“What happened to you, bro?” Bricks asks in a slow, shocked way that makes it clear how far Merlin’s fallen in his eyes.
Merlin’s blank expression says he’s got no answers, but he’s saved from digging for some by his phone ringing.
He jerks an old cell out of his pocket and flips it open. “What?” he snaps.
We watch as he gives clipped answers to whoever’s on the other end. Merlin’s gaze flicks to me. “No, don’t do that. I can get what you need. Although, I should take off some since you cut up my nephew.”
This fucking asshole. I jump out of my chair and am about to leap over the fucking table. Murphy tackles me, leaving me clawing for Merlin like a kid being dragged out of a candy store.
“Yeah, yeah, I got it. You’re sure that’s all you want?” He wiggles his fingers at Wrath for a pen. Wrath quietly slides a pen and notepad over. Merlin scribbles a few things down, then turns the pad toward me.
$100K. 7 P.M.
He lifts an eyebrow.
“Yes,” I hiss. What’s there to talk about? “Tell them yes.”
“Yeah. Yeah,” Merlin says into his phone. “Yeah, I’ll see June too.” He rolls his eyes. “I’ll see if we can make that work.”
He takes down a few more notes, then hangs up.
“You could’ve asked to speak to Carter,” Wrath points out.
“Gee, sorry. I’m not up on kidnapping protocol.” Merlin meets my eyes. “You really got that kind of cash, Teller?”
“Not your business.”
“You sure Carter’s worth it?”
“Yes,” Rock snaps. “He’s club family.”
“He ain’t related to you.” Merlin’s gaze slides to Wrath. “Or you.”
“He works for me,” Rock says. “And he’s going to be my son’s brother-in-law.”
Merlin frowns but doesn’t ask any obvious follow-up questions.
“He’s working for a friend of the club, too,” Z adds.
“What the fuck work is he doing for your club that’s so damn important?” Merlin snaps.
Grinder rolls up one of his sleeves, showing off the newest Carter original inked into his forearm. An owl with the chain of a pocket watch wrapped around its feet. Carter had been really excited when he came up with the design. Looking at it now tightens my chest. We have to find him.
“My nephew did that?” Merlin asks, as if his influence is somehow responsible for Carter’s talent. “Damn.”
“He’s doing custom paint for us at Rock’s shop too,” Bricks adds. “Real talented artist.”
“Well, shit. All those faggy drawings he was always wasting his time on had a purpose after all.” Merlin smiles.
Rock stands. “Use that word in my clubhouse again or say that shit to Carter and I’ll scatter your parts from here to Mississippi.” He spits the threat out like a hail of bullets. “No one will ever find your body. You feel me?”
“Geez, when’d you all get so sensitive?” Merlin searches the table for someone who agrees but gets nothing.
“Enough bullshit.” I stand. “Where are we meeting them?”
“They have a camp on the Vermont side of the border.” Merlin lifts his chin at me. “Not far from where we took our little nighttime excursion.”
If he thinks he’s going to rattle me by alluding to his Wolf Knight brother that we killed and buried in Vermont, he’s mistaken. I told Rock about it the night it happened. My conscience is clear as far as my club’s concerned.