Bloody Mine (Royal Bastards MC, #2)

I knew I was in deep.
This was why it was so fuckin’ important that I protected what was mine. I wasn’t losing another woman that I loved. I couldn’t. It would fuckin’ end me if Sasha died. My Reaper would go on a killing rampage and I’d probably end up facing Lucifer Morningstar far sooner than I ever planned.
Yeah, you had that right. The motherfuckin’ devil. The one who was responsible for every contract a Reaper signed. Our blood oath to do his will and reap souls. I signed that dotted line with blood from my own wound and I didn’t regret a single second since. Took out the murdering rapist who killed my younger sister Missy and not a day went by that I didn’t smile at the thought he was rotting in hell and eternally tormented by Lucifer himself.
My Reaper rumbled with satisfaction. Justice had been served. An eye for an eye.
My life’s purpose had been significantly altered, the same as every one of my brothers. I lived and breathed the darkness. Being a Reaper was the one thing that made sense in my life until Sasha. Now I had two reasons to ensure the Scorpions went down and Chamuco was only a single rung on that rickety ladder. I’d make sure every single piece was torn apart until Razr had nothing left and he was at the mercy of Grim and the club. When his soul was finally reaped, the Crossroads would finally find peace.
For now, I had to settle for Chaumco.
Once I was back at the Crossroads, I didn’t hesitate to search for Grim. Found him in the chapel, tossing back a shot of Jameson as he stared off in space, puffing on a cigarette but not really focusing on the drag.
“Grim.”
He glanced my way, ticking his chin in greeting. “Bodie.”
I didn’t waste time. Wasn’t necessary. “Chamuco is in Nevada. There’s no way he won’t come to Tonopah.”
Grim was seated in his chair. He put out the smoke and folded his arms across his chest as he scowled. “You’re not going after him, Bodie.”
That statement was proof of how close our brotherhood ran. I didn’t have to sort out the shit in my head and neither did he. Grim knew I was fucked-up over the news that Chamuco was in Nevada and I was more than ready to throw down. I knew he was missing Trish and messed up over her leaving. Neither of us needed to elaborate.
Jaw locked, I gave a stiff nod, not bothering to lie to my brother and best friend, not to mention my pres.
“Bodie,” he warned.
“I didn’t say I was going after him.”
“Christ. You didn’t say you weren’t either.” Grim inhaled a deep breath and then released it slowly. “This shit can’t blow back on the club. You know that. We’ve got enough trouble with the Scorpions.”
His vendetta against our rival was a sore subject. “I know.”
“It’s never fucking ending with Razr. Acid’s death is only gonna ramp shit up.”
“Understood.”
“You’ve got to back off, Bodie.”
Pissed, I brought up the past, only slightly sorry to dredge up painful memories. “And if it was Trish in danger? What then?”
Grim blew out a breath. “Fuck.” He stood up, flinging back his chair in a rush. “You think that’s not fucking with my head? I have a club to run. I can’t afford to be careless or let my emotions rule my fuckin’ choices.”
He was right.
Didn’t change the circumstances or how I felt.
I snatched my smokes from my cut and lit up, puffing away as I tried not to lose my temper. My Reaper was still far too near to making an appearance and I knew Grim sensed how close I was to the edge.
The nicotine did little to soothe my agitation. “I get what you’re sayin’, brother. I do.”
Grim paced the length of the chapel, clearly frustrated. “He’s got to make the first move. I know that doesn’t sit well but it’s how shit is gotta be.”
“Because of his connections,” I spat, bitter as fuck because it meant I was put on a fucking leash.
“You know he’s Salazar’s man. His club has connections to the Cartel.”
“So what if the Primal Rage MC is owned by Salazar? That’s their bullshit to sort out.”
“Not really, especially if Chamuco patches in completely with the Scorpions. Up until now he’s been more of a nomad with Primal. But he still has a tight connection with Razr and that means he’s also on Salazar’s radar.”
Fuck. He couldn’t be a member of two clubs at once which meant he was probably going to become a full patch with the Scorpions out of vengeance alone. “You think he’s gonna do it?”
“It’d be a smart move for Chamuco. A foot in both clubs and answering to more than Salazar alone.”
Scrubbing a hand down my face, all I wanted to do was end the threat against my woman and it wasn’t going to happen.
“Salazar doesn’t want anything to mess with his supply business. It’s Guerrero Cartel territory. We have an understanding, Bodie. Chamuco has to break that contract first. If he jeopardizes Salazar’s coke, hell will rein down upon him. Hell, they may take him out for you.”
I snorted. “I’m not that fuckin’ lucky.”
“If shit goes down, it can’t start with us.”
His final verdict issued, there was nothing I could say to change his mind.
“Fuck,” I roared, smashing my cigarette in one of the ashtrays on the table.
I was on my feet and hand punching through the wall before I realized my Reaper had surfaced and I’d damaged the whole area, plunging through the drywall and into the next room which happened to be where several of my brothers were shooting pool. Rael narrowed his eyes and Hannibal chuckled at the mess.
This wasn’t going to end well.

Turning the knob, I opened the door and let myself in, tugging on the key that often got stuck in the lock. Weeks had lapsed since I was back in the same apartment