Travis’ smirk grew stronger as he continued to play with me. “Don’t worry, Tucker. I’m no snitch. I’m not going to tell the world what Sutton is covering up for you.”
“I have no idea what the hell you’re talking about.”
“Doesn’t matter.” He shrugged, leaning back and standing taller again. “We’ve already put things in place. Sutton is probably being stripped of his badge as we speak.”
“Stay away from him. He’s a good man.”
“Opinions vary.”
I didn’t know what that meant, either, but that wasn’t the time to be worrying about Sutton. Right then, I had to figureout a way to get us all out of this shit.
“Iknowyou didn’t come to Babylon to start a shootout and talk in riddles, Trigger, so why don’t you get to the point and tell us all why you’re here because I sure as shit know this ain’t just about your little brother. I know you’re not sloppy enough to confuse petty feuds with MC rivalries.”
Jacob stirred behind me again, and Travis attention slipped to him lying on the ground as his groans of pain grew louder and he woke from his temporary slumber.
Trigger’s smirk was ever present as he whistled abruptly, the sound cutting through the air before I heard the sound of two new arrivals. Their boots charged like they were military, each footfall in time and precise until they’d gotten hold of Jacob and were hoisting him to his feet.
“That makes three,” Slater muttered quietly, giving me chance to glance up at Ayda.
Her eyes met mine briefly. I expected to see fear shining back at me, but there was only resignation and calculation as her eyes moved to the new addition and back to me, asking silent questions.
The two men dragged Jacob to stand behind Trigger. His arms were limp, hanging over the broad shoulders of the two men in dark clothing, their faces hidden under baseball caps. I couldn’t look at Jacob’s face. If I saw one flash of smugness or arrogance there, I’d get us all killed.
“I’m never sloppy, Tucker. I always make sure I have backup. Army life as their best sniper had me well trained for that. You, however, seem to be jumping from one boiling pot straight into the fucking infernos lately.”
He took a step toward me, his eyes assessing my face with the usual interrogation he liked to give his victims.
“Tell me, why were the Emps trying to blow up you and your entire MC?”
I met his gaze, hard and firm. “Maybe because they were always too scared to stand toe-to-toe with me and fight like real men.”
“Maybe.” Travis turned his smile upside down briefly. “Or maybe it’s because they found out you’d been lying to them.”
I raised my brows and waited, not saying a word.
“Maybe they found out you’d been responsible for the death of one of their brothers. Or, wait; was it two of their men? I mean, I guess some would say you had a right after what that asshole Ramirez did to your precious Pete, but I doubt The Emps would see it that way. Cortez loved his revenge, right?”
My heart began to hammer beneath my chest.
“And maybe he found out you’d tried to trick them all into believing you had the backing of a rival MC in your corner, and they fled for a while, thinking it was true. But when they found out it had all been one big lie, they came back.”
His eyes widened as he waited for me to react. I gave him nothing. He already had everything he needed.
“Maybe they realized you’d been imitating the Navarro Rifles by killing the Emp men while wearing the Rifles’ mark upon your skin.”
My nostrils flared.
“And maybe they were pissed. Really pissed.”
“Sounds to me like you’ve got yourself quite the little story there,” I pushed out.
His smirk came to life again, sadistic and unafraid. “Maybe.” Trigger sighed, blowing his breath all over my face before he took a slow step backward and turned to his right, staring into the darkness and whistling again.
I didn’t follow his gaze. My eyes were trained on him as he turned back to me and stared straight into my eyes.
“There’s only one way to get the truth out of someone who has spent his whole life lying, and that’s to bring an innocent into the mix and threaten to take their life with two bullets shot straight through both ears unless the person you’re interrogating speaks up and saves them.”
My eyes shot to Ayda instantly to check that she was safe. At that point, she had both Jedd and Slater covering her, and I found myself exhaling in relief that they hadn’t somehow gotten to her…
