Chapter 9

Aldis

I’m at work,welcoming the next group about to go through training, when my phone starts to ring.

“Excuse me. I’ll have Trent here take over,” I say, motioning for my second in command to finish the welcome speech.

I step outside, hurrying to answer before the call can go to voicemail.

“Triton,” I say once that call connects.

“Think you’re going to want to get over to Furry Haven.”

“Is Winnie in trouble?” I ask him, already striding for the front door.

“There are a few guys lurking around. They haven’t spotted me yet, so I could go in if you want me to, but it’s me against at least three.”

“No, wait for me. I’m on my way.”

“Should I call a few of the guys from the MC?” He asks.

“Yeah, have them meet us there, just in case.”

“You go it, Pres.”

I end the call and hop on my bike, taking off out of the parking lot and towards Furry Haven. I’m on the other side of town, but I manage to make it to the animal sanctuary in record time.

I pull in and park next to Winnie’s car. I look around, but don’t see any sign of the men that Triton called about. Maybe they already left. I can hear Winnie in one of the buildings, she’s laughing at one of the dogs, and I smile, turning to head over to where I know Triton is watching.

“Hey, any change?” I ask as I join him.

He’s sitting in a camping chair, his eyes scanning the sanctuary.

“They were just over there. They haven’t come out from the tree line so it’s all just shadows and slight movements.”

I look over to where he points,, and sure enough, there are a few men-shaped shadows on the opposite side of the property.

“Have you gotten a clear sight of them?” I ask Triton, and he shakes his head.

“No, they’ve stayed in the trees.”

“Any idea what they’re doing?”

“No. They’ve just been watching.”

The sound of motorcycles cuts through the quiet and I watch a few guys from the Rebel Hearts MC pull into the parking lot. I glance back at the shadows and see them dip further back into the trees.

“Maybe we’ll scare them off,” Triton offers, and I groan.

“I don’t want to just scare them off. I want to find out what this is all about and put a stop to it once and for all.”

“Then let’s go. We can have the other guys create a distraction while you and I grab one of them and interrogate them.”

“Let’s do it.”

Triton texts the other guys, and I watch as they check their phones and make a big show of climbing off their bikes and looking around.

Triton and I sneak around the property and come up behind one of the goons. He’s still watching the guys by their bikes. I look at Triton and he nods. We both creep closer while the man is distracted. I come up right behind him and that’s when I pounce.

I wrap one arm around his neck and the other around his mouth. He flails and Triton steps in front of us, nodding at me when the guy’s eyes roll back in his head. His limp body threatens to weigh me down and I grab him under his arms while Triton picks up his legs. We move silently towards the barn and carry him inside without anyone seeing us.

“What are we going to do with him? We can’t transport him like this on our bikes,” Triton points out.

“I know. I’ll stash him in a stall here and ask someone to bring me my SUV from work.”

“I can go get it,” he offers, and I nod.

“Thanks. Help me get him tied up first.”

He nods, and together we all carry him into an empty stall. I’ll have to text Winnie and warn her to stay away from the barn for a bit.

“Chance says that the other guys took off. They probably realized that one of them was missing,” Triton tells me as he reads the message on his phone.

“Grab that lead rope,” I tell Triton, and he passes it to me.

I tie up the guy’s hands and feet with it and then start to search him. He doesn’t have a wallet on him, just a phone and a needle filled with something I’m sure I don’t want to know about.

“Think he was going to use that on your girl?” Triton asks me quietly, and I grit my teeth.

“Probably. I doubt that he just always carries around a needle full of drugs with him.”

“Fucking prick,” Triton hisses, and I nod.

“Have the guys stay here while you go get the SUV. They can watch over Winnie while I babysit this asshole. When he wakes up, we’re going to have a nice long talk.”

“Sorry that I’ll have to miss that,” Triton jokes, and I smirk.

“Go on. I’ll handle things here.”

He nods, clapping me on my shoulder before he takes off. I hear his bike start up and take off a few moments later.

The guy starts to stir and then I crouch down so that I’m at eye level with him. He squirms when he sees me, glaring at me, and I smirk.

“Hey there. Ready to talk?” I ask as I grab his shirt and drag him up to a sitting position.

“Fuck you,” he snarls, and I reach up, punching him in the face.

“Let’s try that again. Why are you hanging around this place?”

“Orders,” he grits out.

He spits a trail of blood on the sawdust and winces.

“From who?”

He stares at me, and I know that he won’t answer.

“Who was this for?” I ask him, waving the needle in front of his face.

“The redhead,” he spits at me, and rage clouds my vision.

They were going to hurt my girl. I want to murder this sleazeball, but I need him for information so I swallow down my anger and focus on the interrogation.

“You started the fire the other night too, didn’t you,” I ask, but we both already know the answer.

“Not me.”

“Well, then one of your guys.”

He doesn’t answer, and I know that I’m right.

“Why start the fire?” I demand to know, and he spits out more blood.

I can tell that I broke his nose with the way that he’s wheezing.

“Why?” I ask again, cocking my arm back like I’ll hit him again, and he winces.

“The land,” he blurts out. “They want the land.”

“Why? What’s so important about this land?”

“It’s on the route,” he says, and I frown.

“What route?”

He pales, and I can tell that he’s about to clam up. That’s okay, I’ve got enough information and I can piece together the rest.

“You’re going to be staying with us for a little bit longer, but first, you need to send a message to your friends,” I say, pulling out his phone.

There’s only one number in the phone, and I type out a quick message.

Stay awayfrom Furry Haven and Maplewood.

I hitsend and then punch the guy in the face again. He passes out, and I smile. My phone buzzes and it’s Triton letting me know that the car is here.

Two guys come into the barn and we carry the guy out to the SUV.

“Where are we taking him?” Triton asks, and I give him a grim look.

“Take him to the clubhouse and stash him there. I’ll be around to check on him later.”

He nods, and the guy takes off. Meanwhile, I go in search of my girl.