The Sinner’s Tribe Motorcycle Club, Books 1-3 (80 page)

“I thought you weren't coming,” she said as he led her to the dance floor. Jagger caught his eye and frowned, but Cade didn't give a damn if he provoked Mad Dog. In fact, he hoped Mad Dog started a fight so he would have an excuse to off the bastard tonight, instead of hunting him down tomorrow.

“Got a lead on a coupla guys who were in the van with Mad Dog. I know how Banks doesn't like blood spilled on his floors, so Zane, Gun, and I took a little side trip.” He tensed, worried about her reaction, but Dawn just laughed.

“I thought Mad Dog's group of supporters was looking a little thin.”

“Five down. One to go.” He held up his hands. “But I washed up before coming here.”

“That's sweet in a fucked-up-violent-biker-gets-revenge kinda way.” She turned to face him and Cade rumbled his approval. God, she looked hot. Tight black dress showing way too much cleavage. High heels, totally inappropriate for waiting tables. Little white apron. Her beautiful hair flowing over her cut in a golden wave … Hell, he knew what every biker in the bar was thinking and he wanted to kill them all.

Mine.

They reached the small dance floor at the back of the bar and her gaze fixed on him as if he were her anchor in the storm. He wanted so badly to take her away—shelter her from this world—he could almost taste it. But another part of him, impressed at how she'd handled herself, wanted more.

“I'm a bad girlfriend…” Dawn mouthed the words to the song as she laced her hands around his neck, her body swaying to the beat.

“But you're a damn fine old lady, and I'll prove it to you when I have you alone and in my bed.” Unable to stop himself, Cade slid his hand up her thigh beneath her dress, his finger tracing along the edge of her stocking.

“Later,” she whispered.

Desire shot through his veins with violent intensity, and a wave of possessiveness crashed over him so hard he could barely breathe. “Banks got an office here?”

She laughed and tilted her head into his palm. “No way would he give it up. He heard what you did at Riders.”

“That was a good night.”

“The best.”

Cade bent down to kiss her, frowning when she tensed and leaned away. He followed her gaze to Mad Dog, standing in the corner, his face a mask of rage. And although he knew it would only inflame the situation, he pulled her close and covered her mouth with his—a full-on, one-hand-in-her-hair, one-hand-on-her-ass, totally possessive kiss that was as much a statement for her as it was for Mad Dog.

Take that you fucking bastard.

“Let's get outta here, babe. I can't wait to get you home.”

*   *   *

Jimmy followed them through the bar after the dance, gaining on them as they neared the door. Dawn tried not to look, but she couldn't help herself. She wouldn't put it past him to shoot them in the back. She couldn't understand why Cade didn't look, but he kept walking with the same even, measured steps, his arm around her, his free hand nowhere near his holster where it needed to be.

“Cade…”

“Shhh.”

“Mad Dog.”

“I know.”

The door swung open when they were ten feet away and the only thing that kept her from running into the relative safety of the street was Deputy Sheriff Doug Benson and the five policemen behind him.

“Fuck,” Cade muttered. “What's he doing here?”

“I don't know.”

“Doug?” She took a step toward him, but he looked away. “What's going on?”

“We're looking for Jimmy ‘Mad Dog' Sanchez,” Doug said in a voice loud enough to be heard over the music. “I have a warrant for his arrest.”

“Doug.” Dawn grabbed his sleeve. “What are you doing? I said I didn't want to go ahead with this.”

“Someone has to protect you since you won't protect yourself.” Doug pulled his hand away.

“It's a setup,” Jimmy shouted as one of the police officers snapped the handcuffs around his wrist. “The whole party was a set up to get me arrested.”

The music stopped and the bar fell into silence.

“Fuck. We trusted you.” Wolf glared at Jagger. “We came here in good faith and what do you do? You set us up and tipped off the cops to arrest one of our brothers.” He wasn't really angry. Dawn could see it in the way his lips twitched at the corners. With Jimmy in jail, he had no challenger in the election. But he had to publicly show support for his brother, so he was doing the minimum to save face.

“Nothing to do with us.” Jagger held up his hands in mock defense. “You got a brother wanted by the cops, he should know better than to show his face in town.”

“Fucking bitch,” Jimmy screamed at Dawn as the police dragged him to the door. “I know you did this. You set me up. You think you're so tough wearing that cut? You think they're gonna be able to hold me? Not with the friends I've got. You don't even understand what you've unleashed. I'm coming for you. I'm coming and you're gonna suffer like you never suffered before.”

 

TWENTY-THREE

When there is nothing to lose, there is nothing to fear.

SINNER'S TRIBE CREED

Cade threw himself into the spare chair in the prospect's makeshift IT office and kicked the door shut. They had set the prospect up in an unused room at the back of the clubhouse, and Cade had authorized the purchase of what looked to be way too much computer equipment. So far nothing much had come of the investment except some fancy Sinner's Tribe screensavers and new phones for all the brothers. But then, they hadn't really given the prospect an opportunity to prove his worth. Maybe now that the situation with the Brethren was resolved …

He and Jagger had spent the morning on the phone with Wolf. With Mad Dog in jail and the election only one day away, Wolf had the presidency all but wrapped up, and he'd called to discuss the details of the patch-over.

A patch-over Cade still didn't want. Yeah, they could use the extra bodies, but the Sinners were still the dominant club in the state, and now that they knew how the Jacks were growing their numbers, they were in a position to take the Jacks down hard. So why did they need to put the Sinner patch on a bunch of bastards who had not only challenged Sinner dominance, but also turned a blind eye to Dawn's suffering?

“Bad day?” The prospect pounded on his keyboard, his back to Cade. He wore a red T-shirt that said
AMORAL INDIVIDUALISM
in white letters across the back. Cade didn't know what the hell amoral individualism was, but it sounded smart.

“You could say that.”

“You look like shit.”

He probably did. After the party, he'd taken Dawn home and made love to her all night long, showing her just how much he admired her courage and even more how much he liked watching her dance. But after she fell asleep, and the first rays of morning light filtered through the curtains, he lay in bed and stared at her cut, neatly folded on the dresser. Benson's actions had pushed them into an uncertain future. With Mad Dog in jail, she no longer needed the cut, and he didn't know what he would do if she tried to give it back.

“Got something for you to do.” He handed the prospect a piece of paper. “Man named Lou. Lived in Seattle about ten years ago. Connected to a family named Delgado. I want to know where he lives now, and I want to know everything about him.”

“Consider him found.”

“Keep it quiet. Just between you and me.” Although when the time came, he wouldn't have any trouble rounding up a few brothers to pay Dawn's uncle a visit. Maybe he'd bring the prospect along to toughen him up. And of course Dax, so they could have a little fun.

The prospect turned away and tapped on his keyboard. “I've been waiting for a job like this. When I first started hanging around the club, I told everyone I'm about brains not brawn. I can hurt people worse with my computer than you can with your fists. I can wipe out bank accounts, freeze credit cards, hack into secure computers and steal information. I can erase your criminal record or give you a rap sheet a mile long.”

“If you could really do that, you'd have the Feds after your ass so bad…”

“They offered me a job.” The prospect hit a button and the printer lit up. “I coulda been wearing a suit, working for the man, taking home six figures and driving a nice shiny BMW. Instead I joined an underground hacker group, learned some new skills, and put my education to good use.”

“Why?”

“I got a mission. Justice and revenge. I'm gonna destroy the people who destroyed my family. But first I'm gonna make them suffer.”

Cade folded his hands behind his head. “And here I was worried about you. Now you're sounding like a biker. But you gotta let that out around the club. Go pick a fight. Shoot something. You gotta make yourself stand out. The reason you don't have a name yet is 'cause you haven't done anything to make people notice you. Everyone is known for something.”

“What about you?” The prospect gave him a quizzical look. “I know executive board members don't have to use a road name, but you musta had one.”

“Raider. And before you tell me it's a cool name, you should know that it had nothing to do with the MC, and everything to do with a sorority that wanted some biker loving, and a night Gun and I had one too many beers.”

The prospect tried and failed to hide his laughter. “That's fucking awesome. Says it all. I hope your old lady doesn't find out. Might make her worried you'll go back to doing whatever it was you did to earn that name.”

“I'm done with that shit,” Cade said. “No more boozing and babes for me. I'm gonna be a one-woman man.” He just had to convince Dawn to keep his cut.

“So what are you still doing here when Mad Dog's outta jail? Shouldn't you be protecting your old lady?”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Cade shot out of his chair and grabbed the prospect's shirt, yanking him forward. “We were just talking to Wolf, making plans for the patch-over this morning. He didn't say anything.”

“Maybe he didn't know.” Sweat beaded on the prospect's forehead. “I got a line into the sheriff's office, and a hookup to a police scanner. They released Mad Dog at noon. He got some big-shot lawyer from New York handling his case. I just found out about it, but I figured you already knew.”

“Christ.” He released the prospect and called Dawn. When he left early this morning she was getting ready to take the girls to the park. When she didn't answer, he sent her a text telling her to get the girls, pack some bags, and meet him at home. There was a safe house above Sparky's shop. He'd take them there until after the election.

If there was an election. Because he'd had it with all the crap. After Dawn and the girls were safe, he was going hunting.

*   *   *

Dawn wheeled Maia's princess suitcase into the hallway. She'd packed as quickly as she could after receiving Cade's message, but dammit, she didn't want to run again—not even to a Sinner safe house. She'd been running away since her family died. First from her uncle, and then from the streets, and now from Jimmy all over again. She wanted to stand up to him the way she had when he broke into her house. But this time, she wouldn't make any mistakes.

Her phone rang and Doug started speaking after she said hello, his words clipped and his voice unusually abrupt.

“Jimmy's out of jail. There was nothing I could do. The lawyer he hired is a big-time criminal attorney and he had the sheriff's head spinning with all the things he said had gone wrong with the arrest. Where are you?”

“I'm at home. I know about Jimmy. But it's okay. I'm going—”

“Get out of the house, Dawn. Get out now. Get on the bus and come to the police station. I'm just outside of town. I'll meet you there in twenty minutes. I can get you into a safe house and from there we can arrange for witness protection.”

“Cade is coming. He's taking me—”

“Don't make this mistake again.” Doug's voice rose to a shout. “He can't save you. When Jimmy dumped the body at your house, you came to me. In your heart you knew I could protect you. Cade is a biker through and through. He's going to use you the way Jimmy did. He's playing off your fears with false promises. He doesn't care for you the way I do. I don't want to see you hurt.”

Bile rose in her throat. She had done nothing to encourage Doug beyond friendship, and she couldn't understand why he didn't get the message. And Cade … Doug was wrong about him. She trusted him, and she trusted herself enough now to know she wasn't making the same mistake she'd made with Jimmy.

“I've made my choice. I love him. And Conundrum is my home. I'm a Sinner now, Doug. I've found myself and I've found my place. I'm not going to let Jimmy take it away.”

I love him. The rightness of the words rippled softly through her body, warming her from her fingers to her toes. Why had she been such a fool? Last night, with Jimmy in jail and their deal effectively done, she had actually considered giving back her cut. Now she wished he would hurry so she could wear it for him, tell him that she loved him, and then spend a lifetime showing him just how much.

“You aren't thinking straight. I'm on my way.” Doug hung up before she had a chance to say anything else, and Dawn's heart squeezed in her chest. He had been a good friend to her but he had pushed this protection thing just a little bit too far. She wondered again about his sister, and what had happened to her that had made him so determined to run roughshod over Dawn's life.

Dawn turned on the television and settled the girls on the couch as she packed up the rest of their bags. A
BREAKING NEWS
banner flashed on the screen, and the familiar face of Ella Masters, Conundrum's up-and-coming news reporter, appeared on the screen. Standing under an umbrella, her sleek brown bob irritatingly unaffected by the humidity, she gestured behind her to a sea of police cars and an east-end alley closed off with police tape and announced that Bernie DeMarco, otherwise known as Wolf, president of the outlaw motorcycle club the Devil's Brethren, had been found dead less than an hour ago.