Page 168 of Fury

“What fucking happened?” I said through gritted teeth.

“It’s Catch,” he spit out. “Catch showed up uninvited.”

“Fuck, not again,” muttered Drac behind me.

“Open up,” I said, my fingers flexing around my handlebars.

The prospect opened the gate, and we followed the gravel path to the wide expansive driveway of what used to be an old go-kart factory. In the field in the middle of the racing track, white and silver balloons bobbed like a sea of moons over empty chairs. Two long tables were covered in platters of picked over food along with a mess of dishes and plastic cups and bottles, abandoned and forgotten. The tablecloths fluttered and snapped in the warm night breeze. An ominous welcome.

My mind ticked through the possibilities. I doubted Catch was here over his ex. That shit was done. Jill was an official Jack’s old lady now, and he’d been good about visiting his kid without any incidents for the past few months. In fact, he’d been taking extra time off recently to come to Meager and spend more time with his daughter. But during that time, Catch had disappeared early at three different parties back in Nebraska, and I’d noticed he’d been ignoring the girls he usually favored. I figured it had to be a new woman, but one he didn’t want to bring around to the club.

This smelled familiar.

My body pressing through the battering, icy wind, my pulse beating hot and wild at the sight of the“Welcome To Illinois The Land of Lincoln”sign.

Staring at her profile in a movie theater, her hand in the popcorn, mine between her legs.

Breathless kisses in musty hotel room beds, desperate poundings against bathroom tile.

Urgent whispers sweeping away nightmares.

Every chance I got I’d run off to Chicago to be with Serena. Had Catch found a woman here in Meager? If he was keeping her a secret from us, was it some woman connected to the Jacks?

Me, Drac, and Slade headed into the Jack’s clubhouse. We passed through a dimly lit hallway and reached a noisy main room filled with men and women. All eyes turned to me, and the noise instantly died down. My appearance was obviously a total surprise and not a good one. Their shock, uneasiness, irritation was another rush of caffeine in my blood. I took in a breath, savoring the pulse.

“Where the fuck is Jump, and don’t make me wait.” My voice boomed through the space.

People scattered, others froze. Across the room, I zeroed in on Tania standing next to Grace, and I raised my chin at her. Tania’s shoulders dropped a fraction, but her body visibly tensed. She was relieved to see me yet remained anxious as hell.

Jump moved toward me, a hard smirk on his face. The host of tonight’s festivities was clearly enjoying himself.

I didn’t give him a chance to open his mouth. I didn’t want explanations just yet. I wanted to make sure my bro was okay.

“Where’s Catch?” I said. A demand, not a question. The room cleared quickly.

“You don’t teach your boys any manners?” One side of Jump’s thick lips curled under that full beard and mustache. Still the arrogant prick.

Fuck, I hate this asshole.

Time hadn’t erased the venom seeping through my blood at the sight of him, the sound of his voice, his inciting turns of phrase. For now though, I would be the diplomat.

“This is unfortunate,” I said.

“Unfortunate?” Jump said on a growl, shooting Butler a smug you-hearing-this-shit-I-told-you-so look.

The party was over between those two.

I eyed Butler. “I need to see Catch. Take me to him.”

I also wanted to get Butler alone to drill his ass about all this.

Jump let out a rumbly grunt at my dismissal of him. With a sharp slant of his head, Butler led the way, taking me to a basement holding cell where Catch was being held. On the metal stairwell leading underground, Butler slowed his pace.

“How’d you know he was here? Who told you?” he asked.

“Tania.”

He stopped on the bottom stair, his stark blue eyes round. “Tania?”

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