Wolf? She’d always wondered why Jimmy let her go and how she’d gotten off as easily as she had. For months she’d been unable to sleep, terrified she’d wake up with a knife against her throat. Although taking her children away had hurt her worse than any physical pain.
“That’s when I knew Wolf had to go,” he continued. “So I could make this club great again—the kind of club that doesn’t leave a brother hanging out to dry when he’s been humiliated by a fucking bitch, the kind of club my dad ran. So I went to Viper. I told him Wolf was weak and he wasn’t committed to joining the Jacks. I told him I’d bring him the whole club as a support club if he helped me win the election. Viper wanted more. He wanted puppets to do his dirty work, recruiters to increase his numbers. I had no problem with that. Got me closer to the big man himself.”
“You went to Viper on your own? That’s treason.”
“I got my supporters. Brothers who were tired of Wolf taking the teeth out of this club. And my pal Matchstick, up in Demon Spawn, he hated the Sinners. Fucking Sinners forced his club to be a support club. I recruited them for Viper and in return he helped me steal the weapons Wolf had hidden up in Whitefish, and put me in touch with a buyer. Viper told me to use what I needed to pay off Wolf’s supporters first. I hid the money at Shelly-Ann’s place in case any of the brothers started asking questions, and then she got her greedy paws on it. Viper almost killed me. Told me to find it. Shelly-Ann sent me after you.” He reached for his belt buckle and Dawn tensed. Jimmy’s belt had many uses aside from holding up his jeans, and all of them involved pain.
“Viper came through in a big way.” Jimmy yanked the belt through his belt loops with a sharp crack. “Even got me outta jail. He’s got connections everywhere. The Jacks got puppet members in clubs all over the state. They got cops, senators, judges, lawyers, and government officials in their pocket. Those Sinners are going down, not just in the state but nationwide.”
He doubled the belt and slapped his palm. Dawn steeled herself not to flinch. Confusion flickered across his face, and then he narrowed his eyes.
“When I said no one is coming to save you, love, I meant it. No Cade, no Sinners, no deputy. You’re on your own. It’s you and me and a clubhouse full of Brethren just waiting for a share of what I’m gonna use and throw away. So don’t pretend you’re not scared, when we both know you are.”
Dawn drew in a ragged breath when he closed the distance between them, the belt dangling from his hand. “Can’t you see how he’s used you? How he’s going to use you? Wolf saw it. That’s why he came to the Sinners when Viper started sniffing around. Once Viper does you a favor, he owns you forever.”
“Shut the fuck up.” He grabbed her hair with his free hand and pulled her forward. “We’re gonna have some fun with my belt. Just like old times. Then you’ll remember to keep your mouth shut. No one gives a damn what you think. You’re a fucking woman. You don’t know dick about club business.”
Dawn fell to her knees, desperate to keep him talking so she could think her way out. There had to be a way. “Why kill Wolf? If the Jacks were backing you, and Wolf’s loyalty was called into question when you were arrested at the party, you were guaranteed to win the election. You didn’t need to kill him.”
“You’re as stupid now as you were before.” Yanking her hair, he forced her to turn to the bed. “Because of fucking Shelly-Ann, I didn’t have enough money to pay off all the senior patch. And then the Sinners threw that damn party, and won over most of the brothers who had been on the fence. Even some of the brothers I’d paid off started talking about how a patch-over to the Sinners would be a good thing. I told Viper what was going on. He didn’t want to take any chances. He told me what to do and I did it.”
“Oh God, Jimmy.”
He pushed her over the bed. “God’s not gonna help you now.”
*
Cade didn’t knock before he entered Jagger’s office. Instead, he slammed open the door.
Jagger looked from his desk. “Did you find her?”
His chest constricted and it took a moment before he could speak. “She’s at the Brethren clubhouse. I’ve spent the night doing all the recon I can do. I have a plan to go in. I’ll need at least twenty, maybe thirty brothers with me.”
Jagger rubbed his forehead, and in that moment Cade knew something was very wrong.
“What’s up?”
“Mad Dog just called. He wants to meet. Says he’s interested in hearing the details of the deal I offered to Wolf.”