“Then he’ll live.”
She couldn’t help but smile, not just because he was being perversely sweet, but because her fingers had finally touched cold steel. “Thank you.”
“Pleasure, sweetheart. But I should let you know, he will suffer. I have zero tolerance for violence against women.”
Too late, she saw the danger in their intimate exchange.
Leo pushed himself up, dislodging Jagger’s hand, his eyes narrowed and his face twisted into a mask of fury. “What the fuck? What. The. Fuck? You got something going on with the fucking president of the enemy, Vexy? You would dare betray Viper and the Jacks?”
Arianne wrapped her hand around the grip of the gun and gritted her teeth. “There’s nothing between us, Leo.”
“Doesn’t look like nothing to me.” He wrenched himself away from Jagger, then staggered back, out of reach. “Daughter or not, Viper’s gonna show you no fucking mercy. Nothing he hates more than betrayal, and you’ve dished him up a double dose.”
“Daughter?” Jagger stilled, his face smoothing to an expressionless mask. “You’re Viper’s daughter?”
“Unfortunately.” Arianne slid her finger through the trigger, her gaze now fixed on the bigger threat—the man who had gone from kind to killer in a heartbeat.
“No fucking way in hell.”
“You got the ‘hell’ part right,” she said.
“Wait until Viper hears about this.” Leo cast a quick glance behind him, where the Jacks now outnumbered the Sinners two to one, then turned back to Arianne, his eyes black with rage. “All that fuss about putting out for me, and after one night, you’re spreading your legs for the damn Sinners.”
Arianne’s lips curled in disgust. He felt no remorse for what he’d done to an innocent sixteen-year old girl, only regret that he hadn’t finished the job. Her free hand closed around an empty glass, and in one swift movement, she lifted it and threw it at his head. “Go to hell.”
And he almost did. With a bellow of rage, Jagger let loose. He smashed his fist into Leo’s face, and within minutes, they had joined the brawl.
Wood cracked and glass shattered. Chairs and tables splintered under heavy bodies. Jacks and Sinners fought without restraint and totally without mercy. Poor Banks. He’d only just finished with the renovations. This was all because of her.
Another crash. A scream. A mug sailed across the bar.
Goddamn outlaw bikers. No respect for people or property. She’d managed to live almost a normal life for the last three years, and suddenly she was in the thick of it again—all because she’d tried to stop Jeff from making the biggest mistake of his life. And failed.
Through the frenzy of fists and the maelstrom of violence, she could feel Jagger’s gaze on her, whether out of concern or anger she didn’t know. But she couldn’t stay. Not now. Not when Leo thought she’d betrayed the Black Jacks. Not when Jagger knew the truth about who she was and would likely try to capture her again.
For the briefest time, desire, so fleeting, had danced on the tip of her tongue. Hope had burned bright in her soul. She should have known it wouldn’t last. Her father’s taint destroyed everything good in her life. Even the promise of something that could never be.
She yanked the gun from the drawer and backed up to the stockroom door. Then she turned and ran.
SEVEN
The president is the sole representative of the club in all matters of public relations.
Fuck. Jagger caught sight of the swinging stockroom door just as Leo charged.
He easily sidestepped the assault and retaliated with a left uppercut. The back of Leo’s head slammed into the wall and blood sprayed from his nose. More satisfying, however, was the pleasing crunch of cartilage under Jagger’s knuckles.
Leo howled. “You’ll fucking pay for this.”
Undeterred, Jagger continued to pummel the bastard. What had he done to Arianne? Whatever it was, his brave vixen had turned sheet white, her reaction triggering his protective instincts and calling forth the darkness that he always kept tightly leashed. Now that side of him thirsted for the chance to exact vengeance on someone who deserved what was coming to him. It had been too long.
Just as the last five days had been too long.
Despite his best efforts, long runs with Max, and even longer workouts in the gym, Jagger hadn’t been able to get the little temptress out of his head. The meeting with the Devil Dogs had been a perfect excuse. Who would have known it would turn into a test of their courage and loyalty?