“You two shut the fuck up.” Bunny’s mouth thinned in a stubborn line. “I’m not interested in getting involved in a family feud. I’m also not interested in anything to do with Jagger’s girl. I want her outta here. Now.”
A spasm of irritation crossed Axle’s face. “Christ. It’s not like he’s ever going to find out. And I want this, too. I want her gone. I want her to suffer. I want her to pay for getting me kicked out of the club. This is the perfect solution.”
“Yeah, if I’m tired of living.” Sarcasm laced Bunny’s tone.
Jeff gave a disdainful sniff. “If you aren’t afraid of Viper, why the fuck are you afraid of Jagger?”
“If you gotta ask that question, then you don’t know nothin’ about business,” Bunny said. “I got such powerful backers, I’m not afraid of any local MC. I coulda had them wipe out Jagger’s MC in one night as payback for what he did. But I’m not stupid. Lotta bikers in Montana who look up to Jagger and they give me good business. I don’t want to damage my reputation. He made it clear that this is his woman. I respect that. And no way will I touch her.”
Arianne swallowed past the lump in her throat. She’d seen how Jagger reacted when she’d told him she was leaving, felt his anger. And she’d seen his rage when Axle threatened her, watched him let that anger loose. Bunny knew as well as she did that if anything happened to her, he would pay with his life. Which gave her no small amount of power, and she knew exactly how she was going to use it.
“He almost had me killed as a warning.” Bunny continued to rant. “What do you think he would do if he found out I had his girl down here? It won’t just be bad for business, it’ll be bad for my health. He’ll go after my boy, my family … Hell, if he finds out you were the one who made her face look like that, your life won’t be worth living. Now, get her—”
“They walk out of here with me.” Arianne cut him off and pointed to the women behind her. “I’m not leaving here without them.”
“Sorry, love. They’ve been contracted already.” Bunny turned away.
“I’ll give your regards to Jagger when I see him again, shall I?” Arianne bit her lip. Might as well play the old lady card while it was still fresh. “He’ll be happy to hear about your hospitality.”
Bunny whipped around to face her. “I didn’t touch you. I didn’t know you were here until I walked into the room. And when I found out it was you, I told them to let you go. You tell him that. You tell him Bunny did the right thing. I helped you out. I saved you.”
Arianne met his gaze. “We live in the same world, Bunny. I think we understand each other. What I tell Jagger depends on what happens to the two women behind me. And I’m thinking the value of Jagger’s gratitude would far outweigh any money you’ll get from selling them. Unless, of course, you’re wanting to make your pretend necklace real.”
His lips curled in a snarl. “Fucking hell. No wonder Jagger wants you. You’re just like Viper. Beaten, tied up, chained to my wall, and you’re negotiating with me like you’ve got a gun to my head.”
“I’m nothing like Viper.”
Bunny laughed, showing a mouth full of chipped, broken teeth. “That’s were you’re wrong. You’re your daddy’s girl to the bone.”
*
“Fucking useless piece of shit.” Axle shoved Jeff aside as they headed across Bunny’s parking lot toward Jeff’s vehicle.
Arianne winced when the .45 pressed into her back. She’d assumed Bunny would make sure she got out safely, but he disappeared after Jeff unchained her, and she’d found herself once again at the wrong end of Axle’s gun.
“I should just shoot you now and put you out of your misery.” He glared at Jeff.
“I’ll get the money,” Jeff said quickly. “Just … how about you give me the guns to give to Viper, and I’ll pay you the rest as soon as I have it?”
“Not the way I do business.” Axle leaned against Jeff’s vehicle, his gun pointed at Arianne’s chest, while Jeff fumbled with his keys. Across the street, Sheila and her friend tried to flag down a cab.
“What about Arianne?”
“I’m gonna have some fun with her.” Axle poked her again, and her lips pursed with suppressed fury.