Page 87 of Pen Me

“Excuse–” he started only to clear his throat.

I heard a shuffling sound and then a crisp, Irish accent came through the receiver, “Ziggy, a man I’ve been meaning to sit down with for some time now. How are you then?”

I blinked and stammered for a minute, “Sean– Sean Morgan?”

“Aye. It’s me, well enough. I’d love to talk to you for a while, but I have a date with Young Menace.”

“Where is my son?”

“Your son? Ah, yes. I’ve considered his release in exchange for our blade-loving friend.”

Considered was not a done deal, any fool knew that.

“Never mind him. I have a better deal.”

“Aye, do ya? Well, it’s a shame you’re so far away. I can’t really linger here, you see. I have to take what I can get.”

“I’m pulling in the driveway now.”

“Truly? Aye… I hear the motorcycle. Well, come on then. I’ll be happy to discuss it.” He hung up, and I saw him cross the lawn toward the cabin ahead.

His men swarmed the yard. Menace was on his knees with a gun to his head just to the right of the porch. He didn’t look at me as I approached, and I knew arguing with the generals wasn’t going to get me anywhere. It was Sean I needed to make the deal with.

I found him just inside the door at the kitchen table. I wasn’t interested in sitting there and shooting the shit. Menace had a temper, I knew he’d get himself killed if we left him out there to his own ways.

“Listen, I'm here to offer my life in exchange for my son, for Menace, and my daughter, and my club's future and happiness. Let him go, let Sauce go. Take me.”

Sean instantly nodded, a smile forming sometime later. “I recognize you as a leader of men, a family man and a formidable presence. Our organizations are at war, Mr. Nash.”

I flinched at his use of my formal name, not realizing he knew it.

“It is Wyatt Nash, isn’t it? No one comes through my security without being vetted.”

“You– vetted—” I tried to catch up.

Sean nodded, “Finances, Criminal and military records, half a fucking genealogical profile on some.”

I swallowed, unsure if I should be impressed or disturbed, the more he talked, I wasn’t even sure what exactly I’d walked into.

“I like you. I liked what I found when I vetted you. The problem is, I cannot let the head of rival organizations that I’m at war with walk out of here, it’s principle. You understand, don’t you?”

I stared at him, unsure what he was talking about. I just said that, didn’t I? “I said take my life, we’ll be equal.”

“Taking your life doesn’t make it equal, Wyatt. We’re at war, but there are no rules to our battlefield. The only thing that keeps me from sending you to your maker along with Lennox, and Samantha, is you agreeing to my terms.”

I raised my shoulders, and he waved his hand, gesturing for me to sit with him. I took a deep breath and did so. If he didn’t want my life, what the fuck did he want?

“Let me rephrase.” He waved a heavily-jeweled hand like he was freezing time, “I can’t let an enemy who struck first walk out of this meeting. An ally, however, that’s different. An ally that is sealing his oath in blood. Very, very different thing.”

“I just offered you blood, my man–” I was too mentally drained for this shit.

“Bring Lennox Zade inside,” Sean called.

A wild scream sent both of us scrambling to our feet as Sammy flew out of God knows where and rushed toward Sean. My heart stopped, stunned by the sight of her. Sean was stunned, too, which gave Sammy just enough time to land a good one right on his cheekbone.

I grabbed her before his generals could, but they all crowded the room, bringing Menace with them.

“I’ll kill you. I’ll do it slowly, I swear I will,” she screamed, going half-rabid in my arms.

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