I nod. Take one last drag and stub the cigarette out beneath my boot.
I walk over to the truck and run my fingers along the bullet hole in the side panel. Feel the jagged edge of the metal where it punched through. Every month, my guys do the same run—different routes, same cargo. Arms from Mikhail Volkov in Vegas. From there, I either send them to Frankie in New York or out to the Quinn brothers in Pennsylvania. Sometimes, other places, depending on where Enzo wants them, and who had the highest bid. We get some nice pieces flowing through here. Unusual shit you can’t just walk into a store and buy. Shit designed for a war, not a ranch shootout.
“Get him out,” I order, and bang on the back of the trailer.
I’ve put word out to Enzo that I need him, but I’m still waiting for him to make contact. He’s getting harder and harder to get hold of these days, and we all know something’s brewing on his end. To him, my turf war with the Greeks is background noise.
But he still needs us. So he’ll help me. Once he hits that goddamn call button.
I sent word to Drago, too, even though he’s living the quiet life in Monaco now with his wife and kid. Doesn’t matter. He’s still in the game. You never leave this circus. The tent just gets bigger. And if anyone can reach Enzo, it’ll be him or Frankie. I need one of them to come through with this.
Jerry and Paulie drag the limp body of the Greek out of the trailer and toss him on the ground. They rip the bag off his head as he sputters. Blood soaks through his shirt where the bullet caught his shoulder, which is not helped by the fact that his arms are tied behind his back. He blinks against the sunlight.
I step in front of him and just stare.
“What do you want with me? Why not kill me?” he shouts.
I arch a brow. Pull my gun calmly from the holster. Flick off the safety. “Good question, boy. Good fuckin’ question.”
I crouch down.
“You can kill me, Hunter. But they’ve got more men just like me. Nobodies with nothing to lose. They’ll just keep sending them. And one day, they’ll get you.”
I nod slowly. Like I’m genuinely considering it. “Hmm. Was that supposed to scare me?”
His eyes go dark. “It should.”
I click my tongue against my teeth. “And you think we haven’t been battling to keep this place alive our entire lives? You think we’ve never come up against anyone like you?”
He shakes his head. “I know you haven’t. You’re cowboys. Not mafia. It’s a different league.”
I scoff. It almost comes out as a laugh.
“They really didn’t give you the write-up on my family, did they?” I press the tip of the gun under his jaw, and he swallows against the barrel. “Because if they did, you’d know I’ve worked for the most feared mafia families in the world. That half my life is dedicated to this ranch, the other half to the organization I fuckin’ lead here.”
I lean closer. Close enough that he can see his own reflection in my eyes.
“So no. Your family doesn’t scare me. Not with your fancy cars and cocaine up your nose. You should be petrified that I’ll step foot out of New Falls and shoot up everyone you love. You’re starting wars with cowboys.” I tilt my head. “And we ain’t scared to make shit go bang.”
He blows out a shaky breath. His whole body is trembling.
“Now, you’re going to end up in an unmarked grave next to your friend. And no one will ever step foot on my property to say goodbye. All because you thought you could take a shot at my family.”
He squeezes his eyes shut, I pull the trigger, and his body drops onto the dirt with a thud that barely disturbs the dust.
I stand, holster the gun, and brush myself off. This is an inconvenience at best. I can’t change who I am. And I have to pray to God that Lola accepts me for exactly that. Darkness and all.
But none of that means shit if I can’t find the person who killed Ashley before it gets pinned on me. “Jerry, get some more hands in to bury these fast. I’ll let Colten know your change of the schedule for today.”
As I turn, Ace arrives on his stallion, Seven. The horse is blowing hard, flanks slick with sweat, as Ace pulls him up in a spray of dirt.
“Ace. I need you to go back and start unloading the arms that Jerry brought into the barn.”
“Yeah, no problem. I’ve heard word from some of Ashley’s neighbours that some men have been sniffin’ round her place. Going to send some guys to discreetly keep watch, see who we catch in our traps,” Ace tells me.
“Good work.” I nod, stroking Seven’s mane.
He tips his hat and wheels Seven around.