Page 25 of Wick
"How is she?" Nova asks.
"She's banged up pretty good. Got some busted ribs, and Cortez's man did a number to her face. But you all know Tequila. She's strong as fuck and will get through this. She's resting out at Wick's for the time being," Riggs supplies.
Nova regards me from across the table. "You or your woman need anything, brother; I'm there."
I nod. "I appreciate that, brother."
A chorus of murmurs comes from all the brothers offering the same. It comes as no surprise my brothers have Vayda's back. I also don't react when Nova calls Vayda my woman. None of the other brothers blink an eye at it either.
"Any word on, Preacher?" I cut in, turning my attention back to Riggs.
"Scott called an hour ago. He will be discharged by the end of the week and headed home to finish recovering."
"What about this, Cortez fella?" This coming from Fender. "Any word on where he's hiding?"
Riggs shakes his head. "Nothing yet. As soon as we finish here, I'm going to talk to our guest. See if she knows where he may be hiding and how she fits in with everything."
"Right now, we don't know jack shit about the woman. Only that Vayda insisted we bring her with us," I supply. "And you all know she must have a good reason for asking that of us." My brother nods in agreement.
I turn my attention back to Riggs. "So, Prez. What's the plan? I have to say Cortez still on the loose is not settin' well with me. My gut is tellin' me we need to watch our backs."
"I'm with you, brother. Not only did we invade his home, we also fucked with his operation. Men like Cortez don't go quietly into the night. Retaliation is something we need to be vigilant about."
Prez regards Kiwi. "Kiwi, see what you can dig up about who may have leaked the details of Tequila's mission to the media, and see if there is a connection between that and Cortez knowing as well. Something tells me the person who did is not a threat but an ally. Had it not been for the leak, we might not have made it to Tequila in time."
"You got it, Prez. I'll get with Scott and see what he's been able to find out so far."
Riggs turns to me. "You want one of the brothers out at your house to help keep an eye on things while Tequila is stayin' there?"
I shake my head. "I'm good, Prez."
Riggs gives me a hard stare. "Alright, brother. But at the first sight of trouble, I want both your asses back at the clubhouse."
With those final words, Riggs slams the gavel ending church. "Wick, you come with me to talk to the girl."
Striding into the main room of the clubhouse with Riggs, I spot the woman in question sitting on the sofa watching her son play with Payton on the floor. I take a seat in a chair across from her and Riggs sits in the other. The young woman is fucking terrified as she takes in the two men sitting across from her. With a low tone I try to calm her. "We're not going to hurt you. We only want to talk."
The woman darts her eyes back and forth between me and Riggs while wringing her hands in her lap. "O…Okay. What do you want to know?"
"First, is Zara your real name?" Riggs prompts.
"Yes. My name is Zara and my sons name is Julian."
"Okay, Zara. What can you tell us about Cortez?"
Zara takes a deep breath. "He got away, didn't he?"
"Yes," I tell her truthfully. "Do you think he will retaliate? Will he come looking for you?"
"H…He couldn't care less about what happens to me, but my husband will come for his son." Zara darts her eyes over to the corner of the room where her son is playing with Payton.
"Fuck!" I bite out causing the fragile woman to jump. Riggs sends me a warning look to reign my temper in, which I'm finding hard to do at the moment, considering we just found out the wife and son of the man who captured my woman is sitting right in front of us.
"Are you going to send me and my son back to him?" Zara asks. This time I'm the one who jumps in.
"Fuck no. I know you don't know or have any reason to trust us, but we are not the kind of men who will turn over an innocent woman and child to a lowlife like Cortez."
Riggs is the next to cut in. "Vayda promised you protection, and seeing as Vayda means something to the club, you and your son are now under the protection of The Kings."
