By the end of the day, two less motherfuckers would populate the world.
Cam leaned against the door frame of Knox’s office. “Did you find anything, Knox?”
“I’m still looking,” Knox said with more casualness than Cam appreciated.
“Look harder,” Cam ordered. He’d been away from Jordan and Ava for three hours already. Every half-hour he’d checked on them and he had an old friend from the force patrolling the neighborhood, but it wasn’t enough. He needed to be there with them.
While he’d been out, purchasing two handguns from a street contact, he’d put Knox on locating the Ward Brothers.
“Calm down, Cookie. I visited their last known address and they’d moved, so I returned to the office to dig deeper. It’s only a matter of time before they show themselves.”
“Suppose it was Roxy in danger?” Cam bit out, on edge. “Would you sit around as if you didn’t have a care in the world?”
Knox’s face took on a dangerous look. “In case you’ve forgotten, this was Roxy, a few weeks ago.”
“She’s safe now,” Cam insisted. “Jordan isn’t.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “Maybe I should go to Outlaw.”
“Don’t do that. We can handle this without involving the MC. I doubt they’d have more information available than us. We’re conducting our investigation as PI’s. If they get involved, there’s the risk of violence. Then, one or all of them would go to jail. The girls would be heartbroken. Roxy would be worried sick about her daughter, whose husband is the club’s enforcer.”
In the last few months, Knox had made a one hundred eighty-degree turn in his opinion of the Death Dwellers. Before, he’d placed himself above the MC, especially above Outlaw, considering himself smarter and better educated. After having a little sense knocked into him—literally—his tune had changed.
If any of the bikers were arrested, that would affect their wives, which would seep down to Roxy since the woman considered Bailey’s friends ‘her babies’, too. Anything that upset Roxy, upset Knox.
“Don’t go to Outlaw,” Knox repeated. “We can handle this. If we can’t, we should close up shop and find another profession.”
Truth.
“As much as I like Outlaw now, it still galls me that he rescued Roxy, instead of me.”
“Does it matter? She’s alive.” The moment the words left Cam’s mouth, he felt like a hypocrite. He felt the same about Outlaw saving Jordan. “Forget I said that, Wafer. I understand what you mean.”
“Go to your house, pick up a few days’ worth of clothes, then head to Jordan’s house. Protect what’s yours.”
“Did you know that Roxy’s there?”
“Yup.”
He would. Knox kept track of his girlfriend’s every move, whether she knew it or not.
“I’ll keep looking,” he swore.
“Thanks.” Cam needed to make a few phone calls on behalf of the firm’s cases, but Jordan consumed his mind, so he grabbed three file folders and decided to leave for the day. He could contact whomever he needed to from the comfort of his bedroom at Jordan’s house.
Hopefully, in the time he’d been away, she hadn’t gotten it in her head that he was better off on the other side of her door—outside.
With Ava sleeping quietly in her portable crib, Jordan relaxed on the sofa, thankful for Roxy’s company. The fearless woman allowed nothing to daunt her, not even the threat of Stein and Silton.
She held up the fingernails she’d been polishing. “I’ve graduated from carrying a knife to carrying a .380. A motherfucker burst in here, I’ll bust a cap in his ass and ask questions later, so stop worrying, sugar.”
Seeing the firearm beside her on the table, Jordan wondered if she had it in her to kill. What would happen in a do-or-die situation? She was a physician, who’d taken an oath to save lives.
“If it came right to it, do you think you could actually pull the trigger?” Jordan asked. “I’ve considered hunting them down and removing the threat from Mr. Caldwell and Cam. I tell myself I can. But I bring babies into the world. How can I take a life in cold-blood? Could you really, truly do it?”
Blowing on her nails, Roxy gave her an under-eyed look. “Fuck, yeah. If it’s my ass or another motherfucker, my slogan is see ya, wouldn’t wanna be ya. I’d fuck a motherfucker up. I’ve been shot on two different occasions. Bullets fucking hurt. So, yeah, sugar, I’d fuck a bastard up before he could fuck me up.”
“Could you sleep at night afterwards, though?”
“Jordan, baby, I don’t know because it hasn’t happened, but if I had to bet on it, I think I’d sleep just fine. I’d know I came close to eternal rest and saved myself. I’m not sure, but I do believe I’d sleep like a fucking baby.”
As the grandfather clock in the foyer started bonging, the sound of Jordan’s phone pealed through the air. Stein’s name flashed across the screen and she started. Her body shivered.
“Oh, fuck no. That’s him, isn’t it?”
It stopped ringing, only to start again, reminiscent of Sulley’s tactics.
Roxy sprung from her seat and reached for the phone. Jordan grabbed her hand.
“Don’t, please. We can’t risk Mr. Caldwell.”
Roxy lifted a brow at her and Jordan flushed.
“Or Cam,” she added on a mumble.
“Why is it so hard to admit you have a thing for that man? He might be too blind to see it, but I’m not.” Snatching Jordan’s phone from her hand, Roxy returned to her seat. “Don’t allow fear to come between what you have with him.”
“I told him I love him. Last night,” Jordan added. “Or this morning, depending on how you’d like to look at it. But I shouldn’t have said anything.” Embarrassment burned through her at the thought that Cam hadn’t even acknowledged her confession.
“Don’t you dare regret admitting to your feelings.” Roxy eyed her as the phone started ringing once more. Judging by the way she visibly bared her teeth, it must’ve been Stein calling again. “Unless the motherfucker said he doesn’t care about you,” she went on, once the phone stopped.
“To the contrary…” Jordan’s voice trailed off and her temples throbbed. As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t pretend she wasn’t worried about what Stein might do. “You have to let me answer his call, Roxanne. Or call him back,” she said briskly. “If I don’t, he’ll just show up here.”
“Let the motherfucker come.” She nodded to her pink gun. “Me and my little friend intend to talk to him.”
Jordan got up and stalked to Roxy, holding her hand out. “Give me the phone.”
“Fine,” Roxy sniffed, shoving it at her.
Jordan pressed redial, but Stein didn’t answer. She knew what that meant. He was on his way to her house. She had to get rid of Roxy. Her friend couldn’t be in danger because of her.
Clearing her throat, she dialed again. “Hey,” she said to the dial tone. “I’m sorry I missed your call.” She allowed a heartbeat to pass. “Why don’t you and Silton see Ava tomorrow? I won’t stop you as long as you come in peace.”
The phone beeped, which meant her one-sided conversation would be recorded.
“Okay, see you then,” she said with a dramatic sigh. Setting her phone down, she turned to Roxy and gave a huge yawn. “I’m so tired. I don’t want to be rude, but I need to rest. Besides, it’s getting late and Knox is probably ready to take you somewhere.”
Roxy studied her, then smiled and stood. “Sure, sugar. We’re babysitting my grandbabies tonight.” She shoved her pink gun in the holster at her side, then straightened her jacket to conceal her weapon before gathering the rest of her things and placed them in her huge handbag. She sailed to the door and turned. “Jordan, I know you’re bullshitting me. We’re better friends than this, but I’ll leave if you want me to. Let me warn you, though, I’m calling Outlaw. If that motherfucker is really on the way to terrorize you, I have another motherfucker that will put him out of his misery. Stein is threatening to come bet
ween Outlaw and Meggie. By the time Outlaw is finished with him, you’ll be lucky to find his fucking eyeball.”
“No! Promise me you’ll let me handle this. Don’t tell anybody, especially Mr. Caldwell.”
“I stay here, or I go to Outlaw. Your choice.”
“Think of Meggie,” Jordan implored.
Roxy blew her a kiss. “I’m thinking of both of you.” And without allowing Jordan to offer another argument, she departed.
The sudden silence seemed daunting. Jordan went to the kitchen and grabbed the biggest knife she could find, then returned to the sofa, waiting for hell to arrive at her door.
For a moment, she considered calling Cam, but then she decided not to. They would shoot Cam as soon as he drove up. They’d shoot him from behind, like the cowards they were. And she’d know it was all her fault.
Instead, she just sat on the couch, watching the door.
She kept a close eye on Ava, even though the baby lay a few feet from her. The thought to hide her somewhere crossed Jordan’s mind but she dismissed it. Hiding Ava would mean putting her in a place where she wouldn’t be heard.
Jordan couldn’t bring herself to lock her child away, in a closet or a bathroom, essentially cutting her off for however long the confrontation took.
An hour after Roxy left, the sensation of being watched crept into Jordan. If she looked behind her, she knew who she’d find. He must’ve gotten in through the basement door. She’d never had the broken lock repaired.
She swallowed and tightened her hold on the knife. “Hello, Stein,” she whispered.
A gun pressed to the back of her head. “Jordan.”
Her doorbell rang. That had to be Cam.
“Ignore it,” Stein ordered. “Silton, I’ve got her. The baby’s here.”
The bell rang again.
“If you don’t allow me to answer my door, whoever it is will grow suspicious.”
“Drop your knife, stand up, and send whoever it is away.”
Fear dried her mouth, but she laid the knife to the side and got to her feet. Ava was starting to cry.
Forcing herself to ignore her baby, Jordan stumbled toward the entrance. Stein walked behind her, his gun poised at her head and ready to shoot. At the door, Stein dropped to the right and nodded at her. His arms were up, one hand steadying his aim. He wouldn’t be able to see who was at the door, but his gun was cocked.
There was no way he could miss at that distance. Ava would grow up motherless. Worse, the courts might give her baby to her closest living relatives. Them.
Hell, no. Resolution surged through her.
When she opened the door, Cam stood there, a smile on his face and an overnight bag on his shoulder. “What’s up, doc?” he quipped.
“Go away,” she ordered in a hard voice. He had to leave before Stein seized the opportunity to murder him.
Cam raised an eyebrow, staying silent.
“You heard me. I don’t want you here.” His look of surprise and hurt twisted her insides. She raised her left hand as unobtrusively as possible, and pointed toward the interior of the house, then used her index finger and thumb for a gun.
Cam frowned, then studied her. A mutinous look dropped into his face and his slight nod relieved her.
“Go,” she mouthed. “Call the police.”
He held out the bag and nodded to it. “Gun,” he mouthed back, mimicking her. Louder, he said, “I was just delivering this to you, ma’am. More diapers, as ordered. There’s no need to be rude.”
Before she could respond, Stein yanked her back by the hair and slammed the door shut. Jordan clutched the bag to her as she was marched back down the hall and into the family room, where Silton hovered over Ava’s crib. The baby’s screams cut through Jordan, making her heart race.
“I need to nurse her,” she announced.
Stein shoved her without warning. She dropped the bag to balance herself, falling to her knees. Crouching next to her, Stein shoved the gun against her temple. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Silton lift Ava. He didn’t care about the gun he continued to hold, close to the baby’s head.
“Don’t hurt her,” Jordan pleaded. “Do what you want to me, but leave my innocent child alone.”
“Can you make her shut up?” Silton asked in frustration, allowing Ava’s head to lull. Gripping her arms, he dangled her, not supporting her neck. Her sock-covered feet wiggled.
“Aren’t you sorry you didn’t answer my calls?” Stein asked with frightening casualness.
Looking into his eyes, Jordan saw nothing there. No emotion. No remorse. No sympathy. Nothing.
“We’ve decided we want Ava. She’s my brother’s child. She lives with us. We tell you when to visit.”
Anger swooped in, removing her flash of despair at Stein’s words. No way would she allow her daughter to be taken. Either she’d die fighting to save her baby or she’d kill them. She glanced at the bag Cam had given to her. He’d mouthed the word gun. She needed a way to get that weapon.
A shadow caught Jordan’s attention. Cam peeped into the room. The muscles in her body froze. He put his fingers to his lips. She gave a minute shake of her head. If Stein saw him and fired, Ava was directly in a bullet’s path. Jordan didn’t think Stein would care if he injured or killed his niece to hurt Cam.
“Shut this kid up!” Silton snarled, on the verge of losing it.
“Put her down,” Jordan said in a firm voice. “She doesn’t know you, and she’s hungry. She’ll quiet down if you return her to the crib.” That wasn’t true, but she needed to get Ava out of immediate danger.
Jordan trusted that Cam had a plan, since he’d gotten into the house to confront two armed men. Cam was the sort of man who never did anything without a plan.
Glaring at Ava, Silton placed her in the crib. The moment he did, a shot fired. Screaming in agony, he dropped the gun, his bloodied hand flying into the air. Stein fired in the direction the shot had come from, as Jordan dived for the crib and jerked it toward her, toppling it.
But instead of catching her daughter as she planned, Jordan went flying from Stein’s kick, her body skidding and landing in a pool of Silton’s blood. Just beside the gun that had fallen from his hand.
Gasping, she lifted herself to her knees, looking frantically at Ava. The baby had landed on the carpet; judging by the furious pinwheeling of her legs and arms, she wasn’t hurt.
“Come out, you bastard,” Stein demanded, pulling another gun from the back of his jeans, and tossing the one he’d been using aside. “Hands up. If you don’t come out in the next ten seconds, I’ll shoot the kid first, and the bitch after.”
Silton’s screams rivaled Ava’s. They were making so much noise that Jordan couldn’t hear the stifled cry that escaped her chest as Cam walked into view with his hands raised in surrender.
Stein prowled forward, circling Ava, his big, booted feet so close to her fragile head that Jordan shook. He glanced down at the child with hatred, keeping his weapon trained on Cam.
Jordan reached over and grabbed Silton’s weapon. She clambered to her feet, the gun trained on Stein. “Drop your gun,” she ordered. It surprised her how strong her voice sounded, when, inside, she was shaking, falling apart.
This man was jeopardizing the two people she loved most in the world. At any moment, he could stomp Ava or shoot Cam.
“Bitch, please,” Stein said with a bark of cold laughter. “You think I’m afraid of you? You don’t have it in you to pull the trigger.”
“Get away from my daughter,” she ordered, steely-toned. “Now.”
His laughter deepened.
“Jordan, come to me,” Cam directed.
“No, Jordan, stay in place,” Stein said.
To her horror, Jordan realized Silton had pulled himself together and he was glaring at her, his face smeared with blood. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Cam lunge at Stein, who fired. A bullet whistled over Cam’s head and smashed into the wall above her.
Silton
leaped toward Jordan. Balancing the gun with both hands, Jordan fired. Shock on his face, he collapsed on top of her.
The roar of Harley pipes cut through the commotion of Ava’s wails, and Stein and Cam’s mortal combat. Jordan knew Roxy had kept her promise and informed Mr. Caldwell. From the sound, the man wasn’t alone.
Adrenaline pumping through her, Jordan shoved Silton off her. Blood bloomed in the center of his gray T-shirt. Nausea turned her stomach as a pounding started on her door.
Cam had disarmed Stein of his gun, but crazed strength powered Stein. Somehow, he’d gotten a knife and plunged it in a downward motion, over and over. Cam couldn’t deflect all the strikes but managed to evade some of them, anticipating Stein’s movements.
Cam bled from various wounds as he and Stein wrestled for another weapon. She saw the empty holster at Cam’s side. Her man was strong and physically fit. She believed he’d best Stein easily if not for his wounds.
She needed to do something. Hands shaking, Jordan picked up the gun again and aimed it at Stein. She fired, just as the sound of her front door bursting open reached her ears. Stein toppled over, groaning.
Jordan scrambled toward her daughter and lifted her in her arms, clutching her to her chest. Suddenly, eight men stormed into the family room, seven big bikers and Cam’s best friend, Knox, all with guns drawn.
Knox rushed to Cam, who’d staggered to his feet, pulled a pair of handcuffs from his back pocket and locked Stein’s hands into place. Her mind was whirling. It wouldn’t be enough...Stein had those photos. But she knew that Cam would never kill a man in cold blood. He wasn’t that sort of man.
Mr. Caldwell assessed the situation, cigarette stuffed in the corner of his mouth.
He squinted at Silton and Stein, then walked to them. He kicked Silton, who didn’t move.
“He dead as a motherfucker,” Mr. Caldwell announced.
“This one’s going to prison for life,” Cam said, referring to Stein, quite alive, cussing and groaning, glowering at Cam as he hustled him to the sofa.
Death Dwellers Motorcycle Club:: Fifteen Bad Boy Biker Books Page 421