Whiskey: Soldiers Of Hades MC, #5

Whiskey froze at her description of her cousin’s brand of torture. The hard knot of coldness in the pit of his stomach began to grow until he felt it in his entire body. Every word she was telling them was exactly how his wife died seven years ago. The killer had never been found and now, he knew why. “What does he carve into their foreheads?” he whispered hoarsely.

At his tone, Lightning raised his head and stared at him.

“It is an inverted triangle with an initial of our three fathers at each corner,” Luisa explained. “His initials are in the inside of the triangle,” she whispered as she watched his face. Then she realized he already knew the answer to his question. She raised her hand to her mouth. “But you already knew this didn’t you?”

“Whiskey,” Lightning called out. “What does she mean? What is she talking about?”

Cobra and Python narrowed their eyes and were watching him carefully.

Whiskey slowly turned his head to glare at Luisa.

Ivy Blue got off Cobra’s lap and going behind him, she went over to Luisa and stood beside her, placing her hands on the other woman’s shoulder.

GTO placed his arm around Luisa and stared back at Whiskey.

Lightning kept his eyes on his friend.

They could all see the fury in his eyes.

“Yes I know his work,” Whiskey finally admitted. His words were softly spoken, but everyone in the room could hear the inner rage he was feeling.

They could almost see the waves of more than just simple anger emanating from every pore of his body. His demeanor threatened them all.

“I hope you will not miss him because I plan to kill that little bastard.”

Luisa shook her head. Tears flowed down her cheeks and she was shaking with fear. “I am not my family, senior. I have hated what they do all my life.” She turned her head and gazed at GTO. “I was never happy until this man rescued me.” Turning her head back to view Whiskey, she spoke softly, “I am not my family, the blood is in my veins, but their ways are not in my heart. We all have our fair share of guilt but I will not be judged by you for something I didn’t do.”

There was a long moment of tension filled silence broken only by the sound of breathing.

Each and every man present was waiting for Whiskey to explode as their hands were resting on their weapons in case they needed them.

Then Whiskey broke the silence, “I never said you did. I’m just saying before this is over, your cousin will be dead and by my hand.”

Luisa nodded. “Fair enough. He may be my cousin but I am not him or anything like the rest of my family. I wanted you to know that.”

Whiskey nodded. “You have a good man behind you, and a good club at your back. They will protect you from your family. But for his own sins your cousin will die by my hand.” He looked around the room at the different faces sitting there. “And if anyone tries to stop me, I will go right through them, this man is mine.”

Luisa nodded at his statement.

The men in the room simply looked back at him.

Lightning shook his head and muttered, “Damn…”

Whiskey turned around on his heels and walked out of the clubhouse. The hot dry air of this part of Texas hit him in the face as he exited the building but he took a deep breath anyway. It almost burst his lungs but it released a pain he’d been carrying around with him for a very long time. He headed toward the woods and found himself alone in the quiet of the trees. He felt a peace here.

Holy hell…He finally knew the truth. The truth that had nearly killed him seven years ago. Now to come here and find the man who had taken away his family. It had stunned him to say the least. He hadn’t expected this at all. He’d hunted this killer for years and never got close. No wonder as the man was in Mexico most of the time. Now all he had to do was find a way to get to the man. Then he could finally kill him, slowly like he killed his victims.

He just needed a moment to collect his thoughts and get his mind back in order. He didn’t drink anymore, but this was one time when he felt like he needed one. But he wouldn’t drown in whiskey, he needed to be entirely sober and clear minded. He’d come here to blow something up, but now it would be much more than that. It would be him killing someone who’d more than earned it.

Python looked around the room. Everyone wore the same expression, shock, and confusion. He looked over at Lightning and growled, “What the fuck did you get us involved in here? What’s his story?”

Lightning shook his head. “I have no idea man.” He raked his fingers through his hair as he turned to stare at the door his friend had just gone through. “We met him about five years ago. He told us after we got to know him a little bit that he had been the best Uncle Sam ever had when it came to demolitions.” He shook his head. “He wasn’t bragging either, man. He’s showed us what he could do.”

“Is he a threat to my woman?” GTO wanted to know. He looked over at Luisa and didn’t like the look of fear on her face.

“No, I’m no threat to your woman.” Whiskey growled from behind the group. He came further into the room and glanced at Luisa. He could see and almost smell her fear and he shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I would never harm an innocent. I know you are not your family. You just brought back some painful memories for me.” He exhaled loudly, then straightened his shoulders. “But that’s not what I came here to do.” He went on with the business he’d been summoned to do. “I need to see both places. I can set the charges at the brewery in Odessa on a timer and blow both places at the same time if that’s what you want.” He shrugged. “I can look at the place here this afternoon, then go to Odessa tomorrow morning and check things out over there. I can get this set up in the next three days.”

“I can ride with him over there,” Lightning volunteered. “Let me get him into his room here and he can stash his stuff. And then, I’ll take him to the distributor house.”

Python nodded. “You do that.”

Whiskey stared at Python. “I am no threat to your club…” he looked over at GTO. “Nor, to your woman. I will do the job I was called here for.”

Lightning gave Nala a kiss on the cheek as he told her he would be back. Then he led his friend down the hall.

When the two men left, Python looked over at his son, Cobra. “What do you think?”

“I think he’s got some bad demons.” Cobra shrugged. “Is he going to be a threat to us?” He shook his head. “I don’t think so. Will he come after Luisa? Again, I don’t think so. Will he go after Carmen? Oh yeah, he will and right now Carmen is a dead man walking.” Cobra shook his head. “He’s got a certain blood lust in his eyes and in his heart for that man. Our problem is we don’t know what happened to put it there.”

“Then someone should tell him Carmen always carries blades with him. Blades as in more than one and less than five,” Luisa whispered loudly. “He’s dangerous and not above stabbing a person in the back when they aren’t expecting it.”

“Do you want me to take you somewhere safe until this blows over?” GTO asked her.

“Does such a place exist?” Luisa asked shakily.

Python reached out and took her hand. When she looked up at him he told her, “You are safe right here darlin girl. We can and will watch over you. Your family wants you dead for betraying them and we aren’t going to let that happen. Whiskey said he wasn’t after you. I believe him. He isn’t going to hurt you. Lightning and his men all say Whiskey is the best at what he does. We need him right now.”

Luisa nodded then looked over at GTO. “I think we should stay right here. As far as Carmen is concerned, it is way past time he paid for his crimes. Maybe his death will set both Whiskey and me free.”