Page 71 of Ride Long
Finally, Gasket ripped the gag out of Marini’s mouth, tore away his blindfold, and unplugged his ears. It was past time to have a frank conversation. No more manipulation. No more betrayals. Just blood andtruths.
“Dog,” Marini said, narrowing his eyes. “After all we’ve been through, you stab me in theback.”
“You would’ve killed us all,” Gasket said, not missing a beat. “You were leading us down a dangerous path, Anthony. Your beef with King was only ever going to end oneway.”
“Under me, Fortitude would’ve amassed more power than you could’ve ever dreamedof.”
Gasket shook his head. “You can’t see past your ownarrogance.”
“I know how this is going to end,” Marini drawled. “Or how you think itis.”
“It’s not my decision,” Gasket spat. “This is not adictatorship.”
Marini laughed, the sound sending chills down my spine. He was cold, calculated, and…soulless. It was the only word I could think of that described the amount of fucks the deposed president of Fortitude MC currentlygave.
“What deal did you make with them?” Gasket asked, folding his arms over hischest.
Marini smiled up at him, his eyes cold and emotionless, and remained silent. This would obviously be a drawn-out affair…and a very painful one. I fought the ball of rage flaring inside me and clenched my fists. He didn’t care. He truly didn’t give one single fuck about the men he commanded or hisdaughter.
“You’ll talk,” Gasket said. “Eventually.” He turned his back on his onetime friend and made for the door. When I didn’t follow, he paused. “Chaser.”
I didn’t move, my eyes glued to Marini’s smugface.
“What did she ever do to you?” I asked, my only thoughts forSloane.
Marini smirked and spat onto the floor. “She looks exactly like her bitch of a mother. I didn’t need thereminder.”
I raised my fist and hit him, the force of the blow jarring up my arm. Marini’s head snapped to the side, and he laughed, his teeth red withblood.
“Betty’s only good for one thing,” he went on, his words hitting me right where it hurt. “A whore like her mother. A sack of blood and guts like your bitchwife.”
I raised my fist again, expecting Gasket to stop me, but he just stood back and let me smash Marini’s face. My knuckles collided with Marini’s face, the collision doing nothing to sate my anger. After a few good hits, Gasket finally stepped in and dragged meaway.
“You don’t stand a chance,” Marini said as we walked away. “You’ll never be able to take King.She’s as good asdead.”
We thundered up the stairs, and Gasket slammed the door closed, locking it behind him. It took all my strength not to turn around and shoot Marini’s head clean off, but the thought of Sloane… I couldn’t doit.
Outside, the sun hadrisen.
Shaking my hand, I stood on the porch, my anger still as hot as ever. Gasket followed me out, his expression just astense.
“What are you going to do with him?” I asked, looking out over thedesert.
“We could set him up and hand him over to the cops,” he replied. “But that would take time and resources we don’thave.”
If things had gone better at the compound, we’d have both those things. Now there was no practicality in holding him for an extended period oftime.
I didn’t have to look across the yard to know Sloane was staring at us. The deeper I fell into this thing with her, the more connected I felt to her whereabouts. Sloane was magnetic north. My inner compass would always point towardher.
“You better talk to Sloane about it first,” I said. “He is her father despite the things he did to her. She deserves closure, no matter how fucked up it’s going tobe.”
“Yeah,” the old biker muttered. “Iwill.”
* * *
Iwalkedthrough the mass of tents, watching the comings and goings of the other bikers with interest. They’d really put together a full-on campground in a matter of a couple ofhours.
Ahead, there was a group of men busying themselves behind the house. I recognized Ratchet, Hopper, and Watts going back and forth to a car, taking out boxes and other supplies, and ferrying them over to theclearing.
