Page 7 of Rebel
Together with Blaze’s research on the Kivisto family, it convinces the others.
“They’re embroiled in some kind of dispute with another family on the west coast, the Heikkinen's,” Blaze says. “It goes back to when their families were warring decades ago in Finland.”
“No one can hold a grudge like a mafia family,” Beast leans back in his chair. “I didn’t even know there were mafia families in Finland.”
“There are criminal types all over these days,” Fury grins.
“Finland is known for the MCs running the criminal underworld. From what I’ve read up, they’re brutal.”
“And we aren’t?” Fury side-eyes him.
“They don’t give a shit who they hurt, including kids. And most of them are in the skin trade.”
We all go quiet. Kids are off-limits, human trafficking is a massive no-go for us. None of us miss how Stryker’s fists clench even though he doesn’t say a word.
It’s Beast who curses first. He’s thinking about his daughter. I haven’t taken the time to ask how that is going. I’ve heard enough about the kid from Raven, because she is still staying at her place.
My sister is almost to the point Beast is going to lose a testicle if he doesn’t sort out shit with his kid.
“Maybe that’s why they migrated to the US,” Razer says, bringing us back to the moment.
“There were some bloody fights between them,” Blaze pinches the bridge of his nose.
He’s probably read up on and seen pictures of the shit he’s telling us.
“Doesn’t matter why they’re here,” Nero brings us back to the reality we’re facing. “I don’t give a shit about their fight with another family. We need to know what we’re walking into if we are looking into them, even on the periphery.”
“You know Beast hates those big words,” Nashville grins.
“Fuck off, you dickhead.”
Nero lets the levity go on for a moment, then turns the conversation to giving everyone a job to get done. Before he calls an end to the meeting, Nero asks everyone if they’re happy with Nashville taking Charley as his old lady, and it’s agreed.
I want to check in with my contacts around the city, but intend to see them in person. I need the ride. It settles me and gives me time to think.
Before I head out, I speak to the guys Nashville has got together to guard the clubhouse and lay down the law. No alcohol, and no club girls sneaking in while they’re on watch.
I text one of my contacts to find out where he is, then head to my bike. There are a lot of them out here, which isn’t standard practice, Nero likes us to park out of sight in the warehouse we own beside the clubhouse, out of respect for the other people on the block.
I call out to a brother who is smoking outside the bar and tell him to get them moved, but bum a cigarette from him first.
While he carries out my orders, I lean against my bike and light up, looking across the street at the church.
My gaze is drawn to the long wall at the side of the building. It connects to the low fence that has a small garden area at the front of the church, and is where Kinsley disappeared last night.
There is a small building behind that wall that I’ve never checked out before. It must be some kind of apartment. Is that the wall where she is going to paint the mural that Raven told me about?
What the fuck do I even care? I tip my head back and blow smoke up into the air. When my eyes lower, I watch two women walking along the path from the church. One of them organizes the church, and she runs everything like a drill sergeant whenever we have picnics or events.
The other is her. The little villain. She looks different today, gone are the baggy hoodie and cargo pants. Instead, she is wearing a denim skirt that falls midway down her thighs, showing off every inch of those fine as fuck legs.
And to add to the discomfort I’m feeling about staring at her, she is wearing a waist length blood red leather jacket, which is hot as fuck.
Jesus, she’s a fucking walking temptation. She’s going to get a lot of attention from the brothers. And that sends a white-hot rage through me. I have to quash it. After what I did last night, I’m certain she wants nothing to do with me.
Trying not to look like I’m staring, I turn my head in the other direction but keep my eyes on them as they make their way to the sidewalk.
She doesn’t look over, which is just as well. Taking another long drag, I drop the cigarette to the ground and stub it out. The red leather catches my eye again.
