Page 56 of Deadly North

“I think you’re smarter than to start a war over this.”

“That so?”

“Yeah. My brother Mack here asks a damn good question. Is that fuckin’ lowlife worth a war to you? A man you didn’t even patch in? A nomad who came here to use your club to get what he wants? Just because his dick is sad?”

There’s complete silence in the compound. Somewhere to the right of me, someone coughs.

Then, unbelievably, Hurricane huffs out a laugh.

He lifts his chin toward me. “That true, that she’s your old lady?”

I nod once. “It is. And Fury’s sister. Your boy Blaze seems to have a problem with trying to take things that ain’t his.”

Fury steps up. “Blaze has a history of this shit. Years ago, before he was a Scorpion, he refused to take no for an answer from Gigi. I had to teach him a lesson. Thought I’d put him in the ground for good. Looks like I was wrong about that. But y’all best believe I won’t make that mistake a second time. Now that I know who he is, as long as your club’s backin’ him, the target on his back extends to you.”

Hurricane’s eyes snap with anger. “You’re playin’ with fire.” He glances at Magnus. “You best bring your dog to heel.”

Magnus’s face turns to stone, but his voice doesn’t change. “Fury and Mack know the Royal Bastards are with them. Is it really worth your whole club going down for that? You know as well as I do that if we don’t end this now, you’ll be fighting for Blaze to get another chance to take Gigi. And you know damn well we’ll never let that happen. But this can end here, Hurricane.” He pauses. “Give us Blaze, and this ends right now.”

I glance over to the group of Scorpions to see how Blaze is taking this tense negotiation. But to my surprise, he’s nowhere to be seen.

Fuck. I get a bad feeling in my gut. Slipping away from the conversation, I run to the back of the compound, toward the Body Bus. As soon as I round the corner, I see the door to the bus is hanging open on its hinges. I yell Gigi’s name, drawing my gun as I get closer.

Inside, there are signs of a struggle, but no one’s there.

Gigi is gone.

28

GIGI

The yelling and crashing of the fight have me listening tense and terrified in the Body Bus. Finally, one sharp shout, and then another echo, silences the din.

After that, quiet. Which is in some ways even more nerve-racking.

Is it over? Can the Bastards have ended the fight? Did they win? Or is it possible they lost?

Pacing back and forth in the small space, I resist the urge to push back the window covers and look outside. In my sweaty hands, the gun waits. I’m so on edge that I’m afraid I’m going to drop it, so instead I shove it into my back pocket, grateful it’s small enough to fit. Wiping my palms on my thighs, I resume pacing until the sound of footsteps on the gravel brings me to a halt. I turn and stare at the door, willing Mack’s voice to call to me to open up.

Instead, door flies open, crashing against the wall. Dylan flies through the doorway, his face contorted with fury. “You fucking bitch,” he seethes, “you’re gonna pay. It’s gonna be so much worse for you now.”

I stumble backward and raise my hands to fight back, but he’s too fast for me. He grabs my arm and yanks me toward him hard enough that I lose my footing completely, falling to my knees. “Get up!” he hisses, dragging me down the stairs of the bus. Once I’m at the bottom of the stairs, I try to fight back, but he hits me hard enough that it feels like my brain has been rattled around in my skull. I try to make my brain fight through the pain as Dylan pulls me almost faster than I can walk. “Where are you taking me?” I beg, even though I know what he wants to do to me. Wherever we’re going, his plan is the same as it ever was.

I open my mouth to scream, but a shout behind us cuts me off. I recognize the voice.

“Mack!” I try to yell. The sound comes out weak and feeble. But it’s no matter because Mack has seen us, he’s running toward us. He’ll do anything to save me, I know.

But I also know Dylan. I know he won’t stop no matter what. So I have to stop him.

“Let her go!” Mack shouts. Dylan whirls to face him, pulling me with him. With my other hand, I fumble the gun out of my pocket as Mack gets nearer.

“She’s mine. And you’re fuckin’ dead!” Dylan shouts back. He lets go of my arm and reaches for his waistband, and I know what’s coming next and I can’t let it happen.

I stumble back and yell “Dylan!”

He turns to face me.

And then I raise the gun in both my hands and shoot him in the chest.