Captured (Devil's Blaze MC #1)(73)

“You’ll forgive me if I don’t want to work with you. Let’s get out of here, boys.”

“You’re making a mistake,” Matthew says.

“It’s mine to make. Load up, boys,” I tell my crew, turning to leave.

“Okay, fine.” Matthew sighs, giving in. “Redmond has complete power and family support. The only shot we have of taking control back is if we kill him. I need your help to accomplish that because, without my grandfather’s approval, I have very limited resources.”

“It must suck having to get approval for taking a shit,” I prod him. Matthew’s eyes flash and I know I’ve scored a direct hit.

“I’ll do this without you,” Matthew growls.

I go back to the table and lean down in front of him. I want eye contact. I want to see his reactions to what I’m about to say.

“You know what I think, Mattie-boy? I don’t think you can. I think Colin got you into some hot water trying to overthrow Redmond, and now Granddaddy has frozen your assets, which means you can’t afford a bottle of beer, let alone hire someone to help you take down your Uncle. In fact, I have to think this meeting isn’t something you arranged. I think it’s something Redmond called and has more to do with punishing you and Colin for your failed attempt at taking control.” Matthew doesn’t say anything, but I see the truth in his bitter eyes. “I think that’s also the only reason Redmond would let his guard down enough to walk into your house on these terms. He thinks he’s coming back to claim his home.” Matthew avoids my eyes, which pretty much confirms what I’ve said. I was mostly guessing, but what little intel Torch had been able to gather before our meeting made the guessing easier.

“I thought you would be more reasonable, considering I was helping you to make Redmond pay. Apparently, I overestimated you,” Matthew says, moving away from the table.

“Tell you what. I’m going to agree to this plan of yours. I’ll help you take Redmond down, but I want it written in the pig’s blood that you and your f*cking brother won’t bother my crew anymore. You don’t even breathe in our territory.”

“I can agree to that.”

“So, we have a deal? I kill your Uncle, and you get control of the family again. In return, you leave me and my crew alone, forever.”

“I’ll get you the details of the meeting this week.”

“Tell me, Matthew, what would your grandfather do if he knew you were plotting to kill his only remaining son?” Matthew pales, and that’s the point I want to get across. “Fuck me over, Matthew, and he’ll know everything. Everything, because this meeting… I have it on tape.”

I pull open my cut, revealing a mic taped down and leading to the recording system.

“Let’s roll boys,” I say. “I’ll give you a week to get me the info, Matthew. Don’t make me wait,” I warn him, then leave.

Diesel was right. I do owe Beast this. Not Beth, because I’m the f*cker that hurt Beth. I can’t fix that, but I can avenge my brother’s daughter, and I will. It’s the only thing keeping me moving right now.





Three Weeks Later



Three weeks, and every day is darker than the last. My light is gone. Warmth is gone. Beth is gone. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I’ve held out the hope that she somehow survived. It happens in the movies, right? She was thrown from the blast, hit her head and can’t remember who she is, right? I’ll have to convince her I’m her husband, make her remember and fall in love with me again. I can handle that.

This isn’t the movies, though. All I have are memories, loneliness, and pain… so much pain, it hurts to breathe. I think I’m starting to understand what Beast is going through. Since Beth’s attack, he’s said very little, but at least he’s acknowledging us. He and I are alike. He’s blaming himself for the death of his daughter. If he hadn’t left his keys there, hadn’t fallen asleep, hadn’t gotten drunk… Oh yeah, I f*cking understand him because I play that f*cking what-if game a million times a day with myself. I always lose, too.

“Everything’s ready, boss,” Torch says into the earpiece I wear.

I’m sitting at the conference table at Colin Donahue’s mansion. To my right sits Matthew. Beside him, Colin, who has obviously been beat all to hell. His eye is black, his face swollen, and his nose has obviously been broken. He wears a cast on his arm as well as a back brace. I’m not sure Matthew’s the one who delivered the punches, but I’m fairly certain he had it done. Surprisingly, I find myself respecting him a little, at least as much as I can possibly respect a Donahue. There are four others in the room. Sabre and Latch are standing behind me as my protection, and Matthew has two men with him.

“Redmond just pulled up. He has six men with him. Two stayed with the car, and that sends four up your way. Briar’s showing them in, now.”

“Showtime,” I tell everyone out loud, mostly to notify my men. I could give less than a f*ck about the others. I had Briar dress as the Donahue butler. Of all of us, he’s the one with the least noticeable tattoos and piercings. I knew they would never buy me, but then again, I figured Redmond has had me investigated pretty damn thoroughly.

Sabre goes to stand behind the door and waits. It takes a few minutes, but Briar opens the door for them. I got a file on Redmond a couple of weeks ago. The bastard’s picture was imprinted on my brain, but even so, when he walks through the door and looks at me, I’m still shocked. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s just too f*cking easy, too anticlimactic. Or maybe I thought it would feel better to end him. I don’t know.