Page 34 of Johnny Gun

“Um,” Johnny blubbered, feeling utterly silly. This woman and Viper were the only two people in the room, so she had to be Toby.

“Welcome, Johnny Gun.” Toby’s voice had a soft, pleasant sound. “Take a seat. Make yourself at home.” Slowly, she extricated her ankle from Viper’s fingers and stood. displaying her hourglass figure and full height. In those heels, she had to be close to six feet.

“Forgive me,” Johnny G said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I made a dumb assumption, and y’all know what assuming does.”

She sashayed to his side and cupped his cheek. Her gaze was almost level with his. “Don’t you worry your little heart, darlin’. You’re not the first person who’s made the mistake, and I’m positive you won’t be the last.” Smiling, she dropped her hand. “Actually, I enjoy flustering men. They’re so cute. ’Sides, that gives me an advantage I never waste.”

“FYI,” Viper said, “Toby’s parlor is MC-neutral territory. Inkjunction serves all clubs, and everyone respects her neutrality.”

“I have my special guys, though,” she purred at Viper. Johnny almost laughedwhen the rough-looking vice president blushed.

“Okay, I’ll leave you guys to speak in private.” She opened the office door.

“Oh please, don’t leave on my account,” Johnny G said.

“It’s fine.” Her dark eyes beamed. “I hold surprise inspections. It keeps everyone honest.” Flicking her fingers their way, she walked out.

“Jesus,” Johnny whispered.

“Uh-huh,” Viper added.

“The truth is, I was expecting to find you, Stew, and a tough and burly Mr. Toby in the office, not most men’s fantasy woman alive and in the flesh.”

“I understand. I see it happen all the time.” Viper sighed. “She really gets a kick out of it, especially when some idiot takes her for a bimbo. Toby’s sharp as a tack. You underestimate her at your peril.”

“And you’re crazy about her.” Johnny winked.

“I’d put a ring on her fingertomorrow if she’d take me. But she loves being unattached, and I can’t stop coming back begging for any attention she’s willing to give me.” Viper was in love, and his dejection was real.

“Keep trying, dude. Maybe one day, you’ll weaken her resolve. Meanwhile, you told me to come. What’s up?”

“Oh, right.” Viper sat up. “I have it here somewhere.” He patted through his cut. “Hold on.” He dug into a side pocket and smiled. “Here it is.” He pulled out a folded paper, passed it over to Johnny, and fell back into his chair.

“Where’s Stew? I thought he’d be here.”

“Stew couldn’t come because Rover, the Wolves’ prez, requested a conference with Josh, the Knights’ prez. They’remeeting at an inn near the Knights’ clubhouse. Each president brought their Enforcer to the discussion and no other member.”

“Tense situation,” Johnny said, unfolding the paper.

“They’re being careful. The Wolves and Knights aren’t rival clubs, but it doesn’t take much to start a brawl between crews. You know that.”

“Fuck, yeah. A wrong word or a bad look and it’s on. Rover can’t afford a fight. It’s a safe bet he’s asking Josh for help against our MC.”

“I think Rover’s presenting his case to the Knights prez before he moves against us. He needs them to stay on the sidelines, so he’ll promise or offer anything to stay on Josh’s good side to keep the peace between their MCs.”

“I don’t understand. What makes Rover think the Knights would get involved? They don’t have a dog in this fight.”

“Not directly, no.” Viper folded his arms. “Though the Dalton Spawn and the Knights aren’t allies, we’ve enjoyed a respectful relationship. Live and let live kind of thing. We’re also close to each other. Thirty minutes’ ride, more or less. Rover knows he’s bringing war to the edge of the Knights’ territory. It might put them on edge.”

“And Josh could side with us. I mean, why would an Alabama MC disrupt the peace over an old feud between Rover and Deacon?”

Viper frowned. “The offense is recent. Deacon is my prez, and I’m loyal to him, but I don’t hold back. What he did in Garden City was fucked up. Turning a Wolf in to the feds was more than a dickhead move. He stirred up the old shit, and now he’s put a target on Isolde’s back.” He pointed at the note. “So, anything good in that list?”

Johnny read the addresses. Stew had been thorough. He’d written down eight locations with side notes explaining the distance from the Spawn clubhouse. Some were just outside theDalton area, a couple more were near Chatsworth, east of Dalton, and the rest were in Tennessee, not far from the Knights’ clubhouse. Barron’s advice popped into his mind.

“These are great,” Johnny said. “I wish I could thank Stew in person. When you see him, please let him know I really appreciate his help.”

“Just so you know, I didn’t read the list or check the places Stew recommended.” Viper pointed at the paper. “I really don’t want to know. This is your choice. I’ll only help you decide if you want my opinion.”

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