Page 15 of Outcast

I stared at his hand, not taking it.

His smile dimmed as his men leaned on their bikes, helmets off.

"You must be new here, but this is Dirty Dogs territory," I warned. It was as friendly as this guy was going to get while I was sweating my ass off.

"I know." The grin came back. "We're new, but I did my research. Just like I know you're Esteban, mid-ranking member, generally liked with just enough power and influence to make you dangerous to a man like myself."

He paused. What was he waiting for? There was nothing in that nice set of pretty words that made me want to respond with anything other than my fists. If I were the fighting type.

I was more of a lover if I could help it.

"Why do you think we'd care?" Leo stepped up next to me, puffing his chest out like a young rooster.

"Leo, lowest ranking member of the Dirty Dogs." Matthews smirked like that was an insult. But all our members were important. It wasn't the sting he thought it would be.

"Watch your fucking mouth," Leo spit.

Fuck, I called that wrong. Extending my arm, I stopped Leo from pushing into this man's space. “Stop before you make me angry,” I snapped at Leo in Spanish. Then I focused on Matthews again.

"Why are you here and what do you want? You have one minute."

"I'm just introducing myself. We're new in town, and we've heard you've recently gotten out of...certain businesses. We'll be taking over. I thought it best to introduce ourselves in the light of day. Less dangerous for everyone involved."

I studied him. "Remember I said you're in Dirty Dogs territory?"

He nodded, now sporting a closed-lipped smile.

"You do any type ofbusinessin Dirty Dogs territory, whether we run it or not, you'll find yourself without a home." I glanced behind him. "And without a few of your buddies too."

That got to him. The almost translucent skin under his right eye twitched.

"We're not going to get in your way. Don't get in ours." That sounded like a threat.

I shook my head. "You don't understand. We've lived here our whole lives. There's an entire network of people you don't want to mess with. We know them all. Even if we didn't wantto dirty our hands with you, which would not be the case. We're the Dirty Dogs after all." I lifted one side of my mouth into a cutting grin. "There are a hundred people who would not like your presence here. It'd be best for you to move somewhere else. Try Chile. I hear they have good skiing."

He took a step toward me. "You're not as intimidating as you thin–"

Snapping out my hand, I caught his throat, then spun, shoving him against the tin wall of the shop. He winced and sucked in a sharp breath. That had to burn the back of his head.

Shouts went up behind us, but Dirty Dogs started spilling from the bay doors and coming around the side of the building with their weapons drawn.

"I don't have to think. I know." Shifting my hold, I squeezed to cut off his air supply. He started gasping and I nodded. This was the position he didn't want to find himself in. "This place isn't for you. I'm going to let you go, because I'm theniceguy. But if you show your face around here again, I won't stop the Dirty Dogs from going crazy on your bones."

His face turned the bright shade of a pitaya. Once he started to go limp in my hold, I stepped back. He fell to the ground, coughing and cupping his neck.

"You'll fucking regret that," he wheezed.

"Doubt it. There's only one thing I regret, and it will never be setting boundaries with your shiny ass."

Snapping at his buddies, I pointed at Matthews. "You have ten minutes to get him on his bike and out of here. Otherwise, you'll be Swiss."

"Watch them to make sure they actually leave. If they don't, signal the guys." I tapped Leo on the shoulder. He nodded, a fierce look of concentration on his face as I lefthim there. This was the responsibility he wanted and he wasn't going to fuck it up.

When I stepped through the bay door, Javier was leaning against one of the cars that had been abandoned as the men left to take my back outside.

He grinned and his face became a deep map of criss-crossed wrinkles. The man had never heard of sunscreen and decades of riding bikes in the sun had left his skin rough and leathery. It made his shocking silver hair that much brighter.

"That was impressive." He raised his brows.

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