Gunner (Savaged Souls MC #2) Read online

  One of the three men made a phone call and soon, two more men joined them. They reached down and dragged the dead body away.

  Then she heard the men speaking again. She didn’t stay to listen to their words. They were too hard for a child to understand anyway.

  She was so stunned she didn’t say a word. She knew she couldn’t watch anymore and she crept back to her corner and stayed there the rest of the night but no one bothered to check on her. No one bothered to check on her the next day either.

  Finally, she came out of her room to get something to eat and no one else was even there. While she was eating, it had become late and she never turned on the lights because she knew better when Mike and Sheila were missing, but she saw headlights through the windows, so she hightailed it back to her hiding spot.

  It was two days later, when her parents returned. It wasn’t the first time they’d left her on her own and it wouldn’t be the last time.

  Someone knelt in front of her and she raised her head to see Gunner there. “Baby, what’s wrong?”

  “That woman is a killer,” she whispered.

  “How do you know that?” Gunner asked looking over at Boone to get his attention.

  Winona began to shake. Her body was going into shock and she didn’t want to remember.

  Boone rushed over to her, pulled her to her feet then gathered her into his arms and carried her out to the dining room.

  When he got there, he sat down in the nearest chair and yelled out, “Someone, grab a blanket, or something. She’s freezing cold.”

  Gunner sat down next to her and began rubbing her arms as Boone held her. “Baby girl, stay with us,” Gunner told her quietly. “We need you now. You need to tell us about this woman.”

  Winona rested her head on Boone’s shoulder and felt the cold invade her body. Soon enough, a blanket was spread around her as she was tucked into Boone’s body. She so wanted just to forget that woman but she knew she couldn’t. She had to tell them what she knew. This could hold Dana’s life in the balance. “I only saw her the one time, but it was a long time ago. I was only eight years old that year. Mike and Sheila were meeting with some people and I was told to stay in my room no matter what I heard. I knew better than to come out anyway. After dark in that house, bad things happened. One night there was a loud discussion but when I heard a strange woman’s voice, I had to see who was out there.”

  “And what did you see?” Gunner asked.

  “I saw three strangers and a woman. There was a man kneeling on the floor that had been beaten. Mike, Sheila and Blacky were there as well. I didn’t know Blacky at the time but I’d seen him before. I just never knew his name, back then.”

  “What happened next Winona?” Boone asked.

  “That woman at some point in their loud discussion, slowly pulled a gun out of her pocket, twisted a silencer on the barrel and just put a bullet into the man’s head.” She shook her head. “She didn’t even flinch when she killed him. Her eyes were so cold. Shortly after that, everyone left the house. Nobody came back until sometime in the next night. I didn’t say anything, I knew better.”

  Gunner sat back in his chair and just stared at her for the longest time. “So Blacky has been mixed up with these people all this time huh?”

  “Do you know who they are?” Winona wanted to know.

  Gunner ran his hands over the back of his head. “I think they are known as the Vory V Zakone. A branch of the Russian mob. Not the regular mob, mind you, but a branch of the outlaw part. They aren’t nice people and Blacky owes them a great deal of money. We just turned over all the money we found to the cartel connection.” Gunner looked up at Boone with dread in his eyes. “What do we do now? She’s going to kill my daughter.”

  Then Winona remembered something else from that night so long ago. “Maybe not. That night the three men were holding large duffel bags. When they left that night, they took the body with them and Blacky had the two duffel bags. When Mike, Sheila and Blacky returned they spoke of the money and where it was hidden. Blacky told them they would never find it but it would remain hidden in case he ever needed it. He said that was going to be his go to money, in case he ever had to disappear in a hurry.” She looked over at his father. “Maybe that money is still where he buried it.”

  Gunner shook his head. “Even if it is, he would never tell us. He hates me that much. He won’t stop until me and mine are dead.”

  “Perhaps they’ll take his life in trade for Dana’s? “Rigger suggested. “We won’t know until we ask.”

  “All I know is we have to get her back.” Gunner growled. “No matter what she’s done to us, we have to get her back. She’s still my daughter.”

  “Maybe Arizona would know?” Winona suggested.

  Rigger growled. “That fucking backstabber. What the fuck would he know?”

  “He might know more than you think,” Winona offered.

  “Why don’t we find out?” Boone suggested.

  “How can we really trust anything he says as fact and not just a bid to save his own neck from the hangman’s noose?” Gypsy asked.

  “We can’t just leave her to that woman!” Winona cried out shivering in Boone’s arms. “Dana even in her worst behavior, doesn’t deserve that.”

  “How can you defend her?” Gypsy wanted to know. “In her anger, she hurt you the worst and never once thought about your welfare.”

  Winona turned to look at the man. “She may be a spoiled little bitch in your eyes but in mine...” Winona let out a deep sigh, “...she’s still my sister. For someone like me who’s never known where she came from, or having any real family, having a sister and a dad means something. It means I’m part of a family I never knew I had. I have a past I never knew about.” She looked around the room at all their faces. “That may mean nothing to you guys but it means a hell of a lot to me.”

  There was nothing but silence for the longest time, then the front door was pushed open and Jeeter stomped into the clubhouse. “What the fucking hell Boss?” He was rubbing the back of his head. “Someone hit me from behind and I was out for the count for over twenty minutes. Then I get a call to get my ass back here. What’s going on?”

  Gunner got up on his feet to face the other man. “Dana is gone. She was taken out the back door by an assassin for the Russian mob.”

  Jeeter looked surprised then confused. “How the hell did she manage that? I saw only one woman enter the shop the whole time I was there.”

  “That was the woman who she left with,” Gypsy told him. “Winona tells us she’s a killer.”

  “Blacky mentioned he owes the Vory V Zakone a huge amount of money and they will come here to collect it,” Gunner informed him. “He told us this, after we gave all the money he had to the cartel but we think he’s got more hidden somewhere. We just have to find it first before they come here to get it.”

  “How are you going to get him to tell us where it is?” Jeeter asked. “He isn’t going to just tell you. He’s a dead man either way and he hates you enough to not say a word and let you suffer losing your daughter. He never liked her either.”

  “I know that.” Gunner growled. “But maybe Arizona knows and would be willing to bargain his life for hers.” Shaking his head, he sat down again. “But that’s not a deal I can bargain with him. The Tribunal sentenced him and I can’t go against the Tribunal. Not even for my daughter’s life.”

  “Maybe not but the Tribunal can issue a reprieve of sorts,” Gypsy told him. “We can’t stop his death but maybe we can postpone it until we find the money.”

  “If the money still exists anymore.” Gunner shook his head. “It’s been a number of years since Winona was eight years old.”

  “What do you want us to do Boss?” Rigger finally asked.

  Gunner looked up at his men and shook his head. “I can’t ask you to do anything. I won’t abuse my office of President to do that. But I will ask you to help me find her.” He got to his feet and walked down the hall to his
bedroom.

  Winona and the others watched him go and Winona wasn’t the only one that was worried about him.

  Meanwhile, downstairs, Arizona was laying on his bunk. Blacky was laying on his bunk as well but Blacky was almost asleep while Arizona was wondering how not to get himself dead. “You aren’t worried about the day after tomorrow at all are you?” Arizona growled.

  “Why the hell should I worry about something I can’t change?” Blacky asked him with his eyes still closed.

  “We’re gonna hang you stupid man.”

  Blacky smiled, his eyes still closed. “No we’re not at least, I’m not. I still have an ace up my sleeve.”

  Arizona snorted. “You mean the money from the Vory V Zakone?”

  Blacky quickly sat up and turned to face him. “What the fuck do you know about that?” he snarled.

  Arizona raised his arms up and put them behind his head. Then he smiled at the rage in the other man’s voice. “More than you would care for me to know I’m thinking. Perhaps I can strike a deal with Gunner? The money for my life.”

  Blacky threw his head back and began laughing out loud. “If that’s what you think you don’t know Gunner very well at all. He won’t ask that of his men, no way, no how. He’s got too much honor to go against the Tribunal like that. Not even if one of his kids were in trouble.”

  “So says you, but he knows they are coming now, and he has to pay them the money or face his own death,” Arizona reminded him. “Do you really think he’s going to let one of your schemes take his life?”

  Blacky laid back down. “He’s got no choice. I’ll never tell him where the money is so he has no bargaining chip.” Blacky chuckled. “He’ll die cursing my name, so who will get the last laugh after all?”

  “You really are a sick fucking bastard aren’t you?” Arizona shook his head.

  “Yeah, I may be a bastard but what does that make you?” Blacky asked him. “No, my friend, Gunner isn’t going to be able to save either of us now.” He shook his head and he said, “He won’t be able to save his own life either though. The only consolation I have is that I’ll meet him in hell in a few short days.”

  Just then, they heard heavy footsteps coming down the stairs.

  Chapter Four

  Arizona and Blacky sat up in their bunks as Winona, Boone and several of the other brothers came down.

  “To what do we owe this pleasure?” Blacky asked. “And where is your fearless leader?”

  “This has nothing to do with Gunner,” Boone told him.

  “Huh?” Blacky scoffed. “I have a feeling this has everything to do with that bastard.”

  “A Russian hit woman took Dana this morning. They want the money you took from them years ago.” Boone glared at him. “As much as it pains me to say this, we want Dana back.”

  “You can’t force me to help you, you put me under a death sentence. All I have to do is wait two more days. By then, Dana will be able to meet me at the gates of hell.” Blacky chuckled.

  “Or we can contact the Russians and offer them a trade you for her,” Gypsy suggested. “Hell, we’ll even throw Arizona in for free. I wonder which of you will blab first?”

  Blacky shook his head. “That goes against everything the Tribunal stands for. Gunner would never do the deal.”

  “Gunner isn’t doing the deal, we are,” Tramper told him. “The members of the Tribunal are setting the terms of this deal.”

  “So, Gunner is hiding behind you guys now? Such a fucking coward.” Blacky growled.

  “They are asking this for me, not Gunner,” Winona finally spoke up. “You made my life a living hell when you separated me from my mom and my twin. Your sister and her husband abused me almost to the point of death several times. Then you would show up, I never knew your name until I came here but I knew you were evil. You were the boogey man in my nightmares when I was younger. You told me at the warehouse that you watched my mom bleed out after Dana was born, then you took me to your sister because I was your ace in the hole as far as Gunner was concerned. Did you beat the hell out of your sister when they forgot to come home that one time? Or did you use drugs to finally kill them?”

  “What the hell are you saying bitch?” Blacky began to sweat. No one here knew about that before.

  “I know you looked all over town for me, before you finally gave up. Mrs. George saw the wanted posters on me, but she never told me about them until the last time she got sick, before she died. She used to tell me I had to hide myself or the bad men would find me. She knew who you were but she kept me safe the only way she could. She hid me for years. She was the only real mother I had until the day she died. On her deathbed, she told me everything. She told me how hard you looked for me and why, because you sold me to someone for a lot of money and when you couldn’t find me, you had to give the buyer his money back. But your buyer wasn’t happy about not getting me. Mrs. George told me everything. I had to change my name and move to another city after she was gone. That I’d never be safe from you and that I should watch my back because you would never give up on finding me.” Winona was almost sobbing by the time she was done. This was something she hoped never to reveal about the bastard who made her life a living hell. This was just a part of her nightmare and now she had shared it with the very men that respected her father to the point of overruling their own tribunal.

  The cell area went quiet as she stopped talking.

  “I prayed I was doing the right thing by staying so close to Lake Charles. I prayed so hard you would never find me, but then I came here didn’t I? I came here and found my father and the sister I never knew I had. I wanted to forget about you until I saw you again. I thought you looked familiar even though I never knew what your name was.”

  “Bitch, you need to keep your mouth shut!” Blacky shouted at her.

  “Why? Why do I need to do that?” she asked him with narrowed eyes. “Are you afraid I might know where the money is buried? Afraid I might take away any ace you had in the hole?” Winona moved closer to the cell. She was still hurting from the beating she’d taken at his hands. “I’ll bet you didn’t know while you searched high and low for me in Lake City, I was following you all over town. I watched while you made your rounds every week. You had no fear walking around that town doing your business, you never turned around to see if you were being followed or not. “Hell, one day I saw you meet with the Russians,” Winona scoffed, “You stopped in a park, I was hiding in the tree you sat under. You never knew I was even there.”

  Suddenly, Winona had a flash of memory and her eyes widened as she remembered that day. She was fifteen and she wasn’t as afraid of him as she’d been when she was eight. Now his words began making sense to her. “You lousy bastard!” She screamed at him. “You fucking lousy bastard.” She turned to the men standing there and told them what she’d overheard that day. “Nine years ago he sold out this club. He promised the Russians that in ten years he would disband this group and bring down their leader Gunner. He said those he couldn’t control he would just kill and be done with it. He also promised that he would put some people into position where they could watch the group and then when he booted out everyone he knew he couldn’t control, the Russians could just walk in here and take over your business.”

  Then she turned to Arizona. “He was the first of four he was setting up. He told the Russians something else too. He was going to set up the President’s daughter as his own whore and she would serve him and whoever else he wanted her to. He’s had this planned for nine years.”

  The men snapped their heads around to glare at Blacky who was sweating.

  He raised his hands up. “How the hell did— could you have overheard that conversation? It never happened. Come on, you guys know me. What she’s saying is all lies. She’d say anything to get herself out of trouble. Don’t you guys see that?”

  Winona shook her head. “No, I’m not and you know it. The Russians need legit workers to launder their money. This was an option you
gave them to do that. The bounty hunting business would help them track down the people that owed them. It would also help them with their blackmail scheme. With the bounty hunting contacts this club has, they could find out whatever they needed to know and use that information to blackmail businessmen all over the world.”

  Boone nodded. “It makes sense. That’s the real reason why they need to know where to find you. They want the deal you made them. They don’t care about the money end of the deal, they want the deal you promised them.”

  “Now they’ve got Dana and they won’t hesitate to kill her instead of you.” Gypsy growled.

  “Not if we can find them first.” Boone snarled.

  “We’re gonna have to be careful, we won’t know what Dana will tell them about the club,” Tramper suggested. “She’s not known for enduring much pain. She’ll tell them anything to avoid being hurt.”

  “We have to find out who the woman is that took her,” Winona told them. “We can call Julie at the spa to find that out. Then we can go from there.” She turned to Boone. “Can you help me back upstairs?”

  Boone swept her into his arms and went back upstairs.

  They were followed by everyone but Tramper. He stayed behind.

  When they were alone, Tramper looked over to Arizona and said, “I suggest if you know anything else you’d better tell me. If we have to go to war with the Russians you might not last until the day after tomorrow.”

  “You better keep your fucking mouth shut or I’ll kill you slowly.” Blacky threatened from his cell.

  Arizona looked over at Tramper and said, “Make me a deal that doesn’t include my death and I’ll tell you everything I know.”

  Tramper looked from one man to the other. “You two deserve each other. Treason only ends with death. Maybe you’d be better off with the Russians. But then these bastards aren’t the real Bratva are they? No they are the Vory V Zakone. Outcasts of the real Bratva. The real Bratva has a sense of honor, these bastards don’t know what honor is. By the way, do you know how they treat betrayers? I’ve only heard this so I can’t be sure if it’s true or not but hell, even if it is just a rumor, I wouldn’t wish this on any man.”