Page 86 of Claimed By the Biker Brothers

I nod slowly. “What do we do then?”

“We get you out of here first,” he says. “I’ll speak to Samson regarding bail money. Your pristine criminal record will be an advantage. I’m sure I can get Sheriff Bentley to drop a statement in your favor, enough to guarantee the court that none of you is a flight risk.”

“Then what?” Jagger asks.

“We look into everything you mentioned. The CCTV footage, the court filings regarding that warrant, the prints on those drug packets, anything we can use to weaken the DA’s case against you. They’re likely going for a RICO profile anyway.”

I’m frankly disgusted. “Because we’re a motorcycle club.”

“And because of your fathers and their past activities. They’re your predecessors, and in the eyes of a jury, a good DA might make a case for the whole ‘apple doesn’t fall far from the tree’ discourse,” Faraday says. “If you’re lucky and they don’t find your prints on those bags—”

“They won’t,” I insist.

“But if they do, I’ll challenge those as well. I will throw every trick in the book at them until there’s enough reasonable doubt. That’s our only working angle, do you hear me?”

“We hear you loud and clear,” I say. “Get us out of here, James.”

He puts the papers back in his briefcase and gives me a reassuring smile. “I will, Knox. I’ve got you. Don’t worry. And I’ll make sure they give you a cell of your own until the morning. You know I’m filing a complaint for that incident too, right?”

Diesel smiles broadly. “Yeah, get everybody in hot water, including the sheriff, the sheriff who’s supposed to testify on our behalf.”

“Oh, no, just his deputy,” Faraday replies. “Sheriff Bentley will want me to overlook the whole issue and retract the complaint and I will if he puts in a good word for you at your arraignment hearing tomorrow.”

“Can he even do that?” Jagger asks.

Faraday shrugs. “It’s a small district, small court. Everybody knows everybody here, fellas. It doesn’t have to be something official, just a whisper to sway the right people in the right direction. It’s all we need. Besides, you have a good standing within the community. That will work in your favor as well.”

It has to. There’s a future to fight for.

Tooth and fucking nail.

27

Robyn

“Kyra’s sound asleep,” Ellie says as she comes downstairs to find me pacing her living room, restless, unable to sit still. “Do you want me to wake her up and get her some breakfast? You should eat too.”

“No, let her sleep some more. Yesterday was plain awful. She didn’t see much, but she heard the ruckus,” I say.

“Yeah, she was so agitated last night, I wasn’t sure we’d even get her to fall asleep in the first place.”

I keep looking outside, finding odd comfort in the presence of four riders on Harleys parked in Ellie’s driveway. The sound of twin-V engines rumbling by also soothes me because I know we’re not alone in this. I know the Riders are looking after us, even with Diesel, Knox, and Jagger stuck in a jail cell.

“Samson hasn’t answered any of my texts,” I mutter, checking my phone again.

“Robyn, he’s busy. But you know he’ll text as soon as he gets a chance. He always calls if there’s something important,” she says, trying to reassure me.

“I know.” Tears prick my eyes.

“Come on, sit down for a minute.” Ellie comes over and gently guides me to the sofa. The news is rolling on the TV mounted above her fireplace, but I haven’t been paying attention. My mind’s a mess, my thoughts jumbled, and my morning sickness getting worse on account of stress. “Have you eaten anything?”

I shake my head slowly. “No.”

“You need to eat. Coffee?”

“Tea?”

“Okay, just sit down. I’ll get you some tea and maybe a sandwich? I’ve got a couple from my meal prep boxes. I’m happy to share.”

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