His Other Half (Patches: Tarkio MC Book 3)
Priest.When the Casino's former leader became infatuated with Priest's woman, his president had killed the guy. They should handle the situation the same way for Josie.
It was no surprise to any of them that the group of men who ran the casino continued kidnapping women. Sex trafficking was a lucrative business, and the men knew damn well those in charge of the casino were protected on the reservation. Crime happened in Missoula the same way. There were dirty cops that aided Tarkio Motorcycle Club in their endeavors.
Except Tarkio would never steal a woman away from her family, sell her for profit, and sign her to a death sentence after forcing her through abuse at the hands of men willing to pay the price.
"The last time, it was one man." Priest faced him, holding up his finger. "If we go in there, we have to take them all out."
"If you cut the head off the rattlesnake, the tail still twitches," muttered Aaron.
Jerry shook his head. "The casino is a fucking empire. The majority of those living on the Rez are employed there, not to forget those in Missoula who worked there, too. Hell, the city would have something to say if their biggest tourist attraction disappeared, and that's what would happen if a full-scale investigation happened because all the big wigs are buried six feet deep."
"Do we even have the number of men we're dealing with?" Rick latched his hands behind his head. "You have those involved with the kidnapping and shipping the girls. How many others have knowledge of the crimes but choose to turn a blind eye?"
"Every fucking person on the Rez." Paco let go of the chair. "We can't let that stop us. Either Tarkio backs me, or I'm going in alone."
Curley leaned forward. "Paco—"
"Fuck you." Paco aimed his frustration onto Curley. "I know what will happen to her friend. I know what will happen to each woman who leaves Montana. I'm not going to sit back and let it happen. It'll destroy Josie."
"Again, I’m going to remind you that Josie doesn't belong to you." Priest picked up a pack of cigarettes off the table and lit one. "I'm not going to lose my men—"
The door burst open. Josie stepped into the room.
Chrischris rushed in from the hallway and stepped around her, stopping her progress. At the sight of his MC brother touching her, Paco moved toward her.
"I got her." Chrischris pushed her back.
"Let me talk to them." Josie swung out, fighting to stay. Her fist connected with Chrischris's jaw.
"Hell, woman. That was a hell of a punch." Chrischris picked Josie up and strode toward the door.
"Please. I'm sorry, but I need to talk to them."
"Put her down!" Paco reached between them and extracted Josie from his MC brother's clutch. "What's wrong?"
"I need to tell you something." Her throat muscles spasmed. "Privately."
He looked back at Priest, received permission to leave the meeting, and took her across the hallway to an empty bedroom. During the meeting, the other Tarkio members had watched over her, ensuring she remained in the building. He'd expected to be done with business sooner, but they couldn't agree on how to handle the problem.
Closing the door, he faced her. "What's going on?"
"What did they decide? Are they going to help me?" Her breasts rose and fell with her breathing. "Can I go?"
"We haven't come to a decision yet."
She inhaled swiftly through her nose and clamped her lips together. Her hand went to her forehead.
"Go ahead."
She grimaced. "I need to tell you something that isn't my secret to share."
"About?"
"Cami." She closed her eyes a few seconds and then met his gaze. "It's important for me to save her, not only because she's my best friend, but because she's pregnant. Nobody knows, except me. She's only three months along and not showing. If the men who are holding her find out, they won't sell her. If they can't sell her, they'll..."
He jerked, not needing to hear more. He knew what would happen to her and the baby if Shaw sold her. "The father?"
Josie shook her head. "He's not around or involved in Cami's life."
A crushing heaviness settled over him. He knew what the outcome would be before it happened.
Josie wrapped her arms around her middle. He had no strength to lend her. Going after her had opened up a nightmare.
"Give me a few more minutes, and I'll have an answer for you." Paco opened the door and walked her back to the main room, handing her care over to Chrischris.
Alone in the hallway, he failed to control his anger and burst into the meeting room, slamming the door behind him.
Everyone turned toward him. Inside his body, his blood boiled. His hold on reality slipped the more information he gained from Josie. The outcome flashed in front of him, and his reaction never changed. It never changed.
"Cami Johnson is pregnant," he blurted. "I'm riding out."
"Son of a bitch." Priest walked around the table. "Give me five minutes to get a crew together and say our goodbyes."
He walked out of the room, needing air. Cami's pregnancy had changed Priest's opinion of the situation. Tarkio was in.
The outcome would be anyone's guess. None of them were strangers to the prison system or losing a brother. Paco stepped into the main room. He'd killed when the situation came down to his freedom or losing his position within the club.
Taking out men who sold women, pregnant women, disgusted him.
Josie spotted him and rushed across the room. He needed to talk to her, but he needed to get out of here first.
Finding it difficult to breathe, he guided her down the hallway to the back door. Out of view of the main road, it would be safe for him to talk to her privately.
"Well?" she said, facing him.
"We're going in after her." He grabbed his pack of smokes with a shaky hand, needing to distract himself. "You'll stay here. Don't think about running off. There will be others watching over you."
"I want to