Page 36 of Whatever It Takes

Here. Be inside in two minutes. Have your food order ready.

Or that’s what I mean to type, but I’ve got fat fingers. Still, he’ll be able to decipher its meaning.

I shove my phone away and head around the front of the truck to help Briar from the vehicle, but she exited on her own in my distraction.

I meet her in the middle, and we head under the covered sidewalk toward the employee entrance.

We’re almost to the outer door where employees have to enter a code to get into the building, when Briar goes rigid.

She grabs my forearm, whispering, “Something feels off.”

My head whips around, and that’s when I spot Jameson. He pops out from the inset in the back wall of the nightclub. It’s where employees enter and exit. It’s a strange little tunnel set back just far enough that you can’t see all the way down it, no matter how hard you try. He has his Ruger pointed directly at my forehead, and he supports his broken arm against his middle. It’s in a cast with a sling.

Damn.

Easton fucked him up good.

Twisting, I shove Briar behind me. “Head for the door. Use your code to get inside,” I growl, moving to grab my gun.

“Don’t,” Jameson hisses. “We’re all going inside to have a chat.”

Why Calder was calling suddenly makes sense.

Briar tugs on the back of my jeans, trying to pull me with her.

“You don’t need to go this route,” I tell him, raising my palms. “Fuck off back home. Drown your sorrow in a fifth of tequila and call today a loss.” I barely bite my tongue to keep from suggesting he get back to shoving opiates up his nose. He had quite the addiction three years ago, but he cleaned up his act when East told him he was on his final strike.

“Fuck you!” Jameson growls, shaking his head. “You know he set me up. Do you hear me, Briar? I never fucked that woman! Easton is punishing me because I fell in love with you.”

Briar gasps, and her hand lands on my arm as she tries to peek around my shoulder. “If that’s true, then you really need to put the gun down. You seem a little unhinged right now, Jamie.”

“God, I missed you,” he says, but his gun arm doesn’t waver. “Go inside, Briar. I’m not going to hurt you.” He approaches slowly, and the closer he gets, the easier it is to make out his pupils. They’re tiny pinpricks, just like they used to be when he was high.

I’ll fucking bet the hospital gave him narcotics for that nasty break. They really should have checked his medical history, but Jameson is an adept liar when he needs to be.

Opiates can induce euphoria and feelings of being untouchable, especially when mixed with uppers, which used to be his favorite combo. I’m sure he believes he’ll make it out of this alive. He won’t, but he’s never been the brightest guy.

This entire area is a dead zone for cameras, except the ones Calder has up to monitor our back door.

Jameson really should have planned his attack better.

Chapter Fifteen

Briar

Imove fully behind Keir, tugging on the back of his jeans. “Okay, we’re going. Don’t hurt him. He’s not the one you’re upset with.”

“I know who my enemies are,” Jameson snarls. “Move now.”

Yanking on Keir with all my might works, and he backs up with me.

He’s using his body as a human shield, and I hate it. The sides of my vision go fuzzy as memories of how easily bullets can fly through bodies replay in my mind.

Though Keir might not be able to stop a bullet from going through him and hitting me, it’s the thought that counts. Not even my father protected my mother at the wedding, but Keir is a true alpha.

I stumble over my own feet, and my hand slides into the waistband of Keir’s jeans to keep myself upright. The cool metal of the gun at the base of his spine brushes against my fingers, but I don’t yank it free.

Jameson was in the military, like almost all the guys at Shadow.

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