Page 1 of Chaplain

1

Eden

Motorcycle engines roar through the night air as I walk across the darkened parking lot and toward our meeting location. Turning the corner, a group of bikers are dismounting motorcycles and gathering by the clubhouse's side door. I immediately recognize the Dark Angel's colors and insignia on their cuts and vests. They are the same as the ones Luca texted with this address. I take a deep breath and continue forward, resisting the urge to tug self-consciously at my dress.

The one who wears the president patch on his chest steps forward to meet me, his expression partly obscured by a black helmet. He looks me over curiously before removing it, revealing a rugged face with sharply handsome features surrounded by close-cut dark hair.

"Eden?" He asks in a gravelly voice.

I nod, extending a hand. "That's me. You must be Ronnie."

His large hand engulfs mine in a firm shake. Before he can reply, my gaze drifts over his shoulder to the man behind him. He is tall and powerfully built, with thick golden brown hair combed flat down the middle and shaved sides. His piercing green eyes lock on mine, and something electric passes between us. I have to stop myself from visibly reacting.

Ronnie notices where I'm looking and glances back. "That's Diesel, our Chaplain," Ronnie says, gesturing to the man behind him." Hope you don't mind him sitting in."

I manage to tear my eyes away, hoping I'm not blushing. "Not at all," I reply as steadily as I can.

This meeting just got a lot more interesting.

Ronnie gestures for me to follow him inside. I can't help stealing another glance at Diesel as I pass him. The intensity of his gaze sends a shiver down my spine, and for the first time since accepting this job, I'm less worried about the details and more about who I'm selling my soul to.

The clubhouse interior is dimly lit and hazy, with lingering smoke and the smell of stale beer. Members lounge around tables, most with a woman either in their lap, sitting wide-legged on the table in front of them, or on their knees. I look away as soon as I figure out that situation, and at my back comes a low, muted growl from their chaplain. He must have noticed how quickly I snapped my attention to their leader's back.

Ronnie leads me into what looks like their meeting room, the table at the center engraved with the club's name and insignia. The place is immaculate, and as Diesel enters behind us and shuts the door, I feel a world away from the scene I saw outside.

Ronnie motions to a chair across from him, and I sit.

“Thanks for coming out to meet with us. When Luca told us his niece could help with our problem, I figured it was best to discuss business face to face."

I nod. "No problem. My uncle explained a little about the situation - that you've been having trouble with a rival club, and you want to see what you can dig up as leverage on them."

Ronnie nods as he leads me toward the back room.

"The Iron Demons," he says. "Luca's helped us out in the past, so when he said you had skills that could give us an edge on them, I was inclined to trust his recommendation."

"Well, I won't let him or you down," I reply, though after what I've just witnessed, I'm not sure the on-site part of this gig is worth the payout.

Ronnie gives me an assessing look. "You sure about that?"

Something in his calculated stare has me second-guessing. Then I make the mistake of glancing beside him and find Diesel's glare twice as intimidating yet holding an entirely different kind of threat. "You need dirt, I'm your girl."

Ronnie's frown fades. "Good to hear. Luca said you can hack without leaving a trace. We need whatever intel you can dig up on the Iron Demons discreetly."

I fight back a smile from my uncle's bragging. "So, what's the job?"

Ronnie nods. "The Iron Demons have been encroaching on our territory, trying to muscle in on our businesses. We recently had a...disagreement that got violent. We need ammunition to strike back."

"What exactly did you have in mind for me to do?" I ask.

Diesel speaks up, his voice a smooth baritone that sends a tingle through me. "We need anything we can use as leverage. Logistics on their operations, connections, leaders. Proof they're stepping beyond the code of honor among clubs."

I consider for a moment. Clubs and outlaws are more of my uncle's thing. He promised me if he taught me how to hack to earn a living, I'd be straight about it. "I should be able to hackinto their communications and transactions, do some deep data mining to find weak spots."

"What exactly will you be looking at?" Diesel's deep voice matches the darkness in his eyes.

I meet his gaze. "Financial records, cell phone data, police databases, weapons registries, offshore bank accounts."

"All that?" Ronnie questions.

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