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“Well, isn’t that just wonderful,” Natches drawled, the mockery in his voice slicing. “Good ol’ Dayle. The bastard.”
There had been little love lost between Natches and his father, even when Dayle had been alive.
—
“And let me guess.” Dawg crossed his arms over his chest, his expression dark, bordering enraged. “He has a grudge.”
Doogan inclined his head in agreement. “Did your anonymous tip inform you that a year ago Timothy’s security was breached and Zoey was drugged and taken from her room at the inn?”
Their shocked faces assured him they were unaware of that.
Briefly Doogan filled them in, aware of the gathering storm building in each man as he told them the hellish images planted in Zoey’s mind and why. Rigsby and Luther Jennings hadn’t felt the need to watch what they said, or worry about what to allow Zoey to overhear as they bragged of their intelligence. Just as they had never guessed the strength of the woman they were attempting to destroy.
Even Doogan couldn’t have guessed how quickly Zoey would overcome the suggestions implanted in her complicated little brain.
As he gave them what he knew and answered the questions they had, Zoey stepped from her bedroom to his side. The position she took, next to him rather than a family member, wasn’t lost on the other men if Dawg’s glare was any indication.
When he informed them of the afternoon’s attack and Rigsby’s death, he could feel the tension explode through the room. Every protective instinct the men possessed became heightened, and more dangerous than before.
“Zoey, you can’t stay here.” Dawg looked pale now. “Get packed, sweetie, and we’ll take you somewhere safe.”
“I’m safe right where I’m at.” The hardened determination in her voice assured every man in the room that Zoey wasn’t about to be ordered.
Unfortunately, the men she was facing hadn’t survived without learning a few tricks of their own.
“Then I’ll just throw your ass over my shoulder and take you somewhere safe,” Dawg snapped; his eyes, identical in color to his sister’s, turned brooding and determined. “Your choice.”
“And my choice is to stay right where I’m at.” The inflection of her tone didn’t change. It didn’t become heated or angry, it just became harder.
Natches gave a low, mocking chuckle. “She’s so cute, Dawg. She actually thinks saying no will work.”
Doogan wondered if Natches saw the hurt that flashed across her expression at his comment.
“Enough, Dawg.” Timothy’s voice was harder, colder than Doogan had ever heard it. “Get your heads out of your fucking asses for a minute and ask yourself why? Why did they target Zoey?”
“Because Johnny’s little bastard is as crazy as he was?” Natches snorted furiously. “What other explanation is there?”
Doogan stiffened. What other explanation? He turned slowly, pinning Zoey with his eyes. There was another explanation and it was one he simply hadn’t had time to consider earlier. Jack had been trying to tell him something last night, though, when he and Billy had shown up after the theft of Billy’s truck. Something Zoey had interrupted.
Son of a bitch, he was going to kill Jack and Billy, and then he was going to paddle her damned ass.
“Doogan?” Rowdy’s tone was wary and Doogan could feel the tension in the room shifting, growing thicker as he watched her.
A little pout formed at her lips, but Doogan saw her eyes. He saw the pride, that flash of accomplishment, and God help him, it made him hotter than hell. Still, he shook his head slowly, wanting to deny it. Begging fate and God to please not let it be.
“Zoey, it’s time.” Tim stepped behind her, his voice heavy, his expression filled with pride.
Fuck, he was going to have to kill that little bastard. This time, Doogan admitted, Timothy Cranston had to die.
“Time for what?” And that was definitely fear in Dawg’s tone and expression.
As though guided by instinct and a desire not to collapse straight on his ass, Dawg lowered himself to a chair instead and just stared at Zoey.
She sighed heavily. “In two weeks, renegotiation for an alliance between Homeland Security and six of the biggest biker gangs in the nation begins. The original agreement was signed last spring, just before Rigsby and Jennings drugged me. I was the mediator for that agreement. Without me, there will be no renegotiations and no further information gathered by the members of those gangs and sent to DHS.”
The other men took their seats slowly as well, leaving only Timothy, Doogan, and Eli to stand with Zoey.
“Not possible.” Brogan, Zoey’s brother-in-law, denied the explanation. “That pact was mediated and negotiated by a woman three of those gang leaders knew personally. And none of them are from Kentucky.”
