Utah (Knights Corruption MC: Laredo #4)

Chapter 27

27

“That won’t work for me,” Rafael Carrillo said, aiming his gun at Marek. His men followed his lead and aimed their weapons at us, trapping us in place. If we made a move, they’d fire.

The other men in the Knights Corruption acted as if it was game over, which only served to heighten my despair at the turnout of this meeting. They’d been through countless scenarios where their lives had been threatened, so to witness them giving up now was like a dagger to the heart. Or a bullet to the brain, as it appeared that was what would be happening soon enough.

“What will work for you?” Prez asked, briefly diverting Rafael’s attention from his California brother.

“The end of your club,” Javier answered for his uncle, the smirk he wore deepening as he stood in front of us.

“I’m not sure that’s gonna do it,” his uncle retorted. Javier turned to look at him, his smugness slowly evaporating as Rafael swung his arm to the right, lining up his aim to be level with Javier’s forehead. “You don’t think I know what you’ve been up to?” He gestured for his men to lower their weapons .

“What are you doing?” Javier asked, the hitch in his voice screaming with surprise. His uncle wrapped his finger around the trigger. “You’re gonna kill me?” His nervous laughter fell short. “You’re gonna kill your sister’s son? Think what that would do to—”

The blast of the gun startled me even though my focus had been lasered on Rafael and what I thought he was going to do. A part of me didn’t believe he’d actually shoot his nephew, but he did. Javier’s blood sprayed onto Prez and Marek since they’d been standing closest. His body hit the ground with a heavy thud, inches from his uncle’s feet.

Rafael stepped over his nephew’s lifeless body and handed Prez and Marek a handkerchief. “You never know who you can trust.” He sighed as if he hadn’t just murdered a member of his family. “He didn’t think I knew about his plans to take me out so he could sit at the head of the table.” His gaze remained on the two leaders of our charters. “Are we good?”

“Yeah,” Marek answered, his eyes wide in shock.

“It’s over now?” Carrillo asked.

“It’s over,” Prez responded that time.

Rafael never apologized for his nephew’s actions toward us, but I didn’t expect him to. Then again, perhaps him shooting the guy in the head was his form of an apology. We didn’t stick around long enough to inquire.

We walked out of the warehouse intact and headed toward our SUV. Brick called Hawke to let them know we were okay and that we’d meet them two miles up the road. We wanted to give them a heads-up we were coming so we didn’t inadvertently get shot by our own men, surprising them without notice and having them think we were the cartel trying to ambush them.

We raced away from the building in case Rafael had a change of heart. Not that I saw that happening, but I never anticipated what did happen. We weren’t leaving anything to chance.

As we pulled up alongside the other SUV, the guys were waiting outside of the vehicle. An overwhelming feeling of something I couldn’t describe raced through me, and when I opened the door and stepped into the cool night air, my legs began to buckle. Seconds later, I’d fallen to my knees, consumed with gratitude but also surprise that I wasn’t dead.

Miles rushed forward and put his hand on my shoulder. “You get to see your kid, brother.”

I nodded as my hair fell around me and covered my face, allowing me a moment of privacy. Words rested in my throat, but my body refused to release them.

“We all get to go home to our families,” Jagger said. “It’s the best outcome.”

A collective sound of relief surrounded us all as I rose to my feet. While most were smiling, some still appeared to be in shock, including me. I’d written off the rest of my life, so to be given another shot… words couldn’t express how grateful I was to still be standing.

“What happened back there?” Ace stepped next to Marek, his attention bouncing between those of us who’d met with Carrillo.

Stone was the one to answer. “Rafael killed his nephew right in front of us. Apparently, the fucker was making moves to take out his uncle.”

“He got what he deserved,” Hawke responded, “but it doesn’t feel like enough for Crash. Is it me, or do you guys miss being able to take out our revenge too?”

“That’s just you,” Tripp said, eliciting the softest chuckle as he slung his arm over his younger brother’s shoulders. “And it’s the closest thing we’re gonna get to justice for Crash.”

“I should’ve been the one to kill Javier,” I blurted, tucking my hair behind my ear .

“Then we’d still be in a war,” Prez retorted. “No, everything went down how it should’ve. Carrillo let us walk away whole.”

“Just like that?” Dax asked.

“Just like that,” Prez answered, sharing a look with Marek. But I didn’t study the exchange long enough to determine if they also felt robbed of justice or if they were simply thankful to still be breathing.

“Do you really think he won’t come after any of us? If he has time to think about it, he might blame us for his nephew’s death, as odd as that sounds.” Miles asked the question most of us were probably thinking.

“I believe him,” Marek answered. “Javier was untrustworthy. Disloyal. And Rafael knew that. He was gonna kill him regardless. He just made a spectacle of it, put on a show. I told you he was ruthless.” The smallest smirk graced Marek’s face, appearing as if he had more respect for Carrillo than before.

“I’m still a little uneasy. I fully expected some of us not to make it home. It’s such a calm ending,” Dax said, running his hand over the top of his head.

“Say that to Prez and Marek.” I pointed toward the two presidents. “I think they’re still wearing some of Javier’s blood.”

“Oh shit,” Stone mumbled. “You are.” He pointed toward Marek’s neck.

“Doesn’t bother me. At least it’s not mine.”

We all nodded in agreement, thankful we were spared to see another day.

I was in the middle of telling Ace some of the details of the meet when Knox’s name flashed across my screen.

“Yeah,” I answered.

“You guys whole?”

“We are.”

“Good. Now get back here. Ria is in the hospital. She’s bleeding. ”

I didn’t hear what he said after “she’s bleeding” because my arm dropped to my side, my gaze colliding with Salzar’s.

“We gotta go. Now,” I shouted.

Everyone piled into the SUVs, and we sped off toward home.

I’d escaped death.

But would my unborn kid?