“That’s Diablo turf,” Tank said. We go onto their turf, that’s a declaration of war.”

We all looked to Styx, who had lifted his hands. He looked at Smiler and signed, “Get in touch with Chavez, the Diablo prez. Tell him we want through the border, undetected, and we need to meet in a neutral place to do it.” He rolled his neck. “We meet them tonight and get in by morning. We gotta be there when the trucks arrive. Surprise the fuckers.” He looked at me. “I know that’s your bitch, but we need you and Smiler to get us a plan together. Tanner?” Styx looked at the White Prince. “You got us some eyes on this farm place?”

Tanner nodded. “Old, but it’s something.”

“Get it to AK. He needs to see the plans.”

“This treaty with the Diablos gonna stand when we all rock up in their territory?” Cowboy asked Styx.

“Guess we’ll fucking see,” Ky answered for Styx.

“We’re all going,” Styx signed. “Bikes and trucks.”

“We’re taking Rider too,” I said and felt every pair eyes on me. I looked up. “You ain’t seen what this Meister prick does to these bitches. We have.” I pointed to Flame, Vike, Hush and Cowboy. I shifted on my seat. “Fuck knows what state we’ll be getting them back in. ’Bout three hours thirty from here to La Cruz. Something goes down, or he’s hurt Phebe or Grace, Rider’ll be needed. And if Sapphira is there, that bitch has been getting raped and drugged non-stop for months.” I shook my head. “I ain’t taking no chances with any of it. He’s coming. He’s the only medic that knows how to be on the road when shit goes down. Like it or not, he fought with us in the last war, and we need him now more than anyone wants to admit.”

“I’ll get him,” Smiler said and left the room.

“We leave in an hour,” Styx signed. “Gather all the guns we can.” The gavel was slammed on the table, and we all fled to get our shit together. I saw Lilah waiting in the bar, but I swung outta the back door and onto my bike. I was at my cabin in minutes and gathering my guns. I pulled my favorite sniper rifle from my trunk and made sure I had a fuck-ton of bullets. Ash came bursting in the door, face serious, and moved to the same trunk. He took the gun he’d been practicing with and loaded it up.

I put my hand on his arm. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

Ash stilled. “I’m coming.”

“Like fuck you are!” I snapped.

The kid straightened his shoulders. “I’m driving the van with Slash. Rider’s in the back with all the medical supplies. Styx ordered it.”

I stood right in front of him, watching his determined black eyes meet mine, unwavering. “You get we could be walking into a fucking warzone, kid? You get some of us might not make it back? This Meister fucker ain’t no joke.” I held up my gun. “We’ll kill. A lot.”

Ash tipped his chin up, defiant. “I’m ready,” he said confidently. “I can shoot. And I’m ready for a war if we get one.”

I watched this sixteen-year-old kid. Watched as he changed from a kid to a fucking man right before my eyes. If I wasn’t so full of anger and hate for Meister, I’d have been fucking proud. I grabbed hold of his prospect cut and yanked him forward. “Don’t do nothing stupid. Stick by me or Flame.”

“Okay,” he said and released a long breath. I gathered my knives, my Glock and more ammo than I’d ever need and threw it all into a bag. When I stood up, Ash was looking down at the gun in his hand.

Fuck, he looked so young.

I walked over to him, waiting until he noticed me. “You might need to kill people today or tomorrow. You come, you fight. That’s Hangmen code.”

His cheeks paled, but he replied, “I know.”

I wanted to say more. But the truth was, the first kill you ever made was not something you could prep for. You do it, change forever, then get the fuck on with life and kill some more.

If it happened, it happened.

I loaded the van with supplies, then jumped on my bike. Flame and Vike came roaring up beside me. They each flicked their chins as Ash and Slash got in the van and pulled away.

Twenty minutes later, the Hangmen rolled out of the compound as one unit. And with every mile made, I let my hatred of Meister build inside me—fuel to this fucking mission. Or massacre, I thought to myself. Because if that dick had gone anywhere near Phebe, I’d kill him worse than any of those fuckers that took my brother. I’d make him pay, strip his flesh and slice through his guts. And as I looked to my left and right, Flame and Viking by my side, I knew they’d be with me too.

Meister was going down, and I was getting back my bitch.

There was no other choice.

Chapter Nineteen

Phebe

I did not know how long we were in the van, but it felt like hours. Grace had cried in my arms until she fell asleep, exhausted. But I never let her go. I kept her tightly to my chest as I thought of what lay ahead.

Fear. I had nothing within me but pure fear.

The van came to a stop, and I tensed when I heard voices outside. The voices were low, but deep and most certainly male. I trembled when I heard the sound of feet moving to the doors of the van. Grace woke and raised her head, a confused look on her pretty face as the doors flew open.

The men who had taken us reached inside and tore Grace from my arms. Grace screamed and reached out for me. I jumped out of the van, trying to get to her, but a hand wrapped around my hair and wrenched me back. “No!” I screamed, fighting to be free. “Grace!” I broke down in tears when the men led her into a building and out of my sight.

I looked all around me and did not recognize the place where we were. The air was as hot and sticky as the Hangmen’s home, the sky still as clear. Fields of green were all around us. A water tank sat in the middle of several buildings, but there was nothing else for miles.

“He wants her in Building Two,” one of the men said. With his hand still in my hair, I was dragged down a dirt path. I lashed out, trying to see around me for Grace, but there was nothing. Worse, I could no longer hear Grace’s screams.

Just silence.

Why was she being so quiet?

We stopped at a building. The man holding me opened the door and threw me inside. I landed hard on the stone floor but scrambled to my feet just as the door shut behind me. I bashed my clenched fists against the wood, yelling to be out. But after minutes and minutes of trying, screaming . . . I broke down into sobs and slid down the door.