Page 42 of The Sentinels

"Baby, you've been around the Sentinels long enough to know our practices where women are concerned. When we fall, we fall hard."

Wait, what? "Are you saying that you've, ah, fallen?"

He grew quiet, as if he’d just realized what he'd admitted. I could practically see the wheels turning in his head. Disappointment began to replace my momentary happiness. I took a breath, reminding myself that things were moving too fast, and maybe Ace had just come to the same conclusion.

"Maybe you'd better explain what being claimed by a Sentinel means, biker man." His lips quirked at the corners. "Because I'm getting mixed signals."

His phone buzzed and he reached for it with a slight frown. "This conversation will have to wait, baby."

I waited a minute while he answered. It didn't take long before Ace was scowling at the caller, turning his back to me, and walking away. I got the impression that he didn't want me to hear what was being said. He kept his voice low when his responses required more than the obligatory grunt.

I smiled at his magnificent backside, which looked just as toned and defined as the front of him. He literally had buns of steel, and below that his thighs were thick and powerful. My mouth began to water at all of his sexiness, and I realized that the visual of him was stimulation at its hottest.

I giggled and spun around, deciding that it was the perfect time for a shower.

A cold shower.

Chapter 22

Ace

Fuck. Trouble was going down at the Cabbage Patch Bar, and Tanner wanted us out there like ten fucking minutes ago. I'd thrown on my clothes and gotten the hell out of there, leaving Emerson in the shower with a brief explanation to stay locked in and that I'd be back. I hadn't liked leaving her, especially with the shit that was going down, but it couldn't be helped. My brothers needed me.

I rode like the fucking devil was on my tail, zigzagging, aggressive, and dangerously fast. Cabbage Patch was about fifteen miles from where I was, and I was racing through the streets, planning to turn a twenty minute ride into ten. Fuck the cops. If one managed to get on my tail he wouldn't be able to keep up with me anyway.

Tomoka Farms Road was a back road of sorts that was lightly traveled, and one that I knew like the back of my hand. As I drew closer to the famous biker bar I could see my brothers up ahead on the side of the road. I pulled over next to Tanner and Gabe.

"You got here fast, brother," Gabe grinned around his smoke.

"Where are the others?" We were missing about five brothers.

"On their way," Tanner responded. "Hock, Jigger, and Dawson are still inside, but shit is starting to get wild. Dawson's last text to me was cut off, so I'm not sure if they've been found out."

Shit, if that was the case then someone on the inside may have betrayed us. I didn't question my brothers' loyalty, which led me to the next logical explanation, had one of Callahan's officers snitched? "What did he say?"

"Said they were out of control. High and drunk on shit, accosting the few dumb ass patrons who'd been fucking stupid enough to hang around."

I couldn't blame Tanner for the disgust in his voice. Too many times civilians did stupid shit around bikers that got them into trouble. "Shit." I pulled out a cigarette and lit it. "Don't like this kind of shit going down in daylight."

"None of us do, brother, but it can't be helped. Dawson's last words were, ’Trouble, come—‘the rest of it was cut off." Gabe reached for my smoke so he could light the new one he'd slipped between his lips. "We’ll be going in blind."

I locked eyes with Tanner. "Fast and hot?" I wanted to make sure the plans that we'd discussed were still in place. He acknowledged me with a nod.

The sound of approaching bikes drew our attention to the small group of riders that were heading in our direction. The rest of my brothers had arrived. I took a last draw on my smoke and flicked it to the ground. I was ready. Fuck, we all were. We were outnumbered as fuck, but all we had to do to get control was get our hands on Maniac and Boomer. I was looking forward to that.

Tanner held up his hand to get everyone's attention. Once it grew quiet and all eyes were on him he spoke. "Don't know what we're riding into," he began, his expression hard. "Dawson's last message was cut off. They'll hear us coming. Best case scenario, they think we're some of their brothers coming to join in on the fun."

"And if they don't?" Heath asked with a grim expression.

"If they shoot at us when we ride in, you'll have your fucking answer," Skipper snorted. He got the finger for his smart ass remark.

"Are Charlie and Rod in position?" Joker grumbled around a thick cigar.

Tanner nodded. "Rod said the campgrounds are quiet right now, just a few men wandering around. But sure as hell once the fight begins some of these assholes will make a run for their bikes. Charlie and Rod will make sure no one goes anywhere. If we want our plan to work, we need as many of their MC around for the grand finale."

Nods of agreement went around. We were an ominous looking bunch, a band of brothers about to go to war with an enemy who had almost three times our numbers. We could have upped our odds by joining up with Callahan's task force, but there was no way in hell they'd do things our way, and we couldn't afford to waste the time that it would take to do shit the legal way.

"We still gonna cook the fuckers?"