. The pretty little redhead,” Hawk states casually.

  I glare at him.

  They don’t call him Hawk for nothing.

  He turns to Rock. “You’re blowing it up.”

  Rock nods.

  “Is this commissioned?” Hawk asks, meaning did the orders come from headquarters.

  “No. Funny you should ask seeing as we were just talking about how strange it is The Program has no part of this. This whole operation has their name written all over it,” I sneer.

  He rubs his jaw, silent, otherwise completely still. “I agree. As a matter of fact, I went to headquarters after I left here. Apparently the contract was not commissioned either. I wanted to deliver the news in person, considering I’m such a sociable individual.”

  I snort, Gringo smirks, Rock mumbles, “Yes, you are.”

  Relief so thick we can practically taste it. Our hit was not Program ordered.

  “What about the contract on Summer?” Rock asks tightly.

  Hawk shakes his head no. “I found out The Club pulled their contract after your little meet her with her dad.”

  Hell fucking yes!

  But then, who did?

  “How’d you manage to get information?” I narrow my eyes at him. I can’t help it; I don’t trust the guy.

  “That’s confidential,” he grins at me coldly.

  Asshole.

  We all hear it at the same time, the sound of thunder getting closer. The Steel brothers are here. My phone vibrates in my hand.

  They’re here.

  It’s a text from Gwen. I type out a quick message. I need to reassure her, despite the fact I’m an asshole.

  They’re here to help.

  My phone vibrates again.

  Fuck you.

  I grin. I need her mad, I need her on her toes. Angry will do that.

  “There’s one more thing. It seems that the buyers of the mill have affiliations with The Club,” Hawk cocks a brow at me. I shrug a shoulder. “We wanted to find out, you know, for the welcome party and all.”

  The roar of the motorcycles are so loud, it feels like the entire building is vibrating. Then there’s silence.

  I stand. “Might as well go out and greet the President.”

  I leave the office and enter the main room of the shop, it’s dark and unoccupied. Unlocking the front door, I step outside as the MC bikers walk across the parking lot.

  “Looks like the Girl Scouts are here,” Snake says dryly as he exits the coffee shop.

  The last time he was face to face with them, one of them shot him right before his bad ass girlfriend gutted the asshole.

/>   “Make sure you let the little boys know I’ve still got my toy if they want to play, Snake,” Raven calls from the doorway.

  “No playdates for you, demon,” Snake grins.

  “You’re no fun,” she says before letting the door fall shut.

  Not taking my eyes from the dangerous men approaching us, I tell Snake, “You two are fucked up.”

  “Yeah, but we do fucked up so well,” I can hear the smile in his voice.

  I snort a laugh because they’ve got that shit down to a science.

  Prez, of course, is leading his crew. He steps up onto the sidewalk and grins. The scar that runs from underneath the eye patch down the side of his face stretches and looks almost grotesque. Shame too, he was a good looking man. I can only imagine the other guy, although I doubt there was anything left but a mangled pile of flesh and bones. His one eye slides from me to Snake, then back. “Bull, thought we’d pay you a visit.”

  I’ve been waiting for this initial confrontation, what happens now will tell me everything I need to know of why they are really here.

  “Prez, thanks for coming.” I fix my eyes on his men. “We all good?”

  We killed one of them. It might not matter he went against the club, loyalty to your brothers is everything.

  He looks back over his shoulder to the members of his club, then back to me. “They’re with me. I’m here.”

  I lock eyes with him. That doesn’t tell me shit really.

  The last time he sent his men here, it was to pay off a debt he owed me. It’s been paid, that made us even. He owes me nothing, whereas I owe him now because he came.

  “We’re good, Prez. No retaliation. All that is finished.” I dip my head and steady my gaze on him. “Right?”

  “Then we’re good,” he gives me another cold smile.

  Our interaction is tense. Each of us unsure of the other’s ulterior motives. But we need him, so it’s on.

  “Let’s go inside and I’ll get you filled in,” I start for the shop door.

  He turns to his men. “Boys, go see if you can find some old friends. But stay here,” he thumbs in the direction of the coffee shop.

  Snake has been silent standing beside me. “I’ll make sure they behave,” his tone is light, although he’s anything but.

  “Snake,” Prez addresses him for the first time. “No need to worry. They know we’re here on business.”

  “As long as we are all here for the same thing,” Snake comments as he holds the door for the bikers.

  None of them say anything to Snake as they file into the coffee shop. Raven is right there, arms at her sides ready to whip out her knife if one of them so much as looks at any of them wrong.

  “Snake,” I say, eyeing Raven.

  “Don’t worry, I’ve got her,” he smirks.

  This is going to be a long fucking night.

  Through the window, I spot Gwendolyn. She’s watching me with a worried look on her beautiful face. It fucking guts me. I hold her stare for a moment, hoping it lets her know they’ll be okay. That everything is going to be fine.

  I rip my eyes from hers. “Come on.”

  Let’s get this shit over with.

  Prez follows me in and we go directly to the office. Hawk is still where I left him, a fixture now leaning against the wall. The laptop is closed, concealing what this is all really about, with Gringo sitting silently in front of it, his features as hard as stone.

  Rock stands when we enter. “Prez, thanks for coming.”

  “Wouldn’t have missed it,” he gives him that same cold smile.

  Rock’s expression hardens. “As long as we’re all here for the same thing.”

  “Like I told Bull, we’re good. If there is no retaliation for what happened.”

  Rock nods. “Then we’re good.”

  Funny how it sounds like nobody means a goddamn word they’re saying.

  I slide a look at Hawk. He’s watching every movement, picking up every unsaid thing, with his eyes glued on the President.

  “This is Hawk. Me and my boys have got a meeting tonight. You, Hawk, and your men will be doing what you did before. We need you as security here. The same locations.” Before Rock even realizes what he’s doing, he looks at Gringo.

  Gringo’s expression has not changed at all, but that doesn’t matter. I feel the agony lancing through him because it’s slicing through me too.

  They’ll be posted at Sasha’s house as well. We need to have eyes there to report any activity. Something might happen that could give a clue as to her whereabouts.

  “How long do you need us here?” Prez asks.

  Rock links his fingers, he’s as cool as a fucking cucumber. “We’ll know more tomorrow. I hope that’s okay.”

  Yeah, after we make it rain down the Fourth of July.

  “Sure. Me and the boys could use a few days R&R.” Prez stretches and links his hands behind his neck. “You mind telling me what this is all about?”

  Rock dips his head. “I guess we owe you some kind of explanation. It’s related to the contract your man had on Summer, and the disappearance of one of our women.” That’s all he tells him.

  Rock’s a smooth son of a bitch.

  Prez nods. “Okay. But that’s not what I heard.”

  Boom!

  And shit just got more complicated.

  I lean forward. “What exactly have you heard?”

  He shrugs in that he-doesn’t-give-two-fucks-about-anyone way. “I heard a rumor that the people who put the contract on you and the girl have got an interest in this quaint little town you all call home.” He sucks his goddamn teeth. “Rumor has it, it’s worth a lot of money.”

  “What kind of interest?” I growl.

  Prez sighs like he’s bored. If I rip his windpipe out, he won’t be so fucking bored. “They mentioned investors,” he replies flippantly.

  I lean in closer. He gives me a look with his one eye that hints at a warning, but he grins. I don’t give a rat’s ass. “What kind of investors?”

  He glares at me from his single eyeball, the evil bastard that he is. “The kind of investors that spend a whole lot of money on whatever the fuck they want.”

  Rock’s a fucking statue. “That’s interesting. Where did you come by that kind of information?”

  Prez spreads out his hands. “I’ve got a lot of friends.”

  Rock raises an eyebrow at him questioningly. “Friends, or business associates?”

  Prez gives him a smile. “Friends.”

  “You’re ‘friends’ won’t make your visit here a conflict of interest, would they?” Rock asks in his pissed off steely tone.

  Prez shakes his head. “Nope, not at all.”

  “Prez,” I say. I’m barely containing my rage. “Are you here for any other reason, like anything to do with this information?”

  He turns to me. “I told you, we’re good.”

  With our eyes locked, we glare at each other, it’s a battle neither of us are backing down from.

  The tension in the air is a cunt hair away from snapping. The atmosphere is so volatile; one wrong word or look could make this entire thing turn into a bloodbath.

  This is the situation we’re going to war in. These are the men we’re leaving the people we love with.

  This is the only choice we have to save them.

  CHAPTER 25

  Gwendolyn

  The motorcycle club is back, and so is that guy, Hawk. Bull and the men must be going somewhere; they’ve got to be. That’s why everyone showed up the last time, because Rock, Summer, Snake, and Gringo went out of town.

  When Sasha disappeared.

  When Millicent, her husband’s assistant, came into the coffee shop, she’d insinuated that Sasha took off, which was a complete lie. Sasha and I have never been friendly, but you’d have to have been blind not to see how she and Gringo felt about each other. Gringo admitted he loved her. No woman disappears just like that when she’s in love. Millicent had also made a point to say sh
e knew who I was. That was very strange. I’m nobody to her, I have no dealings with James Williams’ business, she has no reason to know me.

  Why would she do that, and how does she know me?

  Bull said he’s protecting us. Then he asked about the offer to purchase contract on my share of the mill.

  What exactly is he protecting me and Nan from?

  Since Bull left me utterly gobsmacked this morning, I’ve been racking my brain trying to make sense of everything. There are so many secrets and so much happening, really bad things. Summer was beaten and kidnapped. I know this because I heard them talking. Sasha disappeared. They’re trying to make everyone believe Sasha took off on her own accord, but no one believes that.

  Everything has got to be related. It all started when I was first approached about selling my mill share. That was around the time when Summer was hurt.

  The mill!

  That’s it, that’s the link. It all makes sense, it’s so blatantly obvious.

  James Williams is the one who facilitated the property sale, it made him the town superstar, and he’s Sasha’s husband. But the sale is stalled because there’s one shareholder holding out, there’s still one person refusing to sell. Maybe that’s how Millicent knows who I am.

  Me.

  Oh, my God! That’s why Bull is protecting me, it has something to do with the mill. Something important enough that a woman has already disappeared. Maybe because I haven’t agreed to sell. A rush of clarity slams down on me. They told me they’d get it one way or another. And Bull knows that.

  I wrench off my apron.

  Mr. John “Bull” Smith and I are going to have a come to Jesus moment!

  “Summer, I’m going next door to talk to Bull.”

  She whips her head around to look at me. “Now? We’re packed.”

  I hate leaving her when the coffee shop is full of people, bikers at that, but I’ve got to do this now. After the horrible way he treated me this morning, and everything else, I need answers, and I need them immediately.

  “Snake and Raven can help out. I’ll only be gone for a couple of minutes,” I walk around the counter toward the front door.

  One of the bikers holds out a hand to stop me. “Where you going, Red?”

  I glare at him, “To get someone to rip that arm off if you don’t move it.” I’ve had about enough attitude for one day.