Page 9 of Twist’s Raven (31 Days of Trick or Treat: Biker & Mobster #6)

Chapter Eight

“ W hat the hell?” Britt yelled at Mace.

He might be their President but putting someone who wasn’t deemed an enemy in Time Out seemed excessive.

“Now, calm down. We’re not planning to hurt him—unless he’s not who he seems to be.

I just need to make sure he can’t hurt us.

I placed a call and am waiting for a call back.

Once we get confirmation he’s on the up and up, then you can bring him into the fold if you’d like, but a storm chaser would make a great lookout guy to select people ripe for trafficking,” Mace said .

Britt stared at the man she trusted to lead them, but it didn’t mean she wasn’t upset about what had happened. Listening to his explanation made sense, but it had still been a shock when Snipe, Buzzard, Quicksilver, and Mace had Twist trussed up so fast.

But at least someone was thinking. When Twist had approached, at first she’d been stunned but pleased.

When her dad had introduced himself, she’d tried to figure out what to say to keep her original cover story, but she’d drawn a blank.

The woman who could come up with plans A through C in no time flat was struck dumb at the sound of Twist’s deep, sexy voice and his arms bulging in his tight-fitting T-shirt.

His cut, though, had been noticeably absent, which had her wondering if he had known the bar was owned by an MC .

“I’m going to check into his phone while we wait,” Quicksilver said, walking back toward one of their computer rooms. One of the things they’d done was plan redundancies.

There were separate computers with the same information on them located in the Time Out tunnels and also in a separate basement hidden under the RV Resort’s cabin with the office and laundry.

Redundancies are what you get when the majority of the members are conspiracy theorists and plan for the day everything goes tits up.

Britt always saw what others called conspiracies, but Britt called them possibilities.

It’s one of the reasons she was called Raven.

Besides noticing every little thing, she was able to take all the information and formulate what could possibly happen.

It allowed her team to plan for all the possibilities.

She was a little irritated with herself for not having a plan D when they ran the quest that Twist interrupted.

The rest area was rarely used so her plans A, B, and C had what to do in case things went awry, but she hadn’t considered a hero pulling in at just the right time.

She’d do better next time, though the runaway bride wouldn’t be able to be used again. That idea was now burned.

“I don’t like what happened, but maybe I’m not objective about him. How long until your contact will call back?” Britt asked, pacing the room.

Buzzard slid his arm around her. “Little sis planning on getting her some with her hero?”

Britt shook off his arm. “Seriously, little sis?”

“I’m trying it out. Since we’re a family, it’s obvious I can’t be the younger brother. I’m older, outweigh you by one hundred pounds, and I can be super annoying when you’re trying to read or do your Legos. That sounds like an older brother,” Buzzard said, grinning.

Britt rolled her eyes. She loved these men, but sometimes they really got on her nerves. She wasn’t sure she would have made it through serving without them, but she was an adult. At least now, they weren’t all stuck in a confined vehicle. She could always retreat to her room.

“Why does everything with you come back to getting some?” she asked Buzzard.

Snipe laughed as he walked by. “Because the hottie Buzzard was interested in turned out to be crazy. Poor Buzzard is on the self-love train for a while. ”

Buzzard shoved Snipe. Britt snickered. They acted like teenagers sometimes, but she still loved them.

“How do you know what happened with her? Have you been reading my texts?” Buzzard growled.

“Hey, I get bored on surveillance sometimes. If you all don’t want your life scrutinized, then I suggest getting a little better encryption on your electronic devices.”

Britt poked Snipe in the chest. “You better be staying out of my phone,” she said.

“Chill. Hey, the food is ready from the bar. Are we going to let him eat?” Snipe asked.

Mace held up a finger and answered his phone. He walked away, most likely so she couldn’t listen in, which made her a little angry. Twist had come looking for her. There was no other reason he’d end up at the Honey Creek Badgers MC’s properties.

Did he come looking for her to check on her just as a nice guy, or was he interested in her?

It had been too long since she’d genuinely been interested in a man for more than a one-night stand.

If Twist was deemed trustworthy by Mace, she had a decision to make.

Did she want to bring him into the fold?

And did Mace really mean that he could know everything?

So far, no one besides their original members and family knew exactly what the Honey Creek Badgers MC was into.

She drummed her fingers on the counter, keeping an eye out for Mace. This waiting was different from when she was on surveillance. How nervous she was told her there wasn’t a question if she’d tell Twist. He was the first man to interest her and make her want to share with him.

Mace walked back in, staring at Britt. “So we have a little delay. My contact said they didn’t want to confirm anything regarding Twist over the phone.

He, along with a couple of others, are going to be riding up.

They’re leaving now. They should be here in the next hour or so.

Until then, Twist can stay by himself in Time Out. ”

“Okay. I’ll wait. I get you’re keeping everyone safe, and honestly, I was so surprised to see him that I couldn’t think how to explain I was sitting with the supposed parents who were pushing me toward a forced marriage.”

Mace nodded. “I’ll always do what’s best for the group whether you like it or not.”

Britt nodded and headed into the control room. She was going to keep an eye on Twist even if she couldn’t be in the room with him. She wondered who Mace’s contact was.

Movement on the screen that showed the driveway of the clubhouse caught her eye.

She checked Twist’s monitor, then headed up.

She counted at least five bikers, possibly more, because a car pulled in right behind the bikes in the parking lot.

She jogged up the stairs, grabbing her cut from the hall as she walked out onto the porch.

Mace, Axel, and Guru were meeting the men and what turned out to be two women, one closer to her parents’ age.

Raven walked down the stairs and waited for Mace to speak .

“We appreciate you making the drive. We would have been fine with a verbal okay,” Mace said, then noticed her. “Pit, this is Raven, who Twist said he was looking for. Raven, this is the Saint’s Outlaws MC, Kansas City Chapter’s President, Pit, his VP, Justice, Stinger, Tack, and Crux.”

“Nice to meet you. Who are the ladies with you?” Raven asked. Mace gave her a frown, but if he thought she was going to have the ladies treated as second-class citizens like some people did, then he’d be disappointed because that wasn’t happening.

“Aww, this is Justice’s mom, Ruthy, and my wife, Ariel.”

“Nice to meet you,” Raven said, shaking hands with both ladies.

“Let’s head in and we can discuss the situation,” Mace said, leading the group into the clubhouse and into the room that was set up as Church.

Raven’s eyes about bugged out when she saw the sign.

Mace had gone round with his mother because she’d argued that church was what she attended on Sundays with a sermon.

He told her they were a One Percenter MC and that they called their meetings Church.

He’d had a sign made for it, and his mom had painted over it.

Mace had ordered another one made and just installed it yesterday.

Raven wasn’t sure when it happened because earlier today the sign had been fine.

Now, the sign still had the C and the last H from Church.

The other letters had been painted over, and then someone had meticulously lettered MACE’S HUDDLE .

Raven tried to hold in her laughter, but Axel saw it first, chuckling and smacking Mace on the back.

“Shouldn’t ever piss off our mother. She doesn’t give up or give in,” Axel said, helping everyone find seats.

“I have to ask. That sign looks freshly painted. There has to be a story,” Ariel said, sitting down at the table.

Raven smiled along with all the other members as Mace sat down and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Ruthy, I don’t want to offend you as a mom, but honestly, I don’t know any other way to explain this.

You know, I can be the President of the club and everyone listens to me when I make a decision.

But our mother,” Mace motioned to himself and Axel, “has decided that we are not to call this Church. I disagreed and thought she was on board. However, this is the second sign I’ve had made that she has defaced in the first twelve hours it was up.

I’m not giving in, but I’m not sure exactly how I’m supposed to deal with this,” Mace said.

Raven enjoyed Mace’s irritation because she’d told him how to fix it. What did it matter to the outside world what they called it when they met? If it kept the peace with their family, then so be it. Sometimes Raven wondered if Mace’s mom was just doing it to lighten the atmosphere.

“Fierce women are amazing. I should know, I married one and was lucky enough to have two, my mom and my aunt, in my life growing up. I get the need to be in charge, but you know the saying happy wife, happy life?” Pit asked.

Mace nodded .