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CHAPTER ONE: CHROME

We pull out of the parking lot of the office building, which is going up in flames behind us. We rescued Min and several girls, although Min did the heavy lifting. However, we arrived on time to clean up the mess. The fire will cremate the four bodies inside and hopefully destroy all the evidence proving that Min killed each one. I let out a whistle when I think of the tiny woman and the amount of pain she inflicted. Babe, a brother from another Chapter, was a lucky bastard. Or an unlucky one. He’d find himself in a world of hurt if he ever pissed her off. They are a couple and work together as bounty hunters. Twenty-four, seven with the same woman? No thanks. The image of a pretty nurse with short blonde hair and too observant blue eyes flashes. I ruthlessly shove Cicely Oswald out of my head.

We haven’t gone five miles before I spot a black SUV on the side of the road. It sits nose-first in a gully. I almost ignored it, but my VP, Scorch, and Trigger took off in a similar SUV. Raising my fist, I pull over to the shoulder. Without looking, I know every bike behind me is doing the same. As is the crash van that’s bringing up the rear.

When I spot the man lying on the ground next to the open door of the SUV, I don’t hesitate. Half-sliding and half-running, I’m down the embankment and kneeling next to the prone figure of Scorch. Stitch kneels on the other side and checks his pulse. He gives me a quick nod when he finds it. Jumping up, he rushes to the other side. I’m guessing to check on Trigger. Knowing we can’t hang around, I direct the prospects to get Scorch and Trigger into the crash van and back to the clubhouse. I study the SUV as Babe examines the inside and Rush cleans off the surfaces. We don’t want the cops finding fingerprints.

“Fenhua’s gone. Do you think he caused the crash in order to escape?” Babe asks me.

“Don’t know. Doubt it. Your girl drugged him, right?”

“I think so. I saw Min plunge a syringe into him. I don’t know what was in it. He looked knocked out.”

“Yeah, he did,” I muse before turning from the SUV. Something’s wrong here. I can’t figure out what it is, but I feel it in my gut. With one last look at the SUV, I follow the men up the embankment.

Once we’re back at the clubhouse, I’m relieved to see Scorch stalking toward me. That relief is brief when he demands to talk to Babe and me in my office. My VP is a hothead, but I’ve never seen him this angry.

“We have a rat problem,” Scorch says.

“We know. You were the one who didn’t want to believe it. What changed your mind?” Babe asks.

“Someone knew we had that asshole. Fenhua woke up and attacked me just as two SUVs pulled up next to us. They drove us off the road and knocked us out.”

“Who?”

“How the fuck would I know?” Scorch screams at Babe. “I didn’t get a good look at them. I was trying to stay alive.”

“You think the rat told someone, and they came after you?” I ask. “I can have Mode…” I wince when I remember Mode is out of commission. “Fuck this shit. I can’t believe one of our brothers is a traitor!”

“Might not be a brother,” Scorch says, staring at Babe.

“I hope to fuck you aren’t accusing me,” Babe growls.

“We didn’t have a rat problem until you and your bitch showed up,” Scorch snarls.

When they jump to their feet, I hustle around the desk to get between them. “Knock it off. Scorch, see Stitch. I think you have a concussion.”

“I don’t have a concussion. I have a suspicion. Did you know that fucker was Min’s cousin? Maybe this was their plan. She pretends to knock him unconscious, and then she calls someone to rescue him. Fuck, she could have been the one to warn Jordan about our having eyes on the community center. Maybe she left those girls behind in the church on purpose. Did you think of that?”

Babe reaches around me to get at Scorch. “You fucking take that back. Min isn’t the traitor. She risked her life to save those girls.”

Fuck, when did I become a fucking preschool teacher? The two of them shouting at each other has me wanting to shoot both of them to get them to shut up.

“Well, someone contacted them. Who the fuck else had the opportunity?” Scorch demands, poking Babe in the chest. Babe raises his fist. But I’ve had enough.

“Fucking enough!” I bellow, pushing between them again. “You punch my VP, and I’ll take your patch.”

“You can both go to hell. As soon as Min gets back here, we’re leaving. You can find the rat on your own. Good luck.” When Babe storms off, Scorch turns on me.

“You’re going to let him leave? He could be a traitor! He was about to punch me. The asshole has no respect for you or this club!”

I pour a shot of whisky into a glass and hand it to my VP. “Drink this, sit down, and tell me what the fuck happened.”

He swallows the contents in one gulp. “I already told you what happened. “I was focusing on two SUVs that surrounded us. That fucker Fenhua woke and knocked Trigger unconscious before he went for me. I swerved and lost consciousness. I don’t know what the fuck happened after that.”

“Go see Stitch,” I order my VP.

“What about Babe?”

“I’ll handle it,” I yell at him. “Get lost.”

Once he’s gone, I pull out my phone and call Dante. He doesn’t answer, which spikes my anger further. “Dante, your fucking Enforcer is a hothead. He almost decked my VP.” I ended the call and immediately regretted it. Jeez, I’m acting like a preschooler, too. Leaving my office, I head for the infirmary to check on Mode.

I find Stitch sitting at his desk inside the infirmary while Cicely takes Mode’s vitals. “How is he?” I ask her.

“He hasn’t woken up yet,” she replies as Stitch joins us.

“His blood pressure is spiking, and I don’t like that he’s still unconscious. I think he should go into the hospital,” Stitch says.

I wince at the suggestion, and if it were any other time, I’d reject it. However, Mode’s in as much risk here as he would be in the hospital. Maybe more so since his attacker is in the building. “Yeah, okay. Get him into the hospital, but I want two people on him.”

“You got it.”

“Cicely, can I speak to you for a moment?”

Pulling her outside the infirmary, I study the tired woman before me. She’s been helping Stitch while also holding down her job. I’m unsure when the woman sleeps, but I have a solution. “You aren’t in danger any longer,” I tell her. “The men who were after you aren’t looking for you or any of the other former employees of Chambers Medical Group. I can’t give you details. But I think you should go back to your apartment.”

She frowns at me. “You want me to leave?”

“I think that would be best.”

“Best for me or best for you?”

“Best for both of us,” I tell her honestly, even though the thought of her not being in the clubhouse leaves me feeling empty.

“Fine,” she says, turning and walking away. I don’t want to see her go, but I can’t risk having her in the clubhouse. Not while we have a rat problem. I don’t know who has betrayed us, but if he wanted to destroy this club, destroy me, all he had to do was hurt her. No, she’s safer being away from here. Besides, I need to focus all my attention on uncovering the traitor.

When my phone rings, I wince when I see Dante’s name on the display.

“Babe told me what’s going on, so I’ll excuse you calling and whining like a little bitch. Babe isn’t your traitor, and neither is Min. If you have a rat, and I think you do, look inside your clubhouse.”

“Yeah, I know. I almost lost Scorch tonight. I don’t know who the fuck this Fenhua bastard is, but he woke up from a sedative and attacked my men.”

“And there’s a reason for it. You’ll discover it. The Nomads will be there soon. They can help keep an eye on things while you hunt down Jordan. We need to end that bastard.”

“Agreed.”

“How’s Mode?”

“Still unconscious. We’re sending him to a hospital.”

“He might be safer out of the clubhouse,” Dante says.

“Yeah, that’s why I agreed. It sucks not having a tech guy, though.”

“I’ll send Byte your way. He can cover for Mode.”

“That will help, thanks. Look, I’ll apologize to Babe.”

“Yeah, you will. But it can wait until we smoke out the vermin.”

Dante ends the call just as Cicely exits the door to her room carrying her suitcase.

“I can get that,” I offer, but she pushes past me.

“I don’t need your help.”

I grab her arm to stop her, gently prying the suitcase from her hands. “I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings. You fought me when I brought you here. Why are you fighting me when I let you leave?”

Instead of answering, she yanks her arm out of my hand and stomps off. As I follow her outside and to her car, she grumbles under her breath. She opens the trunk and waits for me to slide her suitcase inside before slamming it shut. She brushes past me, careful not to touch me. I reach out to grab her again, but the sound of three motorcycles coming our way has me glancing at the gate. It opens to allow the three Nomads inside. I hear Cicely start her car, and she backs up quickly before speeding through the gates before they close.

Stone, Eagle, and Padre pull up near me and disembark. Stone glances at the taillights of Cicely’s car. “I see you haven’t lost your touch, Chrome. Still charming the opposite sex?”