At one time, the Road Kingz had made bikers quiver in fear. It had been a long time since then, and most of the members had aged or ended up in prison. Before Hennessy had taken over, the Predators would have struck the Road Kingz’ clubhouse and stolen her back before they would have been able to retaliate. However, Hennessy being there made it more difficult.
Without him, the Road Kingz were like a snake with its head cut off—useless.
To give Hennessy credit, he had begun restoring the club’s reputation with fights that had made the news. Jackal had actually been surprised when he had checked out the Road Kingz that Hennessy wasn’t still in prison.
“Like I said, Ice is willing to make it worthwhile to the club. The Predators would even be willing to get Rita to clean the clubhouse.” Getting rid of Rita would be a bonus for both Ice and him. He had made the mistake of using her to take his anger out on Penni. Now the bitch thought she was his lady, despite his angry protests.
Jackal could see the Road Kingz were tempted by the offer. Colt, Arkansas was a rural county. It couldn’t be easy to find women to become club whores.
“You’re sure there won’t be any blow back?”
Jackal nodded. “Ice said he would give his word.”
“Fine. You can have her back next Sunday.”
Jackal felt his victory slipping out of his grasp. “That’s not going to work for Ice.”
“That’s the deal, the only one you’re going to get,” Hennessey stated. “Count yourself lucky. That bitch is a pain in the ass.”
Jackal took a step forward, his eyes narrowing malevolently at the men surrounded him. “Then we’re going to have a problem.”
“The only one with a problem is the Predators. Get his ass out of here,” Hennessy ordered the soldier he had punched.
The soldier didn’t hesitate. Reaching out, he took Jackal’s shoulder, shoving him in the back. Jackal spun, breaking the restraining hold before the others could interfere. Placing his arm around his neck, Jackal put him in a choke-hold, holding his head to the side.
“I’ll snap his fucking neck if they don’t back off.”
Hennessy didn’t move. “Hell, you’ll be doing me a favor.”
He might not care, but his men did. Jackal saw the discord brewing among the others in the club.
“I told you I was doing you a solid.” Jackal made sure Hennessy knew the repercussions if he didn’t listen to reason. “Brother, you’ve stepped into a pile of dog shit, and I’m trying to help you scrape it off before you get buried in it.”
“Let Apoc go. I’m not talking until you do.”
“I thought you didn’t care.”
“I don’t, but Cruz is getting ready to put a bullet in that big head of yours. If you want me to listen, I suggest you let him go.”
Jackal tossed Apoc toward the Road Kingz, and two men moved toward him, but Hennessy motioned them back.
“You remember King?”
This time, Jackal got the reaction he wanted. Fear entered Hennessy’s eyes.
“What about him?”
“Penni is under King’s protection.” She would be if Ice called him.
“Then why didn’t he call me?” Hennessy was no fool.
“I knew, if I called King to ask you to release Penni, you would be a dead man.”
Hennessy stared at him doubtfully. King didn’t bother himself in other people’s business unless there was a profit to be made. Jackal would have to give him the partial truth while protecting King’s secret.
“King is friends with Penni’s brother.”
“Does this bitch know everybody?” Finally, Hennessy’s frustration was beginning to show. Penni did have that effect on men, which was why Jackal had taken his time to try to charm Penni into his bed.
Jackal had used his contacts to find out any information on her. With the exception of her parents, she only had one brother. Her parents were an open book, working nine-to-five jobs, while her brother was a different story.
Shade was shrouded in mystery with little or no information available. Fortunately for King, who had wanted to know everything about his son-in-law, Jackal knew how to pay for the information he needed. Shade had entered the Navy at eighteen and stayed there until he had finished his tour. That was his official record. His unofficial record was buried and attainable only to those who had the clearance to see the carnage he was capable off.
Shade was an assassin who took out his targets without leaving a trace. He demanded a high fee for his expertise, but Jackal didn’t think many of the recent deaths were contracted. Those had been done for free, enemies of The Last Riders.
The part that had made the hair on the back of his neck stand up was his psychological report, performed when he had applied to the Navy SEALs. Jackal considered himself fucked up, but Shade was seriously fucked. At least he knew he had issues. Shade, on the other hand, didn’t care. Shade was an unemotional bastard with only one weakness—Lily.