“How’s it hangin’, brother?” Hush sat beside me, pulling me from my dark thoughts, and as always, Cowboy weren’t far behind. They were like each other’s damn shadows.

“Ky,” Cowboy greeted, tipping his Stetson, and signaled for a beer from prospect, taking a seat next to Hush.

The three of us didn’t talk. What the fuck was there to say?

Hours passed and one by one the brothers entered the bar: Tank, Bull, Vike, Flame, Tanner showed his face, and eventually Styx. We were all waiting on intel, the old ladies upstairs with Maddie and Mae.

Someone nudged my arm and Styx sat beside me. He didn’t say fuck all either.

The roar of Harleys sounded outside, and I jumped off my barstool, ready to run for the door, but Styx held me back.

Minutes later, AK and Smiler entered the bar, looking tired and disheveled, Smiler’s long hair greasy and tied back, dirt all over their leathers and skin. I pounded in their direction as they slumped on the sofas and stood before them.

I heard Styx whistle for everyone to gather around.

“Well?” I prompted.

AK lifted his head and ran his hands down his face. “They have a motherfuckin’ army.”

Releasing a long sigh, I crossed my arms over my chest, and Hush asked, “What we dealing with?”

“Guards patrolling with AK-47s ‘round every perimeter, and not just any guard. These guys know what they’re doing. Have two shifts, day and night,” Smiler revealed.

“Any weak areas?” Tank asked.

“Not many. But they weren’t thorough enough when they secured the outer perimeter and we found a way in on the southwest of the property. Not much but hills and fields there, scrubland. It’s the weakest spot, anywhere else and we’re looking at four-deep electrical fencing, cameras, and patrols every hour.” AK then looked up at Styx and me; the prez had moved beside me. “Don’t know where the fuck they’ve all come from, but I can tell y’all now, those fuckers we killed months back—the elders, prophet cunt-face, those brothers who had Mae, Li, and Madds—they were nothing. This place ain’t like nothing I’ve seen before. And the ammo they were strapped with, real top-grade Israeli shit. And I gotta say, prez, that shit’s better than what we’re hauling.”

Styx nudged me, and I automatically watched his hand sign and translated. “What the hell is this place? What’re they doing there?”

Smiler actually motherfuckin’ smiled, without humor, though. “Looks like the fuckin’ crusade, like a fortified Jerusalem or some shit. Those religious freaks look like they’re prepping for fuckin’ Armageddon.”

Styx threw his head back and groaned, then looked at Bull. “Any word about new gun dealers on our turf?”

Bull shook his head. “Nothing. Everything’s all good.”

“They’re biding their time,” I said and met Styx’s eyes. “We all know Rider. He’s new. He’ll need to get things in order before he strikes. But after that… well. he’s pissed and he’s gonna bring the fuckin’ rain.”

“We got in, scoped the outskirts, but never went too deep,” Smiler said.

“And Lilah? Did you see my woman?” I asked, a fuckin’ pit in my stomach.

AK and Smiler glanced to each other, seeming to debate on what the hell to share. I stepped forward, drawing their attention, and said, “Whatever you gotta say, brothers, you better start talking.”

AK sat back on the sofa and said, “We saw something, but no, we never saw Lilah.”

“What did you see?” Hush asked. “We gotta know everything if we’re going in.”

Smiler’s brows furrowed and he said, “We were well back, but we heard some crazy Bible shit being piped through huge speakers.” They glanced to each other again and that only served to piss me off.

“Stop fuckin’ staring into each other’s eyes and tell me what the fuck you saw!” I shouted, catching AK gritting his teeth

“You wanna know what we saw? We saw a motherfuckin’ orgy. A shitload of folk fuckin’ on a huge patch of grass, pussies and cocks everywhere, fuckin’ each other in every hole they could find, while shouting some crazy language we didn’t understand.”

“Never seen anything like it,” Smiler added.

Every part of me froze, and AK stood, putting his hand on my shoulder. “It was like some crazy sex cult, brother. Neither of us caught Lilah, but that don’t mean she weren’t there.”

Flame visibly shook and looked to Styx. “When we going in?”

Styx looked to Smiler and AK and raised his eyebrows, silently asking the question.

“We were thinking nightfall,” Smiler answered. “We got a pretty good idea what we’ll get for the first couple of miles, but it’ll be all surprises from then. Darkness will give us the extra coverage we’ll need to track down Lilah. And brother…” Smiler turned to me. “We will fuckin’ get her… at any cost. Even if I didn’t like the bitch, her staying in that fucked-up place wouldn’t sit right with me.”

“And the guns,” Bull said. “We gotta try and know what they’re stocking. Those fuckers are still just outside’a Austin. They’re gonna be making a play for our turf in no time at all. This could mean a fuckin’ all-out war with the cunts. And now they’re in with the KKK? Shit’s not looking good.”

“Everyone good with going in at nightfall?” Styx signed, nodding at what Bull had said.

A round of ayes sounded, and I said, “Who’s going in? ‘Cause I’m going and I don’t wanna hear no shit about it.”

Styx nodded and pointed to AK, Smiler, Cowboy, Hush, him, and me. “We six go, but, Ky?” I watched my best friend’s hands. “It’s AK and Smiler’s lead, right?”

My jaw clenched so hard it fuckin’ ached, but I replied, “Right.”

“Tank, Bull, Flame, Vike, you guys protect the club. No fucker comes in.” They all jerked their chin in agreement, but Flame growled.

“I’m coming,” Flame spat, looking as crazy as shit in his leathers, no shirt, and only his cut on top. “Don’t dare leave me outta this shit. I’m coming.”

AK walked to Flame. “Brother, this is an in-and-out mission. No fuckin’ drama or those nut jobs’ll catch us all and crucify our asses. This isn’t some pussy-ass hippy shit we’re dealing with. This version of the cult is fuckin’ locked and loaded to take any fucker out that crosses their turf.”