Free Hell on Wheels (Four Horsemen MC Book 6) by Cynthia Rayne Page A

life sentences.”
    Axel paused a moment to let that sink in. His brothers nodded grimly.
    Then he spoke again. “I’m leading this run. I’m the one who got us into this mess, so I’m in charge.” And if they got caught, he’d be the one sentenced to the most time for masterminding the plot.
    “It wasn’t your fault, brother,” Shepherd said. “Everyone at the table has a share of the blame.”
    Shep was still healing from the beating the Raptors had given him, but besides the bruises, he looked better than he had in years. Shep wasn’t having beer for breakfast anymore, and he looked like he’d gotten his eight hours last night. Like a weight had been lifted.
    Shep’s partner, Pretty Boy, wrapped an arm around him.
    The club had been going through a series of shocks lately. And when the pair had come out as a couple, it’d caused an uproar. Axel was ashamed that’d he’d been pissed at first. Mostly because Shep, his cousin and friend, had been lying to him for years—to all of them. Captain, Shepherd, and Joker…all of them liars, and for different reasons. And Axel was fucking sick of the lies and the impact it had on the club.
     In the aftermath of his coming-out party, Shep had stepped down as the club’s VP, and no amount of persuasion could make him take on the role again. Axel had practically begged. Not that he blamed Shep. He’d been through hell the past few weeks, and he’d earned the downtime.
    Axel nodded at Shep, but it still felt like his responsibility. “If it makes it any better, we’re only smuggling it into the country and making sure the drugs get to their destination. We won’t be distributing.”
    No one said anything, and they didn’t have to. It didn’t make it better. They were about to become the kinds of bastards they used to punish, something Axel had promised himself he would never be. Look at him now, his father’s son.
    Axel sighed. “Let’s not drag it out. Who’s going?”
    Shep spoke up first. “I can’t, brother.”
    “I didn’t expect you to,” Axel said quickly. Shep’s mom had died of a heroin overdose, and Beauregard’s thugs had beaten the snot out of Pretty Boy.
    Ryker’s hand shot up and Axel sliced his head to the side. “Not you. You’re about to get hitched. You’re needed at home.”
    Ryker opened his mouth to protest and Axel raised a hand. “Don’t even bother. That was the president talking.” They were related by blood as well as brotherhood.
     “When I voted your ass in, I had no idea you’d pull rank on me,” Ryker growled.
    “Yeah? Deal with it. You’ve had lots of practice.”
    He’d been bossing around Ryker most of his life. When their dad went to jail and their mother went to work, a lot of the household duties had fallen to him. He’d been the one who’d gone grocery shopping, made lunches, started dinner, and did the laundry.
    Justice raised his hand. “I’m in, boss.” Like Duke, Justice upped the level of bad-assery in the group. Justice had been a Navy SEAL and his team had helped pave the way for the rest of the military in Afghanistan, but he didn’t talk about it much. Axel knew he’d trained at the naval amphibious base in Little Creek, Virginia, but that’s about it.
    “Thanks, brother,” Axel said.
    Steele raised his hand next. Steele had short spiked black hair and hazel eyes. Normally, they were filled with mischief, but they were flat and lifeless at the moment. “Count me in, brother.” Steele had been a Marine, ran Inferno Firearms, and was yet another asset to the team. He was a munitions expert, so he could handle some serious firepower if they needed it.
    Axel sincerely hoped they didn’t.
    “I’m in, brother,” Voodoo spoke up.
    Voo’s ability to read people would come in handy, but the club needed leadership. “Appreciate it, brother,” Axel said. “But you gotta be in charge while I’m gone. Anyone else?”
    Ace raised a hand. “You’ll need a man on this side of the