Page 56 of Jackal

“Yeah, Lil Bird,” he said as he came closer.

His warm arms wrapped around me from behind as I turned back. “It–he was there. He was right there,” I said, pointing out the window. I moved closer, looking around to see if he moved somewhere else.

“Who was there?” He moved me to the side to step closer and get a better look.

“Some biker guy. He was right there. I only looked away for a second.”

He looked around then moved me from the window. “Go over there with Eagle. I’m going to take a look outside. Okay?” He pressed a kiss to my forehead and gently guided me closer to the table where they were still going over the contracts.

“Be careful,” I said before he tapped Falcon on the shoulder and they both hustled out the door.

Daisy came over and put her arm around my shoulder. “Hey. girl, you okay? What are they doing?”

“Someone was outside. Some guy on a bike. But I didn’t recognize him. It was probably nothing, but something just, I don’t know. It made my skin crawl.”

She tugged me closer. “Shit. Guess we aren’t going anywhere else after this.”

Grabbing her hand, I took a deep breath. Of all the things that happened over the last month, this was the first thing that freaked me out. This was the first time I wanted to be back at the clubhouse.

Chapter 30

Jackal

The next few days we were all on high alert. These fuckers were following us around everywhere and we couldn’t figure out how. They clearly wanted us to know, since they kept making appearances. But they were always just out of reach.

“I wonder about their numbers,” Falcon said as we sat around the oval table in Church. “Only one or two ride together. If they had a full club, wouldn’t they make a show of force?”

Hawk rubbed his thumb across his bottom lip, appearing to be deep in thought. “They’re trying to throw us off. Keep us guessing.”

“Well, it’s fucking working, Prez,” Eagle said with a slap to the table.

“Shivana’s not sure, but the dude that showed up at the venue last week could have been Butch. She vaguely remembers him from the attempted kidnapping and whoever that was had beenfar enough away, she couldn’t make out facial features. Just a big dude but he had a helmet on but she said a blond beard.” I did my best to get something out of her, but she was shaken up. And based on where she saw him, it was pretty far away.

“I just don’t understand how he could build a club behind our backs,” Red chimed in. “He was either here or at the strip club.”

Hawk tapped his fingers on the table. We all watched as he contemplated.

“Unless he’s not the one in charge,” I said.

Hawk looked up. “You mean maybe he’s working for someone else?”

Shrugging, I answered, “I don’t know. But if he was just a pawn, it would make sense. He could be gone long enough to do a few errands here and there and not be missed. Maybe he’s not calling the shots.”

“I still want his destiny in my hands,” Hawk said, looking up at the tapestry that held the names of our fallen brothers.

We all wanted a piece of him. Everyone at that table was affected by what he had done, whether he was the one in charge or not. Falcon and Eagle almost lost their Old Ladies, Hawk lost his pops, I lost an old friend, and we all lost a brother and mentor.

“Eagle, I’m sorry man, but until we find these fuckers, I think you need to postpone your wedding,” Hawk said.

“Shit, man. You got shot and told me it was still okay. I think we should do business as usual. They’re not dumb enough to try some shit with all the other chapters there, plus some ally clubs. If they are, let them fucking come,” Eagle said.

“That was different.” He leaned up, wincing. His gut was still tender by the way he moved. “We were trying to draw them out that night. It just didn’t go the way we thought. There were no trackers on y’all the other day. And none of you noticed the tail. Something doesn’t add up and I’m not trying to put a bunch ofwomen, including my ma and sister, in danger.”

Eagle’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t argue further. “I’ll tell her.”

“I’m almost at a hundred percent. If we have to, we’ll start checking every fucking alley, old building, abandoned warehouse, or haunted fucking house until we find where the fuck they’re hiding,” Hawk said. “I’m tired of this shit. I don’t want everything on lockdown anymore than you do, but I won’t risk innocent lives.”

“What about the next run?” Falcon asked.

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