Page 120 of Devil's Due

“Good luck, Stevie. Steph.” Jayden gives her a hug, a quick self-deprecating smile, but we’re all getting used to calling her by her real name.

Pyro comes over. “I’ll take good care of Max. We’ll all be waiting for you.” His eyes come to mine, a slightly pained look in them. They’re all being positive for my woman, but there’s still a risk. We all know the Warped Jokers are crazy, and loyal to their officers inside. Everything hangs on Steph making it to the court safely. If she doesn’t give her testimony, it’s likely Mad Bull and his cohorts will walk free. No one wants that, well, except for the Jokers of course.

“Ready?” Marshal Lennox walks into the clubhouse escorted by Beaver.

“As I’ll ever be,” Steph replies.

“Come on, babe.” I take her hand and squeeze it, trying to convey a confidence I don’t feel.

I’ve made Lennox go over the plans with me, threatening I won’t let Steph anywhere near LA today if I wasn’t involved. He threatened a subpoena, but she’s disappeared once and can do it again and he knows that. I’ll do anything to keep my woman safe. In the end he relented. Demon and I have poured over his plans, trying to see any weakness, but it seems as watertight as it can be.

Doesn’t ease my mind any.

Vi’s helping Steph put on her blonde wig, hiding her auburn hair, making sure it’s straight, and being the mirror Steph can’t see herself. Blonde, red head, she looks perfect to me.

“What do you think, Beef?” She turns to me, a small smile on her face.

“Hmm.” I consider. “Not sure I like you as a blonde. But I’m willing to give it a try,” I answer in the light-hearted way she needs.

Even leaving the clubhouse I glance up at the roof where Bomber and Paladin are waiting, the wave of the latter’s hand showing they’ve seen nothing suspicious. I still keep my body in front of her while Lennox puts her in the car with blackout windows that will take her to the airport. Demon and I get on our bikes to follow behind. In the front, Buzzard, Cad and Sparky are ready to get going too.

I’m tense all the way to the airport where Skull, Rusty and Thunder are waiting for us, relieved to see they give the all clear as we arrive.

Leaving my bike I approach Lennox, pulling him away from Steph so she can’t hear.

“Could anyone have tampered with the plane?” I ask him, tersely.

“No. It’s only just arrived, and no one would have known where it was flying from until the flight plans were filed. The pilot will only have just filed them here for the flight to LA. All’s good, Beef.”

“And your marshals? They’re meeting us in LA?”

“They are. And we’re not flying into La Guardia like they’d expect, we’re using a private airport, and my team is already there.” He sighs as he patiently repeats the arrangements I already know by heart. I just want to know everything is going smoothly, and that nothing has been changed without me being prepared for it.

If I could have avoided this for Steph, I would have done it. All too soon the plane is in the air, and we’re heading for Los Angeles, and there’s no turning back. Lifting the middle armrest, I put my arm around her and tug her to me.

“When this is over, how about you start planning the wedding?”

“You sure, Beef?”

My lips nuzzle her hair. “Never been surer about anything.”

“I’d like to go see my mom and dad, and my sisters. Will I be able to do that?” Her lips press together as she waits for my answer.

Whatever the outcome, somehow, I’ll make that happen. “Yeah, babe. I suppose I ought to meet the in-laws before we get hitched.”

“They’ll love you.”

Will they? She’s been able to learn the man inside the exterior. Will her parents dislike me on sight as it’s impossible to hide what I am, a scary looking tattooed biker?

She’s not shared much about them before, probably because she misses them. Now is a chance to look forward instead of back. To give her a hope to cling onto. “Tell me about them, darlin’.”

“Mom and Dad are both teachers. Mom teaches little kids, Dad 11thgrade. He’s into history and will bore your head off if you give him a chance. Selina, she’s my older sister, she’s married. Susanna has a boyfriend, but when I last talked to her, it wasn’t serious.”

“All ‘s’ names?” I smile.

“Yes.” She grins back.

“Any nieces or nephews?”

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