Sly (Dragon Riders MC Book 5) Page 8

  When I pulled up to the third warehouse, though, I saw something I hadn’t seen at the first two. I saw bike tracks. And they weren’t mine, either. My eyes darted around as I quickly lifted my gun in front of me, but I disregarded the spotlight. I knew how to silence my footsteps. I knew how to make myself invisible. And since I didn’t hear anyone booking it through the woods due to me riding up on my bike, my guess was they were still here.

  Either that or the evidence of them was.

  I breathed in slowly through my nose and out through my mouth as I approached the front door. I held my breath, double-checking the sounds around me to make sure I wasn’t missing anything. Then, I slowly eased the door open.

  Which had already been kicked in by someone else.

  He’s definitely here.

  Inching into the foyer of the massive warehouse, I kept my eyes peeled. I kept my ears trained and tuned into what was going on around me. One false move and I was dead. And that wouldn’t do anyone any favors.

  I resisted the urge to call out, though. To spook whoever the hell it was in this place so I could track their footsteps. I mean, for all I knew, they could be stalking me. Or lying in wait until they had a perfect shot of my fucking head.

  So, I started ducking into the smaller rooms down each hallway.

  I had no idea how long it took me to scour the place, but I couldn't find a damn thing. There were no footprints in the dust on the floor of that place. I didn’t hear anyone talking, moving around, or even breathing. Part of me wondered if the tire tracks were merely a coincidence. Some punk-ass high school kids out here on their daddy’s bike looking for a thrill.

  But my gut knew better.

  “Peekaboo.”

  “Fuck!” I exclaimed.

  I whipped around with my gun hoisted out in front of me before my eyes fell onto him. The person who owned the bike tracks outside.

  It wasn’t the person I was looking for, though.

  “Chains?” I asked.

  He leaned against the wall. “Hello, Sly.”

  I lowered my gun. “The fuck are you doing out here, asshole?”

  He licked his lips. “Could ask you the same thing. Scouting out new territory for your new girls?”

  “What? The fuck you talking about?”

  He sighed. “Don’t make this hard, okay? I know you and your crew are trafficking women.”

  I almost swallowed my fucking tongue. “Uh, the fuck? Where the hell did you get that idea?”

  He snickered. “It’s not an idea, Sly. It’s a theory. And if that’s what you guys are into right now, I can’t be part of this. I can’t be part of a crew that gets themselves into this shit.”

  I scoffed. “You and I both know the truth about you.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “We do?”

  I rolled mine. “Quit acting like we’re stupid. We can smell a Fed a mile away. Your timing was much too coincidental to be anything but.”

  “So, dating my sister was just to get closer to me?”

  “Your sister has nothing to do with this.”

  His nostrils flared with anger. “She better not.”

  I holstered my gun. “Look, I don’t know what the hell you and your buddies believe, but we’re not trafficking anyone. The guy we’re chasing, though? The guy and his crew we’re trying to get off the streets? They’re not just trafficking women. They’re dealing drugs that are flooding our E.R.’s with overdose cases after only one shoot-up.”

  “You got any proof of this?”

  “If I did, why the hell would I give it to such an incompetent agent? You can’t even keep up an undercover sting. What the hell is your purpose if you can’t even do that?”

  He charged me. “You listen here, you little fuck. I don’t give a shit what you and your women-abusing, pathetic little shit-stain friends think. You’re going to stay away from my sister, you got that? She has nothing to do with this.”

  I grinned. “Says the man who brought her to the bar to be protected by us in the first place. You know, your show of good faith?”

  His hand wrapped around my throat. “I should kill you, you know.”

  I smiled deviously. “Go ahead. I’m sure your cop friends would love something like that.”

  “No one would miss you if you went missing off the streets.”

  “Pretty sure your sister would think otherwise.”

  He started squeezing. “Mention her one more time and see what happens.”

  I gasped for air. “If you wanted to kill me, you already would have. Or did you fail your course training, too?”

  He slammed me into a wall. “Say that to my face!”

  I leaned closer to him. “I. Just. Did.”

  I was ready for him. I wanted to take a chunk out of this asshole before tossing him to the fucking dogs. But a roaring sound in the distance caught my ear. It twitched, and I watched the anger melt right off Chains’ face.

  “It’s getting closer,” he said softly.

  I tried to clear my throat. “You wanna let go of me now?”

  His hand fell. “Yeah, yeah. Uh, who else knows you’re out here?”

  I shrugged. “The guys know I’m eventually hitting up this place. I haven’t been in contact with them since we headed out to search these places, though. Why?”

  He eyed me curiously. “And why were you guys searching these warehouses?”

  “You mean, you and your guys haven’t figured it out yet? Wow. And I thought the crew wasn’t as efficient sometimes.”

  “Shh-shh-shh-shh.”

  The roaring of the bike engine grew louder until I realized why the sound seemed so off. The roar wrapped around the building. It was coming from all angles, not just one.

  And when I felt the wall against my back shivering with the onslaught, I reached for my weapon.

  “Don’t you dare,” Chains warned.

  I glared at him. “We’re about to be ambushed by the crew you should be looking for. Skeleton, and his crew, the Golden Jagoffs.”

  He blinked. “Are they really called that?”

  “It’s what we call them.”

  He snickered. “All right. Let’s assume you’re right.”

  “You know damn good and well I’m right.”

  “Let’s just say you are, okay? How the fuck are we going to defend ourselves when it’s just us?”

  The roaring of the engines ceased. “Shh. Be quiet.”

  His voice lowered. “You still haven’t answered my—”

  I clapped my hand over his mouth before chastising him with my eyes. Then, I took his hand and dragged him into the nearest room. I knew that if something happened to him in my presence, Tara would blame me for it. And I didn’t want that on my conscience. I didn’t like the son of a bitch for what he was doing, but that didn’t mean he deserved to die.

  Then, I heard the voice I expected to hear when I saw those bike tracks outside.

  “Search every room. I know they’re here,” Skeleton said.

  “Who’s that?” Chains whispered.

  I continued the trend. “Skeleton. He’s the boss.”

  “Do you have any evidence connecting them to the trafficking ring?”

  I shrugged. “None that’s admissible in court.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Great.”

  Skeleton started taunting us. “Come out, come out, wherever you aaaare. Daddy’s got some caaaaaandy.”

  Chains wrinkled his nose. “Ew.”

  Welcome to the fold, asswipe.

  “Hiding really isn’t going to be any use to you guys,” Skeleton said.

  Chains shook his head. “I really wanna put a bullet in this guy’s head.”

  I grinned. “You and me both.”

  Skeleton’s footsteps fell down our hallway. “It’s a pity, though, knowing we’ll have to coat this place in blood. This place served us well when we were here. Pity.”

  “Just keep talking,” Chains whispered softly.

  Skeleton grew closer. “Se
e, so many people think I’m an idiot. Just some dumb guy plucking up women and selling them off to the highest bidder. It takes a genius to make it all work in tandem, though. The drugs. The women. The locations. Washing the money. It really is a process.”

  Chains shook his head. “This is golden.”

  I peeked over at him. “It’s our death sentence. He wouldn’t be saying any of this if he intended to leave us alive. The hell kind of Fed are you?”

  He narrowed his eyes. “A trained one.”

  Skeleton’s voice appeared just beyond the door. “You know I can hear you whispering, right?”

  Before we had a chance to react, the door burst open and slammed directly into my face. Something warm trickled down my lips as I cried out in pain, holding my nose with my hand. God damn it, I knew it was broken. But I couldn't see straight with the tears rising up in my eyes.

  “Chains?” I murmured.

  “Come here,” a voice growled.

  Punched were thrown and cursing filling the corners of the room as I fought off the man trying to hold me hostage. I whipped around and broke his nose as recompense for my own, then I searched the room for Chains. I didn’t see him, though.

  However, there was more tussling in the hallway.

  “Chains!” I exclaimed.

  “Run, Sly! Run!” he roared.

  With my gun in my hand, I plucked the other gun off the guy with the broken nose that was knocked out cold on the floor. Then, with both guns in front of me, I eased my way down the hallway. Boots scuffled along the floor as groans and gasps for air filled my ears. They weren’t trying to take me. They were trying to take Chains.

  Which meant they knew a hell of a lot more than we thought.

  “Chains!” I bellowed.

  “You’re coming with me,” someone growled.

  I turned around without a second thought and pumped three rounds into the chest of the asshole behind me. And after he dropped like a sack of potatoes, a door slammed in the distance. I took off running, knowing damn good and well that I needed to return with Chains.

  But when I burst out the back door, a bike struck up in the front yard.

  “It was a fucking distraction,” I hissed.

  As quickly as my feet would run, I tore back through the warehouse. I barreled out the front door, trying to ignore the pain in my face. But all too soon, three motorcycles skidded their tires onto the road and raced off. I holstered my gun and slid the stolen one behind my back. I threw my leg over my bike and cranked up the engine, determined to go after them.

  But the pain wafting up my neck was too much to bear.

  And the tears threatening to pour down my face blurred my vision too much.

  “Shit,” I whispered.

  You have to go after them. Tara will never forgive me if I don’t.

  My men need me, though. I have to report back.

  If I want any chance with Tara, though, she needs her brother back.

  They know he’s a Fed. They’ll kill him the second they get a chance.

  The guys would tell me to abandon it, though.

  But Tara…

  And as I lifted my eyes back to the road, striking up the engine of my bike, I knew what I had to do.

  Even if it cost me my leather cut in the process.

  12

  Tara

  Joanna gasped. “Do you hear that?”

  I trained my ear toward the window before the dull roar off in the distance grew with intensity.

  “It’s Sly. That has to be Sly,” Hannah whispered.

  “Shh,” I hissed.

  The girls giggled as I stared out the window like a child waiting for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. The girls told me all night that Sly would show back up. That he’d come back for me. That he’d come back to apologize and try to make up for the time we lost. I didn't believe them, though. Sly didn’t strike me as the apologizing type.

  But as I watched him pull into the parking lot, I realized he was definitely the boomerang type.

  As in, he came back when he needed to.

  “How do I look?” I asked.

  Hope reached over and started messing with my hair. “There we go. Let her out of the booth. Come on, girls. She’s got a man to catch!”

  Joanna slid over. “We’ll give you guys some space and slip out. But you need to promise to tell us all about it tomorrow over lunch. Okay?”

  I smiled. “Looking forward to it. I’ll see you guys around noon.”

  “See you then, lovergirl!”

  The door of the bar burst open and I watched my man storm through the doors. He looked powerful in his leather jacket and that scowl on his face. His eyes, so determined. His walk, so pointed. A grin slid across my cheeks as his eyes connected with mine. He strode straight for the booth as the girls headed for the alley exit at the corner of the bar. No doubt, though, they’d be listening in on as much as they could.

  But when Sly got closer to me, I saw his broken nose.

  “What happened?” I asked.

  I heard the girls shushing one another softly in the corner as I studied Sly’s face. The wrinkle of his brow and the flaring of his nostrils. The way he cocked himself, poised as if he were ready for a fight. My blood stilled in my veins. I ripped my phone out of my pocket to see if Ben had called or texted, but I didn’t have anything.

  And my brother should have been blowing up my phone since I hadn’t been back to the apartment all day.

  “It’s Ben, isn’t it?” I asked softly.

  Sly’s eyes twitched. “That’s his real name?”

  “Save it, you know who he is. Now, where is he?”

  He gripped my upper arms. “I need you to know that I’m going to get him back.”

  Joanna sounded behind me. “Get him back from who?”

  Hannah, too. “What are you talking about?”

  Hope cleared her throat. “Where are the guys?”

  Simone stepped up to my side. “What happened, Sly? Start dishing.”

  His eyes held mine. “Your brother’s been taken by Skeleton and his crew.”

  The girls gasped as my heart seized in its chest. I wanted to ask him to repeat what he said. I wanted to ask for clarification. But I couldn't move. Ben had been abducted? By the crew doing all of this shit in the first place?

  “Oh, no,” I whispered.

  Sly cupped my cheek. “I’m going after him, Tara. I’m going to get him back.”

  Simone linked her arm with mine. “You need to inform the guys. Do the guys know?”

  Joanna cleared her throat. “Please, tell me Link knows.”

  Sly shook his head. “I’m going to brief the guys once I get back out to my bike. My first priority was finding you and letting you know, though, Tara. I didn’t want you finding out from anyone else.”

  My wits finally came back to me. “How do you know he was taken if the other guys don’t?”

  Sly slid his thumb against my cheek. “I was there when it happened.”

  I stepped back. “And you didn’t stop it?”

  Hannah eased me back in his direction. “It’s not his fault he was taken.”

  My eyes held Sly’s face. “Still, though. You were there. Did you want him to be taken?”

  Sly furrowed his brow. “What? No!”

  I pointed up at him. “Don’t you dare lie to me. I know he’s at risk. I know his job puts him there. And I know he was an intrusion to this group. Did you let him get taken? Tell me the truth.”

  “I’d never hurt you like that.”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  He snickered. “I don’t care what the fuck you believe. I didn’t let him get taken. We were overpowered. They came up on us in an instant, almost like they expected us to be there. And before I knew it, they dragged him away and he shouted at me to run.”

  “Run.”

  “Yes.”

  “My brother told you to run?”

  He cupped my other cheek, still gazing into my eyes. “Yes, Tara
. He did. Your brother saved me, and it’s probably the only thing that’s going to save his ass.”

  I paused. “Why?”

  Simone squeezed my hand. “Because Sly can now tell the guys what happened, and they can go get him. Right?”

  However, Sly didn’t answer.

  “Right?” I asked curtly.

  He licked his lips. “I’m going after him, yes. But I don’t know if the other guys are going to, given the situation.”

  Joanna stepped up to my other side. “You mean because he’s an agent?”

  Sly’s eyes whipped over to her. “How the hell do you know that?”

  Hope giggled. “Girl time, buddy. You wouldn’t know anything about it.”

  He pointed behind me. “You told them about your brother, but you didn’t tell me?”

  Genuine hurt flashed behind his eyes and I wondered what kind of damage my choices had already caused everyone.

  They deserve better than me.

  Joanna held out her hand. “How about instead of constantly blaming people, we try to find her brother. Yeah?”

  I nodded. “Yeah. We need to get him back. Especially if—”

  I couldn't even bring myself to say it. What if this other crew knew my brother was an undercover agent? What if they took him for that specific purpose? I mean why else would they leave Sly behind and take just my brother?

  “Tara, look at me.”

  I shook my head. “No. I can’t.”

  Sly gripped my chin. “Then, let me help.”

  He lifted my watery face up to his before he brushed my tears away with his knuckles.

  “Too pretty to be crying on me,” he murmured.

  Hannah giggled. “Awww, that’s sweet.”

  “Shh,” Joanna said curtly.

  I swallowed hard. “Please, get him back. He’s all the family I’ve got.”

  Sly shook his head. “No, he’s not.”

  Simone rubbed my back. “He’s right. You've got us now.”

  Tears slipped down my neck. “What if they kill him?”

  Sly wrapped me up in his strong embrace. “That isn’t happening. I won’t allow it to happen, okay? You have my word.”

  I gripped his shirt and cried as hard as I’d ever cried in my life. The whole of my life was crumbling from beneath me and I was helpless to stop it. First, losing my job. Then, losing my own place. Then, I had to come back home with my tail tucked between my legs and move in with my wildly successful brother, only to have him ripped away from me?