Page 48 of Bolt's Flame

It was becoming harder than I anticipated; I had made some connections this afternoon that should solve my money flow problem. Thanks to Fiona, I knew I wouldn’t have a job to go back to. The insurance company I worked for warned me if I wasn’t back at my desk on Monday, then don’t bother coming in on Tuesday.

She is ruining our perfect life, and I was going to make damn sure she never forgot that.

I took a seat at the bar, ordering a drink and letting my eyes sweep the room. The place was full of the usual types—people with more baggage than bodyweight, drowning their problems in cheap booze. None of them mattered to me. I was here to think, to plan. To figure out my next move.

But then I saw her.

She was sitting a few stools down, nursing an empty whiskey glass. Her eyes narrowed as she stared at the glass like it had personally offended her. I recognized her from the biker clubhouse—one of the loose women who hung all over the scum, fucking them like whores straight out of Babylon. I didn’t know her name, but I knew enough.

I moved to the stool next to her, sliding onto the seat with a casual ease. “Buy you a drink?”

She looked up, her eyes sharp and assessing as they raked over me. “Depends on what you’re after. A drink don’t equal a fuck.”

I smirked, signaling to the bartender, trying to keep the disgust out of my face. Fuck her? No way, my dick had some standards. “No catch. Just thought you looked like someone who could use a drink.”

She watched me for a moment, then shrugged. “Sure, honey, why not? Whiskey, neat.”

The bartender poured her drink, and I watched as she took a sip, her eyes never leaving mine. She was sizing me up, trying to figure out who I was and what I wanted. She was smarter than she looked.

“Why are you staring at me like that? You some fucking weirdo?” she said after a moment, her tone cool and detached.

I arched an eyebrow. “You’re popular with that biker club, always there.”

Her eyes narrowed, and her back stiffened. “Who are you?”

I smiled, taking a slow sip of my drink. “I’ve been keeping an eye on the clubhouse. There’s someone there I’m interested in... mywife.”

She tilted her head, her eyes widening, studying me. “You’ve been keeping tabs on Fiona.”

It wasn’t a question, and I didn’t bother denying it. “I love her, and I know if I just had a chance to talk to her, we could work everything out.”

Her eyes glinted with something dark that looked a lot like hatred as she smiled and asked, “And what exactly are you planning to do about it?”

I shrugged, keeping my expression neutral. “Whatever it takes.”

She considered that, her gaze never wavering. Then she leaned in a little closer, her voice dropping to a low, conspiratorial tone. “You know, I think we might have something in common.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

She swirled her drink in the glass, a sly smile playing on her lips. “We both have a score to settle. You want Fiona back, and I want someone back she stole from me.”

My interest piqued at that. So, she did hate Fiona and had her own bone to pick. That made things even more interesting. “I’m listening.”

She leaned back, her eyes gleaming with a cold satisfaction. “I can help you get Fiona alone. All you need to do is be ready to take her back when the time comes.”

“And why would you help me?” I asked, my voice low and cautious. I had to be careful. “What’s in it for you?”

“Revenge,” she said simply. “And when she’s gone, things will go back to normal in the clubhouse.”

I watched her, weighing her words, trying to get a read on her. She was dangerous, that much was clear. But she was also useful. And if she was willing to help me get Fiona back, then I was willing to let her play her little game.

“What kind of plan do you have in mind?” I asked, keeping my voice level, my eyes locked on hers.

She smiled, a cold, calculating smile that would freeze a normal man, but I’m no normal man. “It’s fucking simple and should be no problem for you to whisk the little bitch away.”

I listened to her idea, considering it. It was risky, but it had a certain appeal. If it worked, I’d have Fiona back where she belonged. Just the thought of it made my blood heat with satisfaction and anticipation.

“And what about her dad and that asshole she’s been fucking?” I asked, my tone hardening and my fists clenching just thinking about them. “They don’t let her out of their sight.”