Twenty-Seven

Vale

Kale called church when Day and I finally emerged from my suite near noon, all of the guys smirking at us. It was obvious they'd all been waiting for us to show up—all but Planny who was occupied with Brennan, the two of them still playing the game they'd been on since last night.

"Did they sleep?" I asked Wrecker.

He shook his head. "Threw some caffeine and protein bars at them a little while ago. They barely noticed. Planny's loving it. It's rare he runs into someone who challenges him."

Then Biter came from Kale's office, shouting about church. Day took a fortifying breath, knowing what that meant, and I knew it would be a giant leap for him, a cop participating in what was perceived to be a sacred MC ritual. I didn't expect to be invited, but Biter had pointed at Day and me. "Cop and Cookie, you, too."

"Cop and Cookie?" Day asked.

Biter shrugged. "Ask Prick. You don't get to pick your club name."

"You're making that up," I challenged. That sounded like something Biter would do.

"Hmph, you'll see."

We all filed into the meeting room where Kale waited and immediately called things to order. That's when Day learned they'd grabbed two of Dutch's men yesterday. Kale's team had gotten no usable information from them and had handed them over to another team and now the full focus was on Dutch.

Worried, I glanced over to check Dayton's reaction.

"It's fine," he murmured to me, squeezing my hand. "They wanted to hurt you. Or Bren."

With a nod, I leaned into him, cuddling closer, then turned my full attention back to my brother.

"Biter and I have gone over things," he said. "And we have a plan. Listen up…"

* * * *

Butterflies bombarded my middle, occasionally closing my throat while I tried to be calm. My hands shaking, I folded a shirt and placed it in my suitcase before going back to my dresser for more.

Dayton and I had had a very public and loud argument in my driveway about me being foolish before he'd stormed off. He didn't agree with any of this. So here I was, packing to head back to the club. While he was God knew where. His house, maybe.

My throat was dry from fear. I needed a drink—a stiff drink—but not knowing Dutch's next move, I'd settle for a cold water from the fridge.

I'd just cleared the hallway when I froze, a thousand darts of deja vu slamming into me and taking me back to that moment near the copy center. Me alone with Dutch leering at me.

"What are you doing here?" I'd asked that back then, too. And just like back then, he pulled a gun and I gasped.

"Dutch!"

"Oh, so you know who I am, now? Then you should know that your security is worthless against me, too."

"What?" Keep him talking. Keep him talking. "All I know is, you used to be Dayton's partner. That's all," I said, taking a step backward.

"Don't move. You make me chase you, and it'll be worse for you, nosy little bitch. It's your fucking fault the police are after me."

I shook my head. "I didn't…"

He raised his gun, aiming it at my face. "What did you tell them."

"Nothing. I've never talked to the police," I said, telling the full truth. I hadn't. Unless you counted Dayton and the hello I'd said to Anderson.

"Liar."

"You know I'm getting real sick of people calling me that. You know what I do know," I yelled, my ire pricked. If I was going to die, I wouldn't go begging. "You murdered Melonie Windsor."

"Prove it." His finger flexed on the trigger.

"Don't have to."

"Nah, she doesn't," Planny said, he and Prick materializing from the wall where they'd been hidden in plain sight by their chameleon abilities.

"What the fuck!" Dutch yelled right before his gun wrenched from his hand and flew through the air to clatter onto the kitchen floor. That was my brother's doing as he, Dayton and Biter raced in, and Planny and Prick grabbed Dutch.

"Ever heard of bait, asshole. You've been catfished," Biter growled.

"That's not what catfished means," Prick deadpanned, with an eye roll, because that was the reaction Biter got from us all. And we loved him for it.

"Eh, still works," Planny put in. "Rut-roh."

I followed his sightline to find Dayton stalking our way, and he wasn't heading for me. His arm drew back, and lightning fast, he planted his fist square in Dutch's nose. Blood gushing, Dutch sagged in Planny and Prick's grasp.

"Well…that'll make him easier to get in the van, won't it?" Biter remarked.

"You okay?" Kale asked me as Dayton gathered me into his arms.

"Yeah. I thought he was gonna kill me."

"Wouldn't let that happen. You had a whole team protecting you. He just didn't know it." Curling his hand behind my head, he kissed my forehead before turning away to start barking out orders to his men.

"You're never allowed to be bait again," Dayton growled near my ear as he crushed me closer to him, his heart beating hard beneath my hand.

"Aw, c'mon," I teased weakly, so tired of drama and so relieved Dutch was no longer free. "I like baiting you."

"You're going to bait me right into giving you a spanking," he whispered against my ear.

"Hmm… Promises, promises." My body warmed, and I couldn't wait until we were alone, without all this hanging over our heads. Then we could finally restart our lives together.

"Hey," Biter yelled over to us. "Hate to break up your moment, but we gotta roll. And… did anyone mention some of us have super hearing?"

"Shit," Dayton groaned.

I just laughed.