Page 60 of Eagle

I had a feeling that we would eventually have to deal with them, too. They weren’t going to let their brothers just up and disappear from here without delivering a response. And that’s exactly what they were going to do—disappear.

“What’s the plan?”

Wolfe glanced around the room to make sure no one was there who shouldn’t have been. It was just us, but still he motioned us closer. “They won’t expect a hit tonight after what just went down. So we can’t take our bikes, or we’ll lose the element of surprise. We’ll load up in the van and park a distance away, make the rest of the way there on foot.”

“Do we go in shooting?”

At Knuckles question, all eyes focused on our president. With the exception of Snake, Brew, and Coke, all of us had been in the club since its beginning twelve years ago. We weren’t one percenters, but we lived by many of their bylaws. Killing wasn’t one of them though. We’d made the decision not to cross that line early on. But as the years had passed, we’d been forced to do things that we didn’t like. The option had been that or dissolve the club. None of us had wanted that. We’d put the club together to help our town, to keep drug dealers and riffraff out. We worked with the law, not against them. Last year, after Ella had been kidnapped, we’d been forced to cross that line or be killed.

We had branched out into other areas as well. Lynx and I were private investigators. Mac and Buck were bounty hunters. The club owned a bar and the junkyard, which Bear and Knuckles ran. Mac owned a garage, too. Everything that paid put money into the club. We’d built up a good reputation, good enough to draw attention from other MCs who wanted what we had and would fight to take it from us. Those clubs wanted to take the easy way out by taking over an already established MC.

Tank snorted with disdain. “Do you think if we send them off with a warning they’ll stay away? Think, Brother. What did we do when they took Ella last year? This time they took all our women, and they stole Lola’s dogs for dog fighting.”

I didn’t bother to correct Tank by telling him that it hadn’t been the Maniacs who’d stolen Lola’s dogs, since this was merely a technicality. Lawrence had stolen the dogs for someone who’d ultimately sold them to the Maniacs.

“I know we decided early on that we wouldn’t take the law into our own hands, but exceptions have to be made when we know the law won’t help us.” Mac made a point of which we were all already aware.

“We get there, and then what?” I liked clarification. “Can’t burn the fucking place down when we’re done, it’s metal.”

Wolfe ran his hands through his hair and blew out a frustrated breath. “Shit, you’re right.” He paused in thought. “Alright. Once we take care of those fuckers, we strip them of their cuts and any identifying items they have on them. Get their bikes into the van so that if their bodies are discovered later, it will be hard to identify them or trace them back to us.”

“It looks like we’ll need at least three vans for that,” Bear said. “One for us, one for the bikes, and one for the dogs.”

Wolfe glanced around at the group of men sitting before him. “Everyone good with this plan?”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“Alright then. Let’s go!”

We quickly left the bar and made our way outside to our bikes.

I was relieved that I wouldn't have to face Leo again before I left.

Chapter 25

Leona

“Where the fuck have you been?”

I looked up from my desk and gave Mac a smile. “I decided to go to my parents for the rest of the weekend.” As soon as I’d gotten out of the shower and dressed the night that we’d escaped from the Maniacs, I’d gone out to the bar to learn that Eagle had left the clubhouse with the rest of the men. Pissed off that he’d just taken off without even saying goodbye to me, I’d called an Uber and gone home, packed an overnight bag and gone to my parents.

“And you didn’t think to inform any of us where you were going?” He crossed his arms and glared down at me in an intimidating way. He was really pissed.

“I didn’t think I had to,” I replied honestly. “I’m not one of your women, Mac.” I pretended to be searching for something on my desk so that I had an excuse for not meeting his eyes.

“Eagle’s fucking pissed, Leona. He said you weren’t answering your phone. He’s been looking for you since we got back to the clubhouse and realized you were gone. Your brother had no idea where you’d gone either.”

Ron had known exactly where I’d gone, but I’d asked him not to tell anyone, especially not Eagle or anyone connected to the Soldiers of Retribution. Just because we’d fucked a few times did not mean Eagle owned me. He’d hurt me with his nonreaction when I’d asked him what made me special, and he’d hurt me again by running away so he wouldn’t have to face me. If he’d misspoken, he could have just said so. I wasn’t an innocent. I knew some things were said in the heat of the moment.

I stopped shuffling papers, sighed, and raised my eyes to look up at Mac. He’d pulled out his phone and was texting like a speed demon. “I turn my phone off when I’m visiting with my parents.” That was the truth. My time with them was limited, and I used it wisely. With paid invoices in hand, I got up to file them.

“It was dangerous, what you did, Leona. You were safe at the clubhouse. You could have been picked up by one of the Maniacs again.”

“I saw you guys beat the crap out of them,” I reminded him.

Mac shook his head. “Four took you girls, nine were on the road that night. No telling how many more were close by.”

Oh. I hadn’t thought of that. I pressed my lips, admitting to myself that leaving the clubhouse probably had been stupid of me. Thankfully nothing had happened.

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