“And so this one’s coming along for the ride?”
Flexing in her leathers, Nicole looked down her ivory nose and stared at Dawn’s rumpled shirt and ratty shoes with a look of total disgust crossing her face. Telling herself that she needed to let it go, that the girl had already been through the tortures of the damned, Dawn swallowed and slowly extended her hand.
“If I… maybe I can help,” Dawn offered.
“From what I hear you can barely ride,” Nicole said. “And we’re not just heading over the hills, you know.”
“No,” Dawn said. “We’re going to meet your brother.”
Nicole stiffened at the sound of her words, and Dawn stood tall, thinking that she could hold her own and make the moment work to her advantage, as Nicole seemed to shrink a foot, letting her red locks cover her face.
“My brother,” she started. “What would he really do with the whole truth?”
“Maybe more than you know,” Dawn suggested. “This night’s all about taking chances.”
Cade cast her a quick wink, and Dawn’s heart softened at the sight of his smile.
“You don’t… you just don’t know even the half of…”
Nicole’s voice drifted off, and Dawn turned back to the girl, thinking only of trying to comfort her and hold her closer. She nearly had Nicole under her arms when an unseen switch seemed to flip in the girl’s brain. Her fingers suddenly curled into claws, and she sent Dawn backwards, her arms flailing as Nicole banged her into the floor.
“An outsider could spoil everything!” she hissed. “And that’s the last thing I need!”
Nicole’s sad stare morphed into something of a snarl, and she tugged at Dawn’s ruffled locks as she brought her face closer to her eyes.
“I have been waiting for this moment for far too long,” Nicole continued. “Cade knows the score. You know nothing.”
Trying to tumble away from her, Dawn kicked her legs, the heel of her sneakered foot just making contact with Nicole’s back. Not wanting to hurt her, she still thought of nothing but breaking free, and she tried to scratch Nicole’s alabaster face when the girl seized her wrist, and her hand dragged Dawn down again.
“I know… I know you’ve been through hell,” Dawn said.
“Do you know what it feels like to have all of your power taken away?” Nicole asked. “To want to die and live all at once?”
Best that Dawn could recall was Michael snatching a byline from her grip. Back in the days when she still had to scratch for crumbs, and he patted her cheek with the assurance that story was all that mattered. Sure it was just a tale of two kids busting a vending machine in the halls of Plainfield Middle. However, every other man on staff, and in those days it was all about the men, thought that it was a sign of gangs coming home to roost. Dawn alone found the truth, and Michael swore that her words ringing true were the only thing that a real reporter would ever want. Still…
“I… I think I do,” Dawn managed. “And I’m sorry that the Alphas didn’t get more credit all along.”
“You’re… you’re sorry?” Nicole asked. Dawn saw Cade lingering over her shoulder, but he waited at Mona’s side for the rest of her story, as Dawn swallowed and slowly nodded her head.
“It’s still your club,” Dawn said. “Your family. And respect needs to be paid.”
Nicole chuckled darkly and turned her eyes to Cade.
“Got this one saying all the right things,” Nicole said.
“It’s not like that,” Cade said. “Let her up Nicole.”
The redhead curled her tongue over her teeth, and she seethed into Dawn’s face.
“I think you’re here to find a thrill,” Nicole said. “Little local playing at being an Alpha’s girl. Give us a chance, and we’ll see what you really do with it. You clutching poser—”
Before she could finish her thought, Dawn felt the girl’s body lifted away from hers, and she struggled to catch her breath as Cade took hold of her hair. His fingers failed to pull, but he did not give the redhead the chance to look away from his eyes.
“Dawn has seen the Panthers in action,” Cade said. “And I know that she’s loyal.”
“Why is that?” Nicole asked. “Because of all she does between your legs?”
Up on her elbows, Dawn smoothed her fingers down her throat and carefully watched the pair lock eyes. Was there something else between them? Something that she had yet to see even as she thought she understood?
“Fucking fine one to talk,” Cade said. “How does Lenny service you between the sheets?”
“Lenny is loyal,” Nicole said. “He knows that I’m not just a secret to have to hide away.”
“No. He would just play the fool and lead you to the slaughter.”
Raising her hand to strike, Cade’s fingers surrounded her wrist, and he artfully blocked her intended blow. His hold seemed firm yet tender, as he dragged her to a wooden chair, just passing Mona by as she puffed on her pipe.
“All kinds of excitement here tonight,” she said. “Who says that I need to get out more?”
Cade started to sneer for her to stay silent when his gaze withered under her glare, and he sheepishly shrugged his shoulders.
“Sorry, Mona,” he said. “We’ll be out of your hair in no time flat.”
“Good enough,” Mona said. “Plenty of fun to last me a lifetime. High time for me to knock off and put these old feet of mine up to rest for good and all.”
Mona started to slip away when Nicole pushed away from Cade’s hold and nearly knocked the older woman over with the force of her hug.
“Don’t talk like that, Mona,” she whimpered into the woman’s shoulders. “You’ve been so good to me. And when I get… when I take back what’s mine, I want you to share in it with me.”
“Sounds sweet,” Mona said. “But if you two keep fighting like a pair of wild rabbits in a cage, I’ll see you all at the finish line before your even try to make a start of it.”
Dawn fought the fear in her chest, even as she liked the implication that Mona counted her among one of three trying to make their way through this night to the next with their heads and their hearts intact.
“Think I’ll knock off,” Mona said. “And Cade?”
The blonde gazed up at her as he moved to his feet.
“Let’s say you let Nicole do her thing. But no reason why you shouldn’t keep the other one close.”
“That wise, Mona?” Nicole asked.
“If I’ve taught you anything, let it be this,” Mona said. She snuffed out her pipe and touched Nicole’s cheek. “Keep the nice ones close and use it to your advantage. Sound about right, Cade?”
As soon as he nodded, Nicole hung her head and rubbed her hands together.
“Sounds good,” Nicole conceded. “Still not sure. But I… I…”
The redhead bit down on her lip, and she smoothed her palms across the surface of her leather-coated thighs.
“We’re losing moonlight here,” Nicole said. “Time to move. And I… guess she gets to come with.”
Nicole started into the night when the sound of Cade’s voice held her back.
“What now?” she asked. “Didn’t you hear what Mona just said?”
“Can you give me five minutes, Nicole? Please. And then I’ll—”
“You’ll what?” Nicole challenged.
“I’ll ride you into the breach myself,” he said. “Take my licks as they come. God knows you’re going to need a hell of lot more than Lenny.”
Her nose crinkled at the insult, but Nicole squared her shoulders and stood strong and lithe in her leathers, as she pushed her fiery hair behind her ears and shifted her gaze to Dawn.
“You better not screw this up for me,” Nicole threatened. “You come along on his say-so. But if you take one step out of line—”
“I’ll see that she doesn’t,” Cade assured her. “But no more slapping her around.”
Bowing her in head with what seemed like the weakest of intentions, Nicole headed out, and Dawn heard the grumble of her motor as Mona sighed and patted his arm.
“Best of luck to you, boy,” she said. “Something tells me that you’re going to need it.”
Mona brushed a soft hand over her hair before she exited the room, and as soon as she was gone, Cade picked Dawn up off the ground and lightly pressed his fingers to her waist.
“Sorry about… about all of it,” he said. “You’re not hurt or anything are you?”
“I’d feel a damn sight better if you just—”
“Read you loud and clear.”
Cade kissed her quickly, and Dawn melted into his arms, into his lips.
“Listen to you,” he said. “You sound like an old lady. Like someone I’d want to be my old lady.”
“I like it when you talk to me like that, Cade.”
She kissed him again, and as Dawn rested her head to his chest and absorbed the beating of his heart, Cade swirled his hands down her back. His touch stopped just above her waist. Cade lingered in her hair before backing away and pressing his fingers under her chin.
“Is that all you like?” he asked.
“I… I like feeling that I’m in this with you,” she said.
“So you can land the story?”
“It’s not about that anymore.”
“Seriously?” he said. “You didn’t just dress up for shits and giggles.”
“Like you didn’t lap it up,” Dawn said, as she arched her eyebrow. “Wouldn’t have looked at me twice if I was only wearing this.”
“Don’t know about that,” Cade said. “End of the day, it’s all about having you in nothing.”
His fingers moved under her shirt, and Dawn sighed into the feel of his fingers when his touch grazed the edges of her breasts. Dawn fought the desire to moan, and she curved her body into his warm hold. In another world, another life, they would have hours instead of minutes to play around with each other. Throwing caution to the wind, she started to guide his hands under her jeans, and his fingers grazed her cunt when she could feel nothing but his warm breath dancing in and out of her ear.
“Got a photo hog waiting in the woods?” he asked. “Play your cards right, might make you something of a star around these parts.”
“I could do that and more right now,” she said. “And you know I came alone.”
“Sure. Someone else would have saved you from the failure to ride.”
Dawn suddenly felt as if she was back in grade school and trying to prove herself. Not that she couldn’t handle it on her own. But it hurt that he jumped to that conclusion, and she suddenly thought of proving his point to spite herself when he seized her wrist and brought her body back to his chest.
“I know, I know,” he said. “Cheap shot. And I am…” He turned away, his shoulders starting to sag. Dawn felt the fight falling out or her, and she didn’t know how or even if she could help him when Cade’s body whipped around, and he grabbed her hands. “Old habit,” he said.
“What is, Cade?”
“Hitting below the belt,” he continued. “Move I make when the chips are down.”
“And are the chips down now?” she asked.
“Not sure,” Cade confessed. “This is not going to be easy to make fly. But I… I think…”
“Think that maybe you want me there to get the ball rolling?” Dawn softly asked, as she flattened her palm to his cheek. At the feel of his head curling into a nod, Dawn moved closer to his chest and let the biker envelop her in his arms.
“You feel good,” she said. “And I… I feel safe with you.”
“Let’s hope we can keep it that way.”
He started to kiss her again when the sound of Nicole’s voice pierced through the walls.
“Feels like five minutes, Cade!”
“Not even close,” he muttered.
“Not enough you mean,” Dawn said. “But if we keep moving, maybe we get some more time?”
Cade tilted his head, and as he scanned her body up and down, his eyes stayed flat. Dawn feared that his act of sizing her up might suddenly seal her fate in the least desirable direction, and Dawn silently vowed that she was still up for the fight when he laughed and slowly shook his head.
“Guess we need to see what happens,” he said.
Dawn felt as if she was floating as she touched her hands to his cheeks and smiled brightly. “What else can go wrong?” she asked.
“Don’t do that, Dawn,” he cautioned. “Don’t play with fire.”
“Hold my tongue then?” she asked.
“Try. If you can. But you need to listen to me.”
“Big bad biker,” she said with a laugh. “Is that what it means to be your old lady?”
“Something like that,” he said. “Can you handle it?”
Dawn started to say that she wasn’t one to be plopped into a corner to wait. He should know that much about her by now. She almost uttered the words when she suddenly felt too weak for another fight. On some level it might feel fun to meet him toe-to-toe and show him that she was made of only the firmest stuff, but the slightest thought that it would scare him off or that he may force her to stay behind forced her chin to her breasts.
“Whatever you need, Cade,” she said. “We’re in this together, right?”
Cade smiled as he touched her chin, and he looked into her eyes as his lip quivered.
“Last thing I thought was going down tonight,” he said. “But yeah.”
“Yeah?” she asked.
“As long as nothing major goes down,” he said.
“Cade, this is major.”
Their lips locked, and Dawn nearly forgot the story when he was this close. “Major” didn’t even begin to describe the way she felt when she was with him, and Dawn wanted to fall into the grass and feel him inside her. Michael would scold her; maybe Cade could do other things if given the chance. However, the only words that Dawn wanted to bring to life described how he made her feel.
“So major, Dawn. I…”
He brushed his hands about her thighs, and Dawn was ready for him to lower his fly when Nicole whipped around the grass and the trees looking every inch a superhero. She was perched over the seat of her bike, her flame-red hair catching the moonlight, as she brought the bike to a stop just beyond their feet.
“So are we doing this or what?” Nicole asked. “We’re already late.”
“Keep ‘em on their toes, Nicole,” he said. “Cause this is going to knock every last boy on his ass.”
“Except Lenny,” she reminded him. “He’s already wise.”
“And he doesn’t have that far to fall,” Cade teased.
“Prick,” Nicole said. “One more minute to follow, or I do this on my own.”
“Make it two, and we’re coming.”
Dawn let him drag her to his bike and helped her on board. Slipping behind her, he purred into her neck and dared to bring her fingers around the handlebars.
“Sure you don’t want me to take the lead?” Dawn asked.
“You don’t know what you’re doing,” he said. “Not just yet.”
“But in time I could get the hang of it.”
“Hope we have that much time to play around with it.”
Revving his motor to attention, they watched as one as Nicole took off. Cade was quick at her heels as his bike brimmed under their bodies. As she leaned into the turns, Dawn tried to relax in the night air, and she shifted her gaze to see the stars just sparkling through the black velvet sheet of sky. It could be peaceful; it should be. However, as Nicole intensified her pace, Cade had no choice but to follow suit and pick up speed.
“Not going to let me fall are you?” she asked, as she managed to look into his eyes.
“Not if I can help it.”
Nicole disappeared down a steep incline, and at the sudden sound of her screeching tires, Cade’s hold grew harder and he practically hit the air as he moved down the hill.
“Crazy… she better be alright.”
Sharing his sentiment, Dawn held her breath until she saw Nicole and her bike resting off to the side of the road.
“You okay?” he asked, as he pulled up beside her. Nicole nodded as she brushed some grit from her leather slacks and smirked under brimming eyes.
“Nothing is going to hurt me,” she said. “Not tonight or any other night.”
Cade dismounted with a sigh and hunched down to inspect her tires.
“One wrong move, and you would have caught a flat,” he said.
“But I didn’t, right?” Nicole asked.
He stayed silent as he inspected the rubber, and when he seemed convinced that way ahead was as safe as possible, Cade rose to pat her shoulder.
“Not for lack of trying,” Cade said. “But let’s say we take it a touch slower. After all, don’t you want to get to your big night in one piece?”
“Kind of smarts when you say it like that,” Nicole said. “But you might have a point.”
“Always do.”
“Cade…”
Nicole was off when Dawn touched his cheek.
“What now, sweetheart?” he moaned. “You’re already in the thick of it.”
“But do you trust her?” Dawn asked. “I mean… after all she’s been though. What if she flips out as soon as she sees him?”
“You know a lot, Dawn,” he said. “But in her bones she’s still a Whitaker. I’m telling you that they’ll close ranks when push comes to shove.
“So sure about that?” Dawn asked.
“My world, Dawn,” he said. “You still coming with?”
Maybe he was trying to scare her back to Mona, and if he was any other source, Dawn might have flown and tried to hide. However, she knew him, and her nod seemed to send a light into his eyes.
“Hope I don’t come to regret this,” he said. “Hold on tight, Dawn.”
“I’m right here.”
Nicole’s pace wasn’t half as frantic as they kept moving deeper into the night, and Dawn took advantage of the slackening to press her head to his shoulder. She parted her lips to ask a few of the million questions worming around her brain.
“You’ll show me how to handle her like a pro one of these days?” she asked.
“Best you keep clear of Nicole,” he said. “Takes a long time to know just what to do with her.”
“I meant the bike, Cade,” she said. “Get your mind out of the gutter.”
His eyes softened and hit hers for a small second before he turned the corner.
“Did you feel that, Cade? I leaned into it.”
“Just lean into me, Dawn.”
Doing as she was told, she saw a slim structure just dotting the horizon, and Nicole started to yelp when Cade pulled up alongside her and pulled on her hair.
“Ow! Why the hell did you do that?”
“Ever hear of something called stealth?” he asked. “Because you’re tossing away any advantage that you might have.”
“Might?” she challenged. “Cade, I have the upper hand here. I—”
“Will you two please stop fighting?”
Their motors came to rest, and Dawn took the chance to fall to her feet as she stared them down.
“Seems to me like it’s a bust right off the bat if you keep this shit up.” Dawn started to stomp off, smiling softly as Cade hurried after her. His fingers just grazed the edges of her sleeves when she pulled away and kept walking. “Think you all might be better off with a referee,” she said. “Maybe I should—”
“No!” Nicole growled. “No cops! They are not our friends.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Then what the hell were you implying?” Nicole demanded. “Hasn’t he taught you anything?”
“I… I really don’t know how to ride yet. But… but in time—”
“Don’t be cute!” Nicole wheeled her arm back to hit her when Cade took hold of her arm.
“Hurting her is off limits,” Cade said.
“Didn’t seem to bother you back at Mona’s,” Nicole spat.
“That’s your one free pass for being the heiress to the throne or whatever the fuck you think you are,” Cade continued. “No more chances, Nicole.”
“So you’re just going to let her run to the cops?”
While that didn’t seem like the worst idea in the world, Dawn tossed her head back and brought her palms to her back. “I was talking about Mona,” Dawn said. “Do we need the cops?”
Shrinking where she stood, Nicole backed away and flicked Cade off as she headed back to her bike.
“You got one minute now,” Nicole said. “Make it less if you can.”
As soon as she was alone with Cade, Dawn sighed and started to explain herself when his firm palm surrounded her mouth.
“Not another word,” he whispered. “And no cops. Don’t you know how deadly that can be for all of us?”
Shaking her head under the force of his fingers, Dawn only breathed easily when his hand fell away.
“Of course,” she started. “Of course you wouldn’t want that heat on your tail. But at the end of the day, maybe it could solve everything for—”
“For the enemy, Dawn! Not for us.”
She started to roll her eyes when Cade took hold of her chin and peered hard into her eyes.
“You really don’t know,” he said. “So much for having your finger on the pulse.”
Cade started to push her back, and Dawn nearly fell away and into the ground when Cade’s arms surrounded her body, and he pulled her close to his chest.
“Sorry,” he muttered. “How could you know?”
Part of her wanted to kick him hard and take off into the night, maybe try her luck when it came to stealing his bike again. But she dragged her fingers down his chest, her eyes coming to rest on his taut thighs as she moaned.
“I don’t know, Cade,” she confessed. “But maybe… maybe if you just tell me.”
“Dawn, don’t.”
He sat her down on a tree stump and tried to brush a strand of hair from her face when Dawn sat up straighter and grabbed his shoulders.
“I get it, Cade,” she said. “Lots that you wouldn’t want the fuzz to see. But it can’t be as bad as all that.”
“But it can,” he said. “They used to be on our side. We hoped that would hold out until we could come back.”
“And… and when you didn’t?” she asked.
“Our man was called Lomax,” Cade said.
“Ben?” Dawn asked. “But he’s been retired for—”
“And now Bauer is on the other side. Along with the rest of the force. Panthers got that trump card locked and loaded. Nicole makes some sense when she says that we can only help ourselves.”
The fear in his eyes nearly tied her tongue, and Dawn started to back off when she opted for folding her arms around his neck and pressing her lips close to his ear.
“I can help you, too,” she promised. “When we get back home, I could work behind the scenes. Michael would love a shot at the cops if they’re as corrupt as you say.”
“No!”
Cade forced her to her feet, and his fingers pressed down against Dawn’s neck. She stared to wince and plead for release, even as his hands were sweet, when she centered on his stare and felt her lips curling into a smile.
“Because only you can push me around, right?”
Cade leered before pulling away, and he turned his back, his fingers pouring through his hair as his shoulders heaved.
“Because it’s too dangerous,” he said. “And even if I… even if I have to send you away, you can never make that move, Dawn.”
She started to protest when the roar of a series of engines rolled across the nearest hill, and Dawn started in spite of herself. Her fingers clung to Cade’s arm, but he reached for his knife, the moonlight just hitting the blade, as he hissed for Nicole to back away from the oncoming melee.
“No deal, Cade,” the girl said. “I’ve been waiting for this for far too long.”
Abandoning Dawn and rushing to her side, he tried to take hold of the redhead’s arm when she swatted him back with a strength that belied her size. Dawn’s eyes grew wide at the sight of the assorted Alphas dismounting in waves. As they drew their guns, Dawn’s ears registered the click of their triggers, and she leapt into action.
“Don’t shoot!” she screamed. “It’s one of your own! And he’s with his sister!”
Stumbling as she ran, Dawn nearly lost her footing and felt her body careening towards the ground when Cade swooped around to collect her in his strong arms, his jaw like steel and his eyes hard as he stared at her.
“Keep out of this!” he said. “I’ll deal with them.”
“But can you deal with her?” Dawn asked.
She pointed a slim finger in Nicole’s direction, and she recognized George and Lenny moving through the throng. Both men’s face seemed to register their surprise at the girl all grown up, but Dawn noted the tenderness in Lenny’s stare as he started to hang his head.
“What’s that all about?” George asked. “Something you ain’t telling us?”
Lenny started to speak when Nicole wriggled closer to his side. Dawn watched the girl’s shoulders tense, and even though she couldn’t see her eyes, something almost sweet seemed to pass between the pair when George seized hold of his throat and lifted the smaller man off the ground.
“What have you got to say?” George demanded. “Or do I have to beat the truth out of you?”
Lenny’s toes just touched the ground, as Cade rolled his neck and stepped into the breach.
“Hold the hell up, George,” Cade said. “Let’s just all take a deep breath and—”
“What do you know about it?” George asked. “You in on it, too?”
“No, I—”
“That other bitch along for the ride making you soft? Making you forgot your place and where your loyalties are supposed to lie?”
With quick skill, Cade disentangled George’s fingers from Lenny’s neck, and as the smaller man sputtered and stumbled backwards, Cade stared George down.
“You want to say that again?” Cade asked. “Or you want to wise up and take it back?”
“You’re not in charge any more, Veep,” George said. “Not out here.”
Dawn saw the other Alphas starting to emerge from the blackness. Two men stayed in the shadows, and they scared her even as she couldn’t see their faces. Maybe because she was unable to decipher their features. But George loomed large as he stepped into the fray.
“Did you bring her here to pass her around?” George asked. “Might be kind of fun if—”
“Shut your god-damned mouth, you bastard!”
Cade landed a hard blow against George’s chin, and as the one of the unknown men tried to suck in a clean breath, Cade started to speak when George extended his leg and tripped Cade where he stood. Dawn felt that his body could absorb the impact and still come up swinging when she saw his fingers fumbling with the knife. Fearing that the tip would make contact with his taut flesh and send his blood spilling onto the dark grass, Dawn leapt into action and pulled him back to her body.
“Careful,” she started. “I wouldn’t want you to lose you now.”
But her hold caused him to lose the knife, and George’s eyes glistened at what he thought might prove a fairer fight when Nicole collected the knife and waved it just under George’s sweating face.
“Maybe he’s not in charge,” Nicole said. “But maybe I should be.”
The sound of Lenny’s light laughter hit the air, and George smirked when the one of the men that Dawn stepped into the moonlight and snapped his fingers. He was slim and tall with toned arms rippling under a tight t-shirt and tighter jeans. He hardly looked old enough to shave let alone lead the Alphas into battle, but something in his stance caused George to back off. And even as Cade stayed strong, he lowered his head and muttered under his breath.
“Not trying to step on any toes here,” Cade said. “Here for the powwow is all.”
“That a fact?” the man-boy asked. “And what is the deal with this one?”
“This… this is Dawn.”
Cade folded his arm around her shoulders and dragged her closer to his side. Dawn felt taller so near to him, and she wanted to back his story up, to prove that she was far from the enemy when Cade kneaded his nails into arms. It was an unspoken order, and something that she was not sure that she wanted to follow blindly. But it was his turf. And she was still the outsider, not to be completely trusted.
At least not just yet.
“Got plenty of girls ready to play while we plan,” the boy said. “Or did you forget who’s in charge?”
“Not at all. Reese.”
Dawn barely stifled a laugh. Was this really the person that was going to save the day and get the Alphas back what they thought was owed to them, what belonged to them? Maybe they would be better off with—
“Hey!”
Nicole still held the knife tightly in her fingers, and she moved to meet her brother’s eyes, her lips fixed in a straight line as her gaze stayed like stone.
“Think you might want to amend that, little brother,” Nicole said. “High time I took my rightful place. And don’t say that you don’t need the help.”
Reese looked as if he’d seen a ghost come to life, and he tilted his head one way and then the other when his cold laughter invaded the air and he swatted at her leather-clad shoulder like a typical boy dismissing the competition because she was simply of another sex. But what had Reese Whitaker suffered that could rival anything close to what his sister had been through?
“From you?” Reese said. “You started this.” He sounded even more like a child than he looked, as he took a small step away from her, his smirk intensifying as he circled around her. “Think you should have stayed scared and just let the men handle things.”
And at the sound of that, Nicole charged forward, knocking her brother to the ground as she held the knife to his throat.