The big man gets confident. Comes in too close. Drops his guard for half a second.
Jinx headbutts him. His forehead to the bridge of the other guy’s nose. The crack echoes off the metal roof. A left hook to the liver. Knee to the chin. The big man goes face-first onto the ground.
He doesn’t get up. He’s not dead. Just unconscious.
The Hellborn Kings erupt. Every man on our side of the warehouse is on his feet, fists in the air, roaring. Razor grabs Viper by the shoulders and shakes him. Crash is pounding the wall with his palm. Minutes ago, every one of us thought we were watching Jinx die.
Jinx is swaying in the center of the ring, bleeding from four places, and grinning like a maniac.
Saber steps to the edge of the ring. “Debt’s paid.”
Nitro stares at his man on the ground. For ten seconds, nobody moves. Then he turns and walks out. His men follow. The bikes rumble to life, and they’re gone.
Joker catches Jinx before he collapses. Saber puts his hand on the back of the kid’s neck and says something I can’t make out. Jinx nods.
That kid is getting patched in. Not today. But soon. Really soon.
CHAPTER 9
DUKE
Four days of quiet,and I almost believe there’s peace.
The lockdown lifted after Jinx’s fight. The Kings and Warriors called a truce.
For now.
Truces with the Crimson Warriors don’t hold. Other Hellborn Kings’ chapters across the country have been dealing with Crimson Warriors on their doorsteps, too. National is tracking it.
A truce bought us time. That’s all it bought us.
Violet went back to bartending at Bones and Bucks. Leo went back to terrorizing my house, fueled by a bottomless supply of energy. I went back to the books, reconciling the club’s accounts.
And right now, the numbers are looking good for us.
Violet is on the Thursday lunch shift. I’m in my room at the clubhouse, running payroll for Fireside Mechanic. Shelby is watching Leo, so I can get this done and the employees can get paid.
My phone rings. Trapper.
I pick up. “Yeah.”
“Duke.” His voice is wrong. Serious. Shaking. “Some guy grabbed Violet in the parking lot. She was walking over to theclubhouse, and he came out of nowhere. He threw her in a truck and took off. I tried to stop him. But he had a gun to her head.”
The chair hits the wall behind me.
“What did he look like?”
“Crimson Warriors cut. Young. Dark hair. He said,” Trapper is breathing hard. “He said your prospect killed his brother. Said he’s taking her until you hand Jinx over. A trade. He said to wait for his call.”
The dead Warrior from the cattle barn, the one Jinx stabbed and killed.
And now that fucker thinks he can get revenge by threatening my Old Lady?
“Which direction?”
“East. On the state highway. Gray truck, older model.”
“Are you hurt?” I ask.
