Pulling away takes strength I don’t realize I have. Separating from her, I fight the urge to collect her in my arms again.
Hearing Ripper call out my name, I’m one of the last to get on my bike. Shoving on my helmet, my entire body tenses in anticipation.
After all these years, it’s going to feel good getting payback. Unlike Blaze, who sends others to half-ass a job, I’m going to make sure he’s dead by my own hands.
My fingers squeeze the handlebars, and deep down, I feel an excitement forming. Not just for revenge, but to let out this stress that’s been building in my chest all this time.
Warden gives the signal before the roar of bikes fills the air.
With Penelope filling my rearview mirror, I shove down any fear that tries to swell up and let the need to return consume it.
There’s no room for debate. I will return.
11
Judge
Meadow Falls is worse than how I remember it.
Breathing in, the air is poison, stinging my lungs with a simple inhale. Polluted with the stench of trash, motor oil, and absolute rot, I swallow down the start of a gag.
This is going to take a lot of work to clean up. Fuck, I’m already dreading it.
Lingering in the shadows, we stare at our target. The Crimson Road clubhouse.
It’s a hulking brute of a building, stained brick and a couple of boarded-up windows, but now it pulses with life. Surrounding it, a steel-and-chrome thicket. Bikes. Twenty of them, at least. They’re parked in ragged lines, a promise of twenty riders inside.
Sliding my gaze to Trouble, I know if he’d breathed a word, there’d be double the number. Should’ve believed he was on our side when he didn’t take advantage of us giving him a bike to ride.
Returning my gaze to the building, I’m the first to get off my bike. Next to me, Ripper joins my side. While he scowls at the building, he draws out his blade against his hip.
“Ready to do this?” Curling my fingers at my side, I ignore the ache in my chest. My knuckles itch, missing the crunch of bone.
My VP is back to smiling when his gaze meets mine. “Prez, I’ve been ready for this foryears.”
I believe him entirely.
Trouble mentioned members on patrol. No one would have the balls to attack this place, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re as cocky as their president. Counting on them to have their guard lowered, I jerk my chin toward my side.
Ripper, Trouble, and I take one way. Warden, Diesel, and a handful of his prospects head to carefully approach the front.
“Ripper, we need to be quick and silent.” Whispering the words, I know there’s a need to say it out loud. “Use the zip ties.”
When he chuckles under his breath, I already know my words mean nothing. Not to someone who loves blood.
Trouble leads us toward the side of the building. He wearily glances at the cameras up above. “How long can that guy give us?”
I can’t help but grimace. “Twenty seconds.”
Ghost can’t shut down their cameras, but he can freeze them long enough to give us a chance to knock out these guys and get to their main breaker without being noticed. After that, it’s time to attack.
“I can do it in ten.” Ripper pokes his head around the corner and sighs. “Do we really have to hide until they appear?”
Pulling out my phone, I ready my message to Ghost. “Shut up and tell me when they appear.”
“I hope they’re big,” he continues, ignoring me. “I need a little challenge.”
“What the fuck does she see in you?” Trouble hisses his own thoughts. “Crazy asshole.”
