Page 33 of Knocked Up by Her Daddy's Friends

“Why would the Demon Riders go to such lengths to try to buy the land?” I say, hoping that my suspicions aren’t correct.

Sadly, Buzz confirms them.

“You know how we mentioned to you before that some big shot was trying to manipulate Brewer into selling?” Buzz asks and I nod. “Well, it’s a local politician, Bill Anderson, who wants it. A huge part of his campaign is a new development of properties and Brewer’s land is perfect for it. If Anderson could get his hands on it, he’d make millions from investors and pretty much be guaranteed to move up the political ladder.”

So, that’s it, they’ve told me Bill’s name. If I’m ever going to come clean, now is the time. I could tell them Bill is my stepdad, even with a little white lie, pretend I didn’t know it was him they’ve been talking about this whole time. But the words get stuck in my throat. I don’t know if they’d believe me. Especially with Brewer undergoing major surgery as a result of Bill’s actions.

So, instead, I chicken out and ask, “But why resort to all this? Why not offer Brewer a fair price or look elsewhere?”

Angel answers this time. “Anderson is in massive debt. Seems he’s got a bit of a gambling problem and has been living beyond his means for years. He came to us a while back asking for a loan. We turned him down, but I’m guessing the Demon Riders took him up on it.”

“That’s why they’re doing his dirty work now, we can only assume they’ll get a heavy cut of the profits from the land to pay them back, with interest. Could be that he’s even promised them more power in the area,” Drifter adds.

“We think that’s why the cops have been on our asses. Anderson has dirty cops in his pocket. We think the Demon Riders want him to use his influence to take us down,” Buzz explains.

Shit. This is so much worse than I expected. I’ve got my scoop. But at what cost?

Chapter 17

Skye

Ihave to help them stop Bill. But how can I do this without hurting my mom or revealing who I really am?

“How do we stop them?” I ask, hoping my men have the answer.

“I say we kill Bill Anderson,” Angel snarls.

I’m alarmed by this suggestion. As much as I hate Bill and what he’s done, I can’t condone outright murder, and I know that it would hurt my mom immensely. I couldn’t do that to her. It’s going to kill her as it is once she finds out what Bill’s done.

“Murder is a capital offense in Texas, and even if you didn’t get the death penalty none of you are going to jail for life for that scumbag,” I snap. “There’s no way you could kill him and get away with it.”

“She’s right,” Buzz agrees.

“I could do it, jail isn’t so bad. Three square meals a day, time alone, a warm bed, daily exercise,” Gunner says, his tone casual enough that I wonder if he’s actually being serious.

“Yeah, until someone touches you and you freak the fuck out and get put in solitary,” Drifter chips in. Clearly, he likes this plan as little as I do.

We continue back and forth like this for hours, anxiously awaiting news. Angel finally agrees to send other men out in search of information about the Demon Riders and Bill while we wait. At one point, we have lunch, soggy sandwiches from the hospital café that none of us can stomach.

Eventually, a doctor comes in, his face somber. We all stop talking, abruptly standing up and looking at him anxiously awaiting the news he’s come with.

“Is he out of surgery?” Buzz asks.

“Is he going to live?” Drifter adds.

“You might want to sit back down,” the doctor replies, his tone sympathetic yet calm and authoritative.

“We’re fine standing,” Angel replies bluntly.

“There’s no way to sugarcoat this,” the doctor says, “I’m afraid the bleeding on his brain was too severe. I’m sorry, we did everything we could, but Mr. Nelson died in theater.”

We all stare at him in silent horror as his words sink in.

“If you like, you can go and say your goodbyes,” he finishes.

“He’s dead?” I ask, choking up as my eyes well with tears.

“I’m afraid so. Does he have any family?”

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