Page 29 of StoryTeller's Tale

Knuckles turns away as if he’s lost interest. “Just kill him now.”

I hear the cocking of weapons and a shiver runs down my spine. But outwardly, I show no sign. “I wouldn’t be so hasty. You don’t know what I’m offering.”

He swings back and again snorts. “Some halfhearted notion about preventing trouble between our clubs. And for your information,son, there’s always been, and always will be, war between us. No getting away from that.” He pauses. “I can’t fuckin’ believe you thought you could ride in and claim your property back. Don’t you think that just makes me want to keep it even more?”

I speak fast. “Guns. Many guns. Two eighteen wheelers full of them to be exact.”

He stills, then his hands make a grabby motion.

“Arizona Soulz have been asked to move them by the cartel, but to be honest, they don’t have the balls.”

I hear a muffled curse in my ears. Okay, so it wasn’t quite what had been arranged I would say, but it comes to about the same thing.

“So, you’re a fuckin’ traitor to your club.”

“No, no way.” I grimace slightly. “They don’t want to see brothers in prison or dead, so are quite happy to pass this business your way. As long as you return my ol’ lady.”

Knuckles’ eyes crease, and it looks like I’ve caught his interest. “Spell it out for me. As if I’m stupid. You want us to take the pittance from the cartel for delivering guns over the border?”

I allow a grin to come to my face. “No. We tell you where and when, and you step in, take the eighteen wheelers and the cargo. Bloody a few faces, but don’t cause serious damage. You end up with two truckloads of guns to do with what you want, and Soulz don’t have the hassle of getting them to their destination.”

His eyes go so wide they dominate his face. “And you reckon the cartel are just going to accept you lost their guns?”

“Won’t have much choice.” I chuckle softly. “But you can be damn sure they won’t be asking us to move their cargo again.”

“Why should we care what the cartel does to get revenge? It won’t be on us, Knuckles.” Tats certainly looks like he wants to take the bait.

Knuckles doesn’t look convinced, but there’s a spark in his eyes. “So, you’re offering us guns, all for the release of one bitch.”

Well, now seeing I’m here, I’d rather not leave before freeing all the women they’re holding. But I’ll lie if that’s what it will take to get me inside. I nod my head.

“Which of the broads are you after?” Tats asks, clearly as intrigued with my offer as the man he defers to.

“Sheri,” I tell them, mentally crossing my fingers that despite all the odds, this is going to work.

But Tats is shaking his head. “We don’t bother with names. What does she look like?”

Hastily I think back to what I saw on her profile on her social media page. “Red hair, long and curly. She’s curvy.” I use my hands to shape an hourglass. “Tall for a girl.” I hold my fingers at shoulder level. Surely, they can’t have many like that?

Suddenly one of the bikers bursts out laughing, and I can’t tell what I’ve said that’s so funny. Sure, she may not win a beauty contest, but she wasn’t that bad. I look around for someone to enlighten me, but most are grinning and chuckling as well, and not eager to let me in on the joke.

Knuckles isn’t so reticent. “Well, one of you’s fuckin’ lying. Never took you for agentleman, StoryTeller.”

“You don’t know me,” I reflexively answer, while wondering what the hell he’s talking about.

“Maybe he can’t get it up?” Limey suggests. “Did you shoot his dick off when you had him in your sights?”

What the hell?

“Think, Brother. What the fuck are they talking about?”The voice in my ear isn’t comforting when they’ve got no answers to give me.

I don’t know how to act. The truth is, I know fuck all about my ‘ol’ lady. They’ve got the advantage of meeting her when I have not. What the hell are they alluding to?

I think of something to say that won’t betray my ignorance. “My ol’ lady’s an acquired taste,” I settle for at last, wishing like fuck I knew what they know that I don’t.

“She’s something.” Tats laughs. “Which makes us have doubts about you, Brother. Are you a fuckin’ man or a mouse?”

“I think she was lying. Thought that all along.”

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