Page 41 of Sexting the Bikers

It takes a second for the words to settle. And when they do, it’s like the floor shifts under me.

So that’s it.

I’ve just traded one cage for another.

First my family sells me off like livestock, and now I’m a bargaining chip between criminals who don’t even know me. One man wants to parade me down the aisle in front of his enemies. The other wants to use me as collateral to get paid.

This is war. And I’m the spoils.

But they’re not the only ones who know how to play dirty.

9

REAPER

Ihate complications.

Especially when they come in the form of a sharp-tongued girl with a killer body and too many secrets.

I’m already dialing the burner before she finishes her protest.

“No,” Katya says, voice rising. “You can’t?—”

“Keep her quiet,” I snap, turning away as the line begins to ring. I hear Bishop move in, murmuring something low, probably putting a hand on her arm. She’s pacing now, I can feel the fury coming off her in waves. But she’s not our concern anymore—not until Novikov pays what he owes.

I dial the number from memory—the one Novikov’s lieutenant gave us months ago, back when we were still pretending this alliance had a future.

He answers on the second ring. “This better be good,” he growls.

“We’ve got something of yours,” I say evenly. “Or someone.”

A pause.

Then, “Speak.”

I glance over my shoulder. Dog is holding Katya gently but firmly, whispering something into her hair while she tries notto panic. Bishop is still by the table, arms crossed, jaw ticking. He doesn’t like this any more than I do—but we’re past like and don’t-like now. We’re inneed-to-doterritory.

“Tell Novikov his bride’s with us,” I say. “She’s safe—for now. You want her back, he pays what he owes. Cash. All of it.”

Another pause. No breathing on the line. Just that dead, eerie silence that tells me I’ve got their attention.

“I’ll tell him,” the voice says, and then the line goes dead.

I turn to leave, but her voice stops me cold.

“You don’t understand what you just did,” Katya says.

She’s standing straighter now, shoulders squared, chin up like she’s daring me to ask what she means. And for a second, I almost do.

But I’ve seen that look before—on men who thought they had leverage. Thought they could play me. Thought they were smarter than they were.

I fold my arms across my chest and lean back just enough to study her.

“No,” I say, flat and hard. “Whatyoudon’t understand is that you’re a liability. And the sooner we get rid of you, the better it is for everyone in this room.”

That gets a reaction out of Dog. His eyes flash, jaw clenched like he’s holding himself back from stepping in again. I shoot him a look that saysdon’t.

Katya doesn’t blink. She’s not scared—she’s pissed. There’s something brewing behind those dark eyes, something dangerous. But I’ve dealt with worse.