“That tiny motherfucker is cocky as shit,” Stitch said, agreeing with her, another surprising move since we were all pretty sure he was still targeting the Bastards because of Marisol.
“But killing a dozen men won’t do shit,” Savior grunted angrily.
Vivi blew out a breath. “You know this isn’t my first rodeo. And if you guys think it’ll stop with the stash houses, you’re naïve as fuck. Familia De La Muerte wants Salinas territory, they always do, which means they’ll keep going without us. Salinas will be fighting two enemies. At least.”
Damn, my girl was sexy as hell when she was being an evil criminal mastermind. Her plan was well thought out and even though it wasn’t what I would have done, it did have plenty of merit. “Okay so what else do we need to know?”
“Watch the news, there have been at least a dozen deaths in and around Tamaulipas, and that’s just in the past twenty four hours.” With a disgusted snort, Vivi slammed her laptop shut and stared at my group of brothers.
“Maybe your plan does have some solid points,” Gunnar conceded, “but it wasn’t your plan to execute.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Gunnar. I do what I do and when your club needs help, I provide it. I don’t work for you and I don’t fucking answer to you. You don’t like how I choose to handle my shit? Too damn bad.” She snatched up her laptop and sent a hurt glare my way. “You know what? Do it your way, I don’t give a shit. I guess you’d rather plan the battle than win the war.” She stomped off, muttering about idiotic men with egos bigger than their cocks.
“What the fuck, Jag?”
I glared at Gunnar, ready for a goddamn fight after listening to my brothers tear into my woman. “What’s the matter, Gunnar? Pissed off you didn’t think of it first?”
“Come the fuck on, guys!” Stitch clapped his hands loudly and grinned. “That was a genius fucking plan. Now Carlito has to fight us on this side of the border and the Familia on his home turf. That can only spell good things for us.”
“Of course you’d say that,” Gunnar snorted. “You want him dead before he comes after your ol’ lady and we all know it.”
“Settle the fuck down!” Cross roared. “I don’t have to like it but what Vivi did was good thinking. It gives us just the edge we need to get a leg up on this asshole.”
“And I think you’d all show a little fucking gratitude given the hit Vivi took for us,” I reminded them. Again. I didn’t like watching them go after her like that and even though I knew that no woman was more capable than my woman, it still left a bad taste in my mouth.
“How long are you gonna milk that for, Jag?”
I turned to Golden Boy and frowned. “Until every one of you mother fuckers remember that she could have said no. The feds could have locked us all up for a lot longer than they did her. I’m not saying give her special treatment, but like Vivi said, she doesn’t work for us.”
“That’s bullshit—” Gunnar began but Cross cut him off.
“That’s enough. We have some planning to do so everyone to Merry Mayhem in five minutes.”
Chapter Thirty - Stitch
“Are you gonna be okay?” Marisol had just started to get some color back in her skin and she was just starting to talk and smile a little bit more. And then Kat was murdered. Horrifically so and ever since, she’d been quiet as hell. No, not quiet, silent. “Please, Marisol, say something. I have club shit to deal with today but I need to know you’ll be okay while I’m gone.”
I never understood what could make a man want to take a bullet for a chick, or to give up the endless supply of pussy on offer when girls found out I was in a biker club. But now, I kind of got it. I wasn’t in love with her or anything like that, but I did give a shit about her.
Marisol stared at me, her big brown eyes lifeless. The spark that usually lit up her whole damn face, extinguished. And it was all Carlito’s fault. It may not bring her spark back, but I would make him pay for that. She shrugged, li
ke it didn’t matter if she’d be okay or not. She gave a short nod before turning her gaze out the window.
“Marisol.” My voice came out low, guttural as I cupped her face to make her look at me. “Please, babe, I need you to show me some signs of life. I need to take care of business but I won’t be able to if I’m worried about you.”
“I’m fine, Stitch. Really. Go do whatever it is you need to do.” Then she sat up and held my face in her hands like I was more than her protector. More than someone she used to fuck. “Just be careful. Enough people have died because of me.”
“Not because of you, Marisol. Because of that fucking psycho and believe me babe, as soon as I get the fucking chance, he’s a dead man.”
Her lips twitched into a sad smile. “Be careful, Stitch. I won’t ask what you have to do because I don’t want to know, but I do want you to come back safe.”
“Aww shit, girl, you do care.” She smacked my arm and that show of life, that smile, pulled a laugh from me. “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine.”
Her eyes said she thought I was full of shit, but Marisol nodded anyway and stood, smoothing the plain green shirt down, which hung loose because she’d been eating like a damn bird. “And don’t worry about me, Stitch.” To prove her point, Marisol went to the door of the small apartment and opened it.
She left before I could get my boots on and go after her, but when I caught up with her, she had just stepped into the kitchen where Jana wrapped her into a big, welcoming hug. “Marisol, it’s so good to see you! How are you doing?”
“I’ve been better, Jana. But it smells amazing in here. How can I help?”