Page 101 of Bronco

My eyes widen. “A sacrifice?”

“To initiate into a gang sometimes requires a loyalty test,” Harlem says. “Killin’ someone important to your enemies is usually goal number one, and since we all know women and children are the biggest threat and weakness we have, that’s who they target.”

“Are you fuckin’ kiddin’ me?” Cash barks, pushing past the others. “You are fuckin’ done, asshole!”

“Wait! I didn’t say that’s what was gonna happen,” he garbles. “It’s just what I heard because some of the guys don’t know what the fuck to do now The Boss is dead. Disciples are hidin’ out, I don’t know where they’re based in New Orleans. I didn’t have shit to do with any of this. I was never gonna hurt her!”

Harlem and Tag hold Cash back. We’re not quite done with Oswald yet, and since I’ve declared Amber my ol’ lady to the boys, he’s mine to finish. That’s how shit around here works.

“You expect us to believe that?” I shake my head. “You were just stakin’ out a woman’s home with no intention to hurt her even though you just admitted some of the low life’s you hang out with struck a deal with the Disciples?”

The color drains from his face. “I didn’t?—”

“Save it.” Ryder turns to Cash. “He’s no use to us now, right boss?”

“Got it in one.” Cash smirks, his eyes shift to me. “Finish this.”

“Wait!” Oswald cries, but it’s too late for him.

I pull out my blade, gutting him like a fish as he squirms around. “Fuck you, and fuck anyone who comes near NOLA Rebels property.”

He garbles, his head dipping forward as he bleeds out. Well, he had to know he wasn’t gonna live; the plastic sheet beneath his feet should’ve been a dead giveaway.

“Sent the Nomad brothers to check shit out at the location, along with Jett, Rock, Hawk, Priest and Nevada,” Cash says. The Nomad brothers are Brew and Haze; members of the MC, but they also do their own thing from time to time. “If any of these shitheads are there, they’ll be sufferin’ a similar demise to Oswald here. In the meantime, let’s clean up and I’ll call Bane as soon as we get back to the clubhouse.”

“This shit fuckin’ stinks,” Tag grumbles. “Thought all this takedown crap was done when we wiped out the Cut City Boys the first time.”

“I guess we weren’t thorough enough.” Harlem palms the back of his neck. “That won’t happen again.”

I wipe my blade on Oswald's shirt. Goddamn piece of shit. My only regret here today is not drawing out his suffering longer. I could’ve, but the idea that the women and the kids are still being watched, had me acting fast so I could get back to Amber and check on Olive.

Cash may even call a lockdown depending on what happens with the raid at Oswald’s pal’s place. We still have to find the Disciples, but I’m sure it can’t be that hard. Not if the Ridgehaven Hellions have anything to do with it.

20

AMBER

“She’s in New Orleans?”I stammer. I knew calling Star on my break would be a bad idea, because I start to pace, my mind whirling. “So she never left?”

“The bank records are telling me she’s still in Louisiana, but mainly Baton Rouge,” Star continues. “Which is a good sign. If she’s using her bank account, then she’s alive. The question is, what is she doing?”

“How do we know it’s her?” I feel a lump in my throat. “Someone could’ve taken her card and used it.”

“I’m sending through a photo, it’s a little blurry, but Rock picked it up from one of the ATMs downtown.”

I place a hand on the bar, thankful nobody is here at this time of day. The message comes through and I stare at it. It’s Erica. Relief floods through me as I stare at her picture. “It’s her. When was this taken?”

“A few days ago,” Star says. “There’s more.”

I squeeze my eyes shut, not understanding any of this or what the fuck is going on. “Okay.”

“There was a large deposit into Erica’s account almost a year ago. When Rock traced where the funds came from, it led backto an organization that looked like a loan shark or one of those shady lenders who offer you money when the bank won’t.” I brace myself for what she’s about to say next. “Then Jett did a little more research and once he was able to sift through the layers of red tape, he uncovered the last name: Olgetti.”

“What does that mean?”

“Well, ever since the Mancini mafia were taken out a little while back, the Bratva in Chicago took over operations, leaving relative peace for a short time because the Bratva had no rivals.”

Riot, who used to be a sniper, took out Chicago's mafia leader, and went undetected for years until Mancini’s associates started dropping like flies. I remember it because it made the news. It wasn’t Riot who was taking revenge, but a rival sniper, and she was the devil in disguise.

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