Chapter Twenty-Three #2
“Not alone,” Maddox insisted. “You did a good job shifting his focus off Elias and onto you. From this point on, finish the job together. This isn’t a solo act. Don’t make Dutch so angry that you’ll make an enemy out of him.”
“But, sir….”
“No, Iona. I know you can handle yourself. We trained you to do that. What we didn’t ask you to do was show off your skills to cut down a man with an oversized ego. You’re supposed to be Elias’ Old Lady. That means you’re part of a team. Act like it.”
By the time he’d finished the unexpected dressing down, Iona’s cheeks were burning.
Had her judgment call been wrong? She didn’t see how she could have chosen a different path.
Dutch had been working up to challenging Elias to a fight.
She couldn’t allow the MC leader to issue the challenge, or Elias would have felt obligated to take him up on it and undone the surgeon’s work during the fight.
While others might view her as too strong, Iona only did what she thought needed to be done. She’d always been that way. To do otherwise would have left her broken by her experiences in the child services system.
“In making yourself look strong, you made Elias look weak.”
Her mouth gaped. “Sir?”
Elias scowled at the phone. “Hold on, sir. That’s not true.”
“Should I ask Dutch to confirm that?”
“Sir, I know Dutch. You don’t. His attitude toward women belongs in the medieval era. What Iona did was the fastest way to bring him down a peg or two.”
“It was a risky move, Knight, and you know it.”
“That may be true, sir, but the move worked.”
“This time. The next time might not turn out as you planned. Understood?”
He rolled his eyes. “Yes, sir.”
“Iona.”
“Sir.”
“Stay focused. Men like Dutch strike back when you least expect it. Are you hearing me?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Report back to me in six hours.”
“Copy that, sir.”
“Maddox out.”
Was the boss right? Had she made Elias look weak in front of his cousin? That hadn’t been her intention. She slid her gaze in his direction. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t.”
Iona flinched.
Elias turned toward her. “Don’t let him get under your skin. You did what I would have done if the circumstances had been reversed.”
“If you weren’t injured, you would have mopped the floor with him.”
“Instead, my girlfriend did it.” He grinned.
“I think that’s about the most breathtaking thing I’ve ever seen.
You were amazing, Iona. Dutch will think twice before taking on you or your teammates in a fight.
I’m proud of you for what you did. You stood up for yourself, and you did it with grace and style.
You didn’t have one hair out of place when you finished. ”
“Are you sure my actions didn’t bother you?”
“Babe, I can take help when I need it. Today, I needed a hand. Tomorrow might be different. We watch each other’s backs. We’re protectors, Iona, and who better to protect than the people we love?” He captured her mouth in a sizzling kiss, then sat back. “Time for the second call.”
Hopefully, this one wouldn’t be as difficult to handle. Iona had a feeling her stomach would be in knots for a long while from the previous call.
Elias called Zane, who answered on the first ring. He frowned. “It’s Elias. You’re on speaker with Iona. Buddy, don’t you ever sleep?”
“You caught me as I was wrapping up a programming project. What do you need?”
“To give you an update and ask for one in return.”
“Have you spoken to Maddox?”
Iona flinched. “Oh, yes. He wasn’t in a good mood.”
“The feds are pressuring him for results. They don’t think your team is moving fast enough.”
“They’re not wrong. Although we’re making progress, it feels as though the pace is dragging.”
“Can you speed it up?”
“That’s what we hope is happening tomorrow night.”
“Explain.”
They updated Zane, ending with, “We were scheduled to run security at the sale tomorrow night. Now, we don’t know,” Iona said.
Elias frowned. “Something is wrong, Z, and I can’t figure out what’s off.
I’m afraid we’re walking into a trap I can’t see.
Dutch isn’t in charge of this operation.
Someone else is, and that someone wants Echo and Artemis involved in the sale.
I’m afraid we’re being set up to take the fall for something. ”
Zane was silent for a moment. “Is it possible your father is controlling Dutch?”
He stared at the phone.
“Hear me out, buddy. What if Eddie had one of his cronies shoot you?”
“That I can buy. My father has made no secret of his displeasure with my career choices. If this is true, his crony is a terrible shot.”
Iona shook her head. Even a terrible shot couldn’t miss when standing over Elias with a gun in his hand. “It’s been twenty years, Zane, and there are better methods of manipulating someone into doing what you want than to shoot them.”
“What would happen if Elias had no option but to return to his father’s world?”
Elias scowled. “No way. I would never willingly go back.”
“Consider this scenario. What if the feds mysteriously heard about the sale of weapons and cop-killing bullets in the MC world? What if someone suggested Fortress may have the perfect person for an undercover op?”
He looked skeptical. “And he works with two teams of operatives who would refuse to let him go undercover alone?” Elias shook his head. “Nope. Doesn’t work for me.”
But Iona could see where Zane was going with this. “Can you think of a better way to control you if you refuse to cooperate?”
Elias’ face went pale. “Are you crazy? I haven’t seen or talked to my father in over two decades.
You believe Dad wants me back under his thumb so badly that he’ll use my friends to force me to comply?
” He shook his head. “I wouldn’t cooperate with that plan, and neither would any of my teammates.
We’d fight tooth and nail to get out from underneath my father’s control, so how would that help his cause? ”
“You said it yourself. He’s out to control you.”
He snorted. “That’s not news, Z. He’s been….” Elias froze, an expression of horror forming on his face.
“Exactly.”
Elias stood and paced the length of the room. “This is all still speculation. You have no proof.”
“Working on it.”
Iona blew out a breath, her gaze locked on Elias.
Unfortunately, Zane’s scenario wasn’t as off the rails as Elias wanted it to be.
By his own admission, Eddie was all about control.
What was the one thing out of his control for over twenty years?
Elias. “Is it possible your father persuaded Dutch to set you up?”
He scowled. “Maybe. He has that capacity. What I can’t see is why this would be a possibility?
He calls me the family black sheep or traitor.
Why would he want me in the fold? If anything, I would have expected him to have someone kill me to erase the black mark on the family name.
If he was behind the shooting, why didn’t he kill me? ”
Iona stepped into his path. “You’re not listening, Elias. He doesn’t want you dead. He wants to control you.”
“What’s the point if I’ll never choose his way of life? I’m a police officer and a soldier at heart. I’m a rescuer. That’s what I’m trained to do, not kill people unless they give me no choice.”
Zane broke in. “What would you do to save Iona’s life?”
“Anything,” Elias said immediately.
“Including submitting to your father’s demands?”
He turned away from Iona, hands covering his face. Guess that was answer enough.
“Do you have any updates for us, Zane?” Iona asked as she wrapped her arms around Elias from behind without saying a word to him.
What was there to say? Elias would sacrifice himself for those he loved without a second thought.
Because Eddie viewed that as his son’s weakness, he’d use it to control Elias.
She rested her forehead against his back. Iona couldn’t condemn Elias for his choice. Faced with the same decision, Iona would have chosen the same self-destructive path to save her friends and the man she loved.
“Find me proof, Zane,” Elias said. “I need irrefutable proof, my friend.”
“Give me a few hours. I’ll see what I can find.” He paused, then said, “Would your mother know anything that might help?”
“Doubt it.”
Z remained silent. So did Elias.
Iona rolled her eyes. “We’ll talk to her. From what Elias shared about his parents’ relationship, it’s more likely his mother is as oblivious as we have been.”
“It’s time to wake up.”
“Copy that, sir.”
“Check in again when you report to Maddox. Murphy out.”
“She knows nothing,” Elias insisted, turning to face Iona. “I know her, Iona. Naomi Crane is the sweetest woman on the planet who looks for the best in everyone. My stepfather treats her like a princess, a world away from how Eddie treated her.”
“Let’s find out. Call her.”
“I’m telling you, we’re wasting our time.”
“I wish I had time to waste with my mother.” Her voice was gentle. “Call her, Elias.”
After dragging a hand down his face, Elias grabbed his phone and made a call.