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“But Tanner won’t let his leashed animal go down. He’ll want two things, either Bunny dead or silenced. I doubt he’ll trust Bunny’s silence, which puts her in a precarious position. Tanner may hesitate to mess with Hellfire but will believe that if he kills Bunny, he can pay a blood price, and all’s forgiven.”
“Hellfire won’t accept a blood price!” Dakota spat, leaning forward.
“Of course not, but in Tanner’s world, that’s acceptable,” Magic rumbled.
“What’s a blood price?” I asked, worried.
“It’s the price put on a person’s life,” Magic replied.
“Isn’t that a bounty?” I was confused.
“No, if Tanner kills you, he thinks he has the right to offer compensation for murdering you to Hellfire. Chance would accept the blood price and let revenge go in Tanner’s world,” Magic explained. I stared, horrified, at Magic and then at Dakota.
“That happens in your world?” I exclaimed in disbelief.
“No! Not now,” Dakota soothed, and I gazed at him in disgust.
“Not now?”
“Once Hellfire was dirty and Zeus, the old president, he’d have accepted the blood price and ordered me to move on. Hell, Zeus would have jacked the price up, taken most of it, and told me that’s the cost of doing business. Chance is the opposite; he’d not stop looking until Tanner is six feet under.”
“Six feet under? Who are you guys? Magic?” I demanded, turning to my silent boss.
“Bunny, the world we live in isn’t your neat librarian life. It’s messy, and sometimes justice is done our way. If justice fails, then we find vengeance. Girl, don’t be so naïve; you’ve seen this world. You know it ain’t sunshine and fuckin’ unicorns,” Magic explained. I shook my head.
“So, you’re saying Sons of Anarchy are real?” I gasped.
“Fuck no, jeez, that bullshit programme has given us more headaches than anything else. Sons are based on a one per cent club. And even that is farfetched because brothers don’t kill brothers unless they’re traitors. That show did a lot of damage to MCs and our reputations. People want to believe that Sons are an accurate representation of a club. It’s not. They pick up books and expect Sons; they watch tv and think it’s about one-percenters,” Magic said, shaking his head.
“Most clubs are about riding and family. Having a good time and letting it hang out without judgement. But some, Hellfire and Rage, for example, went the lousy route, drugs, guns, pussy, under bad presidents. But we had Chance and Drake, the actual legacy presidents, and they took the clubs back and made them legal again. Any money coming into Hellfire is lawful and clean. Dirt doesn’t touch us anymore,” Dakota explained.
“How did you get Hellfire free?” I asked. Dakota held my gaze and then stared at the walls. “You killed people?”
“Yes, the club and I both did. We cut the rot out to ensure Hellfire returned to what it should have been. A family orientated clean club. A club about its community and protecting those around us. Hellfire isn’t angelic. We still defend our land, fuckin’ boundaries, and right to be clean and legal. Hellfire works with the local police and brings down criminals who want to hurt Spearfish and our women. And Janey, if Tanner comes for you, I wouldn’t hesitate to put a bullet right between his eyes. Without parley,” Dakota said firmly. No, this man opposite me wasn’t Dakota. This was Pyro, a brother in Hellfire. I saw the difference in him and wondered at it. Dakota had flipped a switch, and I could see the guy who would shoot without hesitation to protect his club and those he loved. I didn’t know where to start with his statement.
“Parley?” I asked.
“Parley happens when one club has a gripe against another. They find somewhere neutral, usually my bar, because I’ll enforce the rules of parley. But ain’t letting Tanner anywhere near here unless Chance requests it, and then it will be in the private room with the rear exit.” I stared at Magic, wondering about the back door comment.
“If Chance puts a bullet in Tanner, he can carry him out with nobody the wiser,” Dakota explained, and my eyes widened.
“And the rule on no bullshit crosses your threshold?” I accused Magic, who shrugged.
“No shit comes my way, or I’ll deal with it. But gangbangers and criminals who want to harm innocents who have no ties to a club? Hey, that’s a free for all!” Magic grunted, and I shook my head.
“Well, I don’t want Chance or you putting a bullet in anyone’s head,” I informed Dakota snottily. He grinned and reached out and squeezed the back of my neck in reassurance.
“Baby, if Tanner or Line come for you, they’ll receive more than a single slug. They’ll go down in a storm of them,” Dakota said, and while he smiled, there was a darkness to his eyes that I couldn’t ignore.
“Gonna speak to the presidents. Make them aware you’re running from an abusive ex. I’ll tell them we think he may have tracked you here, and if a stranger shows up, I want to know about it. Guessing you’re staying here at night, Pyro? Unnecessary for me to bunk in my office?” Pyro nodded. “Good, now get your ass out to the bar and start your shift. Pyro skedaddle back to Hellfire and bring food tonight. We need to talk more!” Magic demanded and rose from his desk.
“Thank you,” I said as Magic passed me. Magic looked down with a stern expression.
“Knew you were running when I hired you. Best decision I ever made that day, girl. And we will defend you, come what may.”
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Houser
