Page 35 of Under His Embrace

“I know.” I checked my mirrors again, seeing that the soldiers still drove behind us.

“Can you let her go again?”

“I—” Slamming on the brakes halted me from finishing what I wanted to say. It also prevented me from slamming into the car that sped out from the perpendicular alleyway. It shot out in front of us, blocking me.

“What the fuck?” Romeo slammed his hand to the dashboard. We both reached for our guns as the soldiers driving behind us screeched to a sharp stop as well.

The car that pulled out in front of us zoomed away, and once it cleared the alley, the rumbling roars of engines came closer.

Bikers. They sped up in pairs on their motorcycles. From a distance, their skull logos were noticeable on their leather cuts.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” Romeo shook his head.

Our soldiers filed out, rushing up to deal with the Devil’s Brothers members blocking our way.

“This is getting really fucking old,” I muttered. We stayed in the car, letting the soldiers handle the situation. If we stepped out, it might complicate things. Both of us were prime targets that our enemies would love to take out. With the blacked-out windows, though, they couldn’t see who was in this car. Romeo and I had a front-row seat to the men threatening the Constella soldiers.

“Very old,” Romeo agreed wryly.

“Who is that?” I asked and gestured to the older man near Reaper. If things went south, we’d step out and assist the soldiers, but they were trained for these sorts of things. I had faith they’d get them to leave. This area of the city wasn’t as rundown and lawless as the locale where the bikers thought theyruled. If they wanted to start shooting here, the NYPD would be alerted. Civilians in the surrounding businesses would be informed.

“Gunner,” Romeo said. “From what Andy has found out, Gunner is Reaper’s VP, and he’s been itching for an excuse to overthrow Reaper from power.”

I rolled my eyes at the gangly older man who coughed so hard I bet his bones were rattling. He looked as mean as a snake, his eyes slitted and his face scowling as he argued with Reaper.

They shouted about whose idea it was to come down this alley in this direction. It sounded like a petty squabble over minor details. Reaper reminded Gunner that he had no say in this, and that comment made Gunner shout louder yet.

I didn’t miss the threat they issued.

“If you drive one more fucking inch this way,” Reaper roared, “I’ll kill you all.”

Romeo and I shared a glance. We faced threats every damn day, but it was becoming an annoying habit for these bikers to think they had any power to tell us how it would be.

“Seems like these clubs have a lot of turnover.” I tipped my chin at Gunner telling the other four bikers to retreat. Reaper noticed and he yelled over his VP to order the other four MC men to stay right where they were. Soon enough, they ceased trying to act big and tough with us. They were too involved in their power struggle.

“Someone else will take over sooner or later,” Romeo agreed as Reaper and Gunner fought to the point that they seemed to race each other down the alleyway.

“They’ll suffer from so much infighting or seeking a new leader,” I said as I backed up with the soldiers in their car again and retreated for a different route out of this alleyway. “Then they won’t even be a concern for us.”

Romeo nodded. “I imagine a new leader might not want to side with Stefan Giovanni, either.”

“Not my problem,” I said. “Until they make it mine.”

“Exactly.” After letting out a long sigh, he faced me fully. “You didn’t answer me about what I said.”

“About Chloe?” I asked, still checking my mirrors for any other surprises or ill-executed ambushes.

“Yes. Can you let her go after Wes is dead, after the A&J’s case is closed?”

I shook my head, deciding to be honest. “I’m not sure I can let her go. Not again. I want to keep her for good, Romeo. You know that she’s always been it for me.”

“I recall,” he said.

“I want her forever. We’re reconnecting and getting into a little more give and take of information, but…”

He pounced on my hesitation. “But what?”

“I can’t shake this suspicion that she’s hiding something from me.”

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