Page 38 of Bones’ Firefly (Pagan Souls of Cherokee MC #6)

Our fantastic day out had been ruined by the attempt to run me over.

I would bet money the driver had been Deon.

Who else would have a reason to try to take me out?

Everyone who was there agreed that it was aimed at me.

Blythe was still upset by it. I talked to her for a long time before we gathered at the clubhouse to discuss it.

Aliyah, Tana, and Arif took the smaller kids to the play area outside and then planned to bring them later to the kids’ room in the clubhouse, where they could watch a movie or play.

We’d catch them up on what the plan was later.

We gathered in the common room, and the prospects were part of it. No one was smiling. The mood was somber. I knew it was a serious discussion we needed to have, but I tried to lighten the atmosphere.

“Everyone needs to stop looking so down. I’m alive. I didn’t get a scratch on me. But I do have an issue.” I left it hanging there.

“What issue?” Pope asked.

“Soren carried my woman. He claims she was weak with worry, but I think he did it to show off.” I made sure my expression was a frown.

“Bones, I only touched her to get her to safety, and yes, I carried her to you afterward because she almost collapsed at my feet. But now that you bring it up…Hmm…” he glanced at Blythe.

She looked from him to me, then shrugged. “It was a test. I had to know how strong you were. If you couldn’t carry me, they might need to consider finding a new prospect.” She said it so quickly that you had to wonder if it was indeed why she did it until she grinned at a protesting Soren.

“Wait a minute, you did it, why?” he asked.

This spur-of-the-moment teasing helped everyone relax a bit. When the chuckles died away, Agony addressed the group.

“Thanks, Bones, Blythe, and Soren, for the comic relief. I think we all needed it. However, I do believe we need to discuss what happened. I’ve got Wire looking to see if he can catch anything on street cams or other cameras he can tap into.

He doesn’t routinely do it in Gatlinburg, so it takes longer.

The description of the car isn’t unique, but in a situation like this, if it was deliberate, then a common color and model make it harder to trace. ”

“I think we all have heard the story by now, so no need to repeat it. And I believe we are all convinced that Deon Morton was behind the wheel. Blythe, I know how upset you are, and I don’t want to make it worse, but I need to ask a couple of questions,” Agony said the last part softly.

“Agony, it is upsetting, but you can ask me anything. And yes, I believe it was Deon, too. No one else has a reason to hurt Bones. In Deon’s warped brain, he must think that if he gets rid of Bones, I’ll come back to him, or at least give him access to our babies.

It won’t.” She said it firmly and loudly.

“And we’re here to ensure he doesn’t harm you, Bones, or anyone else. I agree. The bastard’s brain is warped. I knew that when you told us about the stealthing and shit. As soon as we find proof that it was him, we’ll meet with him,” Agony said.

“Meet with him to do what? Warn him off? Beat him again?” Blythe asked.

My brothers and I knew what he meant. If it could be proven that it was him in that car, then it was a deliberate hit against a Pagan.

Attempted murder moved him into the category where the club would vote to send him to meet his maker.

I was so close to being given the green light to finish him that I could taste it.

This task wouldn’t be something I’d ask Hulk to do as our enforcer. It was my job.

The guys were waiting to see if I’d answer Blythe or if Agony would.

I did. “Firefly, what Agony means is if it was Deon, then it was a deliberate attempt to murder me. We’ve held back making a move that would be final with him since we only do it when earned.

Trying to kill a member, an innocent, or a family member qualifies him for this step.

We don’t involve the police in this. He could get out of it, or even if sent to jail, he won’t stay forever.

” I paused to let what I had said sink in before telling her the rest.

However, no one could say she wasn’t smart. “You mean you’ll make him disappear. You’ll kill him. Right?”

“That’s right,” Cyclone said. The others were nodding along with me and Agony.

A fierce expression spread over her beautiful face.

“Then I hope Wire finds his proof soon. Not trying to pressure you, Wire. I know you’re working hard.

Deon is a predator. Even if it wasn’t him, I don’t trust him not to do the same thing to some other poor woman.

And she might not have the support you give me. ”

I was proud as hell of how she took the news. She was turning into a perfect old lady more and more every day. Some might say her earlier crying wasn’t tough, but anyone can get overwhelmed.

“I know Bones probably already talked to you about whatever is said here, but as a club family, it remains between us. If outsiders knew, we could face prison,” Agony said.

“I get it, and I would never do that. I’ll back my man and my family,” she said vehemently.

I was unable to resist. She was seated next to me.

I pulled her closer to me and kissed her.

Plenty of heckling was happening, but I ignored it until she moved away to catch her breath.

She was flushed, breathing harder, and had the passionate look I knew well.

Suddenly, I wanted this to be over in the worst way so I could take her home and make love.

“Until we’ve handled the situation, however it goes, we can’t assume this person is only after Bones.

Logically, Blythe is at risk. You two need to discuss whether she’ll continue working at the antique shop.

I know you love it there, but is it too risky?

Your boss hired Leon, who seems to be an excellent choice.

I think an update and help from one of the prospects or even one of us would make it safe for you to do it.

But that’s your decision as a couple. Know we’ll support whichever way you go,” Agony said.

“Another thing to think about is if Deon or whoever it was is unstable enough to attempt to run Bones over, will he put the general public at risk of being hurt? If he’s trying to get to Bones or even Blythe, will he be willing to hurt or kill anyone in the way?

He may not care about collateral damage, but we do,” Dare added.

“That’s my other biggest concern. I don’t want any of you hurt, or the kids, and that goes for the public in general.

He’s not thinking clearly if he believes I’d ever take him back or allow him to have a relationship with these babies.

And if he’s this obsessed over one, what would the knowledge I’m having two do? ” Blythe asked.

“I think it’ll drive him into a frenzy. I want you to hear me out, and don’t kill me, Bones,” Spartan interjected.

I waved for him to proceed. “What if we were to secure Blythe at the compound for a few days? Your boss would be willing to give you a few days off, wouldn’t he?” Spartan asked Blythe.

She nodded, and he continued, “We make sure that the word gets to him, somehow, that she’s carrying twins.

We’ll be prepared to take him when he comes after her.

To ensure it’s when we want it, we make it appear that she’s leaving the compound for something, maybe a doctor’s appointment.

He makes his move, we take him, and then deal with the maniac. ”

“There’s no way I’ll expose her to danger!” I snarled.

“I know, and I wouldn’t either. We just make him think we are. Have the car leave with you in it, but the person with you will be covered, so it’s hard to tell who it is. Make it seem that she’s hiding behind sunglasses and a hat or something.”

“But you’re assuming he’d be around at the right time for us to do that. There’s no guarantee he would. If he saw us watching, he wouldn’t do it,” Knight said.

“True, but what you’re overlooking is what happened today.

There’s no way in hell that he just happened to be in Gatlinburg and stumbled across you in that parking lot.

Out of all the restaurants there, he picked that one?

At the time you were there? He knew where you were.

He had an unfamiliar car. It was premeditated.

He’s watching her somehow. Either he’s outside the compound or has help or something to let him know.

I don’t believe he accidentally went to Rossi’s that night and saw you.

He knew you were there, too,” Spartan explained.

“He’s not hanging near the walls. I’ve been checking the security feeds. There’s been no one close,” Wire said.

“How far out would someone have to be for us not to detect them?” I asked.

Now that Spartan mentioned it, I felt the quiver go through me. I’d noted that the alarmed feeling I had was even with me at home, but I’d ignored it. What if it had been telling me something?

“Our property extends one hundred twenty feet beyond the walls. And we keep the trees cut down so we can see what is coming at us, but beyond those forty yards of cushion, we have no control over the properties and can’t cut the trees unless given permission.

However, I monitor as far as I can into those woods, even if they aren’t ours.

But if someone knew what they were doing and how to remain hidden, they could do it.

Does he have any kind of military training? ” Wire asked Blythe.

“Not that he ever told me. He’s a hunter, though. He’d go hunting with some men he called friends. I never met them, and he never brought anything home, so I assumed he lied and drank at their garages all day.”

“Guys, we’re going to trespass and see if we find any sign that anyone has been in the woods.

The logical ones are those on the front side of the compound, where the main gate is located.

Ladies, we want you to stay here. Prospects, you stay and keep watch.

Brothers, make sure you have your guns. I want to know if someone is spying on us,” Agony growled.

It took us a few minutes for those who were not armed to retrieve their guns.

The women were worried, but we reassured them we’d be careful.

A quick kiss on Blythe’s lips, a request that we be cautious from her, and we went outside.

It was still light out, so we could see, but it would be darker in the trees, so we brought flashlights in case they were needed.

Dimitri opened the gate to allow us out.

We spread out and walked toward the woods.

If anyone were there, they’d run like hell.

We slowly entered the woods, staying about five feet apart.

We scanned the ground for signs of it being disturbed.

We checked to see if the trees showed signs of being climbed, a tree stand, or anything of that nature.

We knew the owner of this property. He was elderly, in his late seventies, and was against anyone hunting on his land.

If we found something like that, there was no way he would allow it.

We’d been out there for over an hour and had made it a decent distance into the trees.

We’d gone extremely slow because we were being thorough.

I was about to ask if we should go back when Pope called out that he had found something.

Leave it to him. He’d been a Marine. We converged on him.

He was standing in front of a tree. When we reached him, he pointed.

“If Mr. Engelston doesn’t allow anyone to hunt, it’s unlikely he put up a trail camera.

And it’s even more unlikely he would’ve been out here disturbing the ground or making himself a blind,” Pope said as he pointed to the camera and then the blind.

Someone had been spending a lot of time out there.

If you had binoculars, you could see the gate whenever someone left.

“Son of a bitch. How can we be sure it’s his?” I asked.

“Let me take the camera. If I can, I’ll hack in and download the footage,” Wire said.

“I know Engelston well. He’s always had a soft spot for me because of Tana. I’ll call and explain that we lost Vixen and went searching his property and found the blind and trail cam,” Agony said.

Vixen was Knight and Natalya’s rottweiler. That dog went everywhere with their daughter, Cara, and son, Iain.

“Sounds like a plan. Let’s take this and go. No telling when he might be back. It would be nice if we could get it back here before whoever put it here knows it’s been found,” Dare muttered.

“You guys go. Knight, Pyro, will you stay and help me erase any sign we’ve been here?

” Pope suggested. It took nothing to get the camera, and then we left the three of them to do whatever they needed.

The walk back felt like it took forever.

The thought that we’d been spied on made my anger grow.

I wanted Deon out of our lives. God, please give us some proof it was him.