“Yo, Diesel.” Zach’s raspy voice crackled over the phone. “Whatcha need?”
“Information. I’ll tell you all about it.”
* * *
Diesel sat staring at the muted television while a couple of club girls pranced around half-naked, gyrating to the pulsating beat of the music blasting from the overhead speakers. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked at Hawk’s face. The vice president tipped his head toward the door. Diesel got up and followed him outside.
A cool breeze shook through the oak trees. Smudges of lavender, coral, and orange blended in the sky as the sun descended behind the mountain peaks.
“The girl can stay here until you get things sorted out,” Hawk said before lighting up a joint. He offered one to Diesel, who took it.
“That’s good to hear. I hope I can crack this sooner than later. I may need some help from the brothers.”
Hawk blew out a stream of smoke. “You know you got it. There’s a rally coming up in Spring Valley. Panther called to see if any of us were gonna be there. As far as the rally goes, Throttle and Rags are going. I think some others are thinking about it. May be a good idea to go so you can check around San Diego.”
“I heard about the rally. I was thinking of going before any of this shit started. Rags and I talked about it. I have to get to San Diego and LA. I have a gut feeling my brother is there. I just wish he’d call me. I could help him.”
Hawk nodded. “You still may hear from him unless …” His voice trailed away.
“Yeah, I thought about that too. He may not be able to call me. I got Zach doing some digging for me in Denver. I want to know more about this Peter Cano asshole.”
“I’ll look into it too. We’ll help you find him.”
Diesel put his foot against the wall behind him and leaned back. Hawk’s words made his chest swell, and the bond to the brotherhood tightened that much more. The Insurgents were his family one hundred percent. Each brother was there for the other through good and bad times. He knew he could count on them just like they could count on him. They were drawn together not by blood but by loyalty, friendship, and love.
“Are you sticking around?” Diesel asked as Hawk dropped the spent roach and stubbed it out.
“Nah, I promised the kids we’d go for pizza tonight. Stay strong, brother.” Hawk clasped his shoulder, then walked away. Diesel heard the sound of gravel beneath his VP’s boots as he made his way to his motorcycle.
Tossing his joint to the ground, he stood rooted to the spot until the stars blinked in the sky and night sounds filled the air, a natural chorus of crickets, katydids, and critters scurrying through the grass.
“Dude, we need another hand at the poker table. Axe had to get home,” Rags said, standing at the door, holding it open.
Strains of hard-rock music filtered out into the night.
With a deep sigh, Diesel pushed away from the wall.
“I’m crushing it, dude. You feeling lucky tonight?”
“Nope, but what the hell.”
Rags guffawed, and Diesel followed him into the clubhouse.
Chapter Four
The ring of her phone startled Myla awake. Disoriented, she fumbled for it, knocking the clock radio onto the tan carpeting. Squinting at the screen flashing a number she didn’t recognize, she swiped up.
“Hello?” she said, her heart still beating fast.
“Myla, it’s me.”
She switched on the lamp and sat up straighter. “Freddy? How are you? Where are you?”
“I’m okay. How are you holding up?”
“I’m not. I don’t know what the hell is going on. I came home and found a pool of blood in the family room. Tell me what’s going on.”
“I’m sorry about that. I had to get out of there and couldn’t risk leaving you a note.”
“Peter called me.”
There was a long pause, and she thought he’d hung up.
“Freddy?”
“I’m here. Sorry.”
“Did you hear what I said? Peter called me.”
“I heard.”
“He said you killed his brother,” she whispered.
Another long pause. This time Myla was convinced he’d ended the call.
“I’m in some deep shit, babe.”
“Talk to me. What happened? Were you defending yourself?”
“Sort of … maybe. I mean, yeah, but Peter won’t see it that way. I don’t want to drag you into all this.”
“You already have.”
An audible sigh came through the phone. “I know. I’m sorry about that. You can’t say you didn’t like the good life.”
“I liked the way we used to be. I didn’t care about all the material things. You know that.”
“I cared. You never could catch on to that, could you?” The anger in his voice was palpable.
“Please tell me where you are.”
“I’m nowhere. I hope you got out of the house. Peter doesn’t play nice.”
“I left right after he phoned me.”
“Where are you?”
Suspicion descended on her. She wanted to tell Freddy about Diesel and being in Pinewood Springs but didn’t trust him and she hadn’t for the past year.
“Holing up at a motel outside of Denver.”
“Where exactly?”
“In Elizabeth. A family-run place. Are you going to come see me?”
There was another damn pause. I don’t know him anymore. Not at all.
“Maybe. Peter probably thinks you know where I am and all about the business. He won’t believe you if you tell him you don’t know shit.”
“I don’t.”
“We know that, but he won’t buy it. He’ll try to get to me through you. So me not telling you too much is for your own good.”
“How do you figure that? If he thinks I know what’s going on, he’ll try anything to get it out of me and hurt me real bad. It sounds like you not telling me anything is keeping you safe. You don’t trust me.”
“I haven’t trusted you since you started cheating on me.”
“Really, you’re going to bring all that up again? I never cheated on you, Freddy. You’re in deep trouble, I’m in trouble, and that’s what you want to discuss?”
“You can be a real bitch, Myla. A real fucking bitch.”
“And you can be a real prick. Don’t think I forgot what you did to me.”
“I told you a million fucking times I was sorry about that. I wasn’t right in my head that day. I didn’t mean for it to go that far. I sent you flowers and bought you an expensive as hell diamond bracelet. What more can I say?”
“Absolutely nothing.” She cleared her throat. “Did you call your brother? I’m sure he can help you.”
“Maybe. And don’t contact him. I don’t want you meeting him or anything, understand?”
“I’m just trying to help you. You know, make sense of all this. I’m figuring you’re using a burner phone.”
“Right. I gotta go.”
“Wait, tell me what I’m supposed to do.”
No answer. This time, Freddy had ended the call.