Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 42479 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 212(@200wpm)___ 170(@250wpm)___ 142(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42479 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 212(@200wpm)___ 170(@250wpm)___ 142(@300wpm)
Fuck.
Kane was right. The priority had to be making sure Riley was safe, secure, and completely cleared of any wrongdoing.
“Fine,” I finally agreed. “We’ll handle it your way. Strike a deal.”
Kane nodded, satisfied with my response. “Good. I’ll arrange the meeting for tomorrow. Until then, keep an eye on her. And try not to make her too angry in the process.”
I exhaled, shaking my head as Kane left, leaving me alone to deal with the restless frustration that tightened in my chest. Riley was carrying my child and sharing my home. Nothing mattered more than protecting her trust, even if it meant handling this situation differently than my instincts preferred.
I’d do absolutely anything to ensure she stayed exactly where she belonged. Safe, secure, and completely mine.
The next day, Kane, Edge, and I led our bikes out of town, flanked closely by Century and the rest of the club’s enforcers—Jax, Raze, Piston, Fury, and Wrench. We’d chosen a neutral spot, an empty parking lot several miles out from Crossbend’s main roads. It was far enough away from prying eyes and local cops that we could handle business without interruption if things turned sideways.
I felt every ounce of the tension humming beneath my skin as we approached, the constant awareness of Riley’s safety the top priority in my mind.
As we rolled into the parking lot, several men waited for us, clustered together near a pair of parked SUVs. I scanned them quickly, assessing their positions, stances, and numbers, noting immediately that if things escalated, they’d be seriously outmatched. Even at a glance, they didn’t look prepared for a fight—at least not against the Redline Kings.
Kane led the way, his expression cold and utterly unreadable as he climbed off his Harley and stepped forward, with Edge and me flanking closely behind him. The three of us approached the two men who had separated themselves from their group, the leaders of this little crew.
The taller of the two men cleared his throat, visibly uneasy beneath Kane’s ruthless stare. He glanced briefly at me, eyes wary as he shifted his weight, clearly aware of the lethal reputation of the Redline Kings. The second man, shorter but broader, spoke first, his voice cautious, careful not to provoke more than necessary. “First off, let’s just get something clear—we had no idea the girl belonged to Gauge. If we’d known Riley was your woman, we wouldn’t have approached her.”
I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest as I fixed the man with an unblinking stare. “Save the bullshit. It’s obvious Shawn whined about our visit with him. If you’re gonna start off this meeting by showing us we can’t trust your word, things are gonna get real uncomfortable real fast. Don’t lie to us again.”
The man opened his mouth as if to argue, then seemed to think better of it, exchanging a tense glance with his partner instead.
Kane shifted slightly, commanding their attention. He leveled them with a dangerous look, making it clear that this conversation wasn’t open to negotiation. “That’s the only warning you’re gonna get. We came here ready to make a deal. If you waste our time or bullshit us again, it’s gonna end badly for you. Let’s make sure we’re clear about that from the start.”
Both men swallowed visibly, shifting their gazes to the Kings standing behind us, who watched the exchange without expression. No threats were spoken, but the implicit message radiated clearly. Every brother there was fully prepared to back up Kane’s words, and these men knew exactly what would happen if they chose the wrong response. Tension thickened the air, and silence settled heavily between us as we waited for their next words, each of us fully aware that Riley’s safety rested firmly on the outcome of this meeting.
The two men exchanged quick, wary glances, weighing the severity of the consequences Kane had just spelled out. Neither of them appeared eager to risk retaliation from the Redline Kings, which was exactly the reaction we expected.
Finally, the taller one, took charge and nodded. Holding his hands up in a gesture of cautious agreement, his tone was still tense but respectful enough not to provoke us further. “Okay, we hear you loud and clear. Your woman is off limits. Whatever you need to do with the evidence, you go ahead. We’re out. You have our word.”
“Good. You’ll stay far away from Riley and anything to do with the Redline Kings’ territory or our races,” Kane reiterated, making sure every detail was understood clearly. “If we hear even a whisper about you or your people sniffing around our operations again, there won’t be a second conversation. Do you understand?”
The men nodded, visibly uncomfortable beneath Kane’s ruthless gaze.
“We understand,” the shorter man replied, speaking for the first time. “We’ll steer clear of your territory. You have our assurance that this issue won’t resurface.”