“I don’t know. What did they think they could do, just walk in and take her?” Felix asks, shaking his head. “Do you think they even plan things out or just decide in that moment?”
“I have no idea, but hopefully we can find out some new insight,” Clover says as she pats her husband’s shoulder. “I think you should sit this one out. We don’t want to get you into any trouble.”
“I think both of you should sit this one out,” I say to them. “We got this. You don’t need to cross any lines.”
I can do it for them.
They share a look, and I know they are both wondering how to best approach this.
Welcome to the gray zone.
By the time we get to Felix’s home, the sun is about to set and we park in the garage. We get out, our guns ready just in case some shit has gone down since we last checked in with Atlas.
We find Atlas sitting on the couch, watching TV—Married at First Sight, to be more precise—while the other man has been tied up and gagged, sitting opposite him.
“About time you got here,” he says, turning the TV off and facing us. “I got you all a little present.”
We look at the dark-haired, dark-eyed man, and I have to wonder just how this is about to play out.
“Run us through what happened exactly,” I say, sharing a glance with Felix.
“I did a drive around to check the perimeter, and I saw this guy and two of his friends circle the neighborhood, once, and then twice. So I followed them. Eventually they parked a few houses down and walked over. They had guns, but I caught this guy from behind and threatened to kill him unless they put their weapons down. They backed down and complied, and then I aimed my gun at them and told them unless they left I would kill them both right here and now.
“They ran. This one, unfortunately for him, was stuck with me for questioning. I knocked him out and brought him inside.”
We all stare at the man in question, who looks both angry and scared.
I look at Cara, but before I can open my mouth, she reads my mind.
“No, I’m staying for this.” She looks to Clover. “We all are.”
Okay then.
I’m about to interrogate a witness, all with Cara watching over my shoulder.
Guess it’s time for her to see the other side of me.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Cara
Decker finds the hostage’s wallet in his pockets with his ID.
His name is Ryder West. We let the man speak.
“We were just told to come to this house, and if we saw her”—he nods at me—“to bring her in. Marko also said if we want to have some fun, we could.”
“What type of ‘fun’ was he referring to?” Decker asks, as he rolls his sleeves up and braces himself over Ryder. I know it’s inappropriate, but Decker is seriously fucking hot right now. The veins in his arm are pulsing and his stance is all in control and alpha.
He is in his element, going back to what he would do when he was a cop.
Ryder’s lips tighten. “When we saw no one was home, I parked the car down the road and figured we’d fuck up the house. Have some fun.”
“And you’re okay with that?” Felix asks, pushing off the couch and standing next to Decker. I notice Clover watching his every move, and I know she’s feeling the exact way I am right now.
Ryder smirks. “You’re all bikers—like you can judge anything we do. We listen to Marko. He’s our leader, and if he says we can have some fun, we’re going to do just that.”
“Actually we’re not all bikers, he’s a cop,” Decker says, looking at Felix. “You came to a cop’s house and tried this bullshit. Not very smart, don’t you think? We could kill you right now and cover it up if we wanted to.”
I know Decker is bluffing. Despite all of his talk about leaving the police force, he still has a strong code of ethics. Besides, Felix would never do something like that. Following the letter of the law is in his blood.
The color drains from Ryder’s face. “We were told you were all a part of the Wind Dragons MC. There was no mention of a cop.”
Felix pulls out his badge and shows him it. Ryder looks like he’s going to be sick.
“Looks like your boss sent you here not giving a fuck if you end up in prison,” Clover comments, shrugging. “And you compare yourself to bikers? Bikers wouldn’t do that. We look after each other.”
“Tell us what they want to do with Cara,” Decker asks, and I know this is why he didn’t really want me to be here. I’m going to hear firsthand what’s going to happen to me if they catch me.
Ryder looks me dead in the eyes as he replies, “I don’t know. He said she is to be untouched and brought to him. His kid got hurt—don’t you think that’s an eye for an eye?”
“That was an accident, and he’s okay now,” I say. “So why hold on to this grudge and drag out a war? Someone is going to get killed. And I didn’t do anything at all, so you are targeting innocent people now. Maybe you all belong in prison.”
“I could make that happen,” Felix adds.
“What are you going to do with me?” Ryder asks, looking up at Decker. “If anything happens to me, Marko is just going to get angrier and that’s not going to help. You can’t win.”
“He’s right,” Atlas replies, eying Decker. “I know you want to beat the shit out of him right now, but it’s not going to help. I think you should just get him arrested. Let him know the law is involved.”
Felix whispers something to Clover and excuses himself to go outside.
Ryder laughs, but I can tell it’s a bluff. “Do you know how many FC are in prison? I’d be welcomed there like a king.”
Decker, apparently unable to take it anymore, clocks Ryder right in the face.
“We could send him in there with a rumor that he’s a rat,” Clover, the evil mastermind, suggests. “Then they’d just kill him instead of welcoming him.”
Ryder freezes and spits out the blood from his mouth. “You couldn’t do that.”
“We have people everywhere too,” she replies, smirking. “Try me.”
He considers his options. “What do you want from me?”
“We want some information about the FC,” Decker states, getting straight to business.
“Then I will be a rat!”
“Yeah, but no one else will know that,” Clover says, standing up in front of him. “You came to a cop’s house. You guys have shot up said cop’s house. Did you think there wasn’t going to be any repercussions for that? Oh, by the way, should I add that I’m also a member of the FBI? You’re fucked, Ryder. So work with us, or against us. Which one is it going to be?”