Page 92 of Property of Legend

My eyes narrow.I don’t trust him.But I believe him.For now.

Old Man Montgomery is my next stop.His hands shake like he’s signing with the devil.

“You bring her back,” he says.“I’ll pay whatever price.”

I meet his eyes.“Not takin’ a dime.Just makin’ things right.”

The sketchy bars in central Kentucky are their own brand of hell.Cigarette smoke thicker than fog, drinks flowin’ like creek water, and rumors buzzing louder than the jukebox.

I hit six bars in one night before I find who I’m lookin’ for.Knuckles.

He’s sittin’ in a corner booth at Rusty’s, lookin’ jumpy as a stray dog in a thunderstorm.Sinners leather vest, that greasy mullet and shifty eyes.The second he sees me, he tries to run.

But I’m faster.

I slam him into the alley wall behind the bar, pistol under his chin.

“You know where she is,” I snarl.“Start talkin’.”

“I don’t…” he starts.

I crack him in the ribs with my boot.Hard.

He coughs blood.“Legend, man, don’t.Shit, okay, okay!”

I grab him by the collar, slam him again.“Where is she?”

“The Sinners,” he gasps.“We got her.Took her from her house.Said you’d come runnin’.”

I press the barrel to his knee.“Why?”

“She’s leverage,” he chokes.“It’s war, man.They know what she means to you.Said if we hurt her, you’d bleed.”

I see red.Full-body fury.My fists twitch, but I holster the piece.

Instead, I lean in close.“You run and tell your brothers they just planned their own funeral.”

I leave Knuckles crumpled in the alley, coughin’ and cryin’ in his own blood.

And I ride.

Because now I know who has her.

Chapter 52

Sophie

My jaw cracks sideways when the back of some biker’s hand smacks me across the face.

The pain rings through my skull like a damn church bell, but I don’t give them the satisfaction of a scream.I spit blood into the straw-covered floor instead, blinking through the burn in my eyes, forcing myself to stay upright.

“You mouth off again,” the one with the neck tattoos growls.“I’ll ruin that pretty little nose job.”

Grabbing my nose, I think I’ll really need one after this.

Another one laughs, darker, meaner.“She’s got fight.I like ‘em like that.”

“Try it and lose your dick,” I snap.

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