Page 95 of Avenging Devil: Part 2

It’s an image obviously snapped from a security camera. It shows Duke, Grit and Susie. “Why the fuck has she teamed up with them?” I study the picture, trying to see if somehow she’s being coerced. It seems not. “I’d like to know how she caught up with them when we couldn’t find them.”

“So would I, Brother.” Honor’s shaking his head. “When did Susie come into the picture? Was it before or after Saffie moved to San Diego?”

“Before,” I tell them with certainty. “She’s been hanging around the clubhouse for months. And Susie’s had no prior relationship with Duke, otherwise I’d be dead. He’d have known I was lying about betraying Saffie to him.”

“He could have been toying with you,” Thor suggests. “He was torturing you, putting you so close to Saffie. Let’s face it, you were never going to be allowed to patch in. It was a matter of when, not if, he ended you.”

Rascal’s now staring at me. “You say Susie had been hanging around the clubhouse for months. How many? Saffie had been in San Diego long before you met her.”

I hadn’t thought of that. “On that timescale, maybe it was after then. But she came onto me before I ever knew about Saffie’s existence. Unless she’s clairvoyant, there’s no way she could have predicted how things could have played out.”

“What job did she do?” Snatcher asks.

I shrug. “Worked in a dress shop I think.”

Honor snorts. “According to Token, she’s an independent fashion designer. Works for herself.”

Swift’s been taking it all in, but not saying much. She changes that now. “Duke might have known early on that Saffie was in San Diego. Rather than sending men to track her down, he sent Susie.”

“That doesn’t fit,” I tell her. “Why did she come to the club? He must have known the one place where he wouldn’t find Saffie was in a club of bikers.”

“That’s easy,” Swift tells me. “She’s a biker bitch. I take it, it wasn’t just your cock she was hungry for?”

“She gave it to just about everyone.” I scoff. “But it was me who she wanted for the patch.”

Snatcher bangs the gavel. “We can go on and on about this all day. The facts are Susie is now with Duke Marshall. And, courtesy of Niran’s sister, Duke knows Niran was rescued while all the Wolves died. He’ll guess Saffie’s in the land of the living. He’s been given four chapters to search to find you and her.”

“You think he’s got eyes on us?”

“If he can still call on the support clubs, we can’t rule it out,” Snatcher states. “From now on, neither you nor Saffie can leave the clubhouse.”

“For how fuckin’ long? I’ve got hospital appointments for a start.” I hate being cooped up. And now I’m mobile of sorts, it’s going to feel worse. As for Saffie, it’s not fair to keep her locked down. She enjoys those shopping trips with Cat. I also want to take her out and spoil her, make her feel special again.

“We force his hand,” Swift suggests. “Get back to Plan A. Use Saffie to tempt him out. Finish this once and forever.”

I growl deep in my throat.

But Swift doesn’t give me the time to comment. “I’d like to know Saffie’s opinion on this. You’re trying to control her. What would be her choice?”

“She wants him dead.” As he was supposed to be. But I don’t want to put her in danger.

Bolt taps the table with his real hand. “Saffie mentioned seeing her parents at some point. Why don’t we set that up? We could use Cyn to tell Susie that’s what we’re doing. If Duke falls for the plan, we’ll be there, staking the place out, and making fuckin’ certain he doesn’t get close to her.”

“I like that idea,” Stormy says. “Her father’s got his own security. If we liaise with them, we can keep her safe.”

“No,” I say, simply. “It’s not happening.” I might not have met Bartell, but I don’t trust the man. He’d not lifted a finger to save her.

“I can’t see any other way,” Snatcher states. “Though I think we’d have to work around any security Bartell has in place. Duke might have compromised them.” I open my mouth again, but he raps the table. “I’ll tell you why we need to make a move. Niran, you don’t know this chapter, but it’s not often we’re all here. We’re luckily having a quiet time, but if we get a shout, it’s all-hands-on-deck. What if Duke’s watching and decides to get closer when we’ve only got half the fuckin’ club here?”

“We can’t hang around in case of an attack,” Thor backs his prez up.

Swift stares across at me. “Why not ask Saffie? If she says no bloody way, then we’ll take that answer. But if she wants to be part of the solution, then we’ll set it up.”

I can only hope she refuses.

Snatcher starts to wind up the meeting. He’s just one more request for me.

“I’ll contact Drummer, Demon and Red. Can you speak to Lost and update him?”

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