Page 102 of Dagger

I brought a hand up to rub away the ache in my temples. “Sending Leesy away feels almost unnatural, especially when all I wanna do is keep her close.” My eyes lifted to meet Colt’s. “D’ya really think it’s gonna get that dangerous?”

“I dunno,” Colt replied. “But something’s nagging at me.”

Abe cocked his head. “Tell us, Son.”

“I’ve been profiling Bear Rawlins for the last six months,” Colt explained. “The fucker won’t go quietly into custody. He knows as soon as we nab him, he’ll never see the outside of maximum security again.”

A brief silence fell over the room as we digested Colt’s words.

“He’ll have nothin’ to lose,” Cash muttered.

Atlas nodded. “He’ll go on a rampage.”

“A kamikaze one at that,” I added.

Colt jerked a nod. “And where’s the first place he’ll go?”

Slowly, I closed my eyes.

Nobody needed to answer him.

We all knew.

There wasn’t a man on this earth I was scared of, including Bear Rawlins, but I’d have to be a damned fool to underestimate the sick fuck. He’d caught us on the hop once before, and Iwas determined it wouldn’t happen again. He feared nothing, including death, and was crazy enough to go on a killing spree and try to wipe out the entire club—including the women and children—and then turn the gun on himself.

And he’d do it with a smile on his face.

I turned to Cash. “Remember when Bear came here to get April? Cara sacrificed herself so Sunny could get away, and he held a gun to her head.”

Cash’s lip curled. “Yeah.”

“I don’t want to risk it again. If he got ahold of one of the girls, God knows what he’d do to ‘em. He’s crazy enough to try just about anythin’.”

“You sayin’ we should send ‘em away, Prez?” Atlas asked thoughtfully.

“I’m sayin’ we talk to ‘em and go with whatever they wanna do,” I suggested.

Cash dipped his chin in assent.

Atlas grunted his agreement.

“Okay,” Bowie relented.

“I’m good with it,” Breaker confirmed.

“Is Iris flying out to Missouri?” Hendrix asked Abe.

“Asked her to,” he answered. “Begged her, in fact, but she won’t leave the kids, especially while Mason’s in that club. She needs to be close for her own peace of mind. If the ol’ ladies go to Vegas, though, I reckon I could persuade her and Sera to go, if only to help out.”

“Has anyone heard from Mase yet?” Atlas interrupted.

Abe’s mouth turned down. “No, and I’m worried. Rissy’s beside herself. At one point, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to come today ‘cause she was gettin’ herself all upset, but I made her. She needed somethin’ to take her mind off it.”

“Fuck!” I cursed. “You want us to pull him out?”

“Maybe,” Abe replied. “But I’m hoping when the Feds swoop in, he’ll take the opportunity to get the fuck outta there.”

“Brother,” Atlas muttered. “We told him to only make contact if they brought him in on somethin’ important or if things were gettin’ too heavy. Give him a chance. He’s a smart kid.”

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