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.The other part wanted to get our chat over with.Some of the club was present, scowling into mugs of beer, exhaustion evident on their faces.Bars, his bandage already dirty.Gunner, both eyes black and blue, a broken nose bandaged.He raised his glass when he caught my eye.Mort and Anchor occupied stools as well."Calling an informal meeting," Bill told them, "And breaking tradition.Ivy will be joining us at the table.""Can't we just talk out here?" I was never allowed in there.No one who didn't wear the colors was allowed.The thought made me vaguely uncomfortable."Nope." Bill walked into the back, leaving us no choice but to follow.I took a seat next to Theo at the big dark wooden table.I'd had peeks at it, but never up close like this.The club colors were carved deep in the center - the horned devil’s skull, surrounded by a dust cloud with death’s scythe in the background.I traced the bit closest to me lightly.How old is this? It exuded club history.How many men had surrounded it through the years? I felt lucky to be there.Theo squeezed my knee as the door closed and the men sat down."All right, Ivy.We need to know everything you can tell us about Viper."The sound of his name made bile rise in my throat."First," I said, "Have you heard anything about Irish? And where's Jester?"Bill was trying to be as kind as he was capable , but I could read the impatience on his face.Still, he answered my questions."Both alive.Both hospitalized.Jester got himself shot.They operated.Moron will probably have a limp the rest of his idiot life." The name-calling only told me that he was worried for his son."As for Irish, he's out of danger but they don't know how much mobility he'll have in that arm yet." I covered my mouth.Poor fucking Irish."They're going to live," he said, his voice a touch softer."The rest can be dealt with." He sat back and waited for me to begin.I told them everything I could remember.It was hard to keep the information I’d gathered in my head, but I’d tried.I told them how I’d deliberately tried to get close to Viper though I left out the gory details.Mostly I focused on how he was creating a rift in the club; how some of the Eagles were with him, and some thought he was just plain psychotic.The Eagle’s president was away - Bill slammed a fist on the table at that fact, but indicated that I should continue.“So, I didn’t gather whether or not the Eagle’s themselves are involved in the girl snatching that’s been going on, but, well, there’s definitely a lot of shady trading.And Viper’s scared.He’s obsessed with killing Theo but he knows he needs to run.”“Maybe he’ll get careless,” Mort said.I shook my head.“I wouldn’t count on that.”Bill finally spoke.“That settles it.We ride.”Fists banged the table.I jumped.“You ride? Where?”“Their president is the key.Who knows how much he’s aware of.I do know he wouldn’t want his strip club treated like a fucking rape camp and run into the ground.Theo.Your prisoner.We need to find their president’s location as soon as possible.”Theo nodded.“I’m on it.”“Gunner, I want your ugly face with me.And Anchor.Mort, you hold down the fort.Stay on top of security.I’m giving you the authority to spend club funds as you see fit while I’m gone.”“On it,” he said, scratching his beard.“Bars, replace your fucking bike and get your ass out to that strip joint.Stay at the motel and watch the road.I want to know if there’s any big club movements while we’re away.”“What about their shipments?” Bars asked.“With us scattering like this, their trucks will be getting through.”Bill shook his head.“The maniac’s using explosives.We have to let them go.” They all stood.Bill pointed at Theo.“You get that info, and then you take care of her, got it? I wouldn’t put it past that fuck to try to get her back out of spite.” He snorted.“Hell, maybe we’ll get lucky and he’ll try.Then you can snap his damn neck.” They filed out, leaving me alone with Theo.“Where’d you hide your prisoner?” I asked.His grin was grim.“You’re not gonna like it.”“Where?”“Your truck.”Dawn had driven my truck after the bikers as they prepared their ambush.When she led Irish to safety and happened upon me, Theo found the truck empty.He bound his prisoner and after loading him up into the truck under gunfire, drove it off and left it in the woods, then returned on foot for his bike and came looking for me.It had all just taken too long.The club was gone by the time he reached the road.“So, he’s in the woods somewhere.” I followed Theo outside under the watchful eye of the hired security guard.Mort followed - he’d sit with me at home until Theo could return.“That’s right.Hopefully getting eaten up by nothing bigger than the mosquitoes.” Theo swung a leg over his bike, and I climbed on behind him.We took off with Mort following.I was feeling sick - like I had the flu - but it wasn’t as awful as I was afraid it would be.Yet.I paced my apartment after Theo dropped me off.Mort sat on my couch and flipped through the television and channels and watched me go, wearing down a path in the old carpet.“It’s making me tired just watching you,” he said.“Sit down for a minute.” I didn’t hear him at first.I was so wrapped up inside my own head.Above all I felt bereft.I wanted Theo there with me.He promised.He swore it and he meant it and now he’s not here.“Dammit, girly, sit your ass down!”I dropped onto the couch with a huff.“Now I want you to listen.No one told me this back when I needed to hear it, so I’m telling you now, ‘cause I’m a nice guy.” He smirked.I tried to smile back.“You’re just detoxing.You’re not going to die.It’s gonna feel like a bad flu and its not gonna let you sleep, but you’re gonna get through it.”I sighed and put my head in my hands.“I’m just scared,” I admitted.“I know [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]