Page 23 of Reckless Pawn

In record time he reached her cabin, but when he went to open the door he found it locked.

"Babe, where's your key?"

She mumbled something he didn't understand.

"I'm going to set you in this chair for a minute and look okay?" With no response forthcoming, he eased her into one of the two wooden Adirondack chairs sitting on her tiny porch. He then proceeded to search for a possible spare key. Nothing under the mat, no flower pots to hide anything. He even looked under some of the rocks surrounding the porch.

Dammit.

He fished his cell phone out of his pocket and pressed the number for the clubhouse. He'd have to ditch this one now before he went back to Seattle and pick up another burner.

"Yo."

He recognized Tel's voice. "Tel, it's Hawkeye. Bring me a fucking spare key to Izzy's cabin. She's locked out."

"Whoa, bro. W.T.F? Are you even supposed to be here?"

"I don't have time to explain. Just have someone run me a key up here."

"Hang on. Let me—" Houston heard a commotion over the line and from the sound of it both JD and Axel were nearby.

"Houston, you want to explain to me what you're doing with Izzy? We had a deal that you're fucking up," JD roared, sounding pissed.

"You want a full sit rep I am happy to give you one.” And no he didn't give one goddamn fuck if JD really wanted a situation report or not. “Just as soon as I get Izzy settled. One of your fucking girls at the casino gave her a fucking roofie and now she's out of it."

"Goddamn it." JD held the phone away from his ear and yelled into the background. "Someone get a prospect up the hill to let Izzy into her cabin. Someone drugged her." More commotion broke out and Houston sighed. What a clusterfuck.

"Prospect's on his way. He gets there, you get your ass down here and fill me in. You got me?"

Houston sighed. "Yeah, I got you." He ended the call and shoved the phone back in his pocket. Since Izzy was either sleeping or pretending to sleep, he let her be while he waited. A few minutes later one of the prospects he didn't know very well rode up and parked in front of the porch.

"Here ya go, boss." He tossed the key over.

"Thanks, I appreciate you bringing it up."

"No prob, man. Got orders from the Prez to stay up here on the porch tonight and keep guard."

Houston nodded. "Good idea." He unlocked the door, pushed it open and then returned to Izzy.

"C'mon, beautiful. Let's get you in bed so you can sleep this shit off."

"Don't want to go to bed," she mumbled. "Want to talk."

He hesitated before walking through the small living/kitchen area and into the even smaller bedroom. "Probably not the best idea."

"Too bad," she answered.

"Pretty big talk for a woman who can barely keep her eyes open." He laid her on the bed and removed her shoes. The fuck me shoes made his stomach clench as he imagined throwing them over his shoulder and…

He hit the brakes hard before he could finish that thought. He wasn't here to get laid nor was he here for a reunion. Maybe the MC life wasn't the best choice for Izzy, but not getting too deeply involved with him definitely was.

To clarify that point in his mind he recalled the horror stamped across her face when he'd violently killed her attacker. He could have easily dispatched the asshole with a quick, clean kill and instead had used his anger against him in a shocking display of revenge. And he still didn't regret what he'd done. He only hated that she witnessed it. It had been a turning point in his life and he believed they both knew that.

She deserved someone who didn't need to kill his enemies to survive.

Reap what you S.O.W.

He thought he'd understood the club motto all those years ago. He didn't. Not until that night.

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