Page 56 of Reaper & the Lioness
“Focus, Hatchet,” Merrick growled.
“I’ll have eyes on the street,” Bones added. “Full surveillance setup.”
Merrick ground his teeth. I recognized the skepticism in his eyes.
“What? Speak the fuck up, Merrick. I can tell you’re not saying what you really think.”
“It’s a bad idea. You’re exposing her—and us—to unnecessary risk. Can’t we arrange for the victim to meet somewhere more secure? Maybe here?”
I shook my head. “The location is already set. Her journalist buddy arranged it.”
Merrick’s eyes narrowed. “What if it’s a trap? We’ve made a lot of enemies lately.”
“You think I haven’t considered that? I don’t like this any more than you do. But Eva won’t back down. We either help her, or she’ll go rogue.”
Merrick held my gaze for a moment longer before nodding reluctantly. “If you’re sure about this, I want to get the keys to the store from Don tonight. I’ll have Linc set up some extra cameras, and we’ll rearrange the seating to keep her away from windows.”
He paused, his eyes meeting mine. “Man, if I were you, I’d even put a vest on her.”
I turned to watch Eva and Rhetta at the bar. The sight of her so carefree and beautiful tightened my chest. I hated agreeing to this, but stopping Eva wasn’t an option.
“Do it. Archer, I want you and Jay watching everyone through a fucking scope. Green light to shoot anyone who is remotely a threat to her.”
Hatchet nodded, already pulling out his phone. “I’ll go get the keys from Don now, and we’ll meet you there in an hour.That should be enough time for Linc to grab whatever cameras and shit he needs.”
“One more thing. If anything goes sideways, Eva’s safety is the priority. Get her out, no matter what. Understood?”
A chorus of affirmatives met my ears. Some of the tension left my shoulders. No questions asked, my brothers had my back—and now, they had Eva’s, too.
“Fuck,” Bones breathed. He nodded his head toward the commotion near the bar. “VP, you’re going to want to get over there right now. Someone is about to get their ass kicked, and by the looks of things, your girl might win.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Rhetta had stepped away to take a call when a hand groped my ass. But when I turned, it wasn’t Reaper.
Adrenaline and anger flooded into me as I shoved my palms into the chest of the biker. I didn’t recognize him from the introduction round earlier. He’d probably just walked in and had no idea I’d arrived with his VP.
“Sweetbutt, you can’t come in dressed like that and then play hard to get,” the man said, stepping back toward me.
I reached into the back waistband of my skirt where I’d tucked the weapon I always carried. In one fluid motion, I flicked open the switchblade and pressed it against the man’s chest, just enough to draw blood. The sharp tip pierced through his shirt, and his eyes widened in surprise.
“You fucking touch me or any other woman in this clubhouse again without consent, and I will slice you from your nuts to your throat,” I hissed, my voice low and dangerous.
I added more pressure to the blade, pressing it upward to cut him a centimeter deeper. A small crimson stain began to spread on the white T-shirt he wore below his prospect cut.
The man moved to shift back, but instead of walking away, he reached for the gun tucked in the back of his dirty blue jeans.
Fuck. Of course, I would bring a knife to a gunfight.
“You think you’re tough, bitch?” He sneered, his hand on his weapon. “Let’s see how tough you are when?—”
Before he could finish his threat, a familiar voice boomed through the clubhouse.
“Danny, get your goddamn dick fingers off your weapon and back the fuck away from my girl,” Reaper roared, grabbing the prospect by his neck and lifting his feet off the ground.
The clubhouse quieted as all eyes shifted to where we stood, my blade now pointed to the ground, dripping with Danny’s blood.
Merrick and Hatchet moved with purpose behind Reaper. Hatchet’s face was set in a hard line, and Merrick’s eyes blazed with a fierce glint. Seeing how quickly the men shifted from party to protect surprised me.
