Page 19

Chapter Nineteen

R age

I stared at the stack of photos spread across the table, my jaw clenched so tight I could feel a headache brewing at my temples. Image after image showed riders in Silver Talons cuts riding through our territory. I picked up the one of Spike sitting on his bike, openly flashing his colors while his fucking minions tagged the side of the building with that bullshit eagle emblem of theirs. The fucking disrespect was blatant. Mother fuckers didn’t realize they weren’t playing Russian Roulette with their fucking lives.

“These were taken yesterday,” Killer said, tapping one of the photos with his finger. “Right outside of Ray’s Bakery. Owner says they’ve been coming around, making threats.”

“Fuckers,” I muttered, leaning back in my chair.

The back office of Saints Ink was cramped with the four of us crowded inside. Reign was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest and a scowl on his face.

“Aye, and that’s not all,” he added, his Irish accent thicker because he was pissed. “Donna down at the corner store says they’ve been hanging around and scaring off her customers. They roughed up a regular three nights ago.”

I dragged a hand down my face.

“They’re testing us.” Killer’s dark eyes met mine. “After the shootout at the clubhouse, they think we’re vulnerable. It’s time to send a message.”

I nodded, rubbing at the tension building at the back of my neck. Sitting on our hands and thinking shit would blow over was getting old. We needed to talk to Chief and Morpheus, and come up with a plan to handle this shit before things escalated any further.

Dread started to chime in about another incident, but my mind wandered to Mac and the shit she was dealing with. Something about her meeting Sarah alone had my hackles up.

“Rage.” Dread snapped his fingers in front of my face. “Are you even fucking listening?”

I blinked, focusing on the men staring at me with concern. “Yeah. Sorry.”

Reign’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Something on your mind?”

“Mac,” I admitted. No point in lying to my brothers. “She’s meeting Sarah.” Dread perked up at the mention of Mac’s ex-roomie.

Killer’s expression darkened immediately. “The fucker who was eyeballing Mac?” Few things pissed him off more than men who preyed on women.

“That’s the one.”

“Your woman can handle herself,” Reign added, nodding at Dread whose arm was still in a sling. “She’s smart and doesn’t buckle under pressure.”

Pride swelled in my chest at the mention of how my baby had handled herself during the shooting. She was a badass. “I know she can. But I just got a bad feeling about that guy.”

“Pussy-whipped,” Killer coughed into his fist.

I flipped him off. “Fuck you.”

“Easy, lads,” Reign interrupted, tapping the photos. “The Talons?”

Right. We needed to focus.

Collecting the photos, I studied them again with a critical eye. “We need to hit back. Hard. But we gotta be smart.” The last thing any of us wanted was an all-out war. Especially me. Now that I had Mac in my life I had more to lose than ever.

“The shipment from Miami comes in next week.” Killer’s eyes were laser focused.

The shipment he was referring to was an important one. It was the first one that would go West to our new partners. The alliance with the Kings of Anarchy was going to be profitable for everyone. Especially Hector-fucking-Ramirez “Chief wants extra security in case the Talons try something.”

I nodded. “We’ll double the usual crews. Four teams, full contingent.”

Reign grinned, the expression making him look even more dangerous. “And after the shipment’s secure?”

“Then we remind the Talons that fucking with the Saints was a bad fucking idea.”

We spent the next hour hammering out the details, but I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling in my gut. I kept checking my phone, waiting for an update from Mac, only for nothing to be there.

Finally, right when I was about to say fuck it and head over to Sarah’s apartment, it vibrated across the table.

I snatched it off the table quickly, making Killer laugh.

“Pussy-whipped.“

“Yeah, yeah,” I shot back as I read Mac’s text about heading to Sarah’s apartment to grab some of her shit.

I was relieved that she was keeping me updated.

My thumbs flew across the screen.

be careful and keep me posted

“She good?” Reign asked, watching me closely.

“Yeah.” I set my phone back down, trying to refocus. “Her girl’s gonna crash with us for a few days.”

Dread’s eyes narrowed. “Let me take that motherfucker out.” The same thought had crossed my mind a couple of times, but it was too risky at the moment.

I shook my head. “Not yet. Can’t have any blowback right now.”

“Fine, but I want in when it’s time.”

I grinned, offering my fist, which he readily bumped with his own.

We’d just started ironing out more details for our upcoming run when Mac’s name flashed across the screen.

“Gotta take this,” I murmured, already standing.

Reign and Killer exchanged knowing looks as I stepped out into the hallway for privacy.

“Hey, baby,” I answered, relief washing through me at the sound of her voice.

“Hi,” she said, sounding tired, but okay. “We just finished at the apartment.”

“Any problems?” I asked, leaning against the wall.

“No, thank God. Chad wasn’t there.” She hesitated for a minute before lowering her voice. “It’s worse than I thought, Rage. He grabbed her hard enough to leave bruises.”

My blood pressure spiked immediately. “That motherfucker put his hands on her?”

“Yeah,” she confirmed quietly. “She’s been trying to hide it, but... it doesn’t look good. I think she’s been dealing with this for a while.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose, red-hot anger surging through me. Men who hit women should be put down like fucking dogs. “She okay?”

“She will be,” Mac said with determination. “Once she’s away from him for good. She’s scared, though.”

I bet she was. Mac’s friend was a petite woman. “She’s safe with us,” I assured her, already making a mental note to have Zero and Dread beef up the security around our place. “She can stay as long as she needs.”

“Thank you,” Mac’s voice softened. “I knew you’d understand. I’m gonna get her settled into the guest room when we get home.“

“I’ll be there around one,” I told her, glancing at the clock. “You lock the doors when you get in, yeah?”

I could practically hear her smile. “Yes, sir. I always do.”

“Smart ass.” My lips turned up at the corner. “Be careful, baby. I love you.”

“Love you too,” she replied before ending the call.

When I returned to the office, Reign, Dread, and Killer were watching me expectantly.

“Everything good?” Killer asked.

I dropped back into my chair and ran my hands through my hair. “No. Sarah’s boyfriend roughed her up. Left bruises.”

“Fuck,” Reign swore. “The lass alright?”

“I think so. She’s going to stay with us for a little while.” I glanced over at Dread. “Need you to upgrade the security around my house.”

Killer grunted. “That fucker’s a deadman,” The venom in his voice wasn’t lost on me. He came off as easygoing most of the time, but the killer in him was always there, just beneath the surface.

“Yeah,” I agreed. “It’s going to have to wait though. We got this shipment, the Talons.”

Killer’s eyes narrowed but thankfully he was accepting the temporary stand-down.

“I’m living right there in your backyard. I’ll keep an eye out while they’re at the house.” Dread was still on medical leave while his shoulder healed. “Thanks, brother. Might take you up on that.”

As they started discussing ways to make Chad disappear permanently, I pulled out my phone and sent a text to Zero.

Need u 2 run a name. Chad Miller. Dig deep.

Zero’s reply was immediate.

On it. Give me 24 hrs.

I slid my phone back into my pocket, feeling slightly better. Information was power, and I wanted to know exactly what kind of piece of shit we were dealing with.

I didn’t think Chad was stupid enough to come after Sarah while she was under my roof, but I wanted to be prepared.