Frank lifts a hand to signal his crew to ease off, and my fingers twitch as I once again hold myself back from reaching into my cut.
“I know the position you’re in,” Frank says, sliding his gaze between me and Kurt.
I scoff. “And you think a few lost buyers means we’re going to roll over and take it from you?”
He smiles that ugly-as-fuck smile of his, with the scar pulling tight across his lip and his gold tooth catching in the sunlight. “No, I don’t,” he says. “That’s what makes this fun.” Then he narrows his gaze on me. “Like I told you when I paid you a visit, Alder… you don’t have a choice. The Kings are heading for ruin, and the Sons can save you.”
Mac huffs beside me, and rage courses through my body, desperately trying to claw its way out.
“Save us,” I say flatly. “How many times do I need to tell you, Becker… you haven’t seen what we’re capable of. You won’t be setting foot in New Brunswick again. Oh, and hey,” I open my hands wide, and slap on a smile, “any of Atlantic Canada, for that matter. Since you have to go through us.”
I feel Kurt tense beside me, and I swear I hear his teeth grinding. I know he’s pissed that I’m taunting the asshole we’re supposed to be baiting, rather than doing what we came here todo—find out where the leak is, and if the Sons might be in bed with the gun supplier.
But I just can’t fucking help myself.
“But,” I continue, reluctantly getting myself back on track, “you told me something else when you visited.”
I slip my hands into my jeans pockets and stare at him, waiting.
The corner of his lips twitch. “I did.”
Obviously, he knows we have a leak. He all but handed me the confirmation. Which means he’s not going to be forthcoming with anything else.
But I can be persuasive.
I pull one hand from my pocket and sweep it wide. “Might as well share with the class. The Maritimes is a friendly place, Frankie. We can’t go keeping secrets and shake too much up.” I shake my head. “Don’t tease me now, showing up out here, swinging that big dick of yours and not even following through. You want to fuck me over, Frank. So do it.” I gesture with my chin to his dick. “Fuck me over.”
But Frank just smiles again. “I was right about you.”
I just stare back and wait for him to explain whatever the fuck that means.
“You get shit done,” he says with an approving nod. “I respect that.”
He can keep his fucking respect. I’ll take his blood on my boots and his last breath instead.
But Kurt steps in before I do something I won’t walk away from.
“If you’re trying to divide us, Frank, it’s not going to work,” he says. “And forcing a face-to-face with our VP when he’s behind bars sounds an awful lot like cowardice and desperation.” He waves a hand in Frank’s direction. “We’re here now. Spit it out. What’s your plan?”
Frank huffs dryly, and the smirk falls from his face. “Let me be very clear. New Brunswick is limited. You’ve got three options.” He lifts a hand and starts counting them off on his fingers. “Continue your auctions, start running guns, or merge with us.” He drops his hand and shrugs lazily. “Now, we all know your auctions are on their last legs. This is more than a couple buyers ghosting you. You won’t find new high bidders in Atlantic Canada, and you sure as shit won’t make it past this border.” He motions to the empty road behind him. “We own this route. We can easily cut you off from Quebec and the rest of the country. The US, too. And if you try to hold your ground in New Brunswick, you’ll be crawling your way to us soon enough. Because you’ll be drowning with no other lifeline.” He pauses for a moment, nodding slowly. “Running guns though… that’s a smart move. But for some reason, you’re not. For some reason… you’re cutting yourself off at the knees.” He shifts his gaze to me. “You alsostopthings from getting done, don’t you?”
I pull in a breath as I fight the urge to lunge for him, and Mac steps closer to me, ready to hold me back if I lose it.
“So that leaves you with one option.” Frank smiles and holds his hands open. “Join the family.”
“Not fucking happening,” Kurt grits out.
Frank shrugs. “We can do this the hard way if you prefer. No skin off my teeth.”
“What teeth?” Mac mutters beside me, and I can’t even bring myself to crack a smile at that.
Frank gestures for his men to mount up. “You’ve got two weeks. If you’re not ready to ride with the Sons by then, we take everything. We burn what you built to ash, and we either patch you or kill you.” He gives another easy shrug with one shoulder. “Your choice.”
Kurt presses a hand to my chest the second I move to step forward.
And it takes everything in me to let Frank turn his back on us, swing a leg over his bike, and ride off with his crew—and not send bullets after him.
“Fuck,” I spit, pushing Kurt’s hand away.
