“I don’t like that you included that detective,” she said. “You and I could go to prison.”
“We knew that,” I tossed out. “We talked about this. Alexa is more important to you than your freedom, right?”
“Of course.” Her thick voice cracked. “I’m not a bitch of a mom. I’ve been grooming her to handle the business, which is why she’s at Penn State. We planned for this.”
“Then we need to make sure our plan goes smoothly,” I said. “Involving Ted looks as though we’re helping the law, which could make any sentences handed to us less severe.”
If we were caught with the guns, that was. If not, Ted didn’t have much cause to arrest us.
She pushed out a long-suffering breath. “I want to murder that bastard Mateo.”
“You can, but you’ll definitely end up in jail.”
She gave me a sidelong glance. “Why are you calm? You love Grace. I would’ve thought you would be more nervous.”
I chuckled. “Oh, I am. But I’ve been in enough life-and-death situations that I’ve learned to channel my energies inward and not let anyone see me sweat. You know this. Plus, whatever happens next, I’m okay with it as long as Grace comes out of this alive. As we discussed, it’s time, Rosario, for me to hand the reins to Vince. It’s time for me to step down. If that means a grave, so be it. If that means prison, I’ll deal. I can’t keep putting my family in harm’s way. I’m going to be an uncle, and I would like to be a father someday.”
The phone rang, the sound coming through the speakers, and Gustavo’s name appeared on the car’s monitor. I hit the answer button.
“Gustavo, are you there?” Rosario asked.
“The team is in place,” he said. “There are two grunts at the gate, two outside the building, and a handful patrolling the junkyard. Our men are scattered throughout the yard and hidden among the piles of crushed metal. Our truck is here as well. I’m assuming the guns are in it.”
“We’re coming off the exit now,” I said. “The fog slowed us down, but we’re still early. By the way, are my brothers in the area?”
“I talked to Denim,” Gustavo said. “They parked a block down from the junkyard.”
I’d tried to keep my brothers from getting involved, but they hadn’t listened to me. If the tables were turned, I would’ve been here, without a doubt. Our sister meant the world to them too.
Still, I’d met with my brothers a couple of days after the gala, after I started ignoring Joy, after I knew what I had to do if I wanted a new life and redemption—and for my sister and brothers not to be threatened every time a deal went bad or an enemy wanted to fuck with me. The conversation the night we’d met at Dillon’s house had been tough.
“Bro,” Denim said, “this is about to change your life and not in the way you planned.”
“Look, it’s time for a new chapter for me, whatever that will be. Rosario is on board with the plan.Brian and Vince are, too, though they have argued otherwise. You both know what to do if anything happens to me. Vince will run things with the club until it sells.”
“We have your back,” Dillon said. “But whatever happens, know that I love you. You’ve taught me so much growing up. You kept our old man from beating us to a pulp. You kept food on the table any way you knew how. Denim, Grace, and I are alive because of you.”
I wasn’t an emotional man, but Dillon’s comments sparked so many deep-seated issues.
“Joy kind of knows what’s going on,” Denim said. “Have you talked to her since the gala?”
“I can’t. I’m walking away from her. She deserves better than me.”
“You’re in love with her,” Denim said. “I see it in your eyes.”
“Doesn’t matter.” I would never ask Joy to compromise her morals for a thug like me. No amount of love was worth sacrificing one’s beliefs.
Rosario clapped a few times, knocking me out of my reverie. “Where did you go? Did you hear what Gustavo said?”
“Sorry, man.” I moved my neck around. “I was just going through the plan in my head.”Liar.
“I haven’t seen any sign of Mateo. Stay alert,” Gustavo said. “Once I see Alex and Grace come out of the building, I’ll grab them and head out. I’ll keep Denim informed through my comm.”
Denim had suggested earpieces for Rosario and me, but Mateo was nervous that I might bring the Feds, and earpieces would only set him off. So I’d nixed that idea.
“I’m coming off the highway now.”
Two minutes later, I spotted Denim’s Explorer and pulled up next to the driver’s side and rolled down my passenger window.
