Reaper's Legacy(42)

“We know you got two daughters,” Hunter told Picnic, eyes narrowing. “In fact, we know a hell of a lot more than you’d like. We know because there’s guys in my club who think we should strike, think we can use the cartel to throw you off balance. They called the shots last December, but they aren’t in control right now and I’d like to keep it that way. You got two choices here … First one is nut up and work with me to control this new threat. We pull that off, everyone goes home happily ever after, shittin’ rainbows and dancin’ with unicorns. Second choice is keep fighting with each other until they take us all out. You want that? Fine. I’m not scared to bring it. But consider this … You got daughters you care about. One’s up in Bellingham, other’s in Coeur d’Alene. Pretty girls, which I know ’cause I’ve seen ’em for myself. Recently.”

“You leave my girls out of this,” Picnic said, reaching for his gun. Ruger’s hand flashed out, catching him.

“Hear him out,” he murmured.

Hunter grinned, the expression feral.

“You should worry, old man,” he continued. “Because I guarantee those cocksuckers down south won’t care how pretty those girls are when they give the order to shoot them down in the street like dogs. Now me? I don’t even own a f*ckin’ goldfish. At the end of the day, who’s got more to lose here? You call me when you’re ready to talk.”

With that Hunter stood up, shoving away his chair. Deke flushed, but Picnic’s face could’ve been carved from stone. Hunter thew a handful of bills on the table and walked out the door.

“He’s f*ckin’ with us,” Toke said. “Cartel’s got f*ck all to do with us up here. He’s losing territory. That’s not our problem.”

“You really think they can hold out?” Ruger asked him. “Cartel’s got a thousand kids ready and waitin’ to die, every one of them so hungry for glory they’ll shoot their own mothers. Jacks are tough bastards, but they’ll be f*cked if they can’t shut them down before they get a foothold. We would be, too, and you know it. Those gangs exist for one reason—to make money. We let them take over, we’ll lose our territory and our freedom. No f*ckin’ point in breathing without that. Not to mention the cartel doesn’t care where they shit or who they kill. You want them here in Portland?”

“This is big,” Picnic said slowly. “Bigger than we can decide here. We’ll get the brothers together, make sure we’re all on board. Take it from there.”

“I’ll never make peace with the Jacks,” Toke muttered. “You want peace, you’ll go through me to get it.”

“That a threat?” Ruger asked. He respected the hell out of Toke, but it wasn’t his decision to make. “I hate the thought of taking on a brother, but don’t think I won’t. We’re in this together, Toke. That means we make the call as a group.”

“You think you could take me?” Toke asked, cocking a brow.

“Only one way to find out,” Ruger replied, meeting his gaze without flinching. “But I tell you one thing. We start fightin’ with each other, the cartel wins. Keep your eyes on the prize, brother. We make peace with the Jacks, they’re our buffer. That lets us put our energy into makin’ money and gettin’ laid. We give it a shot and it falls apart, least we’ll pick up some good intel along the way. Make it easier to go after ’em, the time comes.”

Toke took a deep breath, then let it out, visibly forcing himself to calm down.

“I’ll never forgive them for what they did,” he said. “Jesus, she’s still so f*cked up. You got no idea.”

“You damned well shouldn’t,” Horse told him, voice serious. “What happened can’t be undone, and the *s who did it deserved to die. Good news is, they did. Think ahead. We turn the Jacks into allies, we’ll own half the west coast with the Jacks as a line of defense between us and the cartel. That’s somethin’ we should consider.”

“I’ll settle for protecting my girls,” Picnic muttered. “Fuckin’ * knows where they are, maybe’s even watching them. You know what that means?”

“Means nobody’s safe,” Horse said softly. “And he’s damned right about one thing—in our world, we don’t f*ck with citizens, so long as they show respect. We keep our towns safe and control what gets in. I know the Jacks did your niece, Deke, but she got as much justice as they could give. The cartel, though … They’re shootin’ women and children, and they don’t give a f*ck who they kill so long as they get their money. No values. I’ll take the Jacks over them anytime.”