Page 81 of Queen of Anarchy (Dirty Broken Savages 2)

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River

I stayquiet for as long as I can, letting the guys talk it out. It’s still important that we figure out who put Ivan’s body on display at the gala and find out what they want and why they did it, but it’s hard for me to focus on that when I know Hannah is still there with Julian.

Whether he’s behind the stuff with Ivan’s body or not, I have to do something to get Hannah back.

Even just sitting here talking about him is too much, and it makes me all the more aware that he could be doing anything to my sister right now, and I’m not there to protect her.

“I have to get Hannah out of there,” I say all of a sudden, unable to hold the words back any longer.

“River—” Gage starts, but I cut him off.

“No. I know tailing him before was stupid. I know it was reckless. And maybe this is too. But I don’t fucking care. Ihaveto go back to that house. She’s my fucking sister, and she’s…” The tears I thought were all cried out of me earlier sting the backs of my eyes again, and I grit my teeth, forcing them down. “I have to get her out. I have to try. I’ll take on Julian and every one of his goons if I have to.”

All the guys tense up as I speak, clearly not liking that idea at all. They don’t want me to go up against that man, especially since they just paid a truckload of cash to get me back from him, and I understand that. I do. But I don’t have another choice.

I get up from the table, ready to stalk out of the house and do it myself if I have to, but Knox grabs me before I can even leave the kitchen.

“Not so fast, little fox,” he murmurs in my ear, holding me in a bear hug from behind. I struggle against him for a bit, but he’s built like a fucking tank, and I don’t make any progress at all.

He rests his chin on my head and holds me close.

“We have other options that aren’t just you storming in there and getting yourself killed,” Gage says.

“Like what?” I shoot back, my voice tight from pent-up frustration.

“We could always kill him,” Knox points out, because of course he does.

“Maybe,” Gage allows. “But if he’snotthe one who put Ivan’s body up at the gala, killing him could be risky. It would draw more attention to ourselves.”

“He’s also pretty well protected,” Priest adds. “You saw how many guards he had last night. He’s got security, money, and resources. It would be a risk no matter what.”

“So what you’re saying is there aren’t any other options,” I say, irritated. “I’m not just going to sit here and let him keep her. You didn’t see her. You don’t know her. She’s never been like that. That… scared and meek. He’s treating her like shit, and I have to get her out.”

Knox’s arms hold me a little tighter as my rant dies out. I don’t know if it’s for comfort or because he’s thinks I’m going to try to break free and run for it. Either way, I’m clearly not going anywhere while he has a hold on me.

Gage sighs. “There is one thing we can still do,” he says. “Something that hopefully won’t involve anyone rushing off and getting hurt. We can negotiate with him. Our club could be an asset to him. We could let him do what the Diamond Devils wanted to do and smuggle shit through us. In exchange for Hannah.”

“Smart,” Priest says, nodding like it’s the most normal thing in the world.

Meanwhile, I’m shocked that Gage even suggested it.

“Really? You would do that? What do you get out of it?” I ask.

I glance around the kitchen, waiting for any of the guys to answer me. Gage and Priest share a look, doing that thing where they communicate what seems like entire sentences in complete silence. Then Gage turns back to me.

“We’ll get enough.”

That’s not really an answer, but he says it with finality, as if that’s all I need to know. None of the other Kings raise any objections or comment on the fact that it seems like a bad deal for the four of them. I can feel Knox nod, his chin still resting lightly on my head, and Ash picks up a knife from the table and flips it over in his hand, looking almost pleased.

“It’s settled, then,” Gage says. “We need to set up a meeting with Julian. The sooner the better.”

Knox finally releases his hold on me, and I step out of his embrace, licking my suddenly dry lips. The last thing I want to do is deal with Julian again, but I know if I want my sister back, it has to be done.

We need to make a deal with the devil.

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