by Romi Hart
Adding Kira’s heartbreak to the mix made it crucial that he succeed in one last effort.
Several of his club brothers eyed him with less than welcoming expressions as he pulled into the gates and shut off the motor. He parked next to Edgar’s bike, a prize he would keep, now that the previous owner was soon to be six feet under, and he tried to ignore the scathing looks from some of the others. His skin crawled with the conversations he knew went on behind his back, but he kept his shoulders back and his head held high as he strode toward Corey’s makeshift office. The door was cracked, so he didn’t bother knocking, pushing it open and stepping inside to find Corey alone, staring at the computer screen with a scowl on his face. The president looked up in shock, and then the scowl returned, deeper this time.
“You’re just barging in here like you own the place now?” Corey asked in a low voice laced with menace. “Seems like you’ve been calling a lot of shots lately without checking in first.”
Treading carefully, Rafe narrowed his eyes at Corey. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Corey scoffed. “Let’s start with leaving your post at the fight yesterday—“
“And saving Zeke’s life?” Rafe cut him off. “I did my job and then some, Corey. If I hadn’t gone, Zeke would be dead.”
“True. You did your job and then some. Like killing the vice president of the Diamond Kings,” Corey replied, standing and crossing his arms.
If it was supposed to intimidate Rafe, it failed. He wasn’t afraid of Corey, and as far as he was concerned, he hadn’t done anything wrong. “I did the world a favor by killing him. And probably saved several lives in the process. Besides, they attacked us. The Ravens double crossed us. Any deaths are on their hands, not ours. Come on, Corey. Spit it out. Tell me what you’re really pissed about. I’m sure I already know, but let’s hear it out loud.”
“Fine. You’ve got the whole club in an upheaval with this chick,” Corey stated plainly. “You were supposed to be holding her hostage, and now you’ve got her on the back of your bike like she’s your old lady, gallivanting off to god knows where.”
“I took her to my place,” Rafe told him in a flat, level tone.
“Have you lost your fucking mind, Rafe? She’s the enemy!” Corey exploded, throwing his hands in the air. Rafe had never seen him like this before, and considering he didn’t know everything, Rafe couldn’t blame him. As Corey’s second in command, if anyone else in the club had pulled this sort of stunt, Rafe would have had the same reaction.
“Maybe I have, but you don’t understand,” he said, emphasizing each word in hopes that he could cut through the outrage and the panic and get his friend rather than his commander to listen.
“Then, please explain it to me,” Corey said, sounding as though he wasn’t ready to believe anything Rafe had to say.
Rafe didn’t want to betray Kira’s trust, but she wanted to be a part of things. The only hope he had of gaining Corey’s backing in this was to be honest and share everything. He hoped Kira would understand. “Ten years ago, when Kira was barely older than Rachel, Jake killed her fiancé in cold blood, to cover up some scheme he had going on with the Ravens. She has as much reason to hate him as I do, Corey. She’s been holding it in for a decade, and now, she has a chance to do something about it. She’s on our side.”
Rolling his eyes, Corey gave a sardonic laugh. “And how long after you told her about your sister did she conjure up that fairy tale gone wrong?”
“She didn’t know about Rachel until after she told me.” Corey glared at him, but Rafe stood firm. “Look, I’m exhausted. I don’t want to play this game anymore, but Jake Hawthorne deserves to die, and Kira’s story proves it. He doesn’t have a conscience, and no one like that should be running any MC.”
Corey shook his head. “What are you doing, Rafe? You had a mission, and that was to avenge Rachel. Now, you’re telling me you’d give up the fight, but you want revenge for the guy’s sister, something that doesn’t even involve you. Or does it?” Rafe said nothing as Corey studied him. “She’s not just some piece of ass for you, is she?”
Rafe didn’t want to answer that. “She’s a good person, Corey. She’s not like her brother. She can’t kill him herself, or she’ll lose the rest of her family with the betrayal, but this is her chance to help so she feels like there’s retribution. She has a plan she wants to bring to the table, and I think it’s worth hearing.”
“You didn’t answer my question, Rafe,” Corey pressed, as if he hadn’t said anything else. “You have feelings for the woman, don’t you?” Rafe still didn’t answer, but Corey wasn’t going to let it go. “How long have you even known her, Rafe? You can’t sit here and tell me that you’d be so adamant about this if you hadn’t already gotten emotionally invested. If you didn’t care, she’d just be some chick. She’d still be in that bunk room and not cozy in your house, in your bed, eating your food and watching your television. You’ve never taken a woman back to your place overnight.”
It was true, but Rafe wasn’t going to take the bait. But Corey continued, “Admit it, Rafe. It’s the reason you won’t let anyone else near her, except a couple of the prospects who are barely more than kids. And it’s why you’re practically begging me to trust her, even though she’s directly related to the person you hate most in the world and who has been a thorn in my side since the day I took over this club. Look me in the eye and tell me I’m wrong, and I might believe you.”
“Fine!” Rafe erupted. “You’re right! Does that make you feel better? Are you ready to gloat and put up billboards taunting me about the fact that I might be in love with someone?”
Corey blinked. “Wow, I didn’t think it was that serious.”
Rafe raked a hand through his hair. “She’s different, brother. She’s smart and sexy and funny and real, and I can’t get her out of my head. I don’t know how the hell I let it happen, but I can’t let her go, and I can’t let anything happen to her.” He sighed. “If we don’t at least hear her out, I’m afraid she’ll go off on her own and get killed trying to finish it.”
Corey nodded solemnly. “Are you sure your dick isn’t thinking for you? Or that your emotions aren’t blinding you to a possible ruse? She could have been plotting with Jake all along, Rafe. I mean, you never know. She could have been the one to alert him to the big showdown yesterday.”
Rafe shook his head. “She tried to warn me what would happen in advance, and I didn’t listen. I’m telling you, she’s on our side. Give her a chance.”
“I’ll call a meeting tomorrow. Bring her in. We’ll hear her out. But you owe me, Rafe. This is a huge favor you’re asking. We don’t bring in outsiders, especially women with an attachment to the enemy. And I can’t promise anyone will bite and agree to whatever scheme you two are cooking up. That’s a decision for the entire council to make together.”
“I get that,” Rafe told him with a nod. But relief washed over him at the prospect of at least letting Kira present the idea to his club. Gratitude flooded him, and he told Corey, “Thank you. You won’t regret it.”
With a humorless chuckle, Corey said, “I’m positive I’ll regret it. But maybe you’ll make it worthwhile, and we’ll finally get the blood we’ve been after for the last six years.”
12
Taking a page out of Rafe’s book, Kira paced back and forth across the small bunk room nervously, wringing her hands as she went over what she would say to the council. She’d been thrilled when Rafe came home with the news that Corey had agreed to hear her out, but now, she was second guessing herself. None of the twelve men at the table, not even Rafe, owed her any allegiance of any kind, and they didn’t even have good reason to listen to her. She was an outsider, the sister of their sworn enemy, and that made her dangerous to them.
But she had to make them see that she meant business.
She assessed the situation with a fifty-fifty possibility. She saw main reasons for the council to support her plan. First, it was fail safe.
Whether it would go down without injuries or loss, she couldn’t say, but she could guarantee that, one way or another, by the time everything was over, her brother would be dead. Second, the whole debacle would be over for Rafe, and his entry into the Devil’s Flames had been all about getting his revenge. When that was over, the entire crew would have a sense of satisfaction and relief they had sought for years.
On the other hand, two very large obstacles stood in her way of convincing the lot of them. Even if Kira’s plan was guaranteed to provide the desired outcome, it was extremely dangerous, and the MC could suffer injuries and loss. No one wanted to see their brothers get hurt, and they certainly didn’t take death well. But even more opposition stood in her way simply because of who she was. The lack of trust and the concern for betrayal would outweigh a lot of the possibility for agreement. She was a triple threat, not just a stranger but a female and a relative of the target. Despite Rafe’s vouching for her, she posed a problem that couldn’t be ignored.
Her biggest fear was that, if the council rejected her proposal, Rafe would take it personally and turn on his club members. When Shaw had wanted to leave the Diamond Kings, it had cost him his life. She didn’t think that would be the case here, but it might as well. If Rafe ever decided to leave the Flames, he would be a shell of a person. This was his home and his family, and no matter what he felt for her, Kira knew he couldn’t survive intact if he lost what he had with the MC.
Which only left her one choice. Success.
The door opened, and Rafe stood there, looking dark and deadly and incredibly sexy in his faded black jeans, boots, and black muscle shirt, his cut slung over his shoulder. How could he exude so much confidence when she knew his nerves were just as raw as hers? Still, he gave her that cocky, salacious grin that made his jade eyes sparkle. “Are you ready to address the council?” he asked.
With a deep breath, she shook out her hands, which ached from her worrying, and nodded. “As ready as I’ll ever be to walk into a room full of devils.” Rafe actually laughed at her double meaning and kissed her soundly before escorting her down the hall and toward the conference room that was typically off limits to all but the twelve council members. “Are you sure this isn’t a sacrificial gathering to offer me up to the gods in exchange for greater gain?” she asked, only halfway teasing.
With a mischievous chuckle as he donned his cut, Rafe growled, “The only one who gets to do any kind of worship where you’re involved is me, all over your body.” Kira shivered, wishing they could just go back and crawl into bed so he could follow through with that promise. Instead, he pushed open the door to the room where eleven other men were already seated around an enormous table, each of them with skeptical or ominous expressions. Only Corey, sitting at the head at the far end of the room, held a sense of stoicism that told her he at least intended to appear unbiased.
Rafe walked her to that end of the room and stood her off to the side with a nod and a wink, then took the empty seat to Corey’s right. She almost smirked. Even the table was seated symbolically, with Rafe being Corey’s right hand man. “Alright boys,” Corey said, calling everyone’s attention. Still, at least half the pairs of eyes remained on her, making her want to squirm under the sharp scrutiny. But she stood her ground and waited for Corey to continue. “I’m sure you all know by now this is Kira Hawthorne, Jake Hawthorne’s sister.”
There was a short murmur around the table, but Kira couldn’t make out the grumbling words or the insults she was sure were part of it. Corey held up a hand, and it stopped instantly. “There are no judgments or preconceived notions in this room. We’re starting from a clean slate because we’re talking about a new plan. Miss Hawthorne will be shown some respect on the grounds that she feels she can offer some assistance in bringing down her brother.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” one of the men on the left side of the table scoffed. “You can’t seriously be thinking about listening to her.”
“That’s enough, Harrison,” Corey said, a warning in his voice. The man settled hard back in his chair, his lips pressed tightly together and his eyes burning holes in Kira as he glared at her. “We’re going to hear her out. According to Rafe, who I trust with my life, she has much reason to want Jake dead as we do. So, unless you intend to challenge my authority, you will listen with an open mind. We’ll make decisions later.”
He seemed to be making eye contact with everyone in the room, and then he turned to Kira, giving her a nod. “Go ahead.” He slid his chair back so she could stand in his position and address the group. It was a show of respect, and she gave him a nod of thanks. She glanced at Rafe for support, and he gave her an almost imperceptible nod of encouragement.
Gathering her strength and reminding herself that Jake deserved nothing more than a painful death, Kira gazed determinedly at her reluctant audience. “First of all, I appreciate you taking the time to listen. I know this goes against tradition for an MC, and I know you aren’t keen on hearing from your biggest rival’s sister. But whether you like me or not, however you feel about Jake, please don’t put us in the same category. I’ve wanted my brother punished for longer than you have, and I want to help you give him what he deserves.”
She paused, looking around. Expressions of amusement, discomfort, disbelief, and outright hatred met her, but she plunged on. “Ten years ago, to save his own skin, Jake killed an innocent man, who also happened to be my fiancé, who didn’t even want to be part of the MC. And to add insult to injury, he has never been man enough to tell me the truth. I got the real story from someone else. For ten years now, I’ve wanted him to pay for what he did, so even if you don’t want to trust me as a Hawthorne, trust me as a victim.”
When she felt that her statement had settled in as much as possible, Kira dropped the bomb. “To make this work, I’m going to have to go to my brother and pretend I escaped and have a lead on one of your deliveries.”
The one named Harrison jumped to his feet, his face beat red. “This is a waste of time, Corey. You know as well as I do this is some scheme to get out and get a message to that dirty piece of shit. And she knows too much. We can’t let her out.” He turned to Rafe, pointing a finger. “What happened to Plan B, brother? Or do I need to be the standup guy who puts a bullet through her brain?”
“Back off, Harrison,” Rafe growled in a low voice, his knuckles white as he gripped the arms of the chair.
“Harrison, I told everyone open minds with no judgment,” Corey snapped from behind Kira. “Sit down and listen, or I’ll send you out of here and cut you out of the final vote.”
Kira thought for a moment as the man stood silently, fuming as he fisted his hands at his sides, that he might challenge Corey, or maybe even walk out. But in time, he sat down and slammed his hands on the arms of the chair as he leveled his gaze on Rafe. Kira glanced back at Rafe, whose expression gave away nothing. But she could see the tense set of his shoulders and body that told her he was ready to spring out of his seat at the first sign of trouble.
“Finish your explanation,” Corey urged quietly from behind her, not sounding impatient as much as concerned that the others would start to riot.
Feeling confident that at least two of the men in the room were on her side, Kira didn’t hesitate. “I’ll get to Jake and find out where he’s been staying. I’ll tell him I’m scared, that I need to stay with him for a few days, and I’ll get the information back to the Devil’s Flames.” She cut her eyes toward Rafe, a bit bolstered by his rapt attention and the way his eyes glistened with what she thought might be pride. “Jake will want to know about anything I learned. I’ll tell him I don’t really know anything, that I was kept in a room away from all the club dealings, but that as I escaped, I overheard something about a deal going down. I’ll give him a time and a place, and Jake will send out a party, but all they’ll find is an empty lot.
“While his men are out, he may have a couple of bodyguards on him, but I can provide a distraction long enough for your me
n to get in and take Jake down. And if you really want to hurt the crew, you can have more men waiting to ambush the ones who go out after you.”
“The obvious question,” one of the men at the far end of the table nearest the door said as he leaded on his elbows, “is, how do we know this isn’t a setup? You leave, you tell big brother everything you know, and we’re all dead in a week.”
Kira had expected that, and she didn’t try for smoke and mirrors. “You don’t. But I told you why I want Jake out of the picture, and you already know why Rafe wants him dead. All I can do is ask you to trust me. I came in here and laid everything out on the table for you, and I know you’ll never find my brother without help. I’m offering you the easiest way to hunt him down so you can stop waiting for him to crawl out from under his rock.”
Rafe stood. “I’ll vouch for her,” he said softly but with conviction.
That meant more to Kira than anything he’d said to her so far, and she blinked, not wanting her strong front to be ruined with tears of joy or sentiment. But she did give him a look that she hoped would convey the importance of his backing and how heartening it was.
“Okay, gentlemen, you heard the lady. Are there any other questions you have for her directly?” Corey asked, standing beside her. When no one responded, he nodded. “Very well. Let’s take a break. I want everyone to think about this idea, without discussing it. I want real, honest opinions when we come back, and I want to have a discussion that doesn’t turn into a riot or a lot of childish finger pointing. Got it? Be back here in half an hour.” As the others filed out, Corey turned to her. “You’re a pretty ballsy bitch, aren’t you?”
“Why do you say that?” Kira asked, grateful Rafe stood behind her. While she wasn’t frightened by Corey, he was an imposing figure, similar in size to Rafe but with less vulnerability.