Maya agreed to stay with me at the clubhouse that night. With Junior under the same roof, things were tense, but at least we could keep an eye on him. Once Mama had my wound stitched up and the probies had Junior under heavy guard, Bear called a meeting. He got right down to business.

“I’ve called Christine DiSalvo,” he said. “Through channels, I made sure she understands what’s going on with Junior.”

“Are we really going to bend to her wishes on this?” I asked. My trigger finger still itched where I’d held the gun on Junior. I could have made this real simple if I’d just ended him out there.

“She’s gotta realize time is of the essence here. We can’t keep Junior on in our house forever,” Benz said.

“We meet her in an hour,” Bear said. “Neutral turf.”

“Bear,” I said. Maya’s story about what Cory Kline said to Junior in the alley stuck with me. I filled Bear and the others in.

“Don’t poke the bear,” E.Z. said. “That don’t mean shit.”

“Maybe not,” I said. “But that kid, Cory. He wasn’t real deep, if you know what I mean. I don’t know. It’s the kind of thing I could see him meaning literally.”

“I think it’s time to get a hold of my contact with the Feds again,” Bear said. He pulled his phone out of his back pocket and walked into the corner of the room. He paced, waiting for the call to go through. When it did, Bear’s end of the conversation was short and to the point. He wanted to know what Junior was dangling as bait.

When Bear got off the phone, the answer was written clearly in the grimace on his face. “That little fuck,” Bear said. “She’s right. I don’t know how the Kline kid was involved, but our name came up in what Junior was planning to give the Feds.”

“You think he was planning to sell out the club?” I asked.

“I think me and his mama need to have a little chat with Junior.”

“Bear,” I said. “I need to be there. This guy. An hour and a half ago he tried to put a bullet in Maya’s head right in front of me. Whatever happens with him, I need to be part of it.”

Bear nodded. “That’s never been in question, Axle. You up for a road trip?” He eyed my bandaged shoulder.

I rose to my feet. “You bet your ass.”

It was settled. Me, Zig, Bear, Benz, and Shep rode out to Christine DiSalvo’s neutral location. It was an abandoned warehouse off Highway 37 not far from the dunes where I’d taken Maya not so long ago. Deacon and the others stayed back at the clubhouse waiting for word and getting to know Maya. She looked scared for a second when I told her I had to go.

“Be careful,” she said. Mama Bear came to her side and put an arm around her.

“Don’t you worry, honey,” she said. “Bear will bring him back in one piece.” Maya couldn’t see the look she shot Bear, but she fucking meant it.

Bear leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “It’s all good, Mama,” he said. Then he jerked his chin and the rest of us fell in behind him.

Shep drove the van with Junior still tied up in the back. I felt good enough to ride so I straddled my Harley and rode behind Zig and Bear. Benz pulled up the rear.

Christine DiSalvo was already at the warehouse when we arrived. Her black stretch limo was parked out front. Bear pulled up alongside it and walked to the back passenger side window all strut and swagger. His fingers played at his hip holster. Zig and I flanked him. Before Bear got to it, the dark tinted window of the limo rolled slowly down.

Christine DiSalvo might have been pretty long ago. But she’d been to one too many plastic surgeons and her lips puffed out. Her high cheekbones shone with rouge. She had ebony hair slicked back in a bun and she raised a dark brow as Bear approached. Her man stepped out of the other side of the car. He could have been Corey Kline’s twin with his ’roided-up muscles beneath a shiny, gray suit. He stood with his legs apart and his hands folded in front of him.

“You have my son?” Christine asked, her voice flat.

Bear leaned into the window. “He’s in the back of the van. Did you get my message?”

Bear had sent the intel he’d received about Junior’s extracurricular meetings with the Feds. I almost felt bad for Christine DiSalvo. Like Bear said, she was trying to keep Gino Sr.’s business afloat. Gino Sr. had cousins coming out of the woodwork looking for any sign of weakness.

“We’re in agreement,” was all Christine DiSalvo said. “I’ll take care of it?”

Bear stood up. He kept his expression neutral, but I saw the flicker in his eyes. I had to concentrate on not reacting myself. If I’d just heard that right, Christine DiSalvo had just given the order to get rid of Junior.

“You sure you don’t want me to handle it? That’s what you pay us for,” Bear asked.

Christine DiSalvo leveled her gaze at Bear. “We’ll keep it in the family. I hope this will be the last time we ever have to meet in person, Mr. Bullock,” she said. “I’m taking over management of our businesses on the docks. In a few days I’ll let you know who your new contact person is.”

She said nothing more. She flicked her finger and her driver rolled up her window. Her body man moved to the van.

Benz opened the door and Junior DiSalvo tumbled out, his hands and feet still bound. Christine’s body man lifted him as if he weighed nothing, heaving him to his feet. Junior mumbled and begged for his life as his mother’s goon stuffed him into the trunk of her limo.

Then Christine DiSalvo’s limo pulled away leaving behind a cloud of dust.

“That is one stone-cold bitch,” Zig said, crossing his arms in front of himself as he stood at my shoulder.

“And we shouldn’t forget it,” Bear said. Then he came to me.

“Bear.” My voice went dry as I took in my surroundings. So close to the dunes, I realized it probably wasn’t a coincidence.

“Never again,” Bear said. He put a heavy hand on my wounded shoulder. Pain speared through me, nearly driving me to my knees. But I stayed upright and kept Bear’s eyes.

“Never again,” I answered.

Shep and Zig stepped into my field of vision, standing shoulder to shoulder with Bear.

“These are your brothers,” Bear said. “Nobody forget that.”

I swallowed hard past a lump in my throat. Bear was giving me a second chance. My legs damn near buckled, but I stood tall. Then Bear drew me into an embrace and slapped my back.

“Come on,” he said. “Your girl’s waiting for you. God knows what Mama will tell her if we stay away too long.”

The rest of the men laughed and fell in behind us as we walked back to the bikes together.