“Don’t you touch my brother.” Casey lunged for the photograph in Jackal’s hand. He handed Ice the picture before he grabbed Casey’s arms, pinning them to her sides.
“Max told me you didn’t give a shit about any repercussions for Renee. From the look on your face in this picture, I don’t think you want to see your pretty brother’s face destroyed, do you?”
“Stay away from Cole!” Casey screamed.
Ice dropped the picture onto the floor and smashed it with his boot. “Then don’t make me. Stay the fuck out of club business and away from the cops, or I’m going to go looking for him, and I will find him.”
Casey jerked away from Jackal, going to her knees to pick up the mangled picture and shaking off the broken glass before regaining her feet.
“You win. Cole has nothing to do with this.”
“Good. Then I see we understand each other. I’m willing to let bygones be bygones this time. Don’t make me regret my generosity.”
Once she gave a sharp nod, Max took her to the elevator. Neither one talked as they went outside to his motorcycle and Max sat on his bike.
“Get on.”
She climbed on behind him, still holding the picture in her hand as they rode out of the warehouse. Max didn’t bother with the blindfold. It was obvious Casey would do what it took to keep the Predators away from Cole.
He drove her to her apartment. When she climbed off and started to walk away, he stopped her.
“Casey, Ice wasn’t bluffing.” Max refused to feel any sympathy for the woman who had fucked him and betrayed him in the same night.
“I know he wasn’t,” she said before running to the steps that led to her apartment.
Max backed out of the parking spot, riding back toward the clubhouse. He dreaded walking through the clubhouse doors for the first time since he had become a member. It was because of his screw-ups that Casey had managed to find out about the club’s private accounts. Ice wasn’t going to let either him or Casey off the hook as easily as he had pretended.
There was always hell to pay when you betrayed a Predator.
* * *
Max found the brothers waiting for him inside the clubhouse.
“Ice, I’m sorry, brother. I fucked up.”
The president of the Predators set his beer down on the counter. The impassive face Ice had presented to Casey was gone.
“I want you to find out exactly why that bitch did what she did.”
Max nodded, not about to argue with a furious Ice.
“I want you to use her the way she used you and the club. When you’re done with her, toss her ass to the other brothers to use. Our asses would all be sitting in jail if Jackal hadn’t rigged that silent alarm to the office door.”
“I know.”
“I don’t give a fuck how you do it, but I want that bitch paid back for what she did!”
“I’ll take care of it, Ice. I swear on my oath that I’ll make her my bitch, and she’ll regret betraying us.”
“See that you do, Max. She made fools of us. We were too complacent, and that’s on us all. If she does it again, it’s all on you.”
Chapter 13
Casey entered her apartment, closing the door behind her before leaning back against it. She was still in disbelief over being released without being hurt.
“It’s a relief to see they let you go.”
She jumped when the man stood from her living room couch.
“No thanks to you or the police!” Her panicked gaze watched as Fisk Delaney’s eyes ran over her. She assumed he was looking for bruises or marks.
“I take it you were caught?”
“Yes, they found me when I was downloading the information from the computer. It’s over. They have everything. I can’t help you anymore. You need to get out and stay away from me in the future. You’ll have to find someone else to help bring the Predators down. I’m out of it from now on.”
“It’s not that easy, Casey.” Fisk took a step toward her.
“Yes, it is.” Casey moved to the side, opening her door.
“I’ll leave, but when you change your mind, call me.”
She placed her hands on her hips. “Why would I call? You’ve proven that no one can help me. I should have done what I always do and taken care of the problem myself.”
Fisk shook his head. “You can’t handle this alone.”
“Watch me.”
“We will.” Fisk stopped in the doorway. “I wish it could have gone down better for you.”
“So do I.” Casey turned her face from him, not wanting his sympathy.
The door closing allowed her to focus on the destruction that had taken place in her apartment since her absence. Every piece of furniture had been destroyed. Fisk had been sitting on the only salvageable couch cushion. The bedroom was even worse than the living room. She would have to get new furniture, which she couldn’t afford.