Page 158 of Salvation

“We have reason to believe that there are drugs on the premises, Mr King. As you can see, that warrant allows us full and complete access whilst we conduct our searches.”

I laughed out loud at that. “You think I would keep drugs in my house? Where my children are? Search away, officers. You’re not going to find so much as an out-of-place paracetamol. And they’re in the top cupboard of the master bathroom, in case you’re interested.”

The other officers began ransacking the place, pulling drawers out of the kitchen and emptying the entire contents onto the floor. One officer ripped open the fridge and, with one meaty arm, he swiped everything into a black carrier bag and handed it to his colleague to root through.

Four officers ran upstairs, and I gritted my teeth as I heard crashes and bangs, letting me know they were destroying the upper floor, just as much as the lower floor—in case I was in any doubt.

“You know,” I said with a soft chuckle, shaking my head as I lit up one of my smokes. “You’re so close, and yet so fucking far. Only an idiot would keep their supply in their own home. But I suspect you already know that,” I looked at Vicky’s father as I took a deep draw. “So, between me and you, do you want to tell me the real reason you’re here?”

“Just doing my job,” he muttered with that same confident, self-assured smirk.

“Please yourself,” I said, noticing Hacksaw come through the archway from the bar.

“Mama,” I mouthed at him silently, and he nodded, jogging up to her room.

“I know what you said to her, by the way,” the chief of police said, throwing a nasty look in my direction.

“Who?” I asked, breathing out a large cloud of smoke.

“Vicky. She told me what you threatened her with.”

“Ahh, and you thought ransacking my home would get me to change my mind, did you?”

“Completely unrelated. But just so you know, she’ll be having that baby, and there’s not much you can do to stop her.”

“We’ll see.” This time, it was my turn to smirk. He glared at me even harder, and followed his officers up the stairs, yelling at them to search faster, to leave no corner overlooked.

They were wasting their time, and we both knew it. This was Vicky’s way of throwing a temper tantrum, and this was her father’s pathetic attempt at showing me who was in charge here. If he thought a few out-of-place pieces of clothing and a messy kitchen were enough to get me to change my mind, he was sorelymistaken. All he had achieved was getting on my bad side, and that was a really fucking stupid place to be.

I waited until I heard his footsteps above me stomping to the furthest room from the stairs and pulled out my phone.

“Bambi?” I muttered as soon as he answered the burner phone we had smuggled in for him. “DEFCON 1. Get Waltzer and the rest of the lads.”

“What’s happened?”

“He’s here at the minute, searching the main house. It’s his pathetic attempt at showing who’s boss. I think we can do a reminder of our own.”

Chapter 71

Rachel

Dante came to our room that night, looking utterly exhausted.

“Everything okay?” I asked.

“Fine,” he snapped back.

I tried not to rise to it. It had been a long day, what with the raid on the club. I knew it would be best to keep my cool, and then this couldn’t escalate into an argument.

“Did you manage to get it sorted?”

“If byityou mean did we kick up a fuss, yes. Waltzer, Bambi and the lads caused a prison riot, killed four of the guards, injured another three, and earned themselves solitary. The wing governor knows they’re blaming those useless prick police officers, and an investigation is taking place to find out why they acted on an unauthorised raid.”

“Well, that’s good, isn’t it?” I asked as he sighed heavily, sitting on the end of the bed and reaching down to pull off his boots.

“Fucking grand.”

“Watch it, Dante. Everyone has their limits, and I’m not going to sit here and be your verbal punching bag.”

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