by Em Petrova
“Shit.” He looked down and up again. “We have to assume they’re still in town. So why didn’t they ambush me when I rode in with Selena on the back of my bike?”
“It seems like they’re biding their time,” Dixon said.
“We’re gonna sit here in the clubhouse while they’re out there waiting for us? Why don’t we go after them?” Diesel looked from Dixon to Tank to Patriot, who leaned against one of the tables where Blade, Rio and a bunch of others gathered.
“That’s what Tank and I were just discussing—when to strike. And where.” Dixon looked at the men.
“Well, let’s do it. I’m not waiting for some assholes to ride up to me and start shit.” Diesel jerked his head toward the meeting room. “Let’s make a plan.”
Without another word, Dixon headed into the meeting room and took up the head of the table, with all of them falling in around the perimeter according to ranks.
Diesel clenched his fists on the tabletop, eyes blurring with rage when he stared at the Dark Falcons logo in the center and he thought of the threat against their club.
Against Selena.
Twenty minutes later, they stood from the table, a plan in place. When he walked out into the clubhouse first, he scanned the rest of the members waiting for the word. “The others will fill you in on the plan.”
He strode into the kitchen, only to see a few honeys fixing meals for their preferred guys. A blonde looked up at him, a coy smile in place before she even saw who he was.
“Where’s Selena? And Fiona?” he demanded.
“Fiona ran home to take a call from her employee at the bar.”
His heart gave a hard lurch in his chest. “And Selena?” he practically roared.
The blonde exchanged a look with the brunette there. “She…went outside.”
He stormed forward. “Outside?” This time his roar sent the women into a tizzy. They backed away from him.
Remembering he was no monster who enjoyed scaring women, he turned and strode out of the kitchen. In the main room, he demanded, “Anybody see Selena leave?”
“What the fuck? She left?” Blade flashed to his feet.
“The women said she went outside. Six of you, come with me. Be at the ready.”
They stalked out, and he scoured the grounds. No sign of Selena. If she’d come out here and was snatched right out from under their noses while he was engaged, he’d never fucking stop until he found her…or forgive himself if he didn’t.
Selena twisted her fingers in her lap. The van carrying her away from the club and toward her sister sped down the highway, out of Mersey.
Diesel would go ballistic when he learned that she’d left. But what was she to do? As soon as she spotted the man sneaking past the clubhouse window and recognized him as the one and only guard who ever cut her some slack or gave her a bit of privacy at the mansion, she knew she had to speak to him.
In her time there, she learned that her sister had come to trust him. And he’d protected Alexus in small ways from Kenzo, warning her when the man was coming and to hide in the bathroom and pretend to bathe.
She prayed the snap decision to go with Anthony wouldn’t come back to haunt her.
She cast him a look. He shook his head. “I know what you’re going to ask, Selena. And I don’t know if your sister’s okay. I only know that Kenzo raged when you left and her name left his lips many times.”
Her heart clutched in her chest, and a sickening dread took hold. They rounded a bend, and he slammed on the brakes. Tires squealed, and she braced a hand on the dash as their van rushed toward a wall of motorcycles, a steely barricade across the road, with Diesel standing in the center.
“Oh my God!” she burst out.
“Fuck! They’re going to kill me.” Anthony tried to whip the van around, but he’d slowed enough that three Dark Falcons ran to the driver’s door, whipped it open and dragged him bodily from the vehicle.
She barely had a chance to look away from this when a harsh grip closed on her forearm. She looked up into Judd’s eyes—fury radiated off him.
He pulled her out and propelled her away from the van. She struggled against his grip and fast pace, but he jerked around to glare at her. “If you don’t come with me right now, Selena, I swear to God I will handcuff you to me.”
Seeing that he meant it, she continued across the road to the line of bikes. As soon as they walked forward, the ranks of men separated to allow them to pass and then closed the line again.
She heard a howl of pain and whirled. “Don’t hurt him! He was trying to get me to my sister!”
When she took a step to return to Anthony, Diesel locked his fingers on her wrist and pulled her to him. She had no place to look but his eyes. Doing so hurt, because she saw what her leaving had cost him.
Remorse flooded in.
“You’re not walking away from me again, Selena.” His voice came out low and so flat that her heart joggled.
“I promise you, Anthony was trying to help Alexus. He was her friend at the mansion, and he told me things about her time there. How he kept her safe and watched over her.”
“And you don’t think this could all be lies to earn your trust?” He snorted.
Fury hit her. “You don’t trust me or my judgment?”
“I trust you. It’s him I don’t. Listen and listen well, woman. I will see you safe and if that means I have to put you inside a rocket and fly you to the moon, I will find a way.”
She bowed her head, eyes burning with tears. “He said Kenzo’s going after Alexus. He said—”
Diesel hooked a big finger under her chin and lifted her face to his. “I have no doubt he said a lot of shit. But you don’t listen to him anymore. If anybody saves your sister, it will be the Dark Falcons. But we have another issue to deal with, and that is we got word that Kenzo’s lackeys are in Mersey and they know we left the clubhouse. Or some of us did—we’d never leave the place unguarded. I need to get you to a safe place before—”
They both jolted their attention up the road to the sound of shrieking tires. Diesel shoved her behind him. “Don’t move!” he barked to her.
The first gunshot rang out, shattering her world. This was all her fault—someone might be killed because of her. If she hadn’t taken it upon herself to save Alexus, none of this would be happening.
She swallowed a scream as a second shot exploded, and she realized the Dark Falcons were not going down without a fight. Stealing a peek to the side of Judd’s big body, she spotted Kenzo’s crew facing down the Dark Falcons like some old time army shooting at each other across a field, only asphalt separated their groups.
Judd swiped out a hand, shoving her into hiding again even as she saw him reach behind his back and lay it on a weapon he carried along his spine.
Her blood ran cold. She never knew him to be packing heat. Suddenly, a vision of little Brady running toward Judd, arms up, and the glee on his face when he rode Judd’s bike slammed into her mind’s eye. She gulped in a cry.
If he took a bullet and lost his life for her, she’d never forgive herself.
She pulled at his hand. “We have to leave. Get us out of here!”
“Stay behind me,” he said in a mechanical voice, his mind far from her and centered on what sounded like a horrific scene taking place in front of them.
The pounding of footsteps sounded from behind her on the right, and she whirled in time to see three men running at her.
Judd whipped to the side and fired, taking one in the thigh. He crumpled. Judd flung out an arm to shield her. Her breaths came rough and fast as sheer terror overcame her brain. What could she do to help? What did she—
The men were on them now. He ducked a bullet and threw out his leg in a move that wiped the attacker’s legs out from under him even as he pistol-whipped the other across the face. Blood spurted from his broken nose and he bellowed in agony, slapping a hand to his shattered eye socket.
Judd lifted her and suddenly the leather seat of his bike was between
her legs. He hopped on in front of her, started the engine and took off.
“Goddammit!” he raged to the open air as they sped away from the scene, away from his brothers.
“It’s my fault!” she cried. He had to leave his brothers in order to protect her. If she hadn’t been there in the first place…if she hadn’t left…
She would have crumpled into tears of anger at her own actions if not for the need to remain upright on the bike and take the curves along with Diesel.
This moment wasn’t only a dumpster fire—it was a dumpster fire floating downstream in a flood. She grabbed at his sides, digging her fingers in.
“What do we do?”
“I don’t know. Fuck!” He zipped the bike off a side road that appeared to lead into the mountains. After only a few hundred yards, he braked. He got off the bike and dug his fingers into the long strands of his hair. When he looked at her, she saw the panic in his eyes.
He stormed over to her again. “Where was that guy taking you?”
“To my s-sister. He said two guys were picking her up right now and taking her to Kenzo.”
He scraped a hand over his face, but it didn’t erase his furious expression. “Selena, I love you with everything in my goddamn being. But I don’t know how to keep you safe and go after your sister too.”
“Take me to the clubhouse. To Fiona. I’ll stay there this time, I swear.”
He gave a shake of his head. “I created this mess and I have to fix it. I don’t even want to think about what my brothers are going through back there.” He pointed toward the place where they’d come from, and her mind tracked to the shootout. Sirens sounded in the distance, and she prayed none of the Dark Falcons had sustained an injury—or worse—from her carelessness.
“I only thought to get to Alexus. I’m sorry.” Her voice cracked as she bowed her head.
“Goddammit,” he grated out, and then he crushed her against his hard chest. She closed her fingers on his leather cut. After a long moment, he hauled in a deep breath. “We’ll go to the mansion. If Kenzo is taking Alexus there, we’ll step in.”
She lifted her head and studied his eyes. “You’re serious?”
“Yes. It’s a risk. You’re a risk.”
“I promise I won’t do anything to put anybody in danger again.”
He gently cupped her face. “You’re a risk because my heart can’t take it if anything happens to you, honey. Okay, we’re going now. When we get there, you do as I say. Understand?”
“Yes.” They got on the highway, headed toward the mansion, toward her sister…toward what might be the end of them all.
Chapter Eight
“Where are you?” Dixon’s voice projected through the cell phone into Diesel’s ear.
He threw a look at Selena, who was staying where he told her to stay—for once. “Outside the mansion.”
“We’re four miles out. Try not to make a move until we get there to back you up, man.”
Dixon ended the call. Diesel stared at the mansion, at the front entrance and the corners. Kenzo wouldn’t leave his drug fortress unguarded, even if he’d sent his thugs to Mersey.
Tank informed him that only one Dark Falcon had been injured in that gun fight—thank Christ—and it was Rio. Hell, he wasn’t even an official Dark Falcon. He didn’t wear the patch, and if it’d been any other man, they would have kicked his ass out long ago. But something about Rio’s past kept him from agreeing to join them. And now he’d taken a bullet in the leg for them.
For him.
Selena pressed her spine against the wall of the garage, her stare trained on him as if waiting for his next command. He felt like a shit for ordering her around the way he had—or speaking harshly to her after she made that escape. Maybe he really was a high-handed ass who didn’t deserve a woman like her.
He counted down the minutes before his brothers arrived. He wished to hell he was in on the plan, but he knew Dixon would come through.
When he shifted to get a better look toward the road, Selena grabbed his arm. “The cameras,” she warned in a hushed whisper.
“I know where they’re at. We cut them last time.”
Her gaze swept over his face. “Judd, I’m so sorry about all of this. I not only put you in danger but all your brothers.”
“We’d do it for anyone, Selena. That’s what the Dark Falcons stand for—justice.” He also knew the meaning of revenge. Kenzo was about to be educated about the meaning too. “We won’t allow anybody to be hurt or tread upon. We will defend you until the end and you don’t need to thank us or ever apologize. It’s the club. It’s a family. You understand?”
She bowed her head. “I don’t deserve any of it, as far as I can see.”
His chest flexed as he dragged in a deep breath. Cradling her beautiful face, he looked into her eyes. “You’re with me, and that’s enough. At least I hope you’re with me?” It came out as a question.
She threw her arms around his neck and dragged him down so their foreheads met. Breathing in her feminine scent, he allowed all of this to sink in. The danger. The passion. Both seemed to meld inside him, and what he wouldn’t give to take her right here against the wall of the garage while they waited for her captor to return.
She shivered, and he delivered a swift kiss to her mouth before he pulled away from her. That action took more effort than he expected. What he wanted was to gently scoop her up into his arms while plundering her sweet mouth and carry her straight to the nearest bed. Who it belonged to didn’t matter to him, as long as he could strip Selena and lick and kiss every inch of her beautiful body in the moments before burying his cock in her tight walls.
Claiming her.
Forever.
Dammit, he wanted her and as soon as they were out of this fucked-up mess, he’d tell her too.
“Here they come,” he murmured as he spotted the Dark Falcons hitting the driveway. They didn’t bother to cut their engines but were roaring up as if they owned the place. Fuck—Dixon had balls of steel with his plan, whatever it was.
And Diesel was more than ready to follow their lead.
The world seemed to be rocked by an earthquake.
But Selena knew it was her heart pounding out of her chest with such force that her body shook with each pulsation.
The instant her sister stepped from Kenzo’s sleek black SUV, blood surged to Selena’s face, and her vocal cords burned to scream her name. But Kenzo took hold of her arm and led her to the front door.
Where the Dark Falcons were waiting for him.
When Diesel opened the door to the man with a wide grin, all hell broke loose.
They’d infiltrated Kenzo’s home with little to no difficulty, and she had to hand it to the guys for being savvier than millions of dollars could buy in the way of security systems and armed guards.
Men clad in leather and black sprinted from all corners of the property. Fights broke out.
Kenzo grabbed her sister by the neck and held a gun to her head.
Selena’s heart stopped beating…and restarted with a wild jerk.
“I have to help!” she cried out to the Dark Falcon with his broad back to her, guarding her position at Diesel’s order.
“Can’t let you go. Diesel will hunt me down and kill me in my sleep.”
Terror shivered through her.
She glanced at her surroundings. The side of the garage was heavily stacked with Dark Falcons. Getting through the wall of men would be impossible odds.
But she had to reach her sister.
There must be a way. I have to find a way.
Her gaze landed on the man in front of her. Tall, muscular, a weapon clutched in his hand at the ready.
But at his hip, he wore a lethal-looking knife.
She didn’t stop to think.
She grabbed the knife from his belt and took off running. “Let her go! Take me!”
On the front stoop of the mansion, Diesel’s eyes went wide with shock and fear. Kenzo whipped around,
Alexus flopping in his grasp like a ragdoll. Her sister’s mouth fell open on a silent cry, but Kenzo’s eyes narrowed in fury.
Exactly what she wanted—a distraction.
“Jesus Christ, woman! Get back!” The man meant to be guarding her ran in her direction, but seeing Kenzo’s hand tighten on the gun poised at her sister’s temple, she threw up her hands to stay him.
And with Kenzo turned, Diesel made his move.
Everything happened in slow motion. He took Kenzo out from the side, which sent her sister sprawling. She hit her head and didn’t move, but Selena rushed to action.
She grabbed Alexus by the shoulders and started to drag her to safety. She didn’t make it more than five feet before her own bodyguard took over for her, easily lifting Alexus and running with her.
Selena looked up to see Diesel and Kenzo locked in a battle of wills if not physical strength. Diesel was huge and as strong as a bull. But Kenzo was scrappy and used to fighting for what he wanted.
Someone grabbed her, threw her over his shoulder and ran with her, cutting off Selena’s sight of the man she loved. When the police cars shot up the driveway, she wasn’t surprised at the timing. One of the Dark Falcons would have placed the call as soon as Kenzo stepped foot on the property.
She twisted atop her perch over the biker’s shoulder and she saw who carried her. “Blade! Put me down! I have to help Diesel!”
“You’ll help him by staying alive, and I’m here to see to that. Hold still before I drop you, woman!”
She fell still, not wishing to cause more trouble for the brothers. When he lowered her to the ground but retained a grip on her arm, she gave him a frantic look. “Please help him!”
He sliced her a grin. “You don’t think he can handle himself?”
Her eyes flew wider. “What? Of course I do.”
“Then let him do what needs to be done.”
She slumped, breathing hard. He was right. Maybe Diesel wasn’t trying to take over her life and force her to back down to make way for him—he was showing her that sometimes people needed help, support and a freakin’ bad-ass who could take down a notorious drug dealer who had hurt her and her family.