Chapter 25

"I want to get my hands on the fucker," I snarl, pacing the length of the room we hold church in.

Gwyneth was given a sedative not long after we got back to the clubhouse to keep her ass knocked out so Honor, with Angie's help, could work on her. Honor immediately said she needed to be in the hospital, but with her refusal, I didn't want to go against her wishes unless Honor was adamant about it. Thankfully, Savage's woman has connections and was making a call to pull a favor for Gwyneth.

Hammer called church to discuss what all went down tonight.

"The jet Gunner mentioned was logged as being owned by the Quintero family. As we all now know, after what you said Gwyneth said earlier before passing out is, they're a cartel out of Venezuela. Gabriel Quintero, from what I've read, is the head of the group," Cy says and goes further into detail. Mentions drugs and women. They don't deal in guns, though. Which could make what I'm thinking easier.

I stop pacing and look at Cy. "Do you know where that jet was going?"

"From what I gather, it's heading for the Bahamas. He has a villa on one of the islands there. I've been able to hack into some of his stuff so far, and it's where he was planning to take Gwyneth first," he answers, not looking up from his laptop.

"Right." I nod, clenching my teeth, and slide my gaze to Hammer's. "I'm on the next flight to the Bahamas," I announce. "There's no way I'm letting this bastard get another chance at Gwyneth."

"You go, I'm going with you," Dagger states.

"Same here," Axe grunts.

"I'm in as well," Gunner growls. "This shit is getting out of hand."

Hammer slowly gets to his feet and meets the gazes of each of us in the room. He hadn't allowed anyone else in the room who didn't hold rank. This meeting was strictly between those of us who hold a title.

"I know you want to go, but we're going to have to hold off at least for the time being. We need to be smart about this. With the bullshit we went through with the De La Rosas and the Cintron Cartels, we're still at a standstill with them both. We don't need to have the Quinteros on us," Hammer states, furrowing his brow. "I get you wanting to go after them. I'd say go for it, but we got to be smart, brother. With all the shit we're dealing with, we need to deal with it in a way it doesn't blow back on us."

I nod, understanding my Prez. I get what he's saying, and normally I would agree with him.

But this is my woman he was going to take. A malicious grin slides into place as I hold his gaze. "You trust me, Prez?"

"You know I fuckin' do, but I got to admit, I'm starting to question some of the members, and I fuckin' hate that shit." Hammer lets out a harsh breath, plants his hands on the table, and leans forward. "We've got a traitor. I don't know who, but until we do, shit's gonna change."

"Who do you suspect?" Savage asks.

"It could be anyone not in this room," Malice answers, rapping his knuckles on the table.

"We'll figure it out," Gunner states, nodding. "We'll find ‘em and make ‘em pay. No one crosses this club and gets away with it."

"Until then, whatever we do, we need to do it without that traitor finding out. I'm willing to bet they have some type of connection to Quintero." Hammer looks directly at me as he says this, and I know what he's saying without putting it into words.

"When she wakes up, tell her that I'll be back as soon as I can." Heading toward the door, I grab the doorknob and look back at my brothers. "If everyone goes with me, not only would Quintero expect it, but the traitor could warn them. Me going by myself, you all are here, you can cover me."

"And what happens if you get your ass killed?" Rogue snarls.

"Then my ass was stupid enough to get killed, and we know I'm not a stupid ass." They know this better than anyone. Growing up with a dad like mine, he made sure I knew exactly how to handle myself and that I could do whatever it took to not only protect myself but others around me.

"You better contact us the moment you're in the clear," Hammer orders.

"Will do," I state. "Take care of my woman until I get back. When she wakes, tell her I'm coming back to her." With that, I jerk the door open, step through, and head straight for the doors, my mind on one thing and one thing only.

Six hours later, most of that on a plane, another part of it on a boat taking me to Quintero's island, I finally have sights on the house where Quintero is now inside.

Cy reported to me when Quintero landed, so I know he's in there. He also informed me that Gwyneth was awake and none too pleased with me. Evidently, she tried to leave, to come after me, but they kept her from doing so. Mostly, from what I gathered, they had to knock her ass back out. I also got an update on her injuries. Busted ribs are the main thing, and a concussion. The doc who came by said Gwyneth should be okay but was sticking around to make sure of it. My woman was damnlucky to have survived that crash as it was. Someone was definitely looking out for her, and it kills me she was in that car in the first place. But I needed to save my sister and the kids as well.

Talk about one hell of a guilt trip to save a few, I had to sacrifice the one who holds my heart. It took me all of a second to realize this, and it damn well sucked. Granted, even if I fought against it, Gwyneth would still have been in that car. She'd lay down her life to save people. It's why she's such a good paramedic. It's what she's meant to do.

Just as I'm meant to do what it takes to make sure nothing and no one ever harms her again.

Thankfully, I have my own contacts and was able to get a flight under the radar and the boat I used to get here. I anchored the boat offshore on the other side and swam the rest of the way. I had to wait out the day. There's no way they wouldn't spot me if I didn't. So, I watched from the boat, watching the dock and the movement that I could. Otherwise, I prepared, sharpening my knives and ensuring my gear was all set for when the sun set.

For this, I wasn't using guns. No, this bastard was going to die by my hands ‘cause I'm gonna make sure he knows precisely who's killing him and why. I won't allow him to get off as simply as Johnathan did. It pisses me off that the fucker got off so easily with just a broken neck, but I can't change the outcome. It is what it is. What I can do is make sure Gabriel Quintero gets exactly what he deserves.

I don't care if he was just the buyer or not, he was buying my woman, and from what Cy informed me, he was the one behind the bounty on her, not Johnathan. Johnathan was just the middleman.

The moment the sun goes down, I strap up, jump into the water, and swim for shore. It's not a hardship, and I don't mind the workout. The swim helps me focus on what I'm about to do.

Soon enough, I'm walking onto the beach and making my way through the darkness, using the shadows to shield me from view and keeping me out of sight. I come across first one, then another guard, and slit their throats from behind. Neither of them saw me coming.

Moving farther along, edging the property, I climb over the wall surrounding the entirety of the place. I shuffle along, moving for the back doors where, from the blueprints of the place Cy sent me, I just need to get up to the second floor to the master suite.

I come up on two more guards and throw one of my knives in the chest of one while twisting the neck of the other. Both fall into a heap, and I rush toward the back door, check to see if it's unlocked, and inch the door open. Other than a few lights on here and there, the place is quiet and dark.

Good.

I move through the house on silent feet. I don't come across any more of Quintero's men, which doesn't surprise me ‘cause not long before the sun set, a boat left with at least fifteen of his guys on it. Probably going to one of the popular islands where bars and pussy are easy to access.

Just outside Gabriel's room, I listen for any movement inside. Hearing nothing but the sounds of moans and grunts, I throw the door open, catching the bastard unprepared as he jerks from the whore he's fucking.

"What's the meaning of this?" Gabriel snaps, his accent thick. "Who are you? How did you get in here?"

"You didn't think you could get away from any repercussions for what you attempted to do last night, did you?" I snarl, stepping closer, drawing a knife from its holder attached to my thigh. "You thought you could buy my woman, have her brother killed, and you wouldn't pay for it?"

"Do you know who I am?" Gabriel questions, getting to his feet. The whore in his bed clutches the sheet to her chest. "I could have you killed for this. Is that puta worth dying for?"

"That woman is my ol' lady. She's worth every damn thing," I answer. "You and most of your men are already dead, Gabriel. If you tell me what I want to know, I'll make your death easy as I did theirs."

"I'll tell you nothing," he spits.

"I was hoping you'd say that," I say, grinning and throwing the knife, hitting my target. That target being his leg. I didn't want him to die quickly, and he won't. That blade I saved just for him. It's coated in a cone snail's venom I'd gotten off one of my contacts. Stuff is deadly. Cone snails are one of the most poisonous sea creatures and worth the money I spent on the vial.

Gabriel stumbles to the bed as the whore scrambles off the bed and out of the room.

"Now, you can either tell me who in my club is helping you, or I can make your pain all the more uncomfortable," I say closing the distance between the two of us. "You're already dying," I inform him and grip the handle of my knife in his leg and yank it out, making him shout in agony. "This blade was coated just for you."

"You can't do this to me," Gabriel grinds out. "I'll make sure you die for this."

I throw my head back and laugh, shaking my head before sobering. "Gabby, buddy, you're the one who will die tonight. You nearly killed my woman with what you pulled with Johnathan. I don't give a shit why you killed the other bitch, but you won't get away with what you did to her. The pain you caused my woman is what you're paying for."

Thrusting the knife in his hand, I twist it, digging farther into the mattress. I leave it planted there and pull another knife from its stealth. "Ready to tell me who the traitor is?"

"I'll tell you nothing." Sweat beads down Gabriel's face, and it has nothing to do with his previous activities.

"Okay." I shrug and press the tip of my knife into his eye socket, not too far, I don't want him to die just yet. I just want to take his sight, well, to dig the eye out in an excoriating way. I do the same to the other while he bucks and tries to fight me away. But the bastard, no matter how much power he holds, is nothing but a puny weasel.

"Ready to talk yet?" I ask once I'm satisfied both eyes are out and dangling. "Or you want more pain?"

"What is it you want to know?" he pants.

"Who do you have in my club that's a traitor?"

"I have no one in your club. It was a debt owed to me by someone associated with the club. They are the ones who did this for me."

So, it wasn't a member of my club. That's good to know. Hammer will be happy to hear this.

"Name?" I demand.

"William Burnts." The name rushes past his lips. I've never heard the name, but I'll get Cy to look into it.

"Appreciate the help, Gabby boy. I've got one more thing to ask. Why Gwyneth?"

"Her mother, real mother, was a beauty. My father wanted her, but she rejected him. The woman who raised her found out I was interested in purchasing her when Johnathan put her picture up for bid. She made a deal with him and then with me. The puta thought she could cross us both and get away with it. Gwyneth would have been mine. A rare beauty who would birth a daughter I could use to seal a deal with the Cintron Cartel."

Well, fuck.

Everything seems to be coming full circle now, isn't it?

Done with the bullshit, I plunge the knife into Gabriel's body stomach and step back. Now, it's time to finish the job.

It sucks that the whore is here, but it'll have to be what it has to be. I'm not taking her with me or helping her escape. For all I know, she'll be in on it with the rest of them.

With quick work, I set everything up I need to blow the place up and make my way outside.

I don't bother sticking to the shadows this time. I stalk out of there and pull out the lighter I found while setting everything in place. I grab some dry grass and light it on fire before dropping it where the flames will lick and spread, moving toward the house.

Turning my back to the flames, I walk away, knowing my job here is done. If he's not already dead, the fire will kill Gabriel and anyone else who doesn't get out of there in time.

By the time I get to the shore, the house is engulfed in flames.

I allow a grin to spread across my lips. No one gets away with harming those who belong to me. I won't back down from killing anyone who gets in my way. They call it a reckoning for a reason, and I'll destroy those who dare come between my woman and me.

Thinking of Gwyneth, it's time to get back to her. She's gonna be pissed, but she'll get over it pretty quickly. I'll make sure she does because damn if I don't love her, and it's time she hears the words.