Chapter 76 76
DIESEL POV
“If my presence is going to cause any trouble... you can allow me to leave.”
“Leave.”
The word rang in my head as the door lock clicked. I stood there and inhaled a long breath before slamming the door shut. I looked back at the wood, unable to shake the image of her. Even the night we met, she had that same innocent look. I can’t explain it, but looking at her always makes my heart…
“Oh God,” I muttered. “What the hell is with that face of hers?”
The memory of my shirt swallowing her frame made me smile, but the moment I took a step, I noticed a shadow five steps away.
Hawk.
I felt startled for a split second, but I didn't show it. I instantly wiped the smile away, replacing it with the stone mask I always wore. I looked at Hawk, then caught Raven standing by the stairway. I knew why they were here. I glanced back at the door one last time; Daisy would never hear a word of the bullshit they were about to speak.
I started walking, and Hawk fell in behind me. I stopped when I noticed the gun in his hand. It was normal to see him armed, but not right here—not on the same floor as her. That was a firm NO.
“Stop taking that Steel Fish near this wall,” I growled.
Hawk just chewed his gum, rolling the gun in his hand. “You know we need it, Now. You’re the one calling for a war.”
We headed down the stairs. I knew Raven had already run to Hawk to tell him about whatever she’d found on her phone. I gave her a warning look as we passed, but she trailed us anyway.
“There’s no war. We have nothing to worry about,” I said.
“You know that’s a fucking lie,” Raven snapped. “As long as that rat is still in there, we’re calling for a fight.”
“Rat.”
I stopped dead. The word made my blood simmer. I turned on her, my frame towering over the narrow hallway. Raven stepped back while Hawk patted my shoulder—a silent “let it go”—but my eyes stayed pinned on her.
“I didn't know her name,” Raven muttered, rubbing her red hair. “She’s short. People call ’em rats these days.”
I stepped into her space, crowding her against the railing. I leaned down, my voice dropping into a low, possessive growl.
“Daisy.”
I let the name hang there until she flinched. “That’s her name. Don't forget it.”
I turned and headed for my office, kicking the door open. The room smelled of old leather and bourbon. I sat at my desk, the chair creaking under me. Hawk stood by the door, gun held loose. Raven paced the rug, her face red with anger.
"Sit down, Raven," I barked.
"I’ll sit when we figure out what to do with the trouble you brought home," she snapped, though she dropped into the chair anyway. She slid her cracked phone across the desk. "Look at the screen, Diesel. Now."
“Donald just increase her price” Raven said
I stared at the display. It was a private alert from the underground wire.
WANTED: $500,000. BRING HER BACK.
There was a photo of Daisy. A clear shot. My jaw tightened. Half a million dollars for one girl. Donald must be insane. He knows that kind of money makes even the most loyal men start thinking about betrayal.
“$500,000… shit. Diesel.”
"You know how dirty Donald plays," Hawk said calmly. He pulled a cigarette and lit it. "He knows your weakness. He knows you hate war, but Donald doesn't mind shedding his brothers' blood. He’ll send every hitter in the state to our front door for that kind of money."
“Exactly,” Raven interrupted. “We just need to throw her out. I'm not ready to trade the peace of this club for that chicken.”
"Chicken?" I muttered, my voice dropping.
"Chicken is better than Rat," Hawk said, defending Raven.
“Seriously?”
“Yes,” Raven said. She walked over to Hawk and snatched the cigarette right out of his mouth. She took a long drag, her eyes locked on mine.
"I thought you quit," I said.
"I did," she said, blowing smoke. "But that... that pipsqueak is making me heat up."
“Pipsqueak.”
"Daisy," I leaned back, correcting her again. I knew she wouldn’t listen, but being the only woman in this club, she had a special place in my heart and she knew it, and misused it sometimes.
“Her name is Daisy,” I said again.
Raven rolled her eyes and huffed. "I am Russian, Diesel. It is hard for me to pronounce. My accent won't allow me to say that name properly."
She didn't wait for me to say anything. She threw the cigarette butt on the floor, crushed it, and stormed out. The door slammed, leaving me and Hawk in silence. He looked at the phone, then at me.
"Half a million, D," Hawk said quietly. "That's a lot of heat for a girl you just met."
"It's not about the money," I growled.
"I know it's not," Hawk muttered, heading for the door. "But do you think it's worth it? Keep your eyes open. I don’t want to see past mistakes repeat themselves. I’m telling you that as your best friend."
He walked out and closed the door behind him.
“Past mistakes…”
I said the words quietly, the sound disappearing into the shadows of the office. My mind traveled back to exactly what Hawk meant.
“It’s different this time, Hawk,” I muttered.
I leaned back in my chair, the tension from the argument still tight in my shoulders. My eyes went back to the phone on the desk.
“Donald... you should just stop.”
I reached for my phone and dialed his number. I didn't care about the time. It rang only twice before he picked up.
“Who is this?” Donald asked, his voice smooth and bored.
“You know who it is, Donald.”
The silence on the other end of the line was heavy, but I could hear the faint sound of a lighter clicking. Donald didn't sound surprised or angry. He sounded bored, which was exactly how he acted when he knew he held all the cards.
“Diesel,” he said, his voice smooth and detached. “I figured it would take you at least another hour to find the alert. You’re getting slow in your old age.”
I tightened my grip on the phone, the plastic creaking. “Five hundred thousand, Donald? You’re putting a bounty on a girl who can barely stand on her own two feet? That’s low, even for a snake like you.”
I heard him exhale a long puff of smoke. He didn't miss a beat.
“A bounty? Is that what you’re calling it?” Donald let out a dry, nonchalant chuckle. “I prefer to think of it as a finder's fee. I’m just looking for what belongs to me, brother. You know how it is. Things get misplaced.”
“She’s a person, not a piece of hardware,” I growled, my voice vibrating deep in my chest. “What the hell do you want with her?”
There was a brief pause. I could almost picture him leaning back in his leather chair, feet up on the desk, looking at the ceiling with that indifferent expression he always wore.
“What do I want with her?” Donald repeated, sounding genuinely amused by the question. “I thought that was obvious. I want my wife back, Diesel.”
The world seemed to stop for a second. The air in the office felt like it turned to lead.
“Wife?” I muttered, the word tasting like poison.