Kelan frowned. “Is Fiona his daughter?”
“We don’t know yet. Jafaar either didn’t know where the wedding was happening or was withholding that info. Rocco and Selena are going to meet him tomorrow afternoon. Greer is going to follow them. In the meantime, we have to check out whatever the big transaction is that’s going down this evening.”
Their phones buzzed. Max had sent a list of five targets. “Angel and I will take the first three. Kelan, you and Val take the last two. I don’t know if this big transaction is related to Fee or not, but I sure don’t like coincidences. My gut says the two big events this weekend are connected.”
Kelan was glad they had something to work on. Also, it was a relief to know that whoever had taken Fiona was keeping her in town—if she was part of either event. He wondered again why her captors had driven out east on the highway. Maybe that was where their hidey-hole was.
“Which one first?” Val asked. “Biker bar or strip club?”
“Biker bar.”
*
Both establishments were on the east side of town. Four different rows of bikes out front, guarded by hang-arounds, said the bar was open to multiple clubs. Val parked their SUV in the side lot. A few of the guys out front gave them hairy-eyeball looks as they approached the entrance.
Kelan yanked open one of the double doors. The bar was dark inside. Took his eyes a second to adjust to the shift in light. A big, bald guy in a sleeveless tee and leather cuts stepped in front of them.
“Private bar,” he barked.
“We have an invite from King,” Kelan said.
“Whoever that is,” the guy scoffed, as if he really didn’t know.
One of his friends came over and stood in front of Val. “You know, I’m thinking two of these guys are not like the others,” he said to his pal.
Val’s brows lowered as he looked himself over. He and Kelan were wearing their standard operational attire: cargos, tees, boots. He looked at Kelan. “Are they dissing our clothes?”
“Naw,” Kelan said with a shake of his head, his eyes locked on the guy in front of him. “He’s just announcing his education stopped at the Muppet level. Use small words with him.”
The guy Kelan insulted roared and lunged for Val’s neck, which started his friend on the offensive. Kelan punched his forehead once, twice, moving him back a few feet. When he came forward again, Kelan swirled and delivered a kick in his chest that knocked the wind out of him and dropped him on the spot.
Val threw a punch that spun his attacker around. Kelan blocked a right hook from another guy who came at him, and countered with an uppercut to his jaw. A couple more punches and Kelan’s opponent fell back against a table on top of a card game just as Val dropped his to the floor.
“I’ve told you clothes don’t make the man, Val.”
Four more guys got up to replace the three they’d dropped.
“Enough!” the bartender shouted. “Either sit your asses down and have a beer, or get the fuck out of my bar.”
Val nodded at Kelan. “That’s more like the welcome I expected.”
The bartender put bottles down in front of both of them. “You guys cops?”
Kelan took a sip. “Nope.”
“Feds?”
“Nope.”
“What’s your interest in King?”
“Heard he bought a girl,” Kelan said. He hadn’t exactly heard that, but putting two and two together, he made the assumption.
“So?”
“I want to buy her back.”
The bartender laughed. “That ain’t gonna happen.”
“My money’s as good as his.”
“Nothing’s as good as his. Going up against him is a fast way to end up dead.”
“How about you let me worry about me.”
“Yeah, how ’bout it?” A new guy joined their convo, leaning an elbow on the bar. Kelan noticed the bartender took a step back. Maybe he was talking to a shot caller, at last. “There’s still time to squeeze one more competitor in tonight.” His gaze shifted from the bartender to Kelan. “There’s one way you can get in on the action.”
“What’s that?” Kelan asked.
“Get on her delivery team. Or compete to be on her delivery team, anyway.”
“This girl have a name? Or did King just grab someone off the streets?”
“Oh, she’s got a name. Princess Fiona. She’s his kid.”
Kelan felt the room go still, or maybe it was just that his senses blanked out for a second. So Fiona was King’s daughter. Fiona’s not your worry anymore. She’s heading to her true home, her kidnapper had said.
“So how do I get on her delivery team?” Kelan asked.
“There’s a competition for the honor. The winner presents her to King and becomes her bodyguard.”
Kelan took a long pull from his beer. “I’m in.”
“We’re in,” Val corrected.
The guy smiled and shook his head. “Only one of you goes.”
“Then I go,” Val said.
Kelan’s eyes narrowed. “She belongs to me. It’s my privilege and duty to fight for her.”
“It’s a rigged game, K. Let me take the fall—that way, you survive to have a life with her. When she’s free.”
“I’m going.”
“Fuck. Me,” Max growled over their comm units. “Neither of you is doing jack shit. Kit and Angel are on their way. String it out until they get there.”
“Where is this competition happening?” Kelan asked.
The guy leaning on the bar smiled. “An undisclosed location.” He looked at his watch. “It’s a time-sensitive offer that’s quickly expiring. The competition begins in an hour, and we still have to transport the princess.”
Kelan stood. “Let’s do it.”