So, closing my eyes, I allowed myself to envision a life where Tanner and I had no shackles holding us back. Living free and as we chose to. No war. No violence. Just him and me and our love.
It was the most perfect of dreams.
Chapter Eleven
Tanner
I watched Adelita getting ready across the room. She slipped on black jeans a plain black tank. Her dark brown hair fell to her waist. I watched her as she crossed the room and pulled flat black boots on her feet. My heart fucking squeezed seeing her like this. All she was missing was a cut. Fuck, that wasn’t true. She was missing that and my ring—the one I still intended to put on her finger.
The screen in front of me flashed with a new email. It was Wade. It wasn’t only the cartel that would be at the ghost town today. The Klan would be there too. And, according to Wade, so would Beau.
We’ll be positioned at the north side of the town. Snipers and shooters hidden in the back in case everything goes to shit. Cartel will have thirty men. We’ll be making up the rest.
Wade had already told me their plan. The Hangmen had been planning for three days. The Louisiana and San Antonio chapters were already on the south side of the ghost town. In position since last night. AK was with them. If Diego dared touch any of the brothers, AK was there to put a slug in his head. The guy was the best fucking sniper I knew. Zane, AK’s nephew, was a captive. Zane, who AK treated like a son . . . AK wouldn’t be missing a fucking shot.
On top of that, AK had the biggest task of all—to take out Diego. When the exchange was made, I had to restrain myself just long enough to let Adelita walk back to the cartel camp . . . then AK would send a bullet straight through Diego’s head.
There was no way to avoid the carnage that would follow. We were ready. It was time to fight.
Wade had given me numbers—of men, weapons and coordinates. I printed the information off and ran my hands over my face. Today, I would face Beau and Diego as a Hangman. All the time trying to keep the prospects and my bitch safe.
Too much could go wrong. I never wanted to ever go head to head with my baby brother. But there was no other way.
“One day, Tann,” Beau said. “One day we’ll stand together when the race war begins. Shoulder to shoulder, brother and brother. And we’ll fucking tear down anyone in our path.”
I remembered the elation I felt at that thought. Now, here I was, on the opposing side. I now was the path he intended to tear down. My fucking chest cracked at the thought.
Adelita put her hand on my shoulder like she’d sensed something was wrong. I lifted my head and let her spin me around in my chair. Never breaking eye contact, Adelita straddled my lap. Leaning in, she kissed my lips. My hands slid down her body, tracing over every curve. In the past three days I’d been inside her every chance I got. Our plan for today was good. We had men for when the battle broke out. Thanks to Wade, we had the knowledge of where their best snipers were positioned. But any little thing could send the exchange into a fucking nightmare. Any fuck-up could send any one of us to the boatman. Not all of us would come back to the compound tonight. That much we all knew.
I fucking counted on me and my bitch making it back alive.
“We have to go,” I said as Adelita laid her head on my chest. Her arms wrapped around me and held on tight. Adelita had been too quiet over the past few days. I didn’t like it. Didn’t like not knowing what she was thinking.
Lifting off the chair, Adelita slid down my body, and I kissed her lips. “You ready?”
Adelita nodded, but I could see she was scared by the worry in her eyes. It fucking killed me. I longed for the day when she was never scared again.
Taking her hand, I led her outside the club. The Hangmen were already waiting on their bikes. The truck I would drive was waiting at the back.
“You ready?” Ky asked. Styx and Ky were at the front of the pack. I nodded. Flame was