Page 3 of Redemption

“Think about what I said. Bye now.” The mayor, one of the first people Seven won over, waved to her as they passed.

“Another success.” Seven held up a hand. “Nicely done, my kick-ass friend. Nicely done.”

“They’re here for the sugar rush.”

“Don’t downplay.” Seven clucked at her then tilted her head toward the mayor making his rounds. “What was that about? Your face was all kinds of what-the-fuckery.”

Victoria choked on a laugh. “What?”

“With a side of you-have-something-to-prove—which you don’t, by the way.”

She always had something to prove, even if everyone said she didn’t. “He’s trying to help me out on a jumper.”

“Oh, money, money, money, honey, I like.”

“Yup. I still have that silly mortgage to pay.”

“Yours hasn’t gone anywhere either?” Seven winked.

“Nope. Might as well help keep our little town clean.” Victoria watched the kids run around and decided that next week, she’d bring superhero capes for everyone to wear. The town’s seamstress kept reminding her that she wanted to repay her for finding out who was siphoning money from Sew Me.

Victoria always waved away her offers to pay. Most times, her PI work was a steady part of her income, but for Miss Betty, she didn’t charge a thing—not because she couldn’t pay, but because the woman had such a kind heart had been taken advantage by a local church treasurer.The asshole. When all was said and done, underprivileged kids had lost out, and Betty anonymously redonated every penny lost to the treasurer’s personal greed to the church. Victoria figured out what Miss Betty had done and kept it to herself.

But Betty could pull together enough capes for both the boys and girls self-defense classes. How hard would it be? Cut fabric, make ties?Voila.

Seven grumbled as she continued to track the mayor. “But there’s always a catch.”

“Yup.” Victoria focused back on him. “And the one he presented is too easy.”

Seven’s bangles clinked as she bumped shoulders with Victoria. “I know you, and you’ll figure it out. You’ll always do.”

“Maybe…”

The windows vibrated with a semi-familiar rumble—familiar in that she knew the sound, unfamiliar in that this was the wrong place to hear the roar as motorcycles came up Main Street and slowed. Kids ran to the windows and cheered as the club idled out front. They never had business in town.

Seven’s bright eyes widened. “Well, that’s something.”

Certainly was.A power play. Victoria’s gut twisted. She respected the boys on their bikes, and they respected her, but it was all business, and respect or not, she was still the enemy. Still law enforcement. A bounty hunter. A private investigator. But they weren’t making a show at her self-defense class; that much she knew.

Engines idled outside, revved, and took their time as they rode off.

The mayor strolled over, eyes locked on Seven. “Good day for a ride?”

Seven smirked. “You can save your ‘all is safe in the land of unlocked doors’ spiel for someone else, sweet pea.”

Victoria watched the dynamic between them. Seven’s family, the Blackburns, were synonymous with Mayhem Motorcycle Club, and she was the MC’s princess, whether she actively took ownership of that role or not. Either way, what Mayhem had done was unexpected enough that the mayor and Seven traded passive-aggressive barbs. Victoria had never seen that before.

The MC were sending a message. Victoria had no idea to whom. A few wayward eyes were still cast toward windows, but the kids were back to their games. Some parents even seemed not to notice. But the mayor did. She felt his anxious gaze latch onto hers the second the first window rattled—and the reality of what was happening hit her.

Two rival gangs.

One prime location.

Turf war.

They were in the middle of Iowa, and Sweet Hills was going to be a battle zone.

CHAPTER TWO

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