Page 4

Chapter

Three

Smoke

“ S o, Tenley.” I take a firm step towards her, but kudos, she stands her ground even when the scuffed toe of my boot hits the shiny toe of her high-heels. “If you reckon you’ve done your research on the Young Outlaws MC, then what possessed you to think you can encroach on our property without our permission?”

“Wow.” Her eyes are wide, a slight curl to the edges of her mouth as she looks up at me. My dominant posture seems to have zero effect on her. “Encroach. Great use of the word there, Smoke. Might use that in my report.” She blinks several times as if waiting for my reaction but then follows with. “I can call you Smoke, can’t I or would you prefer Ronan?”

Usually, my death stare and body language are enough to scare the shit out of the people I need to deal with, but Tenley seems to be either oblivious to it, or she has some idiotic idea that she’s invulnerable.

“You’re not going to get the chance to call me anything, because you’re going to get the fuck out of my clubhouse, and off of our land.” I hook my hand around her upper arm and swing her around until she’s facing the door.

“Oh, come on,” she titters as I walk her out of my office, into the main room and towards the front door. “I’m giving you the perfect chance to tell your side of the story. Let the people out there know the truth.” She pulls sharply, bringing us to a stop. Thankfully, other than Ginger, who is behind the bar filling up the coolers with beer bottles, the room is empty when she continues to try to reason with me. “At least your version of the truth, because we all know that you make your money from guns and drugs.”

“You know fucking nothing.” I grasp her by the throat, bring her face to mine, and snarl. “If you did, then you’d know that poking into our business is not good for your health. And if you think for one minute that being a half cooked relative of Oriana is going to grant you favor or protection, then you’re vastly mistaken.” As soon as I have her outside, I let out a loud whistle from between my teeth. It’s enough to grab Edge’s attention from where he’s stood, talking to Diesel while tinkering with his bike. Edge makes his way over. Diesel follows close behind while wiping the rag he’s holding over his hands.

“Prez?” Edge questions, after quickly eyeing up the power-dressed woman I’m gripping hold off.

“Get this woman out of here, now.” I push her towards Edge. Ensuring he has a firm hold on her before relinquishing my grasp. “And make sure whichever fucker is on the gate gets a hiding for letting her get in here in the first place.”

“Wait… wait.” Tenley pulls her arm free and holds up her hands. “Just listen to me for a second.”

“I doubt you have anything I want to hear.” I start to turn away from her but think better of it. I need her gone and want to see it with my own eyes. “Get her out of here, Edge.”

Edge goes to grab hold of her again, but she jumps the few steps down and onto the rough ground in front of the clubhouse. How the fuck she didn’t break an ankle while doing it in those high fucking heels, I’ll never know.

Standing tall, her hands on her hips, with her purse hooked over her arm, she says two words that metaphorically knock me off my feet.

“Patrick James Dunne,” she hollers loud and clear.

That gets my attention.

“Who?” My mouth takes the shape of a downward crescent, my shoulders hunch, my body language giving the impression that I have no idea who she’s talking about. Yet deep down, my blood is boiling from the simple mention of his name.

“The King of the Death Valley Irish. The man who is after the blood of you and every member of the Young Outlaws for the death of his brothers.”

“First of all, Jimmy, Paddy whatever name he’s going by these days, is no king and secondly. Brothers?” I retort back .

“From what I’m led to believe, Paddy is holding you and your club solely responsible for the death of both Danny and Logan Dunne, and he’s not going to stop until he has his revenge.”

What the fuck. Of course, Danny’s death was no surprise to me. He was one of a number of casualties from the shootout that had occurred when we had tackled them for encroaching on our patch. Our people were the only ones that had the right to deal drugs in that domain. So, when the Death Valley Irish had tried to take control there, causing chaos amongst our people, we had no option but to warn them off. They didn’t heed. A fight broke out. Problem was, it was with guns, not fists.

I knew the Dunne’s. Very well. I always make a point of researching and knowing my enemies. Knowledge is power, so to speak. Declan, Sean, Billy. Not to mention the twins Cillian and Colin Dunne. Yet, I know nothing of a Logan Dunne.

I have to acknowledge that what she is saying has an element of truth, but who’s saying she hasn’t just fallen on a handful of rumors and come up with bullshit?

I throw back my head and laugh out loud.

“And who told you all this?” I ask with a snort. Slowly she takes the few steps up, one at a time, until she’s stood right in front of me. She looks me straight in the eye, the silent pause stretching longer than I like and intensifying the heightened friction between us.

“I have direct contact with the man himself.” She eventually speaks up, not a hint of deception in her words. “Paddy Dunne.”