The Sinner’s Tribe Motorcycle Club, Books 1-3 (41 page)

Banks looked unimpressed. “Thought you were made of stronger stuff.”

She shoved the apron out of the way and glared. “I thought you, of all people, would understand. I'm leaving my friends, my life, my job … everything.”

“Runnin' away.”

“I am not running away.” She slapped the counter, startling herself at the intensity of her emotion. “Leaving Conundrum has always been my dream. You know that.”

Banks slid the apron over her neck. “It was your dream when you had no options. Now you do. Jeff is outta the picture and you got Jagger to watch your back. Your friends are here. Your work is here. That tiny place you call an apartment is here. What are you looking for out there that's so much better?”

“You aren't a biker like me. You couldn't possibly understand.” She slid off the stool, pushing past him as she rounded the bar. She had some time before the rendezvous. Might as well earn a little cash. Better than having an uncomfortable discussion with someone who hadn't lived the life.

He looked up and his lips twitched in a smile. “I understand that's the first time you ever called yourself a biker.” Seemingly pleased with himself, he winked and headed past the bar toward the stockroom.

“By the way, I'm only working the bar 'cause I feel sorry for you with your bruised-up face,” she called out as he pushed open the door. Her fault. Banks was hurt because of her. Another reason why leaving was the right thing to do. So why wasn't she already gone?

He looked back over his shoulder. “Fired again. I'll be up to my eyes in damn paperwork 'cause of you.”

“Someone is in a bad mood tonight.” Arianne looked up when Dawn slid her tray across the counter and handed her a drink list.

“He's upset you're leaving.” She forced a smile, but her voice wavered. “So am I, but I'll just tell you to your face.”

“I have to leave, Dawn. What Jagger did to Banks was pretty unforgivable. I know he did it to protect me, but that's the kind of protection I don't need.”

“You still don't get it.” Dawn ran a hand through her soft, blonde curls. “Yes, Jagger would do anything to protect you. But he'll also stand with you. That night Axle crashed my birthday party and you pulled your gun on him, Jagger was beside you. He could have taken over, but he didn't. And that was a hell of a message. You had his support and he would kill anyone who hurt you, but it was your damn show.”

Arianne smiled. “He was furious because I wouldn't hide in the kitchen where it was safe.”

“But he respected you for taking a stand,” Dawn said. “You're his equal and he knows it. Viper knows it, too. You and Jagger together must be his worst nightmare. He could barely deal with each of you alone. Now you've found the part of yourself you lost chasing after something that was always here. You always had the strength to carve out any kind of life you wanted. Jagger just makes it that much easier. Having him by your side only makes you stronger; it doesn't take anything away.”

“When did you get so smart?”

Dawn's eyes lit with a warm glow. “Observant, not smart. And I've got a particular weakness for watching people fall in love.”

Love?
Arianne didn't know much about love but she did know Dawn was right about one thing. She was stronger, physically and emotionally. Only a few months ago, she would never have had the confidence to stand up to Viper, shoot Leo, or hit the president of the Sinner's Tribe MC with a pool cue to save her friend. At sixteen years old, she'd found her way around the biker code and forced Viper to let her go. If she really wanted to be with Jagger on equal terms and spare Jeff's life, she'd find her way around those rules again.

Whatever you want; whatever you need, I'll find a way.
Jagger's words drifted through her mind. Maybe he'd been telling her he would find a way, too.

A cough drew her attention, and she looked up and smiled. “Wheels.”

He didn't return her greeting. “I gotta talk to you. It's important.” He glanced around the bar, and then gestured to the stockroom. “You got a minute? Can we talk back there?”

“Sure.” Her pulse kicked up a notch as she led him into the stockroom. Was this a trap? An ambush? Had Jagger sent Wheels and his men to take her back? She felt the familiar weight of her .38 on her lower leg and her tension dissipated. Although not an easy draw, the gun was there if she needed it.

“What's wrong?” She turned to face Wheels, carefully positioning herself with her back to the wooden shelving, and within steps of the door.

Wheels raked a hand through his blond hair, his face haggard with worry. “It's Jagger. Viper's got him. I know you're leaving tonight, but I thought you should know.”

Her hand flew to her mouth. “Have the Sinners gone after him? Do they know where he is?”

“They know.” Wheels exhaled an irritated breath. “The executive board is getting the brothers together for a rescue mission, but they're taking so damn long. They wanted to hold a meeting first to decide on a plan.”

“A
meeting
?” Her voice rose to a shriek. “Viper's not going to keep Jagger around long enough for them to have a meeting. And that doesn't sound like Zane. When it comes to Jagger, he acts quickly, decisively. Maybe I should call and tell them there's no time to waste—”

She cut herself off, her head jerking to the side when she heard a sound behind the shelving near the door to the parking lot. But before she could investigate Wheels coughed, and she turned away.

“Phones are turned off during meetings,” he said. “But I'm sure they'll get going soon. I just thought … maybe you'd want to know before you left. Not that you can do anything…”

Not that you can do anything?

There was a hell of a lot she could do: She could ride faster than any of the damn Sinners; she could shoot better than most of them, too; and she knew Viper. She could offer herself up if he let Jagger go.

But that meant she would miss her chance to escape. And the Sinners were probably already on the road.

She looked through the window of the stockroom door to where Dawn was serving drinks to a table of rowdy college kids in the corner. The same table where Jagger had watched her and almost stabbed a Devil Dog for pinching her ass. Even now she remembered the thrill of seeing him, the take-your-breath-away moment when he'd winked and she realized he wasn't there by chance. He'd come to see her.

Banks was making the rounds, weaving his way among the tables as he greeted the regulars. When anyone gestured to his face, he just shrugged, seemingly unconcerned that he looked like he'd been in a car wreck
.

Just for show.

Jagger had hurt Banks to protect her. Claimed her to keep her out of Viper's clutches. Professed his love, then broken her heart to keep her safe. If she asked him to spare Jeff's life, he would find a way.

Memories came back, all in a rush—Jagger's warmth and gentle teasing, his protectiveness, his body so strong and hard and firm against her. And the indescribable feeling of being safe and cared for in his arms.

Mine.

Last night he'd bound her hands the way Leo once bound them, and then he had made love to her. Sweet, tender love, driving away every fear and every thought except how much she wanted him, needed him, loved him.

Mine.
From the moment they met, he had been hers as much as she had been his, but it had taken her until now to understand. Just as it had taken her years to realize she was a biker. And the sooner she stopped denying who she was, the faster she would be able to save Jagger's life.

“Do you know where he is?”

“I'll get in a shitloud of trouble, but I can take you there.” Wheels's eyes glittered and he licked his lips, smiling, a curious reaction given they were likely riding into a situation they might not survive, but one she put down to his lack of experience. Well, she wouldn't put him at risk. She would send him back as soon as they reached their destination.

And then she would face Viper one last time.

*   *   *

“How was your meeting with the sheriff?” Jagger watched a heavily bandaged Gunner ease himself into a chair in the meeting room. Last fucking place he wanted to be after hunting for Arianne all day. He'd posted T-Rex at Banks Bar in case she showed up and sent a few brothers to her apartment and Dawn's place, but so far no one had called. Where the hell was she?

“Good. Gave him the money we got from trunking to smooth things over. Told him we'd get those weapons back or replacements in the next two weeks.”

Sparky laughed, gesturing to the bandages covering Gunner's shoulder, chest, and arm. “Gunner played the suffering martyr so well, sayin' he took the hits to protect the weapons, the sheriff forgot to be pissed off and offered to buy him lunch.”

Jagger couldn't even force a smile. He had a Mexican cartel riding his ass for the weapons they'd been promised and the reputation of the club was at stake. “We need to get our weapons back. Word on the street is that Axle sold them to the Jacks, which makes two loads of weapons they've taken from us. Anyone got a line on a fresh supply to keep our buyers happy?”

“I called in favors two states over but no one has weapons to spare.” Zane leaned back in his chair. “The Koreans aren't getting a shipment in for at least four more weeks so they can't help us out.”

“And the Irish have had to cool things off because they're being watched by the ATF,” Sparky added.

Cade huffed his frustration. “How about the Mexicans?”

“The Pueblos Cartel were our buyers,” Jagger said. “They've expanded their drug operation to include the fruit trade and have gained a foothold in Michoacán. They're trying to control the entire supply of mangoes to the U.S. and they needed the weapons to scare off international importers.”

“Don't like mangoes.” Gunner wrinkled his nose. “Gimme an apple or banana any day. I eat simple, but tasty.”

“I thought you only ate pussy.” Sparky jabbed him with his elbow and Gunner was already halfway out of his seat before Jagger shut them down with a scowl.

“Enough. We have more important things to discuss than Gunner's eating habits.”

“Yeah. We also gotta talk about this.” Zane flipped his laptop around, and a picture flashed on the screen. “I have a friend who's got experience with digital photography. I got him to fill in the missing detail on the surveillance tapes from the night the Jacks burned down our old clubhouse. He did a bang-up job.” He clicked and zoomed in on the scene. Four men were now clearly visible. A blond near the weapons shed, two tall dark-haired Jacks with gas cans near the truck, and another blond-haired man with a load of Sinner weapons in his arms.

“I'm only showing you a few pics. But basically it looks like the truck drove into the yard through the trees. Jeff stayed at the weapons shed and loaded the guns into the truck. He's the one who shot Gunner. The two tall guys were guards and one of them shot Cole. And this bastard blew up the clubhouse.” He zoomed in on the blond with the gas can. “Anyone recognize him?”

“Wheels!” Gunner spat out the name. “Goddamnit. He's the fucking rat I've been chasing around. I've been going through all our data on the brothers, but I hadn't gotten to him, 'cause he was new and I figured our screening systems are tighter now than they were before.”

A Black Jack rat
.
In his club
. Jagger's gut twisted. He wasn't surprised so much as outraged. He'd known something about Wheels wasn't right, but he'd been too preoccupied with Arianne to heed the warning niggle in his mind.
No wonder Viper was always one step ahead of the game
. With a roar, he rose from his seat and slammed his fist into the table.

“I want every brother in the club on the road and looking for him.” He gritted the words through clenched teeth as rage suffused every cell in his body. “I want every mark pulled, and word spread to every gang or club we know. But tell them I want him alive. He is going to fucking curse the day he was born when I get my hands—”

A sharp rap on the door cut him off and Jagger scowled. Everyone knew they weren't to be disturbed during official board meetings.

“Come.”

The door opened and T-Rex stumbled into the room, his face a mask of horror. He stared at Zane, who was seated across from the door. “They have him,” he panted. “The Jacks got him.”

“Who?”

“Jagger.”

Zane motioned to the head of the table. “He's standing right there.”

T-Rex glanced over at Jagger and jerked back, reaching for the open door to support himself. “You're okay.”

“Of course I'm okay.” Jagger shot Zane a puzzled glance and then his gaze slid back to T-Rex. “But I thought I assigned you to Banks Bar. Clearly that job isn't being done if you're standing in my boardroom interrupting a meeting.”

T-Rex sagged against the door frame and let out a breath. “I was there like you asked. Arianne came in to say good-bye and Banks got her doing some work. I told Banks you wanted me to keep a low profile, so he said I could hide out in the stockroom. I texted you a coupla times and Banks called…”

Jagger reached beneath his cut for his phone. “Went for a run when I got back to the clubhouse and then came straight into the meeting so I haven't checked my messages.” He saw four messages from T-Rex and a missed call on his screen and gestured for T-Rex to continue.

“Wheels came in. He brought Arianne to the stockroom and told her Viper had kidnapped you. He said the executive board was in a meeting deciding how to rescue you. Something didn't feel right, so I stayed put. I figured if you were gone, Zane woulda been in charge, and everyone knows he hates meetings. I just couldn't see him hearing Viper had you and then sittin' around the table, trying to decide what to do.”