Page 154 of Frisco

“He did it for me. Because of me.”

“Why Shane? Why specifically because of you?”

“Because he heard about someone that died, and he knew who really killed the person. She was an innocent. She didn’t even know about this life, but your brother’s cell is next to one of Marco’s second-in-command. He’s privy to information that most don’t know, and he knew that I was the one to kill the person. I found out afterwards that she was an innocent, but yeah. It’s me, Kali. He did this for me. He knew I would never have killed the woman if… He did this all for you, for me, for your family, for the rest of my club. He had time and he planned it all, knowing that it’ll cost his life, but he doesn’t care. Trust me. I have tried to talk him out of this so many times. He’s doing it. And he said that it’s on me to make it mean something. So that’s what I’m trying to do, and Marco Estrada is as vulnerable as he’s ever going to be today. We have a chance right now to do this. RIGHT. NOW. There’s no going back.” He stood and picked up his cut, pulling it on. “The club is ready. We’re riding out so you have a choice. You can stay, I’ll make sure someone stays back with you and gets you to wherever you want to go. Or you can come with us. The choice is yours.”

He left after that.

50

SHANE

She came out a minute later, an attitude cold enough to give a guy pneumonia and eyes that were lit with hate.

I didn’t care because she was here. She was coming with us. She stopped, perused over everyone and I shook my head when she finally looked at me. She wasn’t riding behind anyone except me. Her eyes went flat, her lips thinned, but she came and swung up behind me.

She snuggled in, dressed for the cold in a jacket, but I could still feel her breasts pushing up against my back. I liked that. I liked feeling all of her against me.

I led the way, and an army of Harleys pulled out behind us.

We were weaving down the roads and in a way, it was a nice ride. Peaceful. Not a lot of others out and about because of the hour, and when we rolled close to Albuquerque, I turned into a gas station. We stopped already once, but we’d all need to fill up again.

As they did, a prospect handled mine, and as Kali stalked inside, I sent off a text.

Me: In NM at a stop. Where should we go?

Heckler: Coordinates.

Heckler: Park the bikes in the shed. There’s someone there to help, but you’ll need to head on foot to where we are.

Me: Sounds good. See you soon.

There was no chitchat, not with what we were heading into so I was surprised when I felt someone coming up behind me.

I turned, and turned right back. It was Claudia.

She chuckled, her hands pushed deep into her jacket’s pockets. “Don’t think I didn’t register the little snub, but no worries. Not the reason I’m here. Noticed my sister’s attitude when she came out. So.” She moved her foot around on the pavement in front of her. “She usually reserves that pure hatred for me or our mother. You’re neither. What’d you do to piss her off?”

“You can ask her.” I leaned forward on the bike.

“Claude,” Machete tried to call her back.

The door’s bell pinged on Kali’s exit, and she slowed, seeing us talking, but just narrowed her eyes and kept coming for us. I sat up, and she touched my back as she got behind me. “You should piss, Claudia. I saw the coffee you took with you after the last stop.”

Claudia snorted, but sashayed inside.

Corvette laughed. “You’ve got a woman, Machete. I don’t know what else to say about that, but she’s definitely a woman.”

Machete laughed. “She’s fire. That’s what she is.”

Kali snorted behind me. “That’s one adjective to use for my sister.”

I glanced over my shoulder. “We’re talking?”

“No.” But she slid her arms around my waist, and leaned forward, resting against my back.

When everyone was done and ready to go, Kali never moved a muscle as I took off again. I knew better than to think she was going to get over what I told her about Connor. Not my girl. She was plotting, and when we pulled up to the place Heckler gave us coordinates to, she got off my bike and I saw her watching her sister.

One of the prospects ran into the house, and a moment later, he came back with another guy. We were being waved to pull in and park our bikes so they were hidden. I went to find Kali, but Roanoke found me.

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