Page 23 of Hell on Wheels

“Coming,” I grumbled, slipping from the bed and tugging on my jeans. When I opened the door, Patriot didn’t look happy.

“We’ve got company at the front gate.”

Fuck. He didn’t have to say who showed up. I knew.

Any lingering fatigue I felt immediately disappeared. “Angel?”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

“Understood.” I turned to grab the rest of my clothes and belongings when Patriot’s hand landed on my shoulder.

“Spoke to Grim last night. You’re family to me, which means you’re also family to the club. We’ve got your back. You’re not alone, Maddog.”

Maddog. The moniker my Marine brothers had called me since the early days back in boot camp.

Shit. I fought hard not to show the surge of emotion that followed his words. For a guy who lost almost everything defending his country, watched his buddies die, and then suffered significant wounds only to return home to no one and nothing but time and long nights alone, this was a lot to process. My old man died when I was serving overseas. My mother passed away when I was a little kid. The girlfriend I thought loved me had already hooked up with another guy and ditched my ass before I arrived at the airport.

I had no one until now.

“Gather your gear and meet me out front. The girl stays with Snooki.”

Patriot spun on his heel and strode down the hall as I walked up to the bed fast and yanked back the covers. Lark was blinking the last remnants of sleep from her eyes.

“I need to take care of something, little dove. Need you to remain here. Snooki will stay with you.”

She bolted upright in the bed, and I knew my vague orders didn’t fool her. “Angel is here.”

I didn’t confirm or deny it. “I’ll be back soon.”

Lark’s hands lifted as she scrambled to her knees, and she held my face as her lips met mine. “Come back to me.”

She didn’t beg or argue, plead with me to stay, or try to stop me. This woman understood what I had to do and didn’t try to change my mind. She was so damn perfect, even with her scars. Lark was ol’ lady material, and I wasn’t even a member of this club. Someone would snatch her sexy ass up in a heartbeat, and that shit made me feel a rage I didn’t expect. It was too fucking soon to be thinking about any of this.

“Kane, let’s go,” I ordered, nibbling at Lark’s mouth before I kissed her again and then rose, leaving the room without a backward glance.

Kane whimpered when we left Lark behind, and I knew he sensed something was up. He was intuitive and never failed to surprise me. My dog’s senses were keen. Kane was fiercely protective. He stuck close to my side while his ears flattened against his head. Kane growled at anyone who stepped close, feeling the tension and responding as his training dictated.

Patriot flanked me on the left as Grim approached and stood on my right. The gate remained closed, but I could see Angel Mackenzie as he stood with a handful of thugs from the Guerrero Cartel. Did his uncle Salazar know what his nephew planned? Was he looking to start a war with the Royal Bastards MC?

Seemed foolish to me.

“Amigo, we meet again.” Angel’s gaze flicked to mine, but he ticked his chin toward Grim. “I have no quarrel with the Royal Bastards. I simply came for my merchandise.”

My back stiffened with his crude description of Lark. Patriot glanced in my direction and gave a slight shake of his head. He didn’t want me to react before his pres tried to calm Angel down.

Grim folded his arms across his chest. “That’s a little hard to accept when your men are pointing guns at my compound.”

Angel waved a hand, and the weapons lowered. I caught sight of his bandaged palm and the stiff leg he wobbled on, sneering when I noticed. Such a shame. Maybe he shouldn’t be beating women, and then karma wouldn’t have to teach his arrogant ass a lesson.

“I wonder how he knew I was here,” I mused aloud, lowering my voice so that only Grim and Patriot could hear.

“That was me,” Grim confided. “The longer this goes on, the worse it’s gonna get. I prefer dealing with shit upfront and not dicking around.”

Fair enough.

“I’m not handing Lark over. He’ll torture and then kill her. Not happening.”

Grim squinted into the sunlight and then nodded. “Thought you’d say that.”

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