Chapter One
Saint sat on his bike, with feet planted firmly upon the ground as he watched the exit off Interstate 80.An unlit cigarette dangled from his lips, the last remaining habit he had from giving up smoking.A year ago, his doctor told him to quit or he was on a fast track to a heart attack.He’d been having chest pains so his brother had dragged him to get it checked out, only to get the news he was going to have to kick the twenty-year addiction.His blood pressure had been through the roof, and while he didn’t fear death, the last thing he wanted to die from was heart disease while in his forties.
His twin, Sinner, rested on his own bike next to him, humming to some tune Saint couldn’t identify.Probably one of the pop songs he loved to listen to.Despite looking almost identical, their tastes in practically everything were the complete opposite.
“This is a trap,” Cas, his enforcer, muttered darkly.
“It’s not,” Sinn replied brightly.The man oozed optimism.
“Feels like a trap.”
“That’s because you suffer from a pervasive mistrust and suspicion of others, which also includes me and Saint.”
Oh, yeah, his brother was a self-taught psychology guru who thought listening to audiobooks on the subject was all he needed to psychoanalyze everyone.Although, truthfully, he pegged Cas spot-on.The man had a helluva long memory and held onto grudges like they were a life vest.
“This is colossally dumb of us waiting for the Bone Breakers,” Cas griped, pulling his gun out.“I bet they’re watching us through binoculars right now and saying ‘hello, stupid fuckers, so glad you showed up to make killing you easier.’”
“They probably aren’t saying hello,” Saint mumbled around his cigarette.“Put away your gun.”
Cas said something under his breath, but followed the order.Then he swung off his bike.
“I gotta take a piss.”
He marched to the only streetlight around that worked.The meeting that night was to sell a cache of pure grade-A heroin from their own very talented cook.The money they were going to bring in from this exchange would pad their pockets very, very well.A moment later, the rumble of bikes could be heard and Saint tossed away the cigarette, ready to complete the deal.He flipped out his kickstand with his foot and rose from his bike as the other men followed his lead.Four bikes cruised up to the abandoned gas station slash junkyard and then cut their engines.
“Saint,” the leader of the Bone Breakers greeted.
“Lucifer,” Saint acknowledged.Yep, he was aware of the irony of the man’s name in comparison to his own.“Brought the money?”
“Brought the heroin?”
He held up his fingers and gave a come-here sign.The prospect, Wrong Way, strode over with a white duffel bag and held it out to Lucifer, who cautiously took it.He looked inside and must’ve been pleased because he nodded to one of his men, who parked his bike and mimicked Wrong Way, handing over a black duffel.
Saint checked out the stacks of cold hard cash with satisfaction.“Looks like we have a deal.”
Just as he leaned forward to shake Lucifer’s hand, a gunshot rent the air.Yells erupted as an outright battle started.Men ducked as they scrambled from their bikes to someplace that offered shielding.The smattering of bullets pinged around them, ricocheting off various objects.One came too close to Saint’s head and he ducked, motioning for his brother to follow him.The acrid scent of old grease, rust, and gunpowder permeated the air as he and Sinn ran for coverage behind a large propane tank.
“This might be a prudent moment to mention that we’re hiding behind something that can explode,” Sinn remarked dryly.
“It’s probably empty,” Saint told him.
Chaos reigned for a moment.He couldn’t see a goddamn thing as he tried to determine from where the gunfire originated.
“Thinking positive,” Sinn said with a grin and a thumbs-up.“That’s my bro.”
Saint rolled his eyes.
“You fucking asshole!”Lucifer shouted.“You trying to sabotage this deal?”
“It wasn’t us, shithead!”Saint yelled back.“Why would I sabotage something that made us a lot of money?”
As quickly as the gunshots started, they were suddenly over.After a moment or two of silence, Saint glanced at Sinn, who only shrugged.Cautiously, they peeked around the side of the tank, but the area was eerily silent.
“If I find out you set me up, Saint, I promise your club will be blown apart,” Lucifer called out.
Saint watched as the Bone Breakers got on their bikes and roared away, holding up their middle fingers and clutching the duffel bag of heroin.When the last sound of the bikes faded, an eerie silence descended.Saint marched from the safety of the hopefully empty propane tank.
“Get your ass back here!”Sinn hissed.
