Chaos Bound (Sinner's Tribe Motorcycle Club #4)(102)

“Not yet. But, she will. And as soon as it’s hers, she’ll be transferring it all to her new husband.” Michael cocked his head to the side, and for a moment he looked almost sympathetic. “Viper is on his way to meet his bride-to-be as we speak, and then they’re heading down to Sandy Lake’s city hall.”

Tank glanced over at Ella. Her expression had changed from bitterness to disgust.

“That’s why he wants her?” she spat out. “He’s going to force her into marriage to get her money? I thought misogyny was dead, but now I see it’s alive and well in the biker world.”

“Don’t be such a hypocrite,” Tank snapped, seeing an opening. Ella may have been prepared to cross lines for her story, but she was a professional, educated, modern woman, and it was clear she was appalled by Viper’s plan. “We’re here because of you,” he continued. “He’s going to get her because of you. Was the story worth it? I know he was at your place the other night when I showed up. You sold your body and your soul. You’re as much a part of this as he is.”

His barb hit home, and she winced but recovered quickly. “I didn’t want him there. It was just supposed to be about getting something to blackmail you with to keep you in line in exchange for a story. But Viper wanted more and more, and he had something on me.”

“Shut the f*ck up, Ella.” Michael swung his gun to point at Tank. “And you shut the f*ck up, too. Enough talking.”

But the damage had been done. Tank had clearly rattled Ella, and she was no longer fully on board with Michael’s plan, whatever that might be. Tank glanced over at Holt, flicked his gaze to Ella and back again. Holt gave an almost imperceptible nod. They might have an ally, but with Michael to contend with, the odds still weren’t in their favor. And time was ticking. Naiya was in danger.

And now, she was alone.





TWENTY-NINE

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Naiya startled, yanking the curtains closed and casting her hotel room into semi-darkness.

“Look through the peep hole,” she whispered to Ally. “Tell me who it is.”

After waking alone with Holt’s note on her pillow, Naiya had called Ally to come and help her track him down. But after making her way across town from the hotel she shared with Doug, Ally had convinced her not to go. Sandy Lake was swarming with Jacks, and there was no way Naiya would be safe once she left the hotel.

“It’s an old guy with a long, dirty beard. He looks like a vagrant except he’s wearing a Sinner cut.” Ally turned and pulled her phone from her pocket. “I’ll call Doug. He’s on patrol, but he said he’d come if we needed him.”

“No. It’s okay. Let him in.” Naiya let out a relieved breath. “It’s Shaggy.”

“Shaggy is right,” Ally muttered as she undid the lock. “He looks like some kind of sheep dog.” She pulled open the door and stepped back. “Smells like one, too.”

“Viper’s in the hotel.” Shaggy waved his gun in Naiya’s direction, his voice frantic. “Holt asked Benson and Shooter to keep watch downstairs. They just texted me. We gotta get you out of here, and take you someplace safe. He’s coming for you.”

“Why?” Ally stared at Shaggy aghast. “Is he that desperate for a woman? Is he that obsessed with fulfilling a debt?”

“I don’t think it’s about the debt.” Shaggy’s voice thickened. “Or about getting a sweet piece of tail. But he wants her bad.” He pulled open the door as Naiya stuffed her few belongings into her bag.

“Leave the bag,” Shaggy barked. “We gotta go. Now.” His gaze flicked to Ally. “They don’t know who you are, and you’d better keep it that way. You need to be somewhere Naiya is not.”

“I’m not leaving her.” Ally pulled the door closed behind them as they exited the room.

“You’ll be a liability.” Shaggy gestured to the stairwell. “Viper won’t give a damn that you’re a civilian. He’ll use you to get to her. And it’s harder to hide two people.”

“You go, Ally.” Naiya followed Shaggy down the hallway. “I’ll be okay.”

Ally hesitated before turning toward the elevators. “I’ll get Doug. Tell him something’s going down. The police will protect you.”

“C’mon,” Shaggy urged. “No time to waste.”

Naiya clasped his offered hand and they ran down the hallway. Shaggy pushed open the fire door and they raced down the concrete stairs.

“Where’s Holt? Does he know about Viper?”

“No one can get in touch with him. Or Tank for that matter.” He bounded down the stairs with the energy of a man half his age. “We’ve left messages for them. Holt knows I would never leave you alone. I’ve been in the hotel since he left.”

“Why?” She’d been wondering about Shaggy since they’d first met in the bar. He had volunteered to help with everything from beating up Michael to looking for Holt, and from teaching her to shoot to being her bodyguard. He had no connection to her, and from what Holt had said, no real connection to Holt. He was the club enigma, a wild card. Not even Jagger knew his story, and the Sinners who did were all dead.

“I gave my word.” He jerked to a stop, put out an arm to hold her back, and a finger on his lips to quiet her.