The Sinner’s Tribe Motorcycle Club, Books 1-3 (104 page)

“What about your work?”

Evie paused, not wanting to lie, but not wanting to worry him either. “I'm taking some time off.”

Before he could answer, the front door banged open. “Evie. Thank fuck.” Jagger stalked across the room and pulled her into a warm hug. “When I got Tank's message … Christ. We thought you'd been bur—”

“I'm okay,” she said quickly, mindful of Ty in the hallway behind her.

“Jacks are on the move.” Jagger heaved in a breath. “Shooter spotted three of them heading this way.”

“No.” Evie took a step back. “Viper said I had a day. He was going to…” She stumbled over her words. “Take me, and then T-Rex offered himself in my place. He thought Viper would trade to get his old lady back.”

“Well from the looks of it, he's coming for you now,” Jagger said. “Zane stopped at the clubhouse to pick up a cage. He'll be here any minute to take you and Ty to our safe house. I'll make sure Connie gets home. Shooter and Tank are gonna try to intercept them and Cade is coming with some brothers.”

She stuffed clothes in her suitcase, glanced down the hall to make sure Ty was out of earshot. “I don't want this, Jagger.” Her voice wavered. “I don't want to be part of this world. And I don't understand why Viper is doing this. I ended it with him last night. Doesn't he realize if he wants me, hurting me and my friends and forcing me to go with him is entirely the wrong thing to do?”

“You're thinking about him like he's a normal man, a civilian.” Jagger pulled the curtains on her windows. “He might want you, but it's in his nature to be cruel and violent. He might have been able to hide it, even enjoy playing the game, but there was only one way the game was going to end, and it was with you in his bed even if he had to hurt you to get you there. He's a man who takes what he wants, and from the moment you caught his interest, he was never going to leave you alone.”

“Everything was fine until you and Zane showed up at the shop. Before that, he was a different man.” She zipped the case closed and grabbed her coat.

Jagger gave her a tight smile. “When we showed up, we just added politics to the mix. He wants you even more now because a Sinner wants you. And I wouldn't put it past him to use you as a pawn in the bigger game. The Sinners and the Jacks have been warring over dominance in the state for years. He might not want to use you, but he will. He might not want to hurt you or break you, but he won't be able to stop himself. He is who he is, Evie. He loved his daughter, Arianne, but he was prepared to kill her when he found out she was with me.”

“You think he would kill me?” She stared at him aghast.

“I think he would break you,” Jagger said. “And if he does, death would be a mercy.”

 

THIRTEEN

Just getting your repair started can be the hardest part of the whole job.

—SINNER'S TRIBE MOTORCYCLE REPAIR MANUAL

“Evie!” Zane bolted from the Sinner SUV and crossed the lawn to Evie. Ripping the suitcase from her hand, he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. Relief flooded him, becoming a shuddery ache as she melted into his body. She was okay. His Evie was alive. Even when he'd received the text from Tank, he hadn't believed it. He had to see her for himself. Hold her. Assure himself it wasn't all a dream.

“Zane, I can't breathe.” She pushed gently at his shoulders and he loosened his hold, but he couldn't let her go.

“It's okay,” she whispered. “I'm okay.”

He tried to release her. But no. His arms weren't cooperating. He wanted her here against his chest, feeling her heartbeat forever.

“Baby, you've got to let me go.”

Baby.
She'd started using that term of endearment her last year of high school, when Zane would meet her after work, dirty from a day hauling lumber and framing buildings, when he looked nothing like a baby and more like the kind of man who shouldn't be spending time with a girl like her. But he loved the term of endearment. Loved that it was only for him.

With a sigh he released her. Still unable to speak, he lifted Ty in his arms, and grabbed Evie's hand, half dragging, half pulling her to the vehicle parked outside her house. The boy weighed almost nothing, and he wondered if Evie had been feeding him right. How much were eight-year-old boys supposed to weigh? Maybe he would ask Dax. With five boys under his belt, Dax would know everything about raising a son. Less, though, about relationship troubles he and Sandy had been happily married since they graduated from high school.

“Keys.” Evie held out her hand after Zane unlocked the door to one of the club's black SUVs.

Zane settled Ty in the back seat, finally finding his voice. “I drive when there's a woman in the car. That's how it is.”

“I drive when my son is in the car. And that's how it is.” She put her hands on her hips and glared. Zane fought back the urge to just lift her and deposit her in the front seat. This wasn't the time for feminist bullshit. They were in danger and it was his job to protect them.

“You can fight me all you want,” he said. “But I'm in control of any vehicle I ride in, especially when I got you and Ty to look after.”

“So, it's a macho thing?” She released a sigh. “Would you really feel that much less of a man if I drove?”

“Yes.”

“Fine.” She yanked open the passenger door. “Far be it from me to dent your masculine pride, since it is one of your more attractive qualities.”

Zane straightened his back, puffed out his chest and fought back the urge to fist pump. His woman appreciated his protective nature, the essence of his maleness. And she was letting him drive.

After Evie and Ty were securely buckled in, Zane slid into the vehicle and hit reverse. The tires squealed as he kicked the vehicle into drive and accelerated down the road.

“Slow down,” Evie protested. “This is a school zone and no one is behind us. There's no need for excessive speed when there's a child in the vehicle.”

“This isn't excessive speed. I'm just wanting to drive faster than that kid on his tricycle.” He gestured out the window. “Maybe we should stop and ask him for a tow.”

Evie's cheeks reddened. “Sarcasm doesn't become you.”

“Neither does your bullshit. You always loved speed.”

She'd also loved drag races, occasionally cutting class, and dating guys who set Zane's teeth on edge—the fringe elements of high school who had their own bands, spent time in juvenile detention, or rode motorcycles to school. Jagger had figured it was a case of opposites attract, but Zane had a different view. Evie was one of them. She just couldn't admit it.

“This is like the movies.” Ty bounced in his seat. “I can't even read the street signs we're going so fast.”

Zane glanced up in the rearview mirror and spotted four bikes at the end of the road. Black Jacks. “Son of a bitch. How the fuck did they get here so fast? And where are the goddamned Sinners?”

“Language,” Evie warned.

“I'll swear all I want when we got fucking Black Jacks on our tail,” he growled. “And I already squared it away with Ty. I put fifty bucks in his swear jar as advance payment.”

“Zane says we'll be able to afford to take the fucking space shuttle to the fucking moon now that he's around.” Ty rattled his swear jaw and Evie turned and glared.

“Ty. You are now down two quarters, and if I ever hear that kind of language again—”

“I'm just saying what Zane said.” Ty caught Zane's glance in the rearview mirror and smiled. Well, damn. His son was no fool. But he'd have to be more careful or he'd get them both in trouble.

Pulling his gaze away, Ty peered out the back window. “Why are those bikers chasing us?”

“'Cause they want something they can't have.” Zane cranked the wheel to the left and the vehicle dipped as they took a sharp corner. Evie sucked in a breath and Ty gave an excited shout.

“Mom, you should drive like this. Zane is awesome.”

“He's dangerous, darling. Make sure you have your seat belt on.” Evie gripped the door handle and muttered under her breath. “No point saving us if you're planning to kill us en route.”

Although he didn't have to do it, Zane took another sharp left and then a right. Evie and Ty jerked from side to side in the vehicle, and he bit back a laugh when her muttering turned to soft curses only he could hear. But his good humor faded when he glanced up in the rearview mirror and saw the Jacks gaining on them. Where the hell were Shooter and Tank? Or his brothers? It shouldn't have taken them this long to find the Jacks.

“We can't outrun them in this damn cage. We need a place to hide so I can call the boys and get them off our back.”

“How about that car wash?” Ty pointed to the gas station ahead. “The doors close when you go inside. Mom doesn't like it, but I think it's cool.”

“Good idea.” The boy was smart. Musta got that from his mom. There were no good genes in the Colton family.

Zane turned into the car wash and jammed his credit card into the payment slot, praying they had enough time before the Jacks caught them. The heavy metal door lifted with a groan and he drove inside, counting off the seconds until the door closed again.

“How long we got? I paid for the Special. Never been in a car wash before. We detail our bikes by hand.”

“Probably about five minutes.” Evie loosened her seat belt as water sprayed over the vehicle. “Do you think it will be enough?”

“Should be. They'll go past and assume we're ahead. We can double back and then head out to Sparky's place.” He pulled out his phone and typed a text. “I'll tell Tank what's going on. See if he can head them off so we have a clear run to the safe house.”

When Ty removed his seat belt and turned to watch the sprayers, Evie leaned over to Zane. “You don't have to stay with us when we get there. I know you want to go looking for T-Rex. If you leave me a weapon, we'll be fine. And tomorrow I'll call Connie. She was going to take us to her grandmother's place.”

“You won't call anyone.” He tucked the phone away. “And you won't leave the safe house until I've got the situation under control. Then I'll send you outta town.”

“It's my situation to control.” Her voice rose in pitch. “This is all about me.”

“It may have just been about you, but you and Ty are Sinners now so the Sinners will protect you.” Well, not totally true. Sinner protection usually only extended to family, old ladies, sweet butts and house mamas. They'd be stretched thin if they had to look out for girlfriends and hook-ups, too. But Evie was … Evie. And he'd been incredibly relieved when Jagger gave the order to protect her. If he hadn't, Zane would have done the unthinkable, and turned in his cut.

“I can't just hide and wait for things to happen.” Evie twisted her hair around her finger. “The shop was half mine, and I'll have to deal with the fire, the insurance, and the employees who need work to pay their bills. You can't just send us away. Ty needs to see you.”

“Fuck, Evie.” Zane slammed a fist on the dashboard as soap slid down the windshield. “We're not playing games here. You're in danger. Your life at the shop is gone. I can't protect you if you're running around.”

“Don't shout at Mom.” Ty leaned over the seat, his face now pale and drawn. “And don't hurt her.” Without warning, he climbed over the seat and curled into Evie's lap, his arms around her as if he was protecting her, while seeking her comfort at the same time. “No one is allowed to hurt her again.”

Again?
Zane stilled, his momentary anger forgotten. “Who hurt your mother?”

“Mark.” Ty's voice was muffled by Evie's shirt. “Mark shouted and broke things and once he pushed her down the stairs and she almost died. I saw it.”

“He pushed you?” Zane's world narrowed to one single purpose, and it had nothing to do with Viper or the Jacks. Nothing mattered save for the fact that someone had hurt his Evie and was still walking the streets.

“Just forget about it.” Evie hugged Ty, stroking the back of his head with her hand. “He was drunk and it only happened once. We left the next day. That part of my life is done. It was years ago.”

“Fucking cowardly piece of shit. He still in Stanton?” Zane sucked in a breath of soap-scented air and almost choked on the humidity.

“You're going to run through that fifty dollars pretty damn quick,” Evie snapped, cringing at her hypocrisy. “And yes, he's in Stanton, which is why we left. He and I are done. I divorced him and started a new life. It's over.”

Zane gripped the steering wheel so hard, his knuckles turned white. “Once we got this situation fixed, I'll be heading up to Stanton. Pay him a visit.”

“No, you won't.”

“The fuck I will.”

Ty tightened his grip around Evie and his body trembled. Zane bit back the next words he'd intended to say. Damn. He'd scared the boy, and from what he'd just seen, Ty had been scared enough. He and Jagger had definitely pegged Mark right. And the situation screamed for justice. Sinner style.

“Maybe we should go to Hawaii instead of the moon,” Evie said, stroking Ty's head. “At the rate Zane's going, it should only take a few days.”

“How 'bout I just pay for the vacation and then swear all I like?”

Evie's lips quivered with repressed laughter. Ty turned his head and met Zane's gaze. Then his face broke into a smile.

That was the moment Zane knew.

He was home. And nothing would take him away.

*   *   *

The noise woke him. A soft murmur that he couldn't identify as a threat, but which made him uneasy just the same.

Zane pulled his weapon from under the cushion and sat up on the couch, trying to pinpoint the sound. The safe house, an open plan apartment above Sparky's garage, afforded little space to hide, which left the bedroom, the small office they'd fixed up for Ty, or the bathroom, as the source of the noise.