by Jamie Begley
“I can go and buy you some clothes while you shower …”
A sharp knock on the door had Jackal opening the door, only to see no one there. Penni watched as he leaned down to pick something up. She almost jumped up and down in excitement when she watched Jackal lay her overnight bag and purse on the bed.
“Hennessy must like you.”
“What?” Penni unzipped her suitcase, pulling clean clothes and underwear into her arms.
“He gave your things back. He would have tossed them in a dumpster if he didn’t like you.”
“He must not like me too much; my purse is practically empty.” Penni searched the purse which now had a busted zipper. “He didn’t even give my wallet back.”
“At least you have your clothes back.”
She was too thrilled to have clothes again to get upset. If anyone tried to use her credit cards, they would be disappointed. Her new home had put a big dent in her checking account and credit limit. She had sacrificed everything but the bare necessities since she had moved in, and then she had found she couldn’t really enjoy the backyard she had been looking forward to because of the damn bees.
“I’m going to take a shower.”
Jackal lay down on the bed, turning on the television. His T-shirt rode up his waist, exposing his tan skin. How could he be that dark when it was still early spring? Penni felt her mouth go dry and unconsciously wet her bottom lip.
When she didn’t move, Jackal turned from the television. “You need something else?”
Penni shook her head, escaping into the bathroom before she did something she would regret.
Leaning back against the closed door, she took several deep breaths, calming her rioting nerves.
It was easy to see why the women who worked at King’s former bar were all at his beck and call. Jackal had a lazy sensuality that drew women in. He wasn’t a man whom women would run over. With Jackal, you knew exactly what you were getting—a male chauvinist who called all the shots in the short-term relationships he had.
Could they even be called relationships? According to her friends, they were nights of sexual excesses that had them begging for repeat performances.
Penni began to question the futility of her virginity. The man she had been saving herself for treated her like a little sister. Shade had told her over and over again she was wasting her time, and Penni had huffily told him that he had waited for Lily and hadn’t given up hope. Her brother was now happily married with a baby boy. Giving up hope wasn’t in their DNA.
She removed her clothes then stepped into the shower. The warm spray didn’t cool the heat that Jackal had built.
“Jesus,” Penni mumbled, shoving positive thoughts through her mind instead of focusing on the picture of Jackal sprawled out body on the bed on the other side of the door.
She hurried through her shower. She needed to find Striker and get the hell out of Dodge before she attacked Jackal and was arrested. He had astonished her by being well-behaved, showing a sense of humor she hadn’t known he possessed. Penni had begun to like his friendly overtures when he would ask about her work with Mouth2Mouth. At first, she had believed he was trying to find out if she had any relationships with the band. The more they had talked, the more he had seemed interested in whether she enjoyed the work she did. Even Lily and Grace became bored when she discussed her work. She found out that he grasped the concept of the huge amount of work and attention to detail it took to pull off a concert with thousands of screaming fans.
Penni dried off then got dressed. Then, using whatever makeup Hennessy had left inside her purse, she made herself feel almost normal again. If she ever got home, she promised herself to pack a larger suitcase and to keep it in her car. Changing her mind, she promised herself to ride the bus from now on. She believed in learning from her mistakes, and not following Kaden’s orders had been a doozy.
It didn’t take long for Jackal to shower. Penni waited patiently, trying not to imagine his naked body on the other side the door. She was all about being friends with the opposite sex, but Jackal was a temptation who was becoming a fasciation she was having difficulty resisting, and the man didn’t even realize she was becoming attracted to him. It was like watching a car wreck in slow motion and knowing it would end in disaster, but you still couldn’t look away.
She thought they would drive, but when she moved toward Jackal’s bike, he took her hand and pulled her through the crowd, walking through the parking lot. Hennessy and Cruz walked next to them.
“Thank you for letting me have my things back,” she muttered to Hennessy, unsure how to talk to the imposing man, but she couldn’t resist criticism on the way her things were returned. “It would have been nice if I had my wallet in case I wanted to buy something.”
“If you want something, Jackal can buy it. He has all kinds of money.”
Penni couldn’t understand his mysterious comment, though she didn’t miss the sharp look Jackal gave Hennessy. It would have been nice to have her wallet if she managed to slip away from the Road Kingz. Obviously, Hennessy had thought of that, which was why he hadn’t given it back.
Like escaping is going to happen, anyway! Penni snorted to herself. She was surrounded by Hennessy and his men.
“Where are we going?” Penni asked Jackal, curious about how Hennessy planned to find Striker.
Hennessy was the one who answered. “To the Night Owl. It’s a bar where most of the clubs hang out. Cruz and I will be next to you the entire time, so don’t think you can sneak away. The men there won’t give a shit that you don’t want to be there.” He turned toward her, giving her a calculated glance. “Hell, it’ll make their fucking night, and you’ll find yourself in more trouble than you bargained for. The clubs there are one percenters, and they aren’t squeamish about slitting our throats and raping you before they buy everyone at the bar a round of beers.”
In other words, they weren’t The Last Riders. Penni wondered how the Predators behaved when they were away from Grace, Vida, and Casey. Their husbands seemed happily married, but did they act like the men who were lining the streets?
Flushing, Penni saw women within the groups wearing shorts and tops. She was wearing jeans and a sweatshirt, and she was freaking cold. These women didn’t even look chilled.
Penni was relieved and terrified when she saw the huge sign for the Night Owl on top of a building that had a massive crowd out front.
“I can’t believe there aren’t any signs of the police.”
“Believe it,” Jackal replied sardonically. “It would take the National Guard to get a squad car through this part of town.”
Both Jackal and Hennessy shifted closer to her side as they entered bar with the Road Kingz at their heels. Penni felt the room sizing them up as Jackal found an empty spot at the corner of the bar.
She shook her head when the bartender asked if she wanted a drink, too disgusted at the behavior taking place in the bar. If the women had been scantily clad in the street outside, the women inside were wearing next to nothing. There were even three dancing on a stage in the front of the packed bar.
Jackal took his beer, not paying attention to the women nearby who were doing their best to get his attention.
“Do you see him?” Hennessy spoke softly into her ear.
Penni pried her eyes away from one pretty blonde woman who was speaking to Jackal out of her earshot. She forced herself to concentrate on the males in the bar. Once or twice, she caught her breath, thinking she saw him, only to realize it wasn’t Striker.
Her shoulders drooped. “I don’t see him.”
Hennessy’s mouth quirked in a smile. “It’s early. Don’t worry; he’ll show tonight or tomorrow.”
“Are you sure he’ll show?”
He ignored her question. “I’ll take a Hennessy,” he told the bartender before turning back to answer her question. “He has nowhere else to go.” Hennessy waved his hand around the bar. “Everyone he does business with is here.”
&n
bsp; “You could stop all of this and let me go. Is the reason you’re trying to find Striker worth dying for?”
Hennessy stared at her, his eyes going hard. “I am trying to stay alive. If I don’t find Striker, my men and I will be eating dirt.”
Penni turned away and toward the bartender. “I’ll take what he’s having.”
Jackal and Hennessy watched as the bartender poured her the drink she had requested. Penni took a sip of the amber liquor, enjoying the taste. It wasn’t as strong as she had expected, but it wasn’t bad.
“I’ll have to buy a bottle of this for Shade when I buy one for Ice.”
Hennessy choked on his drink. “Ice hates Hennessy. It’s an acquired taste.”
“Really? Then why did Jackal tell me he likes it?”
Suspiciously, Penni glared at Jackal’s innocent expression.
“He’s acquired the taste for it since you left the Predators.”
Hennessy didn’t seem to believe him anymore than she did.
She took another sip of her own drink then motioned for the bartender to give her another one.
“Take it easy on those. I want you to be sober enough to recognize Striker when you see him,” Jackal warned, reaching out to take her drink away.
“I don’t get drunk,” Penni bragged, moving out of the way.
Jackal helped the man seated next to her, who looked like he’d had too much drink, slip off the bar stool.
“What? I was tired of standing.” Jackal leaned back against the counter, his thigh brushing against hers.
Penni finished her drink in one swallow. How could his leg against hers feel so good? She tapped her glass with a fingernail.
“I don’t have time to keep filling her glass.” The bartender set the bottle down in front of her. “Who’s paying?”
Jackal reached into his back pocket, pulling out his wallet. Penni laughed at his disgruntled expression when Hennessy poured himself another drink.
“Will you two remember why we’re here? I’m going to be broke before I get back to Queen City.”
“Was Jackal always such a sour puss when you were in the Predators?”
“Depends.”
“On what?”
“On which bitch he had in his bed or who he was fighting.”
Penni wished she had keep her mouth shut. She really didn’t want to hear about even more of Jackal’s women or his criminal activities. The more she spent time with him, the more she wanted to know him better, especially when he was sweet, like sleeping on the floor or waking up early to get her a cup of coffee. The man she was beginning to care about didn’t match the image she had been given from others who knew him better.
Suddenly, her stool was spun around.
“Is that him?” Hennessy hissed.
Penni narrowed her eyes. It was difficult to see through the smoke-filled room. She had thought smoking in bars was a thing of the past. Then she recognized the smell assailing her nostrils, and it had her giving an appreciative sniff.
“Greer should come here. He would love to know what green they’re smoking.”
“Your bitch has the attention of a gnat.”
“Did you just insult me?”
“Yes. Is. That. Striker?”
Did he seriously just talk to me like I’m a child? Penni fumed, refusing to answer.
When he clenched his hands into fists, Jackal stepped from his stool, blocking Hennessy.
“Penni, in case you didn’t notice, Hennessy isn’t playing.”
“I’m not, either. It wasn’t Striker.”
“She couldn’t have answered that when I asked her?” Hennessy snarled at Jackal as if she weren’t there.
“Next time, don’t make me mad. Don’t call me a bitch, and especially don’t refer to me as Jackal’s woman.”
“Bitch, I’ll call you what—”
“She’ll be gone as soon we find Striker. Get Cruz to buy you a bud.” Jackal wound his arm around her waist.
“I need more than one to deal with her.”
Penni was so aggravated with Hennessy she almost didn’t tell him the man he was searching for had come into the bar. Jackal, providing a barrier from the Road Kingz, reminded her of the Predators who were waiting to go home, too. They were here because of Grace. As much as she hated the Road Kingz and didn’t want to help them, she despised Striker. He had left her without a second glance when she had begged for help. If the Road Kingz hadn’t shown up, Ricky would have raped and killed her, leaving her family and friends wondering for the rest of their lives what had happened to her.
“Let someone else have the table. Striker just came through the door.”
“Where?”
Penni was lifted off her feet before Jackal could block him again. The Road Kingz surrounded them.
“Don’t draw attention to yourself. I don’t want him taking off.”
Penni nodded at Hennessy. “He’s wearing a black jacket …” She kept trying to spot Striker again and couldn’t see him. “I can’t find him.” Frustrated, she tried to peer over Cruz and Jackal’s shoulders.
“What color was his shirt?”
“I didn’t notice,” Penni admitted.
“Fuck.” He glared warningly at her. “Here’s what we’re going to do. We’ll walk around the bar, and as soon as you see Striker, show me, and then Jackal will get you out of here. Understand?”
“I do understand English.”
Penni became afraid. Hennessy looked like Killyama when Penni had visited her in the hospital after the incident.
“Cool down, Hennessy.” Jackal gripped Hennessy’s hand. His knuckles were white as he tried to exert pressure to get her released from his hold. The men were fighting over her like two dogs fighting over a bone.
“We can stand here all night to see who wins this argument, or we can go find Striker. I’m going to get another drink. Let me know when you two goons make up your minds.”
Hennessy dropped his hand from her arm. “Let’s go. I’ll take the lead. When she sees Striker, tap me on my back.”
“Will do.” Jackal pulled her closer to his side.
As they began skirting the outer edge of the bar, Penni inspected each face for the one she was looking for. They were all either young or old, and some were downright scary. Penni pushed closer to Jackal until she wound her arm through his.
“Scared?”
“What do you think? Some of these men would terrify their own mothers.” She shuddered when a biker with a Mohawk caught her eye. Not wanting him to think she was staring at him because he was ugly, Penni forced a trembling smile to her lips.
“What’s your name, sweetheart?”
“Uh … uh…” She didn’t know if she should answer, but politeness won out. “Penni.”
“Wanna dance?” The biker drew closer.
“Keep going,” Jackal cautioned her.
Penni swallowed hard as the friendly biker tried to keep up with their trek through the crowd.
“There isn’t any music.”
“I don’t need music to dance with you.”
This man might have been the first charming biker she had ever met.
“Quit talking to him.” Jackal used his shoulder to force the smooth-talking biker back.
“Cunt, you talking to me?”
Penni’s mouth dropped open when her charming biker became a raving maniac. The biker took the bottle he was holding and crashed it on top of Jackal’s skull.
She reacted without thinking, wanting Hennessy and his men to help Jackal, but they were so busy trying to find Striker that they hadn’t noticed the attack taking place on the side of the bar. Trying to find their attention, Penni reached out to tap Hennessy on his back.
Hennessy turned around. “Where is he…?”
Penni screamed as another biker who had been standing close when the lothario decided to butt in crashed a stool into Hennessy’s chest before he could finish turning around.
Penni began to fall back, pushed
by the building momentum of the fighting between the Road Kingz, who were trying to protect their stunned president, and the other men in the bar.
Penni saw the floor rushing toward her, and then her vision unexpectedly cleared to see Ice’s cold face as he hauled her to her feet.
“You have her?” Jackal asked, hurrying to their side.
“I have her.”
Jackal’s forehead had blood running from his scalp. Penni reached out to wipe it away yet received a glare for her effort. After securing her to him again, she found herself pinned against a wall with Jackal blocking her from the massive fight that had spread from where they were to encompass the whole bar.
Jackal hit anyone who came near her. Hennessy was taking on two men who nearly equaled him in size. Penni saw Max tear one away, punching him in the nose. She felt bile rising in her throat as blood sprayed from those unfortunate enough to be fighting close to him.
Penni couldn’t help herself; she moved to help the man.
“Don’t you fucking move.”
She froze when Jackal spoke, not taking his eyes off the fight.
“Ice, the one on your left!” Jackal yelled out as a biker fighting Cruz began flashing a knife.
Ice moved in behind the man who was about to gut Cruz. As he held the man from behind, Ice snapped his hand down on the man’s wrist, breaking his hold on the knife.
“The bartender has a gun,” Ice grunted out as he kicked away the knife that had fallen to the floor.
Shots were fired toward the ceiling.
“Son of a bitch! He’ll cause a shootout!” Jackal reacted before the second shot hit the ceiling.
Penni found herself thrown over Jackal’s shoulder as he and the Road Kingz ran out a door with an exit sign. She pounded on his back as she tried to throw herself from his shoulder.
“Why are you running? The cops are here.” Penni saw her escape slipping away as they continued to run, not stopping until they barreled into their hotel room.
She sat up on the bed where Jackal had dumped her as the Predators and Road Kingz crowded into their room.
Jackal opened the connecting door, giving them breathing room. They needed it. Hennessy and Max were bent over, gasping for breath. Evidently, the two men’s exercising routine didn’t include running.