Page 79 of Vengeance

"I'm getting you out of here,” he insisted.

"No." She reached up and touched his face. "I've missed twenty-six years with you, but I’m afraid that heaven can’t wait.”

His shoulders shook. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" she asked.

"For hating you,” he said.

She smiled at him. "I never stopped loving you." A tear slipped down her cheek as Chloe knelt beside her. She looked at Chloe. "Thank you.” Her breathing grew shallow. “For giving my son back his heart."

Chloe couldn't stop crying. "I love him."

"I know." Elena smiled. "So did Savage." Her eyes found Bowie. "Finish it,” she whispered.

Bowie nodded once. "I will."

She looked back at Vengeance. "Lead—" Her voice barely existed now. "Don't follow." She let out a shaky breath, and then she was gone. Silence swallowed the warehouse as Vengeance rested his forehead against hers.

An engine roared to life, and everyone looked up from where Elena’s body lay on the concrete floor. Dante had reached another SUV. Bowie stood and fired twice. The bullets shattered the rear window but missed him. The vehicle crashed through the loading doors and disappeared into the Chicago streets.

RoadKill cursed loudly. "He got away!"

Bowie stared after the fleeing taillights. "No." His voice became ice. "He just made the biggest mistake of his life."

Vengeance slowly stood, Elena's blood still covering his hands. He looked toward the city lights where Dante had vanished. For twenty-six years, Dante had taken everything from him—his childhood, his family, and his mother. Now, there was only one debt left to collect, and this time, Chloe knew he’d collect because Vengeance wasn't going after him as a frightened little boy—he was going after Dante as a son determined to finish the war.

Vengeance

The rain washed Elena's blood from his hands, but it didn't wash away the guilt, grief, or the promise he'd made as he'd closed her eyes. Her words echoed in his head as he stood outside the warehouse. Lead. Don't follow.

Chicago's skyline blurred beneath the storm. Bowie stepped beside him, equally silent, and neither man looked at the other. They both watched the taillights disappear into the distance. "Dante won't stop running," Bowie finally said.

"No, he won’t,” Vengeance agreed.

"He'll head somewhere he thinks nobody can touch him,” Bowie said.

Vengeance nodded. "I know where he’s running to,” he said. There was only one place his father would retreat to, and he planned on leading Bowie and the rest of the Royal Bastards right to his doorstep.

“We’ll follow your lead,” Bowie promised.

“It’s a three-hour trip,” Vengeance said. “Tell your men that we roll out in five minutes.”

“I’ll arrange for your mother’s body to be taken back to Huntsville. We’ll bury her next to Savage and Doc,” Bowie said.

“I’d appreciate that, thank you,” Vengeance said. “I’m going to check on Chloe.” He walked away from Bowie and found his girl still sitting next to his mother’s body. Another piece of his heart became hers, and when Chloe looked up at him, all he could do was silently vow to kill the man who had hurt her and taken everyone else that he ever loved from his life. He’d put a bullet in Dante, and this time, he’d make sure that his father stayed down.

Three hours later, they reached the Black Veil estate. It stood on the edge of Lake Michigan behind twelve-foot stone walls and looked less like a mansion than a fortress. The place was surrounded by armed guards, security cameras, and steel gates. It was the kind of place built by men who feared justice.

Bowie killed the engine of his Harley, and Vengeance did the same. Behind them, more than a hundred motorcycles rolled to a stop. Royal Bastards and Dragons were there to take Dante down. The clubs had a common enemy—Dante, and they were now working together to make sure that he didn’t live to see another sunrise.

Vengeance climbed off his bike and helped Chloe off. He looked at the gathered bikers. "This ends tonight,” he shouted.

A low rumble of agreement answered him, and Bowie stepped forward. "No prisoners and no mercy,” Bowie yelled.

RoadKill grinned. "About damn time.”

They laid the dynamite around the fortress and blew the gates off the compound. The battle lasted less than fifteen minutes. The Black Veil's leadership had hidden away in bunkers, and without them, the mercenaries broke. Somesurrendered while others fled. Most of them never made it past the front lawn.