Devil's Game (Reapers MC, #3)(72)

That kiss had nothing to do with sex. Nope, this was all about marking territory.

Dad’s head was going to explode.

“She’s here because you’ll keep her safe,” Hunter said. “Don’t know if Picnic told you, but we have our own problems tonight. I’m assuming we all got hit by the same crew.”

“Maybe,” Deke said, his eyes cold. “I find out you’re behind this, I won’t kill you fast, boy.”

Holy shit. Deke was scary.

“Night, Em,” Hunter said, ignoring the Portland president’s threat. He leaned forward and whispered in my ear. “I’ll call you later. Might not be right away, but don’t worry.”

Then he turned his back on us and walked back down to his bike. There was something almost cocky about the way he moved. Like he was taunting Deke. The Portland president pulled me into the house, shutting the door behind us. I tried to pass through to the kitchen, but he blocked me.

“Your dad know you’re f*ckin’ the enemy?”

I swallowed, but I held firm.

“I’m an adult, Deke. What I do is my business.”

He crossed his arms and eyed me, something almost like disgust in his face.

“You’re a spoiled brat,” he said bluntly. “You and your sister both. I’ve never given a shit about that because you’re not my kid and you’re not my old lady.”

I gasped.

“Here’s the thing, though,” he continued. “You do anything—anything at all—that puts Cookie and Silvie in danger, I’ll kill you myself. We clear?”

I’d never had anyone talk to me like that. I knew my eyes must be wide and I had no idea what the hell I should say to him.

“Em!” Cookie called, running into the living room. Her face was red, like she’d been crying. She pushed past Deke to catch me in her arms, hugging me tight. “I can’t believe what’s happening. When Picnic called because he couldn’t get hold of you … I was terrified.”

“It’s all right,” I said, watching Deke over her shoulder. His face was still blank. Had I imagined what just happened? “I’m safe now. No word from Kit, though.”

Cookie pulled away.

“Shit,” she muttered. “I hoped she’d be in touch by now. You know anything about the guy she took off with? Your dad is nervous. He’s thinking it might be one of them … whoever they are. The shooters hit a pipe at the clubhouse, flooded the whole place. That’s why the guys are all here tonight.”

“It wasn’t the Devil’s Jacks,” I said firmly, and I believed it. The look of shock on Hunter’s face had been too real.

“We don’t know who it was,” Deke said. “And you don’t need to worry about that right now, anyway. Jumping to conclusions gets people killed. We’ll figure it out and then we’ll take care of business. Em, you keep trying to get hold of your sister, okay? Cookie, you might as well go to bed. Doesn’t matter how much drama we have tonight, Silvie’ll still be up at the crack of dawn and she’ll need her mama.”

“What about work?” Cookie asked him. “I’m supposed to open the shop tomorrow morning. I have a sitter coming over.”

Deke shook his head slowly.

“Either call someone in to cover for you or I’ll have one of the boys put a note on the door.”

Cookie got a funny look on her face.

“I’m a business owner, Deke,” she said. “I can’t just close up for the day.”

“You can tomorrow,” he said. “Until I know what’s goin’ on, you’re staying where it’s safe and I can have my guys watching you.”

Cookie crossed her arms, her face growing wary.

“I’m not an old lady anymore,” she said slowly. “In fact, I’m not attached to the club at all. Just because you guys check in on me doesn’t mean I’m a target. Or I wasn’t, until everyone parked their bikes on my lawn and made this your new headquarters.”

“Listen to me very carefully,” Deke said softly. “You’re one of ours, and you always will be. But I can’t afford to keep too many men on you. That means I need you and Silvie in one place, where I know you’re safe, so I can focus on what needs to be done. Either find someone to cover for you or the shop stays closed. Your call.”

He turned and walked away, leaving both of us staring at him.

“Fucked-up night,” Cookie muttered.

“No shit,” I answered, my voice subdued. “I think I’ll try calling Kit again. You going to do what he says?”

She nodded slowly, her eyes thoughtful.

“For now. They shot Swinger in Boise. He was a friend of Bagger’s, you know. Best man at our wedding.”

I looked over to find her twisting her wedding ring around her finger absently.

“I’m going to bed,” she said suddenly. “But come and get me if you hear from Kit, okay?”

“Okay.”





HUNTER


The ride down to Salem the next morning was f*cking cold. It’d started raining right on the edge of Portland. Not bad. Just enough to make the trip utterly miserable. Some * in a Hummer nearly took out Skid on the freeway, which almost got ugly, seeing as we were both trigger happy and paranoid as hell.