by Romi Hart
“Sure thing.” Bradley pulled out a second glass and poured.
Draining the glass quickly, Rafe narrowed his eyes at Bradley. “What was that line of questioning all about anyway?” he asked. “About whether or not I’m in love with Kira?”
He shrugged, a playful grin on his lips. “Part of it was just to give you hell in front of the council.” His grin grew and he chuckled softly. “But part of it was because I knew the guys would have a harder time saying no if they realized just how far things had gone between the two of you. I’m not exactly a hopeless romantic, but I do have a soft spot for epic tales like yours. Think about it. You’re basically Romeo and Juliet.”
Rafe rolled his eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous,” he scoffed. “Besides, I have no intention of committing suicide.”
His smile fading, Bradley raised an eyebrow. “Well, then, for your sake, I hope this isn’t a suicide mission for her.”
That statement left a bitter taste in Rafe’s mouth. That could very well be the case, whether Kira walked into a trap her brother set or she did something that the Flames thought was a betrayal. He wished there was another way, but the more he tried to consider a different option that would be just as successful with less danger posed to Kira, the more certain he was that this was the best course of action, whether he liked it or not.
“Look, Rafe,” Bradley said quietly, leaning over the bar so Rafe could hear without catching anyone else’s attention. “For what it’s worth, I trust her. I saw the look in her eyes when she talked about her brother, and it’s the same hatred I see in your eyes. And I see the way you look at each other. So, I don’t think she’s going to do anything stupid that would get anyone on our side killed. I know I’m just one person, and it doesn’t mean much, but if it helps, I don’t think I’m the only one who feels that way. And I’ll have your back. And hers.”
Rafe nodded his appreciation, his throat tight with emotion. “It means a lot to me, brother. And I know it’ll mean a lot to Kira.” Bradley poured him a second round, and this time, Rafe nursed it, needing a few more minutes to settle himself and get his emotions under control before he went back to the bunk room to see Kira and give her the news. He felt very out of control, even after his victories with the council, and he couldn’t let his emotions guide him in business dealings. And for the moment, that’s how he had to categorize all of this. If he thought about the fact that he was sending the woman he loved into the lion’s den with only temporary protection, he wouldn’t be able to follow through with it.
Just as his heart began to slow to a normal, steady rhythm, he heard a familiar laugh that tingled down his spine and made his groin tighten. Turning on his stool, he found Kira being escorted by Rocky and Bill to the bar, where they settled her next to him. She beamed up at Rafe, and his heartbeat stuttered before starting to pound in his ears again. He would do anything for that smile. “The boys tell me you have news,” she said.
He nodded. “I do. I’m sure you can guess, since you’ve been let out of your little prison.”
She winked at him. “You and I both know it’s hardly been a prison.”
That made Rafe smile, too. “Well, if I have to spell it out for you, I guess you aren’t as smart as I thought.”
“Or maybe, I just want to hear you say it.” Her eyes twinkled, and Rafe couldn’t turn her down.
“The council agreed to follow through with your plan. We’re going to kill your brother.”
14
Kira felt slimy, just being on the back of Mason’s bike. Despite Tara’s continued affinity for the man, at least as far as sex was concerned, Kira found nothing about him to be attractive. And worse, he was such a puny little weasel and minion for Jake that she just thought of him as a filthy little rat.
But to get to Jake, she’d had to find safe passage. She’d gone straight to Tara, taking on the role to the point of sobbing into the phone about her escape and her need to get to her brother. Tara, who could always be counted on to spread word quickly, had immediately called her go-to, Mason, who had come to the diner where Kira had Rafe drop her off, and she had to swallow her disgust and hop on the bike with him.
Now, though, she recognized where they were headed, and she pursed her lips at the idea. It hadn’t taken Jake long to put Edgar’s loss behind him, apparently, considering he’d obviously moved into the bastard’s house.
Which, since it had been passed down through family and renovated and improved with add-ons through the years, was far more than a house. It was a sprawling maze of rooms with lots of open land around it that would make it difficult to infiltrate without being caught. That posed a huge obstacle for the Devil’s Flames, but she’d take a day or two to figure out the best way to get in without compromising the surprise.
Mason pulled right up to the door, and as soon as he stopped, Kira was off the bike and putting distance between them. She didn’t trust Mason to keep his hands to himself. Besides, she was in a hurry to find Jake. She pushed through the door with Mason screaming at her to wait for someone to show her in, but she ignored him, seeking out her brother as she stormed through the house.
She managed to find the kitchen, and Jake was there, chowing down on a stack of pancakes so tall it looked like it was about to topple over. Tapping into the creative center of her brain, she fell into the role she knew she had to play and sobbed, running to him and throwing her arms around his neck.
“Oh, Jake! I’m so glad to see you!”
Hesitantly, he wrapped his arms around her. “Are you hurt?” He sounded concerned, but physical comfort had never been his strong suit.
“No, I’m not hurt. They didn’t hurt me, not on purpose. It was just…being tied up, and dragged around.” She backed away from him and sniffled, not having to fake the tears in her eyes. She was suddenly very emotional, the utter hatred for her brother overwhelming her, especially in the absence of the blissful contentment she’d felt with Rafe.
Jake nodded but still looked her over, as if searching for bruises or worse injuries. When he seemed satisfied that she wasn’t any worse for the wear, his face hardened into a mask of rage, the expression she was used to from him. He didn’t have much other emotion. “What the hell were you doing, going home with one of the Devil’s Flames?”
She gaped at him, only halfway acting at this point. “Are you blaming me for this? Is that really the direction you want to go right now?”
But Jake jumped out of his chair and loomed over her intimidatingly, to the point that Kira backed up a step. “You went home with him, Kira! You slept with him! You know what sort of problems we have with those scoundrels, and because of all this, Edgar is dead.”
Kira scoffed. “Like you care. You’ve already moved into his house.”
“He left it to me because it’s a safe place.” Jake still threatened with his nearness and his dark scowl. “You fucked up, Kira, and I swear to god, if you’re pregnant because of this stupidity, I’m sending you to a fucking convent for the rest of your life to live under lock and key.”
“I’m not,” she told him through clenched teeth, trying not to think about the last time she’d had to tell him that and had him deny her the trust she deserved. “Maybe this time, you’ll believe me.”
Stepping back, Jake crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at her. “Were you at the clubhouse when Edgar came? When they took his bike?”
“I was there. I didn’t know what happened. I didn’t know they took his bike,” she lied. “I was in a back room, tied up and gagged. I couldn’t do anything, and I couldn’t hear anything.”
Jake tilted his head, looking skeptical. “Then how did you know Edgar was killed?”
“First of all, Tara told me, but I heard snippets of conversation here and there when they walked by or came in or moved me from one place to another.” Why was he asking so many questions? Her brother hadn’t questioned her like this since he killed Shaw. He’d been very careful not to make her feel like he didn’t trust her. So, w
hat had changed?
“Tara said you left with that prick willingly,” he said, leveling an accusatory gaze at her. “That you were all over him all night.”
She threw her hands in the air. “I do that all the time, Jake. I do it to piss you off, to see if you actually have any real emotion. And since no one else seemed to get far enough under your skin, I thought maybe going home with one of the Devil’s Flames might do the trick. It seems like I was right, from the way you’re acting. You’re more concerned with the fact that I slept with him than the fact that he held me hostage to get to you. Which, by the way, I wasn’t aware would happen.”
“I didn’t say you knew,” Jake told her, rolling his eyes and leaning back against the counter. Bracing his hands behind him and grasping the marble countertop, he glared at her. “But you went with him, knowing that there’s no MC I hate more.”
“Like I said, I wanted to get you riled up,” she repeated.
“Why, Kira? Why are you so desperate to piss me off?” he demanded.
“Because you act protective, but you never seem to actually care.” She wanted to spit the truth at him, but she had to play her part, or this whole thing would fall through. She needed to be in Jake’s good graces, or she would never get the information she needed to pass along to Rafe. “You say you love me, but you don’t show it.”
He laughed, the sound grating. “And you think screwing around with our rival is going to get you kindness and love? Seriously, Kira, you’re smarter than that, aren’t you?” He shook his head. “And of all the choices to make, did it have to be Rafe Chambers?”
“He seemed like a nice guy, until he wouldn’t let me go,” she told him. Feeling a perverse sense of triumph that she’d actually managed to upset him, Kira decided this might be an opportunity to push his buttons even more. “What is it he has against you, Jake? What is this grudge he’s carrying that would prompt him to want to kidnap me?”
Jake scoffed. “One of his biker brothers was about to turn traitor, come work for me, and when he turned his back on me, I was going to shoot him. Chambers’ little sister decided to get in the way. It was an accident, but you know, that’s collateral damage. He’s just never let it go.”
He acted so nonchalant about it, Kira wanted to punch him in the nose right then. How could he be so careless, with no scruples at all? Seething, she threw at him, “Collateral damage. Is that what you call it? Is that what happened to Shaw? Was killing him collateral damage?”
Surprise only registered on Jake’s face for a moment before he smirked. “I should have known you knew. That’s why you’ve wanted to punish me all this time, isn’t it? I had to do something to protect the club and to keep you from leaving, Kira. Shaw had to die, or Gomez would have waged open war on our MC. And since I stood to lose you, too, I decided I could kill two birds with one stone. Pardon the pun.” He actually seemed pleased with himself, and that disgusted Kira more than anything.
She shook her head at him. “You’re a monster, Jake. You thought I was pregnant, didn’t believe me when I told you otherwise, which means you murdered the man you thought was the father of my child in cold blood. How could you?”
Jake lunged at her menacingly, and she flinched. “I’m a monster? This guy kidnapped you to get to me, threatened to kill you if I didn’t show up, and you’re accusing me of being a monster?”
“Of course he’s a monster, but I can accept that. He’s not my brother! I came to you because I escaped and hoped you would help me. Instead, you’re pointing fingers at me and telling me what I did wrong!”
“Yes, you escaped. And how exactly did you do that?” he asked, suddenly sounding suspicious. “You were tied up, right? And you were there for days. How the hell did you manage to get away?”
Kira had rehearsed this several times, but her mind was foggy with her rage. She forced herself to focus and repeated the tale with all the emotion she could muster. “I hadn’t had a shower in three days, and one of the prospects was outside the bathroom while I cleaned up. When I got out of the shower and started to get dressed, I heard him laughing and talking to someone, and I realized he was flirting with some girl. While he was distracted, I figured I could make a little extra noise without getting noticed, and I managed to jack the window open and crawl out.”
“And how did you get off the property without getting noticed?” Jake challenged, not looking completely convinced.
Forcing a laugh, Kira asked, “Why do you think a prospect was left in charge? Or had the gall to get distracted by a chick? I think at least half the club was out. Making some sort of run, I’m pretty sure. I ran and ducked behind bikes or fences until I made it up the road to the diner. I used their phone to call because I don’t have mine. Rafe took it from me.” She’d memorized both Rafe’s regular and burner phone numbers so she could contact him, telling him it wouldn’t be believable if she showed up with her phone.
“Okay.” Jake shrugged, sitting back down to eat his pancakes. “Have a seat. I’ll pass you some of these. You look like you haven’t eaten very well.”
Kira pressed her lips together to keep from smiling. If only he knew just how well fed she was, how she’d enjoyed breakfast alone with Rafe after devouring each other’s bodies through the night, or how often Rocky appeared with enormous plates piled high with food. But she played the part, thinking she just might have to go on a diet after this to work off all the excess.
Thankfully, he only gave her three, and they finished quickly, with Jake standing and nodding for her to follow him. Kira hurried out of the kitchen back into the large foyer she’d ignored as she went looking for her brother earlier, and then up the stairs, which Jake took two at a time. He led her down a long hall with too many doors and finally stopped at the last one on the right. He pushed it open and said, “This is yours. There’s a private bathroom attached.”
She gazed inside appreciatively. It was gender neutral, decorated in shades of gray and black, with sharp lines and angles to the furniture. The bed had tons of pillows, and the room was large enough to have a set of chairs and table, as well as a lounger. She stood in the doorway, assessing it, approving of the mirror over the dresser and, from what she could see, the matching bathroom, which seemed huge.
Something hard struck her in the center of the back, and she gasped, falling forward with pain and shock. She barely caught herself on her hands, but her knees still slammed on the hardwood, and her shoulders ached from the jarring as she braced herself. Trying to catch her breath and rolling over to stare at Jake, she found him staring at her with soulless eyes and derision.
He sneered, and she crawled backward, wanting to put space between them. But he followed her into the room, two of his men appearing. One stood at the door, blocking it with his enormous body while the other came in with zip ties and a black cloth. “Did you really expect me to buy that bullshit from you?” Jake asked, sounding maniacal. “How stupid do you think I am, Kira?”
She didn’t have to feign her fear. With the things she knew about her brother, Kira had no doubt he’d kill her rather than risk his own skin. It didn’t matter that they were blood. He had no respect for family, no remorse for anything he’d done, and no moral standards, unless self-preservation to the detriment of others counted.
“Please, Jake, you’re scaring me. What are you doing? I came here for help. Why would you hurt me?”
“Liar!” he roared, yanking a knife from his belt. Terror ripped through her, and she swallowed hard. “I’ve had men watching the clubhouse, you stupid bitch.” Kira flinched. He’d never called her a name before, and even though she didn’t expect better from the beast facing her, it hurt to hear the words from her brother. “I’ve been waiting to get Rafe Chambers alone so I could have him killed, but you were always with him when he left, or several of his asshole brothers. And let me tell you, when my men reported back to me that you were leaving with him willingly, that the two of you were hot and heavy…”
He trailed off,
dropping his head back and closing his eyes in total exasperation, patting his chest with the hand holding the knife. “It broke my heart, Kira, because I knew you’d betrayed me. I might have been able to handle it if it has been some other gang. Even the Ravens. But with one of the Devil’s Flames? And Rafe Chambers! As if you wanted to shove a knife in my heart and twist it around and around!”
“You’re wrong, Jake. Whatever your men saw, they misinterpreted it.” Kira started to panic. This was going all wrong. How had Jake managed to have someone on the clubhouse without any of the Flames finding out? “Please, don’t do this. I’m your sister! Look, I’ll tell you everything I overheard, anything I can remember. Maybe it’ll help you take them down.”
“Just shut up, Kira.” Jake hissed at her. “The only way you’re going to dig yourself out of an early grave is if you really did reel that motherfucker in. Because that means he’ll come for you, and that makes you useful.”
Kira’s heart hammered, and her stomach churned as bile rose in her throat. Jake held the knife out threateningly as the man with the ties stepped up to her and yanked her from the floor, hauling her toward one of the chairs and plunking her down in it hard enough to sting her ass and bite her spine. Here she’d been trying to bait her brother, and he was going to use her as bait to get to Rafe.
Even worse, this was going to look exactly like the setup the rest of the Devil’s Flames expected, and she was doomed. She knew they had a backup plan that didn’t include saving her neck, so she was going to die, whether at the hand of her brother or indirectly at the hand of the man she loved. There had to be another way, something she could do to convince Jake she wasn’t lying. Or a way to get in touch with Rafe and let him know things had gone terribly wrong.
But the man already had her hands behind the chair, tightening the zip tie so tight it felt like her shoulders were being pulled out of socket, and he moved on to her feet, strapping her ankles to the legs of the chair. Jake stood there, glaring at her with such a mask of hatred she barely recognized him. He looked more like a rabid animal than a human, his eyes dead and cold.
