Bare (Diamondback MC 3)

“We’ll see him when we get home, baby girl. I know you want Ruger. I do too.” I give her a soft smile.

“She’ll need to take this on a full stomach, and keep her as hydrated as possible. She should start feeling better soon,” the pharmacist says.

“Thank you, I will.” I take the medicine, putting it in my oversized purse where I now keep only a few things for Henley. It’s so much easier now that she’s potty trained and tells me what she wants more than ever.

The three of us walk towards the front of the store. “Thanks for letting me invade your day. Now that I’m stuck doing classes online, my days have been so boring. Not that it helps that I’m ahead of the class or anything. The struggle is real when you’re an only child, your dad is ridiculously smart, and you got those same genes.”

“Well, you’re always welcome to hang out with us. Heck, if I keep getting more behind, I may see if you’re free to watch Henley a few days a week.” She really would be valuable. Henley seemed to really enjoy hanging out with her this morning while I cleaned up the kitchen after Ruger left.

“Yes, please. Sign me up. Dad mentioned this lockdown could last a while. Monroe opens the door for us, neither of us paying much attention to our surroundings, until we are.

“Where’s Bennett?” I ask, my eyes landing on my car yet not seeing him.

“I’m calling Shovel,” Monroe states. My senses are heightened.

“I think I’ll call Ruger too.” Henley is clapping, moving around. I’m focused on finding my phone and not dropping her. That’s probably why I don’t hear the click of a hammer until it’s too late.

Eleven

Ruger

“I don’t know, man. I swear I didn’t know anything. Tony sent me in to find papers on the girl Mack was with. That’s all he said!” Jamie screams out. My gun is pointing at his knee. I’ve already shot his other kneecap out. He’s on the meat hook, hands bound, toes touching the ground. This fucker has pissed himself, and I won’t be surprised if he shits his pants by the time this is said and done.

“That why we got an S.O.S from Monroe and a missed call from Sadie? You trying to create a diversion? Or what about Bennett, who’s now not answering any fuckin’ phone calls.” Shovel is here with me, knowing if I went to where Sadie’s phone was last pinged, I’d lose my shit and tear up any stretch of town I could get my hands on. Fuck, if I don’t get Sadie and Henley back, I’ll be the one putting a bullet through my own skull.

“I know nothing, swear on my mother’s grave.” That shit just makes my stomach knot even worse. This fuck doesn’t have a conscience, probably never did.

“Thinkin’ I’m gonna let Ruger here shoot you some more. Maybe then you’ll tell us where Tony and our girls are.” Shovel nods his answer at me. I don’t hold back, pulling the trigger and watching Jamie’s body jerk and then scream out in pain.

“Fuck!” he groans over and over again. If Razor were here, I’d be using his tool of choice, but he’s nose to the grindstone after pulling up video surveillance. He, Cannon, and Doc are searching high and low.

“It’s about to get ten times worse. I’m thinkin’ Tony ain’t gonna like knowing we have his son, huh?” That was the only tidbit of information that was good.

“He doesn’t care. That’s why he used me, said if I was gonna be good for anything, this was my chance to prove it.” Shit just keeps hitting us.

“Then I guess he won’t mind seeing you with a few bullet holes, huh? You got his phone, Shovel?” I ask him already knowing that his dad may talk shit, but I’m sure the minute this goes to Tony’s wife, it’ll be an entirely different story.

“He’ll tell you to kill me.” My fist hits skin, cutting into my hand with his tooth.

“Tony might, but your mom is a whole other story.” Shovel comes up beside me, snapping a picture of Jamie then scrolling through the punk kid’s phone until he finds what he’s looking for.

“Dumber than a sack of hammers. This kid doesn’t even have a burner. Maybe Tony was trying to get rid of him, after all,” Shovel states.

“Now, let’s just see how Tony reacts once your mom sees the picture. I bet our girls will be returned and whatever vengeance he’s after will be dealt with accordingly. If not, there are a few more bullets left in the chamber, and I’m not above getting my shovel.” Jamie pales when he hears that.

“Not my mom. This will devastate her and probably kill her. She’s got a bad heart.” Swear to Christ, I’d feel sorry for him if it weren’t for the fact that we got zero ideas about where Sadie, Henley, Monroe, or Bennett are.