The Path to Love

Chapter 7

After making sure Sam was sleeping, I quietly got out of bed and drove to HQ. Once I arrived, everyone was already up in the middle of a meeting.

"The Boars took care Niles. They took him out. Now we're down ten-grand." N started off saying.

"Maybe we should stop being so lenient," B continued speaking.

"Yeah," Xav agreed. "People think they can get away with blowing us off. Maybe it's time to teach them not to mess with Riverside."

"Are you all questioning my authority?" N snarled.

I sat down on the couch and kept quiet as the battle continued. "You're a great leader. You're just a bit lenient. People should fear us, but they don't. If they were to fear us, do you really think we would be out ten-grand right now?" B fought back.

"I'm not lenient." N snarled, getting angrier as the fight continued.

"Prove it," B stood up and got in his face.

"How do you want me to prove it to you B?" N roared.

This is when a light bulb lit up in my head. "Take out a guy." I spoke up and said.

Everyone turned their attention to me. "What did you just say?" N spoke up, looking directly at me.

"Yeah, do exactly what the Boars did. Except, do it to a guy that is not directly tied to us and is in jail to make a statement."

"And, what kind of statement would we be making?" B taunted me.

That fucker was always after me and always saw me as the weakest link. Now was time to put him in his place. "We'd be making the statement that nobody crosses us, in jail or anywhere for that matter. Get him to pick a fight with one of our guys. Then when the guy takes him out, he will be feared. It's a win-win"

"And who do you propose we take out in jail?" N asked me.

"Peter Dawson. Child rapist." I shot back.

I looked over at N as I watched the wheels turn in his head. He was clearly putting a lot of thought into it. Finally, he spoke. "That actually might work. We could make the statement that we took him out because he owed us money. That is surprisingly a great plan you have, H. We could then tell anyone that messes with us, they will get the same treatment as Dawson. Good work H."

B looked over at me, clearly pissed that I thought of something logical. I just smirked at him and redirected my attention to N.

"I'll take care of the details and get it done. I'll send everyone a text when it's done. From here on out, we show no mercy. No one will fuck us over again. B, find a way to make up the ten-grand back." N said to us.

"How the fuck am I expected to do that?" B replied, clearly pissed.

"Find a way, you're smart." N fired back. "H, I'll have an assignment for you tomorrow. Someone owes me some money. X follow me. I need you to do a run now. Rest dismissed."

As everyone left, I just walked to the gym to box. I needed to release some anger. It was starting to sink in that I just signed someone's death warrant. Even though they deserved it, I still wasn't sure how to feel about it.

When I got home, Sam was already in my bed wearing one of my sweaters, fast asleep. I took off my shirt, put on a pair of joggers and crawled in bed next to her.

I woke up the next morning to Sam cuddled into my chest. It's the best way to wake up, if you ask me. "Morning," I mumbled with my eyes closed.

"Where did you go last night?"