Page 143 of More Tricks

“This is all well and good, but I don’t see where I come into play,” Betta cut in.

Grinning, I leaned forward on the table. “Oh, girlfriend, do I have a special job for you. How much pull do you have with the other three of your fight club?”

“Enough where it counts, but I would only be able to use those cards once,” she answered, her tone curious. “Tell me what needs to happen, and I’ll let you know just how many of those cards I have to play.”

“Two parts,” I announced, holding up just as many fingers. “One, I need to know how big this fight is going to be. Are we talking like the room is going to be packed with all the big bads of the world, or are we talking more live streaming to keep the world from ending?”

Pulling out her phone, she searched for something, then scanned over the information. “Looks like we are going to have a thirty-seventy situation. The lesser influential players in our world will be there at the event, but eighty percent will be online since they are the real deal. Too many people have grudges or just plain hate each other, so they won’t be in the same room with each other. The other three felt it was best to encourage many of the biggest names in the game to remain home, and they would get an official TV crew to film the fight.”

Nodding, I chewed on my thumbnail as I thought about the next part of my plan. This could only work if everything else went perfectly. Before, I wasn’t sure it could be done, but now, with how much help we had, it was looking up.

“Before everyone freaks out at what I’m about to say, just know it’s part of a far bigger plan. My end game is to back Marco into a corner he can’t get out of, and I need something that is going to push him over the edge. Taking over the cartel, then handing it off to the new player with my blessing is going to do most of the work. Yet it still needs just one more thing to put the icing on the cake,” I explained.

My guys watched me with wary expressions knowing this was typically when I suggested something out of left field and put myself in danger. Funny thing, this time, it was all about the show, playing the game that Marco started with all these crazy stunts. Now it was my turn to make a move on the chess board, putting his ass in checkmate.

“I need Diego and the bastard son who tricked Elena into turning against us to remain alive until Saturday night,” I announced. The stunned looks on everyone’s faces told me they hadn’t been expecting that. “There is an incredibly valuable reason that I need them alive, and it also means neither Void or I will be fighting. They’re going to get the bloodshed they want, but I need them alive to make it all come together.”

Betta’s face turned into a scowl. “There’s no way they will allow that. All the money we stand to make is off the fights you two are going to be in.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure they know anyone who bet against me is donating their winnings to the cause and if they don’t want to lose more than that, they’ll make sure to stay out of my way. That’s the other part… I need is a list of who bet for and against me so I can make sure to act accordingly if I were to run into them again,” I shared with a smile. “Wouldn’t want them to think they can side with the man who wants to be king over us all, now can we?”

Betta looked unsure, but she gave a groan of agreement. “While it’s not nearly what we would have made if the fights happened, it will more than cover the cost put into it.”

“Don’t forget, just because Void and I aren’t fighting, they can’t do what they planned for the rest of the night. Let everyone think things are going according to plan until it comes to my turn, and I’ll deal with the rest. The biggest thing I need is to make sure no one steps into the ring unless they are escorted, bound, gagged, and bleeding by one of my men. Oh, and the list of names,” I added.

She sighed and rubbed her forehead like I was giving her a headache. Seemed I had that effect on more people than I would care to admit. “Every bit helps to make them see reason without this burning me for good and cutting me out of the deal altogether.”

“Ah, you don’t want to be mixed up in that once Tommy here gets to be in power,” Cognac interjected. “Too many loyalties means one of them will be tested. When it comes down to it, my money is that you’ll pick your brother. Follow this through, then say your goodbyes. They’ll only want to keep you around so they can squeeze you for favors.”

“Man’s right,” Charles agreed. “You needed to prove you could play in the deep end getting in with that group. No need to slum when you’ll be sitting pretty next to your brother.”

Shoving out of her chair, she stood, brushing off her pants like it was a nervous habit. “Welp, I better get to work. This isn’t going to be easy, so I might as well get started on it now. As soon as I have the information you need, I’ll send it through to Tommy. We have secure communication already established. This isn’t information anyone else needs to know.”

Impressed with her turn around, I saluted her and gave her a wink before she left the room. The rest of us got to work on the last bit of the plan before we had to split up and rally our teams. Since my men would be splitting between dealing with Diego and getting Elena, we needed to make a plan to reconnect afterward. As much as we wanted to stick together, it didn’t make sense when both pieces of this plan were so important. I needed men I could trust on the job. This was our future and family on the line.

Chapter twenty-four

Picasso

Looking out over the city as dusk started to fall, knowing that in a matter of hours, we would be declaring war on the second biggest criminal boss in the States was an odd feeling. Of course, it helped I was on the side that was going to win, but it had me thinking back to when I first met Dax. The night I’d learned just how far she was willing to go for the people who were important to her.

We’d argued about the sanctity of life, and she’d been right to tell me to grow the fuck up. The Phantom Saints didn’t back down from a fight. Typically, we weren’t the ones to start them, but we finished them. As a leadership, we found there were better ways, but it hadn’t really been true. If Eagle had taken out all the Mad Dogs like every other MC had before us did, then half this mess wouldn’t have had to be dealt with.

Dax had stepped up and held her end of the deal, putting the Mad Dogs down. Now, it was our turn to return the favor and settle things with Diego De León once and for all. The bastard had gone too far, bringing in my family. They’d never been part of this.

My parents, of course, knew what we were and pulled away from us. Gabby had been the only one to stick by us, helping where she could, but we’d worked hard to keep her out of the thick of things. Legal help and advice didn’t warrant them going after her kids.

Demitri was a good egg, but he wasn’t cut out for being a Phantom Saint, which is why we had him helping in the garage outside the compound. Yet somehow, all of them were being used against us.

The rage I’d seen Dax deal with since they went after Harper, I now understood. You don’t fuck with family unless you’re willing to die at the hands of those who love them. I’d told Dax this before, but emotions don’t make you weak. They can be more powerful when turned into proper motivation, which I had plenty of right now, thanks to the fucking prick who lied and manipulated my niece.

“Hey, you get everything you needed?” Eagle asked, grabbing my shoulder and giving it a squeeze.

I glanced at him and nodded. “I’m no Void or Cognac who likes to take all the fancy toys. Give me a well-oiled gun and enough bullets to do the job, and I’m happy.”

Eagle grunted his agreement. “You have to admit, though, some of those toys are pretty epic.”

“In what situation would we need to use a rocket launcher?” I asked with a laugh. “We’re trying to save Elena and keep the dipshit alive until tomorrow night. I don’t see that helping us in that department.”