Chapter 1
Jackal
“Want a dance, big guy?” a soft voice crooned in my ear.
Looking over my shoulder, I forced a smile at the busty woman with only a few sparkly straps of fabric covering her. “No, hon. Just hanging out.” I pulled some cash from my clip. “But hope you have a great night.”
The dancer smiled and lifted her leg, balancing her foot on the table next to me. After a drawn out production, she placed the bills in her garter and batted her eyes. “You sure you don’t need some company?”
When I shook my head and took a swig from my bottle, she shrugged, pulled her foot down from the table, then turned to find her next victim. I had nothing against dancers or any kind of sex workers, but I was not there for a dance. I’d been scoping all the clubs for the last week with a few of the guys from my new chapter. I’d been a nomad for years. It felt weird to say I was part of a chapter, but there’s not one I’d rather have patched into than Raven’s. Too bad he had to die for it to happen. But I knew that fucker was looking up from hell, cursing until we got his revenge.
We had some guys posted up around the airport we busted moving the women, but no luck pinning down any new info on the ring in charge of it. Of course, they hadn’t shown back up, but they’d have a hard time finding another place to transport the women from, so we had to keep eyes on it. We knew they wouldn’t go right back but when the supply chain stalls in a big operation, desperation can make folks slip up.
Keys, Destiny’s Enforcers IT guy, had been compiling possible locations they may try to relocate to, and we’d been making our rounds at those spots, too. With Atlanta being such a big hub for nearly any kind of business and travel, it was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Not only were we hellbent on stopping this crime ring, but now we also were on a massive manhunt. I’d have never guessed Butch would betray Raven and Cindy. If it weren’t for Mama Hen, as everyone else called her, he’d probably be in prison or dead before he hit twenty-one. She found him, talked Raven into taking him in, and Raven showed him the ropes. I may have not been part of the chapter until recently, but I’d been DE and buddies with Raven way before he even was an officer. He was good to that boy and that piece of trash turned around and had him killed. Butch’s whereabouts were accounted for the night of the assassination, but he pulled that trigger all the same. He was the rat. The one feeding this group details. And now he was in hiding.
Whatever he was supposed to get out of it, I hoped it was worth it because he ended his life and any legacy he’d leave behind. We would find him and he would meet his destiny, sooner rather than later. He’s not known much life outside of DE and he’d slip up soon enough. Whoever he was working with didn’t give a fuck about someone like him and he was apparently too stupid to see he was just being used. He had a good thing and threw it all away. I wasn’t sure we’d get to find out why he turned before we took him out, but being there to watch him grow up and knowing what Raven did for him, I hoped we would. I needed to know why.
“Want another?” Eagle asked.
His question broke me from my deep thoughts. “Naw. Maybe once we get back to the clubhouse.”
“How you liking life there?”
A grin tugged at my lips. “Better than I expected. But I think the fact I’d been here for a couple of months already helped ease the transition.” I drank down the last of my beer and put the bottle on the table.
I was patched as a national member years ago, but never settled anywhere. Staying in one place too long used to make my skin crawl. But the last couple of years I found myself spending longer stints in Atlanta, Jacksonville, and Bristol. When I found out about Raven, it was like that fucker had invaded my mind and told me to get my ass home. When Hawk came to me for help, I didn’t think twice about staying. Getting officially patched in only seemed to seal the deal. This was my home.
“You get a warm welcome from the bunnies?” Eagle asked with a wink.
“Ha. I think the new and shiny wore off since I’ve been hanging around.”
“Or maybe you just missed it since you’ve been stalking Shiv.”
“Boy, I don’t think you’re in any position to make statements about such things.” Eagle lost his shit over Lacy. Little guy almost got himself killed because of it. They’re all good now, but she’s a forgiving woman with a big heart. He was being a dipshit and deserved every bit he got and more.
“Fair. But don’t think everyone hasn’t noticed. Just make a move old man.”
“Boy, you let that VP shit go to your head. I’m not even as old as your pops and I can take your ass for a run. Watch yourself.”
Eagle threw his hand to his chest, mocking surprise. “You dare challenge your VP?” He knocked back his beer and slammed the bottle down. “Let’s go back. I spoke to the bouncers and they’re keeping an eye out. I need to get you home before too late.”
This little fucker. I was only forty-seven. Maybe I looked a little worse for wear because of the life I’ve lived but I wasn’t kidding when I told him I could take his ass down. He was a good kid, though. A bit sarcastic sometimes, but he was the right second in command for Hawk. He had a little bumpy spot when he was working his shit out with Lacy, but he’d always do what he had to for the club, and he wouldn’t let Hawk down.
We both pulled some cash from our pockets and tossed it on the little table before heading out to the warm night. I enjoyed the weather down here. Great for riders. It was only cold, if you could even call it that, for about two months out of the year and hardly any ice or snow unless you went to the mountains. There were plenty of pop-up rain showers in the warmer months, but they only lasted a few minutes usually. That few minutes may get gnarly as hell with hail, high winds, even flooding, and an occasional tornado. But overall, you could take a ride any day.
I only had the Harley. Some of the guys had other vehicles and the club had some trucks for business use. If I had to ride out in bad weather, I’d just have to plan accordingly.Better here than the places I stayed up north.
After another brief interaction with the bouncer, we both climbed on our bikes and pulled our helmets on. We’d had nothing but a string of dead ends and those leads had all dried up. I should be figuring out how to find Butch or break up another kidnapping attempt so we could get a new lead, but my mind kept going to the little bird that flew into our lives and had been consuming my thoughts.
“You should take Shiv for a ride,” Eagle said as he waggled his brows.
Grimacing so he’d take the hint, I fired up the hog and revved it. I didn’t need these boys to run interference for me or dig at me about women. They were all young and still finding their way.
As we drove back to the clubhouse, I couldn’t stop thinking about Shivana, though. She wasn’t like the bunnies. She would never be, either. That gorgeous creature was above any of us. She saved Eagle’s life and seemed pretty calm about the fact she got kidnapped with her friend. She asked a lot of questions, but when she didn’t get answers she kept working. She made a few low growling sounds, and I was fairly certain she was cursing at us in Hindi. Even though she was pissed, it sounded hot. But the woman’s a doctor and a real lady. She was only supposed to be here a couple of days but insisted on staying until Eagle was healed up properly. She’d be gone soon, and it was for the best. She just wasn’t meant for this life. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought of christening my new room with her, and some other corners of the clubhouse, but it wouldn’t be fair to her.
No matter how badly I wanted her …She’s not meant for someone like me.