Hunted (Dauntless MC Book 1)

by Steele, Suzanne

  “And what does that mean, Luke?”

  “Talon is the fucking Treasurer for the motorcycle club, Dauntless. That’s a major deal, sweetie, and it is a high position in the hierarchy of MC clubs. I bet you five bucks he got offended when you offered to take his case pro bono.”

  Now that got her attention. “Yes… he did.”

  “They’ve got more fucking money than this law firm does. I can assure you that Talon is nobody’s charity case. Still want to save the world, Grace?”

  “Still want to be a self-absorbed bastard, Luke?”

  She watched as he put his hands in his pockets, rocked back on his heels, and smirked. “That’s why I like you, Gracie. You’ve got spunk.”

  “Gosh, Luke, that’s what I’ve always wanted—your approval. Now if that’s all, I have work to do. Oh, and by the way, the name is Grace.”

  He turned to make his way to the door but not before he looked over his shoulder and issued her a warning. “Be careful, Grace. You’re in the big leagues now. Those guys don’t play and you may just be getting more than you’ve bargained for.”

  Though she tried to act like his words didn’t bother her, there was a part of her that knew what he was saying was true. Mr. Talon was a very dangerous man…

  Talon made his way back to his cell, escorted by a guard as he shuffled along. Being locked up wouldn’t be so bad if he had his own cell but there was no such luck in the cards for him.

  “You know the drill,” the guard informed him. He dutifully placed his wrists through the opening so the cuffs could be removed and then the guard bent down to unlock the chains at his ankles. The chains clinked against the metal bars as the guard pulled them through before he turned and walked away without another word.

  Talon’s cellmate wasted no time trying to start conversation but he wasn’t in the fucking mood for his shit right now.

  “What did she look like? Was she hot?”

  Talon reacted and before he knew it, he was holding the man up by his throat with one hand, his feet dangling and unable to touch the cell floor.

  “Motherfucker, don’t ever let her name, or anything concerning her, cross your lips again. If it does, I’ll push your skull through those bars so hard they’ll have to cut it out to release you.”

  His voice was raspy as he tried to defend himself against Talon’s attack, “I don’t even know her name! I mean, ah, ah, I meant no disrespect.”

  “You don’t know her name because I’m not fucking telling you her name. Forget about her!”

  Talon tossed him to the side and watched him scramble away as he laid on his bunk to sort out what just happened to him in that room with the woman who wanted to save him. Why the fuck would she even care if he was being prosecuted for a crime he didn’t commit. Though his mind assured him that she was just some do-gooder who needed to reach out so she could sleep at night, he still couldn’t shake the fact that the chick had balls made of steel.

  When she reacted, it hadn’t been in a smartass mouthy kind of way. No, that girl stood up to him when she felt he disrespected her. She earned something from him that he didn’t give away to just anyone. She earned his respect…

  Chapter Three

  Grace wasn’t usually one who cared about what others thought of her. She had, however, become enlightened with Luke’s information on her client and it served to make her even more curious about his case.

  In her line of work, she found the internet to be a wealth of information, and in her world, information was power. She was convinced that her client was wrongfully accused of selling drugs; the question was why. Though it’s entirely feasible that the officer in question just had a vendetta against her client because he’s a biker, it’s also possible that it goes deeper than that. Ironically enough, investigating the cop involved might just give her an inside look at Talon.

  All Grace needed to get a line on the cop who was harassing her client was a name; what she got was much more than she bargained for. She was already discovering Luke’s assessment of the situation to be true. Before she could become too aggravated at him for being correct, she continued reading the computer screen. She hated the fact that Luke’s arrogant ass was correct but she pushed past that and became immersed in the information she had at her disposal.

  What that information revealed was that the officer she suspected of planting drugs on her client was no ordinary officer… he was an ICE agent. In a matter of moments, she was made aware that things had moved to a whole different level. Being a cop was one thing but being an ICE agent gave this guy much more power than a mere police officer had.

  Derrick Snyder looked more like a biker or a drug dealer than a member of law enforcement. His long, dark brown hair flowed halfway down his back and it was pulled back in a ponytail. He wore a diamond stud in one of his earlobes and his black leather jacket only added to the badass image he projected. He wore black jeans tucked into black combat boots and everything about the man screamed hardcore.

  The only giveaway that Derrick was an agent in the pic was the badge he wore around his neck. Other than that, he looked like the kind of guy people instinctively knew to stay away from but yet can’t help but be drawn to. He looked like trouble with a capital T and she was certain he had more than his fair share of women in his bed—female cops and women who lived a life of breaking the law. It wasn’t a secret that many agents and cops ended up falling prey to breaking the law during their time of being undercover. The question with this agent was… did he enjoy it? He wouldn’t be the first agent to learn he had an alter ego.

  The only question now was whether or not this guy was on the take. Grace felt a burst of adrenaline as the thought hit her that she could be putting herself in danger. She was dealing with a man who had more power than just the average officer because his jurisdiction was nationwide. His power and authority went far beyond just the city of Louisville, Kentucky. She was going to have to think about what she was doing. Did she really want to stir up this hornet’s nest for a biker she didn’t even know?

  All she cared about was finding out if this guy set her client up by planting drugs on him. If Derrick Snyder was on the take, then she had every intention of taking him down. Grace didn’t have any respect for people who use their power and authority to make money. When their job was supposed to be watching out for the needs of the community, then that was what they should be doing. She would find out in the very near future that things weren’t always black and white; sometimes they were grey.

  Chapter Four

  Talon barely slept the night before. Little Miss Prim and Proper’s promise of freedom weighed too heavily on his mind. She should be very fucking careful about making promises to a man like him. After all, it wasn’t just him she’d be dealing with if she didn’t follow through. It would be the boys in his club and things could get real rowdy, real fucking quick, with them.

  Footsteps from the hard soled shoes of a guard making his way towards his cell pulled him from his thoughts. He hated being locked up. He needed the wind blowing through his hair to be at his best. Being surrounded by concrete walls was torture for any biker. They were born wild and free and they died wild and free. He knew enough about court proceedings to not get his hopes up about being released today. His freedom could be contingent upon something as trivial as whether or not the judge’s wife let him fuck her with his little pencil dick last night.

  “You know the drill, prisoner.” Talon placed his hands through the metal opening and willed his heart to quit beating so quickly in anticipation of not only getting released, but seeing that hot, little, lawyer lady again. The sound of metal clanking against the concrete flooring, along with the well-wishers shouting through the bars of their cages, wasn’t making him feel any better. It was just grating on his nerves. The last thing he wanted to have to do was walk back in here if he wasn’t released. The questions from fellow prisoners would only lead to a fight on a day like today. If little Miss Do-gooder was going to have any
chance of being successful getting him out of these trumped up charges, he was going to have to be on his best behavior. That, in and of itself, could be a challenge for a guy like him.

  He was ushered through a side door and his eyes immediately honed in on her like a target. Damn, she looked good. Today, she was dressed in a black suit with a white button up shirt beneath it. Her blonde, shoulder length hair was down today but held back with a black, plastic headband. She was the epitome of professionalism with an air of innocence—the kind of innocence he wanted to violate.

  It took all of Grace’s effort for her not to look over at her client as he entered the side door with a jail guard. The last thing she needed was for this judge to catch her ogling a prisoner. His chains noisily clanked against the table as he sat down next to her. The only way she acknowledged him was by leaning down towards his ear to mandate, “Don’t speak unless the judge expressly addresses you.” She was concerned about this client because of his dominant personality. He wasn’t the type to back down and it had her concerned.

  “Rooting for the underdog again? You could be getting yourself in deeper than you bargained for. Are you certain you want to do this?” the judge questioned her.

  She shook off the feeling that the judge’s question carried a veiled threat. “You know me too well, Sir,” she answered.

  “Well, since you’re so convinced he’s innocent, I’m going to release him into your custody.” Her joy at the judge’s decision was momentary as he continued to speak after he leaned over his high perch and looked down on her as if she was his prey. “If he screws up… and I mean if he so much as jaywalks on your watch, I’m going to hold you accountable.” He crooked his finger at her as he peered down over his glasses and she suddenly felt like she was back in school at the principal’s office. She made her way up to the judge’s bench and he covered the microphone before he spoke. “I don’t like the fact that you’re accusing a cop of being dirty. I also don’t like the thought of an agent with that much power running around the streets using the law to hide behind and bribing people in the community no matter how unproductive they may be. Tread lightly, young lady, there’s a lot at stake here.”

  “Absolutely, Sir, you have my word.” She resisted the urge to skip out of the courtroom; her challenge was just beginning. She would find out very soon that the judge’s warning would ring true; Grace was getting much more than she bargained for. She was dealing with two organizations who prided themselves on being macho—cops and bikers—and it didn’t get much more testosterone fueled than that.

  Chapter Five

  The feel of Talon’s cut on his body was an aphrodisiac for him. It represented who he was and what he stood for. He lived and breathed his colors so much so that if needed, he’d die for them. He breathed in the smell of leather as he draped it over his body and followed his newfound babysitter out of the jail. He stared at her ass and legs as she talked on the phone, completely ignoring him. He didn’t like it. He wasn’t used to being ignored and decided he would be getting her attention, one way or another.

  The beep of her key fob and the clicking of doors coming unlocked on the pearl colored Lexus SUV informed him that little Miss Do-gooder had done quite well for herself financially. Why would she care about a biker? Talon didn’t know the answer to that question but he damn sure planned on finding out.

  She got them situated and didn’t even look at him when she asked him for directions to the clubhouse. He grabbed her wrist as she reached to start the vehicle. She jerked at his touch and looked at him with fire in her eyes.

  “You need me more than you think you do, lady. You’re getting ready to walk into a world you don’t know a damn thing about and it’s a very fucking dangerous world.”

  “I have no intentions of getting involved with a motorcycle club, Mr. Talon.”

  “You’re already involved, lawyer lady.”

  “Quit calling me lawyer lady!”

  “Quit calling me Mr. Talon!”

  They sat and glared at one another, waiting to see who would back down first. She did.

  “I don’t give a fuck if you don’t like me, lady, but you’re going to respect me. This whole attitude of thinking that you’re better than I am stops now. It will get you an ass kicking where you’re going. Now, get the fucking car started and make your way down to River Road.”

  Talon’s cock jumped when he noted her hand was trembling. Oh yes, there was definitely a part of him that wanted her under his control just because she didn’t want to be there. Teaching her a lesson was a very high priority on his agenda. If she thought she was getting out of this unscathed, she had another thing coming. She would be all kinds of tainted by the time he got done defiling her. The rest of the ride was spent in silence until they arrived at the compound. He spent the time enjoying her nervous energy and making no secret of the fact that he was staring at her from head to toe. It was a great fucking view.

  Chapter Six

  Talon watched Grace’s eyes widen when they pulled up to the gated compound and she caught sight of the two burley bikers standing guard with their arms crossed over their chests. His brothers’ expressions didn’t relax until they realized he was in the car.

  “What’s up, boys? Have you been holding down the fort?”

  “Fuck yeah, you know it,” the man named Screech answered.

  “Well, let me in already. I missed you fuck heads.”

  “Who’s she?” Screech bent down to look in and for some odd reason, Talon bristled when he saw him looking down his lawyer’s shirt. “Hey motherfucker, eyes up here.” He used two fingers pointing towards his eyes to signify that he was watching him.

  “My bad. No harm, no foul. She’s a little uppity for my taste anyway.”

  “Just open the fucking gate already.”

  Talon looked over at Grace and his voice was dead serious. “Drive slow. This is a community. There are kids, pets, and people just like any other community. You respect me and you respect my club and we’ll be fine. You’re on my turf now, lawyer lady. You just remember... my house, my rules.”

  She looked at him with wide eyes and nodded her head in agreement. Suddenly, it hit him that she would be more dependent on him here. He’d definitely use that to his advantage.

  “Park over here.” He waited until she was parked before he spoke again.

  “You let me do the fucking talking. That little independent attitude of yours can get you in a lot of trouble here. You’re going to have to trust me, girl.”

  “Can’t I just leave? I only planned on giving you a ride home anyway.”

  “Where are your manners? My President will have my ass if I bring a stranger into the compound and don’t have the decency to introduce you. What do you think we are? Fucking animals or something?”

  He chuckled when she frantically shook her head, obviously worried that she’d offended him. Though she was clueless about club life, he was glad she had sense enough to be frightened. She should be scared—very fucking scared.

  They made their way towards the garage so he could introduce her to the President of his chapter, Tiny. Every eye in the large garage turned towards them as they made their entrance.

  “We don’t make a habit of bringing our women out here,” Talon leaned down and whispered. Tiny wiped his hands on a rag while making his way over.

  “Good to have you back, Talon. I’m tired of doing your fucking paperwork.”

  “Damn, I hope you didn’t fuck anything up, Prez.”

  He ignored the comment and stared Grace down. “You must be the lawyer. The only thing saving your ass is the fact that you got my brother out of jail.”

  “He’s your brother?”

  “We’re all brothers here. Don’t ever step on my fucking property without your escort here. When you’re here, you’re property, his fucking property. I don’t know you, I don’t trust you, and the only reason I even like you any at all is because you stepped in and got Talon out of jail.”

>   “Sir, anything discussed between us is covered under attorney-client privilege.”

  “That’s for your fucking clients but since you’re willing to try and convince me you’re so trustworthy…” Talon watched as Tiny pulled the large, leather wallet that was chained to his belt loop out, handed her a hundred dollar bill, and continued his speech, “…you just got hired. You work for the club now.”

  “Sir?”

  “I don’t want to hear it. You’ve got no choice.” With that, he turned his back to her. Talon looked up to see Raven, one of the few females allowed in the garage and anywhere else she wanted to go on the compound, standing with her arms crossed signifying she supported her old man’s decision. Talon grabbed Grace’s arm and led her out of the garage and back to her car.

  He leaned into her window and smirked as she began trying to argue and give him all the reasons she couldn’t work for the club. “Go home, Grace, and have dinner ready by six. We’ll talk then.”

  “How do you know where I live?”

  “I know what you paid in taxes last year, girl. Don’t ever underestimate what we know. We’ve got more connections than you realize. Don’t ever fuck us over. We fuck back real hard, baby girl. Keep your mouth shut and your eyes open and you’ll do fine. Oh, and one more thing… remember, you’re property now—my property.”

  He turned and walked away. One more look over his shoulder revealed she was driving slowly. Well, at least he knew she could follow directions. She better be able to because she wasn’t just answering to him anymore. She was answering to his whole club now.