Page 6 of Obey

“This war between you has been brewing for years,” Jack said gruffly.

“That’s the truth,” I agreed, already liking where this was going. So far, Jack was coming to all the right conclusions. He was doing my work for me—and he’d be a whole lot more likely to make the decision I wanted him to if he worked it out for himself.

He made a sound that made him sound so much like an old grandpa that I had to bite my lip to keep myself from laughing. “Truth is, I’ve always thought it would be better if you two could just get it sorted out.”

The laughter left me immediately. Devil and I might have been friends once, but that was a long time ago. Before he sold me out and lied to get me thrown in jail. Before he’d tried to take over my crew while I was locked up.

Before he’d nearly killed Saraya, and then killed Tinker and Brock, right in front of me.

“That ship has sailed,” I growled, fighting to control my temper. I might be furious at Devil—might want to skin him with my bare hands—but it wouldn’t do us any good for Jack to know that. I was having a civil conversation with the man right now.

Losing control would just lead to trouble.

Another harrumph from Jack. “You mistake me, son. I mean it would be better if you worked it out without involving the rest of us.”

I nearly shouted with excitement at that, and stopped myself right in time. Because if Jack was saying what I thought he was saying...

“So if we go to war—when we go to war—you think it would be better for the Hell Hounds to stay out of it.”

“Devil and his crew are right on our border, and that’s made them our allies for a long time,” he said evasively. “But if I could get someone steadier on that side of the state line...”

“Right,” I said softly. “I get it, Jack. What if I agreed to hand some of his territory to you? Make your operation even safer?”

The question dropped into dead silence, and I thought for a long, tense moment that I’d made a mistake. We needed this guy to agree not to come to Devil’s side for the war we were facing, and if I’d overstepped my bounds already... If I’d made him think I was taking myself too seriously...

“Can’t say I like the idea of you controlling that much of Arizona on your own,” he finally said.

I couldn’t blame him. After all, he didn’t know whether he could call me a friend.

“Seems like giving you some of that territory is an easy answer, then,” I replied.

He grunted, and grew silent. I kept quiet too, giving him time to think about what I’d just offered him, and let my mind fly through what had happened today so far. I’d spoken with all three MCs that we thought we could count on, and I’d been right. I’d had meetings scheduled with them already, before Devil took Saraya, and they’d already known what I was planning.

When it came down to it, they were on board. They hated Devil just as much as I did, and they’d fight on my side. They wanted to see him run out of the state—or killed, which several of them suggested as the preferable option.

I wasn’t opposed to the idea. He’d killed my best friends and stolen my woman, and the thought of him having access to her again...

I flexed my hands into fists, anger burning through me at the nightmare of what he could be doing to her right now, and willed Jack to give me an answer. The sooner he did, the sooner I could start this war. Find Devil. Kill him.

Rescue Saraya.

The need to get her back was an ember burning my skin, an itch I couldn’t scratch. It was a driving, scalding need that followed me everywhere. I was counting the seconds until I saw her again.

And praying that she could last long enough for me to rescue. Praying that she’d keep that sharp tongue of hers still rather than poking at Devil and forcing him into a move. I wanted to hit him before he knew what was coming, and if Saraya tipped him off...

It could cost me everything. Including her.

“Jack?” I asked quietly. “Did I lose you?”

“Thinking,” he said gruffly.

That was great, but I didn’t have time for him to think all day. It was time to start pushing. “And where are your thoughts leading you?”

He sighed like I was asking the world of him, but he also didn’t lecture me for asking. And that made me think that he might be coming down on my side.

“Don’t much like the thought of you being so powerful in Arizona, Knight. Figure that’s a lot of territory for someone so young. But I’ve never liked Devil. Never trusted him.”

“So if he calls you to back him up?”