Page 17 of Hell Yes

XANDER

THE BUNKER. 8 PM

Sam had arrived. On time.

And with Val. Xander wasn’t sure about Jesse’s idea but he trusted in his crew.

After meeting them at the entrance to the compound, Xander took their phones, tied their hands behind their backs and covered their heads so they couldn’t see where they were being led to.

Both of them were nervous, their bodies visibly shaking, but that was to be expected. Walking into a biker crew compound was not for the faint of heart. But they fared better than most. Chances are, they’d walk out of here. Others hadn’t been so lucky.

Jesse met Xander at the halfway point and they walked silently to the bunker. The place where no one, except the crew on site, could hear them.

The bunker was the Hellraisers’ pride and joy, a series of underground rooms and tunnels that housed their stash of drugs and guns as well as interrogation rooms. And of course, a kill room that was the domain of their lead enforcer, Sonny Dolan.

Sonny was shacking up with Avery, Gage Hellion’s daughter, and a member in her own right. Only smart and feisty Avery could bring out the fire in the cold and brutal Sonny. He had ice water for veins, except when it came to Avery. And their soon-to-be kid.

Xander shook his head at that. Just the thought of a toddler running around a biker crew compound made him wonder about their sanity. Rochelle and Nate to start, then Sonny and Avery. Xander didn’t understand it, but then he looked at Jesse. He was brought up in this place and did all right.

Val nearly tripped as they entered the hunting shack that led down to the first room of the bunker.

“Steady,” Xander muttered and held on to her arm tighter. She wasn’t wearing perfume like a lot of the strippers and randos he fucked. He liked that. Val smelled like vanilla and soap. Clean, natural. Sexy as fuck.

Speaking of sexy, he glanced over at Jesse, but he was facing forward, his jaw clenched tight.

Xander shook off his wayward thoughts. Now wasn’t the time to let his dick take over.

They headed down the stairs and into the first interrogation room. The cold, damp basement was filled with the smell of gun oil and bleach. The copper tang of blood was absent for a change.

Sonny, as well as their second in command, Dante, were already waiting, standing in their usual jeans, t-shirt, and cuts. Xander met Sonny’s icy blue gaze first and nodded. Dante crossed his arms.

Once Jesse closed the door, they sat Sam and Val down, and removed their head coverings.

“Jesse and Xander tell us that you’re in a shitload of trouble, Sam,” Dante announced.

Sam nodded, sweat trickling down the side of his face despite the coolness of the room. “I have a gambling problem. I got involved in this game and before I knew it, I was hooked. Now I owe the Krypt crew twenty grand, but I need more time to get the cash.”

“We got the money right here for you,” Sonny stated as he held up two thick wads of cash. “But of course, this is a loan, and it comes with terms. Our terms.”

Sonny walked up to Sam and stood in front of him. “We want you to go back to the game and pay off your current debt. When they ask you how, you tell them you got a loan from a friend, then you start up a new tab. But this time, you up the ante. You ask for something to keep you up so you can play longer. We’re gonna track you via your phone and a wireless bug.”

“They confiscate all phones when you enter the place.”

“That’s fine, that’s why we’ll mic you up in addition. Get us useful information about the operation, and what kind of drugs they’re offering their guests, and we’ll forgive the interest on this loan.”

“I can do that, but why’s Val here? She’s not involved in any of this,” Sam asked. “Please, let her go.”

Sonny backhanded Sam so fast that if you blinked, you’d have missed it. No one in the room flinched at the loud reverberation of skin cracking skin. No one except Sam and Val.

Sonny was not to be questioned. Ever. And this was proof.

Sam’s lip was bleeding, the red trail of blood slipping down his chin.

“She’s collateral,” Jesse explained. “If you don’t get us useful intel on the Krypt gambling ring and whatever else that’s going on there, she’s done. In the meantime, she stays here as our preferred guest. You don’t do as we say or you fuck up, and we leave you to the Krypt crew. And Val here is gonna hit the hereafter and join you.”

“Okay,” Sam gasped, nodding. “Okay, I’ll do it. I’ll do anything. But please don’t hurt Val. She’s like a daughter to me.”

“It’s okay, Sam,” Val whispered. “Just do what they say, and everything will be all right.”