Page 74 of Knockout Queen

“My dad has more enemies than he believes,” Johnny says, running his hands down his suit pants. “Over confidence has always been his weak point.”

That’s the understatement of the goddamn century. I’m right under his fucking nose, and there has to be more like me. “Things like this have happened in the past. Fights over territory. Business. Roza Fonz,” I say, letting the two words slip out like a dead weight. That was my second clue as to what I was getting myself into. The first was knowing my parents were murdered in cold blood.

“The threats are constant,” Johnny agrees, worrying over his lip. “But usually people aren’t so bold about it. They’ve made it clear at this point that they want a war. My dad can’t just stand by. That’s where I come in with killing Gregory. If I take him out, it sends a message to everyone else that we’re still a force to be reckoned with. If I don’t kill Gregory, then they all start to feel like they can do whatever they want. The restlessness is already there. I can feel it. People are wondering which way it’s going to go.”

Magnum turns down another street and stops. Brawler gets in the front seat and Oscar comes around to the back, slipping across the seat to sit next to me. “Thank God you’re okay.”

I give him a small smile. “Did anyone check on Jax and Finn?”

“They’re good,” Brawler says over his shoulder. “They just texted me. I told them to go home and to pretend like this night never happened.”

I blow out a breath of relief. Thank goodness they’re okay. “Oh…” I start, almost forgetting that I saw someone else in there. “Cole.”

“Cole?” Mag asks, meeting my stare in the rearview mirror.

“He was there. He tried to get me out, acting like I shouldn’t have been in the club on my own.”

“Well, you shouldn’t have been,” Mag states simply.

“I got rid of him.” I cringe a little, hoping Mag doesn’t get mad that I took his cousin down.

He meets my gaze. “What does that mean?”

“I may have broken his toe, I’m not sure.” I wiggle my heel into the floor of the car. I’m pretty sure these suckers could do just that.

Magnum returns his attention out the front windshield. “I’ll make sure he’s fine after we get this shit done.”

“So, what’s the plan?” I ask, darting my gaze around to the car full of guys.

“The act of surprise,” Mag answers. “He’s expecting you to be there, but he won’t be expecting you to be accompanied by the rest of us.”

“Just whatever happens, make sure I get Gregory,” Johnny says matter-of-factly.

“Whoever gets the shot should take it,” Oscar says. I bet he gives less than zero fucks about giving Johnny the shot. He’s got beef with Gregory, too. Fucking his mother just so he can keep her fucked up on drugs. It’s just disgusting.

“Fine,” Johnny says, relenting. I lift a brow at him, and he frowns. “What?”

“You just seem so accommodating.”

“I’m trying to remember that I don’t have to do everything on my own. Scratch that. I’m trying to remember thatMagnumand I don’t have to do everything anymore. Plus, I’m eager to just get this job done.”

I can see it now. The troubled look on his face and the way his leg jumps up and down. Johnny’s nervous. I press my hand on his thigh, swirling circles into the material there to try to soothe him. I’m not sure what’s going through his head. Maybe it’s just the layer of unease over the whole night. I’d be freaking out if we used one of them as bait, but since it worked out really well, I’m not sure what’s still bothering him, other than worry over the upcoming issue at the mill.

Several long minutes later, Mag creeps up the road where the old mill is. Oscar whispers its location to me because it’s hard to see in the faint light of the moon. Soon, though, the outline of the structure comes into view. A few cars line the road and a short, gravel driveway. A bunch of farm land off to the right of the structure stretches out with overgrown grass and weeds, which makes me wonder what this place used to look like in its heyday. Right now, it looks like a dump. Hardly a respectable hangout for a guy who’s trying to take over the Crew.

“Do you think he fucked us?” I ask. If he did, Johnny’s going to want to revive him just to put a bullet in his head again.

Magnum points to a circle of light glowing at the side of the structure. “I don’t think so. They’re back there.”

I strain to see what he’s talking about and finally catch the tiny circle of light he’s pointing out. If I wasn’t looking for it, I’d miss it. I guess maybe they are being kind of smart by using the back instead of lighting up the front.

Mag keeps driving down the road until he pulls off onto a dirt side street that’s not really a street at all. It’s just a section off the side of the road where a Private Property sign dangles between two posts, stopping us from going any further. We don’t need to though. We’re just enough out of the way so that the darkness swallows us.

Magnum loads his gun, and the rest of the guys do the same. Well, all except Brawler. He stares at his large hands, smirking. “I think I’m good.”

I can’t help but chuckle because yeah, he definitely knows how to use those.

Magnum turns in his seat. “I want Brawler and Kyla to take up the rear. Johnny, Bat, and I have the firepower.”

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