Page 104 of Panther's Magpie
SeeingUnknownflash on the screen, I sit up in bed and answer.
“What?” I bark into the phone.
“She’s in trouble. We need to get her out tonight. It’s our only shot,” a male voice whispers into the phone.
“Who the fuck is this?” I demand.
“Asher. I got your message, but I’m being watched. Aspen is in danger. They are making their move on her tonight. The things they plan…you need to get to her first. I’ll send you coordinates to meet me. We will go in and get her together.”
“Why should I trust you?” I ask him.
“You shouldn’t. You don’t know me, and you aren’t a stupid man, but you also have no idea where she’s at. I know you have had your men out there looking in the mountains for them. I have to admit you’ve gotten close, but without an escort, you will never find her.”
“So you expect me to show up to some random place and not suspect it being an ambush?”
“Isn’t that a risk you are willing to take for your sister, or was she wrong about how much her big brother cares about her?”
When I don’t answer right away, he continues.
“Yeah, I know all about your relationship with her. She has held on to the fact that you will come save her. I’ve done what Ican to protect her, but Adlet is a fucking maniac. He thinks the only way to truly fuck you over is to string her up in the middle of your territory with a message carved into her skin. I don’t have to tell you that when they do it, she won’t be living.”
I rub my hand down my face.
“Send the coordinates. I’ll bring my brothers, and we will be there.”
“Good. Oh, and Panther, bring all the artillery you have. We are going to need it.”
Hanging up the phone, I look down at Maggie sleeping peacefully. I wrung every last bit of pleasure I could from her before she passed out. I don’t want to wake her, but I don’t want her out here all by herself while I take my men to war.
“Magpie.” I shake her slightly.
Her beautiful brown eyes blink open.
“I have to go. I want you to wait at the clubhouse for me. We have a lead on Aspen, and I’m taking everyone with me. Everyone but the one guy I’ll leave at the gate for you and Meek, who will be running ops from here. Will you be okay?” I ask her.
She nods, sitting up. “Let me get dressed.”
As she goes to do that, I dial Eagle.
“What’s going on?” he asks warily.
“Got a call from the insider. Said he’s sending me coordinates to get Aspen,” I tell him.
“That’s suspicious as fuck. Why now?” he asks.
“He said they are making a move, and he doesn’t want her to die. I don’t know if we can trust him, but if he’s telling the truth and we don’t go, I will never forgive myself.”
“I hear you. What’s the plan?” he asks.
“We get a main group together to ride down to meet him. If it goes well, we call everyone else to meet us too. I want a second group separate, though. They need to create an outer band to catch anyone who might slip through,” I tell him.
“Done. I’ll have Meek get us outfitted with those wireless cameras he made so that way he can monitor the situation.”
“Smart,” I tell him. “I’m leaving Maggie here. I want the prospect on the gate. Let him know this is his final test. Should he fail, he will never be in the club. I don’t know if I’ll let him live should anything happen to Maggie.”
“We can leave someone behind to watch her.”
I want to. I can’t, though.
