Page 44 of Riggs
I stand there for a moment and watch dark red blood oozing from the bullet hole. The adrenaline pumping through my veins is a whole different monster compared to the feeling of killing the enemy in battle. Taking a life for revenge — for retribution — is not the same.
"What should we do with the body?" Wick asks.
"We'll dump him in the river. Let the mighty Mississippi have him. That's if the gators don't get him first."
After disposing of the body and cleaning the evidence, Wick and I return to the clubhouse. We find Tequila sitting at the bar with a bottle of whiskey and a half-filled glass sitting beside her.
"I take it the battle came to you this time around?" she lifts the glass to her painted red lips, and we take our seats at the bar beside her. Reaching behind the bar, she snags two more glasses, pours three fingers full in each, then slides them in our direction. "Mind if I hang around?"
Taking a sip, I let the whiskey linger in my mouth, before feeling the burn as the liquid slides down my throat. "We're kind of in the middle of some shit."
Tequila laughs. "No, shit. That's why I'm asking."
Wick hangs his head and mumbles, "Fuck."
"Alright, but one condition," I tell her.
Tequila downs the rest of her drink. "You and I both know I don't do conditions, LeBlanc."
I eye her. "My woman's life and the safety of this club means more than any one of us or our egos, Tequila. You stay — you follow the rules, just as if we were out there in combat."
"Are you telling me you've done gone and fell in love?" she raises her brow, and her lips turn up in a genuine smile. She looks past me to Wick, who nods, confirming her inquiry. "Do I get to see more action?"
"Probably," I tell her.
"Okay."
"Okay?" It's my turn to raise a brow.
"I'll fall in line and do as I'm told." Tequila pauses before saying, "this time."
Thirty minutes later, Kiwi and Fender are walking through the door.
"Word is out. I'm pretty sure Lexi is on her way out of town by now." Kiwi joins us at the bar.
Fender walks behind the bar, grabs two cold beers from the small fridge below the counter, pops the tops off and hands one to Kiwi. "I can almost guarantee she won't make it. She dug herself a deep hole this time. I don't see her getting out of it." He downs half his beer.
It's getting late. I look around at my men and take in how tired they look. It's been a long ass day — for all of us. "Turn in. Get some rest. We sleep here tonight. I'll take the first watch." I turn to my brother. "Get a hold of Pop, and make sure everything is alright out there." Then I address Wick. "We're used to power naps, so you'll rotate with me in three hours. Then, Fender, you'll relieve Wick after his three."
I stay seated as they disperse, all of them heading up the stairs besides Cain, who pulls his phone from his pocket and makes a call. He doesn't stay on the phone for too long. He says a few words to Pop and briefly talks to Piper, telling her goodnight, and he loves her. "Everything is quiet out there. Piper hasn't left Luna's side."
Placing my hand on his shoulder, I squeeze. "Thanks, brother. Now go get some sleep." He nods, and claps my back, before taking his leave.
After doing a security sweep, I walk outside and sit on top of the picnic table near the river. Taking a cigarette and a match from the pack in my pocket, I strike the match tip across the bottom of my boot and light the tobacco. I take a long hard pull, then stare out toward the city lights. Grabbing my phone from the inside of my cut, I swipe the screen and tap on the message thread and type out a text to my woman.
Me: How are you doing?
Her reply is instant.
Luna: I'm okay. Are you coming back?
Me: Not tonight. It's not safe to travel. I'm not going to risk leading them to you.
A whole minute passes before tiny dots appear on the screen, letting me know she is typing.
Luna: I love you.
Those three words settle deep in my chest. I stare at them for a beat, repeatedly reading them.
Me: I love you too, baby.
