Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 37111 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 186(@200wpm)___ 148(@250wpm)___ 124(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37111 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 186(@200wpm)___ 148(@250wpm)___ 124(@300wpm)
“They seem to have you guys locked down.” I smiled, but I really wanted to know what I was in for.
“Don’t let them kid you. We do what they say with regard to safety, but we rule the roost the rest of the time.” Suzie gave me a satisfied smirk.
“They love us, or they wouldn’t let us get away with half the shit we do.” Zora grinned. “It’s part of the reason I love Data so much. He’s patient and tolerant.”
“Yeah? What’s another reason? ’Cause he’s always seemed pretty arrogant to me.” Suzie looked genuinely curious.
Zora schooled her expression as she shrugged. “Sex, naturally.” I loved these ladies’ sense of humor. They kept me in stitches and, more importantly, distracted me when I desperately wanted to think about anything other than what was about to go down outside the compound.
“You guys are awesome,” I said with a smile, meaning it from the bottom of my heart. “I appreciate you trying to distract me, but I can’t leave Deadeye alone to face my problems. I need to go out there.”
“You’ll just divide his attention.” Angel spoke from across the room near the door. “Trust me when I tell you it will be more dangerous for him if you’re with him than it will be with you safely tucked away.”
I sighed, looking down at my feet. Ashamed. “Out of the way.”
“No.” Angel moved toward me. “You’d never be in his way. You just have to understand he’s a soldier. A fighter. He will always, above anything else, protect you. If you’re there, he’ll put himself between you and any danger. You can’t protect yourself like he can. Let the boys do their jobs so everyone is safe.”
“Easier said than done.” I didn’t like this. Not at all.
“I know, honey. Just trust me on this.”
Chapter Seven
Deadeye
We met the contingent of Iron Tzars at the gate with a show of force of our own. The last thing we wanted was them inside the compound where our families were. Cain, Torpedo, and Bohannon were in agreement that if there were any lengthy discussions involved, we’d take it to the Boneyard.
“Not exactly the welcome I was expecting.” The man in the lead rode a black Harley Davidson FXDR 114. Which meant the man seriously loved speed. It wasn’t conventional, but it was still a Harley. I glanced at Scout on his Indian Scout. The man just smirked, as if he knew the Harley was fast, but his Scout was faster. “I’m Sting. This is Warlock and his woman, Bev.”
“Where’s my daughter?” Bev’s question was more of a demand. Warlock squeezed her shoulder, but she shrugged him off. “She’s being held here against her will, and it’s your duty to get her back by any means necessary!” Bev looked up at Warlock like she fully expected him to storm the gates of hell unaided with nothing more than a squirt gun.
“Bev.” He growled her name through his gritted teeth. “Let Sting handle this. He’s the president.”
“Only because you took the coward’s way out and backed down.” She sniffed her disdain.
“Control your woman, Warlock.” Sting’s tone was mild, but I could see his eye twitching. The man wasn’t happy at all. No MC president would be in this situation. Bev was seriously overstepping her bounds, and she either didn’t realize it or didn’t think there would be any repercussions worth restraining herself over.
“If only,” the other man muttered. “Respectfully,” Warlock began. “We’d like to see Chloe. To confirm she’s here on her own.”
Cain shifted his stance. It was a casual move, like he was only moving weight from one leg to the other, but he’d made it easier for him to draw his gun if he needed to. “You’re in no position to make demands, Warlock. You or your woman.”
“We’ll raze this hillbilly hellhole to the ground!” Bev snapped. She didn’t move forward, just kept running her mouth like she was the queen of the club and no one would dare take her to task. And it looked like she might be right, because neither Warlock nor Sting even tried to shut her up.
“You know, my own woman is pretty outspoken when necessary.” Cain rubbed his chin with his left hand. Not his dominant right hand. “If it were her daughter being held against her will, she might speak up when I told her not to. More likely, though, she’d know I was the best person for the job since I’ve got the military training. Well, that and she respects my position in the club and my ability to control it.” He nodded to Bev. “Looks like you’ve got a problem on your hands, Warlock. It’s spilling over to Sting.”
Warlock nodded. “I’m aware. It’s why this is my last ride with my brothers.”
“We’ll see.” Bev flashed him a knowing look. Yeah, I could tell why Sword had issues. If this woman could manipulate her way into this man’s life far enough he was willing to not only give up the presidency of his club but turn his back on his brothers, then a younger, less hardened Sword hadn’t stood a chance.