Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 148220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 741(@200wpm)___ 593(@250wpm)___ 494(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 148220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 741(@200wpm)___ 593(@250wpm)___ 494(@300wpm)
“Grasshopper,” Duke says.
Good. That patchholder won’t fuck around in there.
“No prospects on security,” I tell them. “Shit just got bumped up a level, so keep more experienced eyes on those monitors.”
Bull nods. “Will do.”
I clap my hand against his giant shoulder in thanks, then settle in next to Zoomie. She bumps my fist and glances at Gunner, then dips her blonde head close to mine and says, “Did you win the pot?”
For the wager that’s been going on for years, placing bets on when Gunner and Anna will finally start banging.
“Yeah, I did. Beaver brought by a wad of cash earlier.”
“Fucker. You should be disqualified. You’ve got inside info and influence.”
If that was true, they’d have gotten together when I put in my first bet years ago. “You’re friends with Anna. That’s influence and inside info.”
“Not like family influence.”
Maybe not. But instead of agreeing, I ask real quiet, “Did you know about Creek?”
She shrugs. “Know what?”
“Nothing.” Because Zoomie won’t ever say, but that shrug tells me she knew Creek was undercover with the Hangmen. If she didn’t know, she’d lock onto my question and go after me for more. “Just thinking about inside info. And I heard you and Blowback got hitched in Vegas.”
Her flinty eyes flare wide, then narrow dangerously. “You say a word to anyone else, I’ll rip your tongue out. I don’t need to deal with that ‘wifey’ shit from a bunch of insecure boy bikers.”
“I ain’t saying a word.” I like my tongue. I especially like Cherry coming all over it. “I just thought it was real cute that you, a big tough biker, would go all softhearted and marry the club’s resident psychopath.”
She grins. “He tracked down the Desert Kings and we busted a few heads on our wedding night. It was so romantic. The best wedding present ever.”
Then I’ve got a wedding present for her, too. “I put down Sherlock in the Cage.”
Going still, she stares at me for a long second. Then bumps my fist again. “Good man.”
Yeah, that was the one good thing. What came after sure as hell wasn’t.
My throat closes up all at once and I stop talking. Just as well, since Saxon comes in and the meeting gets started. Blowback gives a rough sketch of what Spiral reported in from the Iron Blood’s clubhouse, and how it means that Papa getting wind of the Hellfire Riders’ involvement would be a real bad thing.
“The Butchers, too,” Saxon says. “Anyone give them a heads-up yet?”
Not yet. Gunner leans in. “Hashtag’s with them, chasing down that lead on the trucks moving the girls. He’s due to check in about twenty minutes from now. I’ll have him pass it along.”
Not good enough for the prez. “Get him on now.”
Cell reception out here is shit, so it’s on the landline and speakerphone that Gunner rings him up. As soon as the brother answers, Gunner tells him, “You’re talking to the board, so be on your best behavior. The prez wants an update.”
“We found a stable full of girls,” is Hashtag’s quick response. “No fighters.”
“You cut them loose?” the prez asks.
“We did.”
“You still with the Butchers?”
“I am. Heading home tomorrow.”
“You travel quiet,” Saxon tells him. “And tell the Butchers to keep their heads down. Papa took out the Iron Blood. Ain’t a stretch to think that he’ll take out anyone who’s been around the Cage if he discovers who was there.”
There’s a quick exchange of voices in the background, the sound flattening out as if Hashtag turned on his speakerphone, then Handlebar comes on. “He took out the Iron Blood?”
The prez doesn’t answer to anyone, so I take this one. “SUVs and suits rolled in, left nothing but ashes on the way out.”
“Shit. You still got Cherry?”
“She’s here.”
“Cherry?” Hashtag breaks in. “Is that her real name?”
Fuck knows what her real name is. “Why?”
“Does she have that name branded on the back of her neck? These stables we found, that’s how they marked their prize virgins.”
“No brand.” At least I’m fairly sure there isn’t. Now I’ll be looking again.
“That wasn’t how Cherry came in,” Handlebar tells him. “Lissa had a brand. But Crash and I figured that Cherry got nabbed, then they found out she was a nurse and so they used her for that. But since she’s a virgin, too, they dangled her cherry as a prize for the fighters.”
“What the fuck are you talking about, a virgin?” Her tight pussy itself had to be the prize because she can’t be a virgin. “You said Crash was fucking her while she sucked you off.”
“Nah, that was Lissa. She was an angel, too—and the girl they usually used as bait. But Tusk got his hands on her just before you were brought in. So they made Cherry fill in for Lissa that time.”
A thick roaring fills my head. “I’m the only one she pulled in?”