Outlaw MC Bear (17 page)

“Nope.” Sabrina fell back against the bed with her outstretched hand holding the bottle. “My life isn’t as easy as you’d think either, even without the whole turning into an animal thing.”

She paused as if waiting for him to interrupt. He managed to keep his trap shut—though the feat took effort. When her mouth formed a tentative smile, his chest seized. Fuck, he really was hopeless, and Sophie was not wrong. He made a small noise in the back of his throat, and Sabrina glanced over at him with narrowed eyes.

“Go on. I’m listening.”

“Okay. It’s not like I signed up to be a bargaining chip in my father’s life. I wanted a normal day-to-day gig where I could pick my own future, and instead I’ve had to pay for every bit of independence that I have. Part of that was taking on Giovanni.” She paused and took another swig wiping her mouth with the back of her hand and shaking off a grimace. “I was hoping to find a way out before things got more serious.”

“A noble goal.”

“You’re in the same boat.” Her eyes turned sympathetic.

He had to smile at her sweetness. “Not quite.”

“How is your engagement any different from mine?”

“I jumped ship about a half hour ago, give or take. Or was thrown off, depending on how you look at it. Now I’m without a paddle.”

“What?” Sabrina blinked at him, and he savored the confusion on her face.

“Sophie and I agreed to go our separate ways. She’s in love with someone else.”

“So you let her out of the deal?”

“Yes.”

“Just like that?”

He nodded.

“Wow. That’s sweeter than I thought you were capable of, Silas.”

“Whatever.”

“So who’s next on your hit list? You want to share the roster now that you’re a free man?”

“Look, things have changed a little bit…”

“Oh yeah?”

He couldn’t blame her for the skepticism. There wasn’t a way to pull a one-eighty and make it believable. Silas cracked his neck. Fuck, he was drunk enough to admit it was more than the alcohol making him tongue-tied and clogged up in the head.

Maybe not saying shit is for the best.

Hell if I know what I want now.

A loud series of pops outside the window made them both jerk upright. There was a loud scream.

“Again?” Sabrina cried out.

Silas crouched down and rushed over to the window to see. Nothing but blackness. They’d shot out the outside lights, but he could still make out people scrambling under the moonlight, and there were a million voices. He roared—both at what the gunfire might mean for the club, and for his attackers’ horrible timing.

S
ilas plunked
the half-empty bottle on the table and pulled up Death Adder’s number on his phone. When the wolf shifter club president answered, Silas shouted, “Twenty-four hour cease fire, eh? You fuckers are going to pay.”

“What the fuck are you going on about?”

“Either your men or the panthers just hit our club. Again.”

“When?” Adder demanded.

“Two seconds ago.”

“I never sanctioned that. And it couldn’t be the panthers either. Kitt’s right here having a drink with me.”

“I must be fucking imagining things. Just know that if it’s any of your guys, I don’t care if they’re rogue or have a side deal going with Giovanni or the padrino. I’m coming after you.”

Silas hung up and bolted downstairs, vaguely aware that Sabrina was behind him the whole way down. A few men from Sophia’s charter were outside returning fire on a mysterious threat, and his fingers itched to help them. He had to force the adrenaline to take him in another direction. They’d brought in the extra fire power for this very reason, so it was time to utilize that shit. He put his president face on, and remained at the door with the blood-lusting crowd of two charters behind him, waiting to engage.

That’s when he saw her.

“Jesus, Fuck! Mom, are you okay?” He bounded down the front steps and got down beside her, snatching up her icy hand, careful of the through and through she’d gotten in the upper shoulder while he scrutinized the rest of her for wounds. Axe was down on her other side already, applying pressure to a shot to her lower leg. “How bad is it?”

“Nothing life threatening, boss. She’ll heal right up when she shifts. But… it was definitely a targeted hit.”

“How do you know for sure?”

“I saw them. Two men jumped off their bikes and started making air shots when I got a glimpse of a third perched on top of a truck cab…he had a special forces model sniper rifle. I’m sure of it. This bullet in her leg would confirm it, but with our meeting in a few hours, I’ll have to check later.”

“Why would they even bother? They know she’ll heal from these.”

“That’s the point of a targeted hit, boss. It’s about fear, intimidation and sending a message.” Axe shook his head. “Fuck, I’d like to get a message back to those gutless fuckers right about now…hitting Mamma C like this.”

“Anyone see who they were before they took off?”

“Panthers. You’d think those guys would take a second to recoup with the constant volley we got going between us, but they’re fucking idiots.”

“Kitt and Death Adder just denied their involvement.”

“Well, that means Kitt has some rebels in his ranks.”

“It was definitely panthers.” Cole came up the steps to the clubhouse, wiping a grimy hand across his forehead. “Two of the Texas charter men got out a few shots before they left. Those cats won’t be going far with fucked up bikes.”

“You and Dean try to head them off. I’ll meet up with you after I get Tate to take Cindy home and make sure he stays with her.” Cole nodded and went looking for Dean. “Axe, get Riley back in the truck and take Sabrina with you. Keep them in the vehicle outside Cindy’s place. They’ll both come with us to that meeting. Giovanni’s got some explaining to do about holding bear shifters hostage, even if we don’t know who this Riley character is. You cleaned him up, right?”

“Sure I did. I hosed him down to get the weeks of stink off him, and gave him a change of clothes. He’s been too weak to eat, but one of the twisted claws has been giving him lots of fluids.”

Sabrina stepped closer just then. “Did you just mention a hostage… named Riley? It wouldn’t be Addison Riley, would it?”

Silas shot her a glance. “You know him?”

“He’s my best friend… Addison’s been missing for six weeks. Well, not missing. Taken. Lorenzo took him as security, to make sure I don’t run again before the wedding. You have him?”

“We do now, but let’s take a timeout on this crazy shit. It can wait. I need to get my mother out of here, and you can have a reunion with your sassy pants bear shifter friend on the way to that meeting with Giovanni.”

“Wait…what?”

“I said not now, Sabrina,” Silas barked. “Axe, take care of this for me.”

Silas was out the door and on his bike, driving away before a shocked Sabrina could say anything else. That was one fucked up family. The woman’s father was forcing her to marry some power hungry dick who kept her under lock and key, and that same fiancé held on to her best friend as collateral to make sure she didn’t run.

That’s the kinda fucked up shit that happens when people have too much money.

The crisp wind cut through his flesh, but he took no notice of it as he probed the darkness for Cole and Dean, as well as any lurking rivals. There were dark shapes about half a mile ahead, and his motorcycle lights reflected off of something. His headlight eventually illuminated the situation. Silas counted two downed bikes, then he saw Cole and Dean a few yards ahead, dismounting their rides, and finally, two men groaning as they crawled and limped in a futile effort to get away.

“Progress.” He jerked off to the side of the road ahead of the escapees, shutting off the engine. After hopping off the bike, in two steps he had one of the bastards by the hair and Dean had the other, wrenching them down into the dirt. “Yeah, that’s not how this is going down. Not even close.” Silas pressed the poor sucker into the ground with his foot in the man’s back.

“Don’t even try to get up, asshole. You’re damn lucky to draw breath after today. I’m only in a generous mood because I have places to be.” The panther writhed on the ground, sputtering, and swearing until Silas dug his revolver into the back of his head. That’s when he went eerily silent. “What I need to know is who ordered this hit on my mother.”

He let up a little bit with his foot, enough that the guy could lift his head to answer. Silas was angry. His bear prowled beneath his sternum, curling thick, unmovable heat through his veins. Rage sped up his heart rate, and it took real effort for each echo of his heartbeat to remind him to breathe, otherwise he would have shifted and bitten the guy’s head off as a trophy for the clubhouse.

“Giovanni,” the panther member wheezed out.

“Thanks, that’s all I needed to know, buddy.”

Without a bit of remorse, Silas reared back his leg and kicked the panther’s neck, knocking the wind and the consciousness out of him. Cole and Dean had already pistol-whipped the other guy into unconscious oblivion, so they hopped on their bikes and headed for Cindy’s house. He’d barely rolled up the driveway when Axe got in his face.

“First of all, Mamma C is fine. She’s already shifted and healed herself. All she needs now is rest. I think she’s more pissed than anything. You know her, right? It’ll take her a couple of days to get over the fact that we didn’t kill the son of a bitch.”

“Trust me. I was tempted. We just can’t escalate this shit right now, not when the wolves and panthers have an alliance. They outnumber us thirty to one, and although there’s nothing I’d like more than to rip through a few of them, we need to bide our time until we’re back to having the upper hand. Right now I’m more interested in wiping Giovanni off the face of this planet. Screw our future plans with the prick. He’s fucked up enough over the past seventy-two hours that he doesn’t get to live through tomorrow. These next two meetings are only to get the padrino on our side. I think we can convince our big boss that he can live without that conniving bastard.”

Axe was practically vibrating out of his skin to get a chance to say his piece. “I think we have an opportunity.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Sabrina has an idea. I think it’s worth looking at.”

“Sabrina? No, whatever she told you, just put it out of your mind. Chick thinks she can treat us like we’re begging her to fix us.”

“It’s not like that. Forget about her for a second. Will you give me a minute and hear me out? Whatever you say after I explain it all, I’ll be one hundred percent with you like always.”

Silas ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “Fine. Give me some time to check on Cindy and then we can talk before we head out.”

Sabrina stepped out of the truck just then, pushing past Axe for a word with Silas. His best his friend blocked her path with an even stare. It was clear he respected the woman, but even so, he was not about to tolerate any bullshit.

“Get back in the truck, Sabrina.”

“I need to ask Silas something.”

“He’ll get to you soon enough.”

Sabrina ignored him, directing her next question to Silas as though Axe wasn’t there. “Do you want me to go in with you?”

“I don’t need someone to hold my hand. I’m good.”

“That’s not what I mean…”

“Whatever you mean, it can wait a few minutes.”

“Please. I just need a second.”

Silas shook his head. “Christ. Do you not understand the meaning of not now? Fine. Get inside.” He turned back to Axe. “Keep a close eye on her friend.”

“Whatever you say, my man.”

Silas got in step behind Sabrina, who climbed the porch steps to Cindy’s house. “What’s this about?”

“First of all, I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to rescue Addison. It means a lot to me that he’s been freed.”

“You’re welcome. What else?” He studied her. There was more. “Spit it out. We’re on the clock.”

Sabrina huffed out a breath. “Do you plan on telling me why Addison needs to go to that meeting with Lorenzo?”

“I don’t, actually.”

“Lorenzo won’t be happy about getting caught red-handed like this. Do you even know who Addison is?”

“He’s leverage. He’s a high society bear shifter chump, and trust me, I had no idea there were any of those.”

“Okay. I admit I didn’t know that part about Addison being a shifter before this. Which is unreal when I think about it…I’ve known him all my life… I’ll deal with that on my own time, but that’s not the point. His family is very powerful.”

“They couldn’t be that important, to leave their son in captivity for weeks.”

“That’s what I mean. If they find out Lorenzo or my father had anything to do with their son’s kidnapping…there’ll be hell to pay.”

“Are you trying to tell me that kid’s family is higher than the padrino on the totem pole?”

She nodded. “By at least a few rungs. I’ve been telling you all along that there’s way more out there than what Lorenzo or my father can offer you.”

“This crap again? Listen. The only people higher up than the padrino are billionaires and political bigwigs in some clandestine society with secret handshakes and high-priced lawyers and kinky sexual habits. So I hear anyway, and I don’t want to know more about them, let alone work with them.”

“But—”

“Do me a favor and drop it. I’m going in to see my mother, who basically was shot because of an order from your fiancé. You’re welcome to come in, or you can wait in the truck. All you are right now is collateral for the next two meetings. I can’t have you or your buddy getting hurt, and things with your future husband are escalating on a grand scale. Which means from now on until we give you up, where I go is where you go. That little fact doesn’t mean you get any more air time. Understood?”

Sabrina put her hands on her hips and cocked her head. She was fuming. “You really are an ignorant, sexist prick, aren’t you?”

“I wasn’t lying when I told you that, princess.” Silas cleared his throat. “Which will it be? In here or out there? And tell me before I have Axe handcuff you to the truck cab.”

“So now you’re using Addison and me like everyone else?”

“You used me first. We’re even.”

“Fine. I’ll come in.”

He led her into the living room and pointed over at the sofa. “Have a seat. I need to talk to her alone.”