“Move it, fucker!” Wyatt hollers, sounding like a psycho like usual.
“Don’t get shot, David Clive!” Needy yells, looking out her window. “You’re too young to die!”
Realizing these guys are Clive’s sons, I see a chance to negotiate an end to our problem. I press the gun against the meathead in front of me and explain, “Tell him to surrender, and we’ll talk this shit out. If not, I’m letting my cousin start firing. The fucker’s not right in the head and doesn’t care if he dies today. Are you as cool with your brother getting iced?”
The guy frowns back at me and then yells out, “David Clive, put the pistol away! We’ll talk this out!”
“Fuck that!”
“Pa ain’t gonna like me getting a bullet in the head.”
I glance at where my cousin inches around the back of the SUV. “Wyatt, let him come out and call up his dad to fix this problem.”
“Fuck them both.”
“Bronco won’t be around much longer to protect you,” I hiss at my cousin. “Obey me or get the fuck out of my way.”
I notice the distinct sound of two motorcycles approaching. One likely belongs to Anders, while the other is Drummer. Neither of them will offer Wyatt protection if I have to break something on his still-battered face.
My cousin realizes he’s failing his test. I catch him imagining a life where he doesn’t wear the Executioners’ patch or live in our gated community. Suddenly, a light bulb goes off over his fucking head, and he shifts gears.
“Come on out,” he says, sounding like a normal person rather than a rabid dog.
Monroe scoots out of the SUV, still bound at the wrists. “David Clive, just come out. Your dad can fix this with the Executioners. It’s okay.”
Finally, the big hunk of North Dakota cheese peeks around the SUV with his hands up. Wyatt wants to pound on the guy so badly that I can feel him physically fighting the urge. Instead, he grabs the guy’s gun from his waistband and gestures for David Clive to join his brother.
Anders and Drummer park their motorcycles across the road and keep watch. I notice the McNamee boys eyeballing our giant. They react like most men when witnessing the monster-sized man.
“Call up your father to see if he can negotiate an end to this that doesn’t involve you two sharing a grave.”
The brothers share a look. I sense they’re as scared of pissing off their dad as they are of us killing them. Using my switchblade, I remove the binds from Monroe and Needy. My woman takes charge when her cousins don’t move. Fishing a phone from the older one’s jacket pocket, she dials her uncle’s number and sets the phone to speakerphone.
Then, Monroe smiles at me in a way that says she always knew I’d come for her and nothing will keep us apart
MONROE
I’ll never get sick of Conor saving me. From the first day we crossed paths, the man can’t stop improving my life. Today, though, he’s especially impressive as he appears at the SUV. Has there ever been a man so effortlessly sexy as the one who casually pins beefy Brian Clive against the car?
Wyatt is far less cool, and the Executioners arriving at the scene are ready to start pounding on my cousins. Conor has a sensible plan. I can tell by the tone of his voice. But if Bronco and Lowell take over, my hero won’t get to shine today.
That’s why I yank out Brian Clive’s cell and dial my uncle. Conor needs to be the one to handle this situation.
Over the speakerphone, Uncle Clive’s rough voice answers.
“We got a problem, Pa,” Brian Clive tells his dad.
“I thought you grabbed them.”
“We did, but their friends caught up with us.”
“Are they around now?” Uncle Clive asks as his tone shifts. I can picture him in his wood-paneled office, snapping at his people to listen in on the call.
“Hello,” Conor says, flashing a smile at me. “This is Conor Jessup. I’m your niece’s future husband.”
“Is that right?”
“Yeah, so you can imagine my alarm when your boys showed up and tried to take what’s mine.”
“Do you know who I am, boy?”
“Sure. Got your address and everything. Wanna know who I am?”
“I assume you’re one of those bikers Needy fucked back in the day.”
“Spot on about the biker part, but my dick was far too tiny to fuck Needy twenty years ago. All you need to know, though, is how your niece is in good hands, and she won’t be going anywhere.”
“Listen up, boy, Monroe made promises, and she needs to keep them.”
“I understand that, old-timer,” Conor says casually as if teasing his mom. “Don’t get me wrong. I know how business works, but let me explain how we’re going to make everyone happy. First, I’ll pay back the money Monroe took for her trip. That’ll make you two square.”
“I don’t give a shit about the cash.”
“Wrong,” Conor replies immediately. “Now, let’s talk about the political nerd you have set up for Monroe. I’m sure there’s some play for you there, but leaving her here offers you a new alliance in a location where you have zero power. That political nerd is just offering you access in a state where you already run shit. Why waste a fine woman like Monroe on a twerp who can’t give you anything of worth?”
“You don’t know what he’s offering me.”
“No, but I know what I’m offering you,” Conor says, hardening his tone ever so slightly. “You can leave her here, which will tie you to the Executioners Motorcycle Club and our alliances. Or you can go to war with us and our alliances. Just to force your niece to marry a man unworthy of such a sexy body.”
Hiding my anxiety, I respond to his comment by rolling my eyes and mouthing, “You’re so horny.”
Shrugging, Conor eyes the phone. He probably worries my uncle won’t play ball. How long before Lowell and Bronco take over? I don’t want my idiot cousins to end up buried in these woods. Worse, though, would be for Conor to look weak in front of his club brothers.
“Uncle Clive,” I say in my sweetest voice, “I’m sorry I ran off with your money. I just wanted to meet my dad and find Needy. Now, I’m in love with Conor. His uncle is the president of the Executioners, and my dad is the vice president. Conor and I make sense, you know? But I’m still sorry I left like I did.”
Conor smiles at my words, likely knowing I’m playing up the girly crap. Brian Clive shoots me a frown, also realizing I’m full of shit.
“I don’t care about the money,” Clive lies again. “Running off like you did put me in a bind.”
“I know, but I was scared to tell you the truth.”
“You don’t need to fear me, Monroe.”
Even his sons roll their eyes at this comment, but I sense Clive is adjusting to the new situation.
“So, sir,” Conor says, effortlessly respectful after years of faking that shit with his older club brothers, “Monroe belongs here. Whatever happened in Minton or your sons’ behavior today can be water under the bridge. But that’s really up to you.”
After making us stew for half a minute, Uncle Clive says, “Monroe’s first fiancé has his heart set on marrying her.”