Rogue leans back in his chair, eyeing me with renewed interest.“How certain are you that they want Blade?”
I shrug.“Pretty certain.And it’s not just Blade.They want to take all of you down.So what I’m offering is an alliance.”
“You mean you don’t have the numbers to fight both Moretti and Hydra?”Alice says, this time earning a warning look from Rogue.But then they all just look at me expectantly, waiting for an answer.
“That’s true,” I say.“I might not have the numbers for that.It’s why I need allies and why I’m here.But I don’t know.It’s been very hard to gauge the size of Hydra and how motivated they are to help Moretti.”
Rogue is nodding and Blade isn’t quite as hard-faced as he started out this meeting being.
“What would it involve?”Rogue asks.
“Once I have all the pieces in place, I think it’ll only take a few battles to take out Moretti,” I say and ignore Caputo who nudges me in the shoulder.He probably thinks I shouldn’t be sharing our plans with these guys.But the truth is, of all the allies I hope to acquire, Rogue Angels MC is the one I trust the most.
“Hydra will be harder to crack,” Rogue says.“We’ve been trying to for months now.But you cut one head off and a new one grows.Just like with the mythical beast they’re named after.”
I was afraid of that.It’s what our hackers—two Russian guys Ferro sent me a few days ago to help—have been mumbling about too.
“It sounds like you need all the help you can get with them,” I say.“I can offer that help.”
Blade and Alice are both looking at Rogue.So is the third guy, the one that looks like a beefed-up Clark Kent.I wonder what his superpower is.
“A few more bodies couldn’t hurt,” the Clark Kent guy says.“We haven’t been making much headway on our own.”
They all look at him, surprised he’d spoken, it looks like.Or more like, annoyed that he told me they’ve been unsuccessful in dealing with Hydra.
“I’m just saying… they’ve been coming after us hard.They put Minx in the hospital the last time, almost killed her.”
I have no idea who Minx is, but this guy just did me a big favor.
“I’m well aware of that, Creed,” Rogue tells him pointedly.
Creed doesn’t look cowed, but he does nod and lean back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest.
“This isn’t just my fight, it’s Isabella’s too,” I say after a few moments, giving Blade a hard look.If he can sway this decision, now would be the time for him to speak up.
“She didn’t want to start a fight with Moretti,” Blade says.“She just wanted to be free.And with me.”
“And that was enough to bring war,” I say.“A war we lost badly.”
Some men might have trouble admitting so much, but I’ve come to terms with it.Our family had grown too complacent, too comfortable with all we had amassed over three generations here in California and Nevada.Moretti wanted in and he took his opportunity when it presented itself.But I’m here now to make sure his reign in LA dies with him.
“If you need some time to talk it over…” I place my hands on the table and start to rise.
Blade looks at Rogue sharply and the look they exchange is a whole conversation in itself.I have no idea what was decided when they both finally look at me again.
“We’ll help you,” Rogue says and Blade looks relieved as all hell.“For Bella.And to finally get Hydra off our backs.”
Alice doesn’t look very pleased at all.I walk over to Rogue and offer him my hand.“I’m glad you made the right choice.”
He nods and shakes my hand.“I suggest we set up a meeting to go over everything we know.”
“And how this partnership will go,” Blade adds.
“I agree.We’ll be in touch,” I motion for Caputo to follow me.
Rogue seems to have a sizable army here.It’ll help.It’ll all help.How many will make it out the other end alive is another question.One I don’t even want to begin answering tonight.
And what will help the most is spending the evening with Goldie in her nice green dress.And not thinking about anything else but the beautiful shapes her lips make when she talks and eats, and her gorgeous body.Especially not death and destruction.Or all the wrongs I need to put right before the curse takes me.
