Page 34 of Barron

“They sure don’t.”

“Your order, sir.” The lady slid open the serving window. Barron took the bag, passed it to Yoanni, and pulled away.

“I can help you eat, if you like.”

He gave her a quick smile. “Those burritos are steaming hot right now. Got to give them a minute, and we’re almost at thestation. I asked them to put the food in separate bags. Did they?”

She looked inside the bag. “Yes.”

“Cool. You take yours and leave me mine. I’ll eat at the clubhouse. It isn’t far.”

“You’re going to the MC now?”

He nodded. “I have matters to discuss with my prez. Plus, we have the meeting at noon.” Lifting one hand from the wheel, he gripped her wrist. “Listen, I’ll touch base with you after church. Expect me to pick you up when you’re finished. Tonight, you’re going back to my place. We’ll discuss our next move later. Unless it’s Captain Weaver, don’t ride with anyone else. No one, Yoanni. You get me?”

“What if Captain Weaver asks one of the officers to drive me?”

“You call me first. These are for you.” He pulled a set of keys from his pocket. “One opens the front door and the other the kitchen side door.”

“But you said?—”

“Still stands. This isn’t a game. Don’t ride with anyone but me or the captain. If he asks an officer, call me first. Should anything happen to me, I want you to have access to my place. Caesar will keep you company and protect you.”

“I don’t want to hear that. Nothing’s going to happen to you.”

“Nothing will. But it’s good to think ahead. What did I say?”

“Yes, yes. I won’t ride with anyone but you or the captain.”

At the next corner, Barron slowed the truck. As he drove into the parking lot, he brought the hood over his head, put the cap on, and lowered the visor. Anyone watching would have to work hard to see his face. “Say hello to the captain.” He stopped before the entrance.

She turned to kiss him, but he shook his head. “Hold that kiss for later, Nugget. I’m a stranger and shouldn’t linger.”

“Silly me.” She grabbed her things, slid down, and slammedthe door closed. Without a backward glance, Yoanni ran inside the station. Watching her leave gave him a weird sensation, a feeling close to a pang. Taking a deep breath, he pulled out into the street.

The first part of the meeting went well. The Johnston Agency had two big clients before they opened their doors to the public. Then Blade read a concerning report from Savannah. MC groups in the state had declared Savannah no-man’s land because it was a fun town and everyone wanted access to restaurants and clubs. However, Devils’ Spawn, being the closest MC, had unofficial jurisdiction. When a friendly MC partying at the riverfront observed a group of Steel Wolves—from across the state line—hanging out with guys who looked more like businessmen than bikers, they immediately passed the information to Blade. This information, combined with what Barron had seen in LaFayette and the Wolf in Nightshade, had put Blade on alert.

“Captain Weaver has been notified of Los Emes,” Blade said at the end of his report. “We can’t take our eyes from the ball. If the guy in Nightshade was, in fact, a Wolf, that tells me he’s scouting the area. The Oquendos failed to establish a base, but the Savannah River is still an attractive location to other cartels. Running us over and sending us packing from Garden City would suit them fine. Fuck if I’m going to make it easy for them. We ain’t leaving.”

“Fuck, yeah.” Little Billy, their newest enforcer/sergeant-at-arms, slapped his palm repeatedly on the table. Everyone else did the same.

Blade held up a hand. “Pipe down. There’s something else.” As the brothers quieted, Blade signaled to Barron. “Y’all know Yoanni Sanz, Barron’s ol’ lady.”

“Isn’t she Captain Weaver’s assistant?” Chains asked. “Cute little thing. I thought you guys broke up or something.”

“We did, and we’re back together.” Even though Barron wanted to strangle Chains for the “cute” remark, he managed to speak quietly. He needed every one of his brothers’ help to keep Yoanni safe.

“So, what’s the deal?” Turbo asked.

“Some strange shit, I can tell you that.” From across the table, Shifter, with his usual ball-busting attitude, gave him adeal with itlook.

“Explain,” Blade said.

“Someone, we haven’t figured out who, is trying to scare her. When she came back from Miami, she found her desk emptied out, which included a desk calculator that had been a gift from her dad. No one had noticed any suspicious activity. Captain Weaver wanted to see the office recordings, but she didn’t want to make a big fuss. Then, a piece of paper with some symbols was left on her door overnight. Yesterday, she was leaving work, and the missing calculator was sitting on the hood of her car.”

“Did the captain check the surveillance recordings?” Johnny Gun asked.

“He did,” Barron replied. “This person was covered head to toe. Even wore gloves to hide skin color.”

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