Brutal Boxer by Naomi Porter

20

Storm

A week had passed since Boxer and the others left. I was struggling. I wasn’t okay with it. Being with Angel and having a baby changed my priorities. I’d protect them at all costs.

Finally, I understood why my Uncle Matt wanted to get out of the illegal arms business. Why he desperately wanted the club to be clean for Sugar and the boys’ safety. Uncle Matt loved his club and brothers, but his family was his everything.

So was mine.

The MC lifestyle flowed in our blood… Knights blood for more than fifty years. It also ran through all of my brothers’ veins. I’d never let the club die, but all this stress and fuckin’ drama and danger needed to stop.

Was it too much to ask for a bit of peace and quiet?

Apparently so.

As I gazed at my brothers, I saw it in their eyes. The complex and honest truth. They were ready for war. Prepared to die defending what was ours.

We weren’t made for picket fences and polo shirts. We lived to ride free on our hogs. Some with an old lady holding on tight. We were all rough with jagged edges. Only abiding by our club’s bylaws and standing rules.

Brotherhood of bikers who fought any threat to keep our families and town safe. As much as I worried for Angel and my baby, this was the life we chose. Last night in bed, she’d ordered me to handle Casso Campbell any way I felt necessary. I loved her grit and fire. If I let her, she’d fight beside me to defend what we loved.

No chance in hell I’d let her get caught in the middle of another fuckin’ war. Sugar, Tina, and Roja were all fired up over what Casso had done to Aspen. I didn’t understand the instant connection they had to her. Women were a mystery I didn’t attempt to solve.

Honestly, I didn’t like Aspen. I would’ve gladly given her a fake passport and money to get the hell out of Minnesota and the fuckin’ country. She’d done my brother wrong before I met him. I’d never seen a young guy so devastated. He might be a brutal fighter, built like a fuckin’ warrior, but even the toughest man could be broken. He bled, like everyone else. His heart wasn’t made of iron.

When I’d found him in the gym the night she arrived, he had that same destroyed look in his eyes when I met him. It fuckin’ made me furious. I would’ve thrown her out on her ass if Angel would’ve let me.

My brother might hate Aspen, but he also loved her, so I’d do whatever it took to protect her.

“Did you all get your shit in order?” I swept my gaze around the table, pausing at Boxer’s empty chair. I worried about him being locked up with Aspen. Not being able to communicate with him didn’t sit well with me.

Grunts filled my ears.

I nodded toward my SAA to get on with it.

“All right,” Hero barked. “As we know, Casso is finally heading our way. Ciro has eyes on him and will alert us when he enters our territory. There are now only seven in total, Casso and six others.” He scratched his chin.

“I thought there were eight?” Lynx asked.

“Not anymore. Ciro confirmed Casso killed Tony. The motherfucker chopped him up. So don’t anyone take any chances with this nutjob. We’re going to play this like that animal. Shoot first, ask questions later.”

Fists pounded the table.

Raul raised his hand to silence everyone. “With the club’s businesses closed, the Fallen Soldiers are patrolling the town. Ciro has some men coming to help in unmarked cages. I’ve moved my family into the unit behind the clubhouse in case that fucker tries to blow this place up.”

That shit scared the fuck out of me. It was no secret Casso used bombs as a method of dealing with issues. Eliminating them entirely.

“I’ve done the same. All the women and children are safe.” I stood, bracing my hands on the table. “I expect Casso to demand we give him Aspen. When we tell him no, he’ll retaliate immediately. So be prepared. Any questions?”

Silence.

My brothers had been working around the clock the last several days to get our businesses in order. They were tired but not so much they didn’t salivate on cue when Casso’s name was mentioned. It was like they knew, without being told how much Aspen meant to Boxer. She hadn’t been claimed. Had only been in the club a little more than a week, yet she had my band of brothers taking up arms to defend her.

What the fuck? I’d been the only one who kept her at a distance. I felt a smidge of guilt for it.

“Let’s get armed for war.” I hit the mallet to end church.

Two and a half hours later, I was on the phone with Ciro. The call came just as we were about to have supper. Hero and I ducked out of the kitchen to deal with it in my office. I had it on speaker so we could listen to the latest update.

“What do you mean, two cages met up with Casso, then they split up?” We knew he was expected to arrive tonight. But two more cages?

I felt it in my gut. Everything was about to go to shit.

“Storm, I said cars. Not cages.”

“Dammit, Ciro! A cage is a car. What direction are they heading?” I squeezed my cell phone, eyes narrowed at Hero.

I hated dealing with the fuckin’ Mafia.

“When they arrived in Nebraska, two cars went toward South Dakota. The others stayed on track for Minnesota.”

Hero’s eyes went wide.

I slammed my hand on the table. “Fuck! South Dakota is where they’re at! If you’re fuckin’ with us, I will destroy you.”

Ciro sighed. “Why would I fuck with you? I want him dead. You probably have a mole who knows about the reward.”

“No fuckin’ way.”

“Then I don’t know what to tell you. Casso’s either heading for you or for South Dakota. My men couldn’t tell which vehicle he was in. What are you going to do?”

“Not fuckin’ tell you.” I ended the goddamn call and dialed my dad.

“We still need him,” Hero reminded me.

“Then you can deal with him after I make this call.”

“Storm?” my old man answered.

“Casso has men heading your way.”

“How the hell did he know they were here?”

“Excellent question. You tell me.” I glanced at Hero, shaking my head. It hadn’t even been six months since I let my old man back into my life. Not sure why he would double-cross me, but it was too soon to fully trust him. If I made the wrong decision, sending Boxer and the others into a trap, I would never forgive myself.

“Hey, I didn’t rat out the girl. Where’s this coming from?” David genuinely sounded concerned.

“It’s not like we’ve been close or anything. Calling you was a real act of faith. If you betrayed me, we’re finished.”

“Storm, I didn’t betray you, son. I swear.” His voice shook. For a second, he sounded like Granddad Frank.

“You better hope you didn’t. If I lose my men and the women because you led that maniac to them, I’ll kill you myself.”

Hero glowered, angry as hell. It was no secret within the council how my father behaved for most of my life. Beating my mom, fucking as many sweet butts he could, sending me to Uncle Matt like I was a piece of shit. The latter had been the best thing he’d ever done.

Uncle Matt had treated me like a son. He loved me. Groomed me to take over the club in the event of his death. Cancer fuckin’ sucked. Still, my old man might as well have tossed me into a dumpster.

David was silent for a long beat. “I swear. I wouldn’t betray you. I’ve changed. I want to be in yours and Madeline’s life. You’re making me a granddad. Jane is over the moon about the baby.”

Shit, if the sincerity in his voice didn’t temper my rage.

“Somehow, Casso gotta tip they’re in your state.”

“Not from me. We’ll move them. Send Casso on a wild goose chase until we can get him. I’ll handle it myself.”

My gut told me David was on the up and up. Still, somebody was to blame. If there was a mole in my club or his, this would be new territory for us. Every member had been vetted. If their loyalty had changed, I wasn’t sure how we’d find out who it was.

I gripped the back of my neck. “No one else. Just you.”

“Done. You can trust me, son. Just tell me what you want me to do.”

The call ended shortly after I told him my expectations. David’s club was an hour away from the safe house. He needed to get a move on and fast.

Hero scrubbed his cheek. “Jesus. They need to get out of there before Casso gets to them.”

“Tell me about it. I feel fuckin’ helpless.”

“You were right about having them split up. Boxer will probably flip his shit.”

“Probably. He has no choice. It was his decision to go instead of Lynx.” I’d told my old man to leave it up to Boxer whether he kept Hollywood with him. I could’ve ordered him, but I heard my Angel telling me they had stuff to work out. I didn’t like it, but I wouldn’t interfere.

“They’ll be okay,” Hero muttered, opening the office door. “We’ll get him.”

I wasn’t as optimistic as my SAA that they’d come out of this unharmed. However, I was confident we’d get Casso. Boxer wanted him taken alive to the dungeon. I didn’t want to imagine what he’d do to Aspen’s capturer. It wouldn’t be pretty or gentle. My brother was brutal when he tortured the scum of the earth.

“Let’s go bring the others up to speed.”

A ruckus broke out from the kitchen.

“What the fuck!” Hero ran.

I followed as dread poured down on me.