Thad walked through the doorway of the house on Killingsworth Street. He ignored the two women who'd gained permission for him to enter, as long as Wayne, Chuck, and Glen stayed outside. He knew better than to talk, touch, or look at the high queens of Tigres.

To insult the guards would get him killed. Even the women were dirty fighters. They gained their position by challenging other females. A smack down until the winner was the only one standing.

"Wait here." The woman, pushing almost six feet tall in tennis shoes, continued walking to the other side of the room.

Thad focused on the couch, a neutral place to keep his eyes on the whole room while keeping the other woman in his sight. While shorter, the female member left with him packed a nine-millimeter between her breasts in a top that failed to cover the weapon.

Tigres were an all-Mexican gang that'd taken over North Portland, including St. John's, recently from the Crips, a branch of Los Li, who was affiliated with the Mafia south of the border. The upset sparked recent territorial wars.

A door opened, and Billy walked out of the room. "Morning, Bowers. What brings you around?"

While the conversation appeared pleasant, the two men behind Billy spoke a different story. Thad held out his hand and waited for Billy to shake. It gave the leader of Tigres time to see he came unarmed. He'd left his pistol with Wayne outside.

"There's been a mark put on a woman associated with Notus by someone from Tigres." He gazed only at Billy, showing no sign of aggression. "I need to know why and what I can do to remove the threat. Today."

Billy motioned toward the couch. Thad walked over and sat. He hated cooperating, but Notus couldn't afford an all-out war with Tigres. They were out-numbered, and the only time they took out anyone, the deed was kept within the confines of Notus Motorcycle Club. They couldn't afford someone outside the patch knowing their business when they worked closely with the police department.

"What's the woman's name?" Billy sat down on the couch and snapped his fingers.

It went against his belief to share names that should be kept private. That to hand over Lena's information, he broke her privacy.  But, sometimes, the risk was worth taking if it meant keeping her protected.

"Lena Hollis," said Thad, controlling his breathing.

Billy's hitch in his left eyebrow gave him away. "The name isn't on our list."

"You're sure about that?" said Thad, knowing Billy was lying.

"I know every name in our district on the list." Billy stood and took the lit cigar from one of his guards and puffed. "Sorry, we couldn't work something out with you. We can always use a little help."

Of course, they could use the help. While Billy was pushing fifty years old, most of the members flying Tigres colors were between twenty and thirty years old. A young gang that came with trust issues.

"She's received two bandanas. One at work and one at home." Thad pushed off the couch. "It's coming from one of your men. I need it stopped. She has no connection to you or your group."

The immediate area filled with acrid smoke. Billy nodded at the woman who'd remained in the room and took another puff off the cigar. "See our guest out."

Thad stepped away. "If you remember when I'm gone, you know how to contact me."

He walked out of the living room, out of the house, and away from Tigres. Notus members studied him as he jogged to the curb.

"Anything?" asked Wayne, sitting on his motorcycle.

He shook his head. "No, but he knows something."

"Do you want us to watch the house?" Glen turned his back to the street and lowered his voice. "He could leave and lead us to who is involved."

"Billy's too smart to blow his story." Thad walked over to his Harley. "I'm heading back to my house to check on Lena."

"We'll need you to come to my house tonight. Chuck's going to ride over to some hole in the wall restaurant on the drifter case in a bit and ask a few questions. He'll be there to tell us what he finds out." Wayne handed over Thad's pistol. "If we need you sooner, I'll call."

He took the weapon and tucked it into his holster underneath his vest. The only trail Chuck found on the drifter was from some guy who remembered a woman buying a bus ticket to Portland from Eugene, and she was excited about a job. He only remembered because the woman had said she worked at a restaurant called Slick's Café. The memory stuck with the man because he had a brother named Slick that wasn't associated with the place and he thought it was funny. In fact, the man had still laughed about the name after ten years. But, they couldn't get a positive I.D it was Jonelle Grayson when Wayne had shown the man the grainy picture Jack Grayson gave them.

Thad rode away. Unable to get Billy to help him out, he'd need to find out who was behind the threats on Lena himself. Gomez already informed him that there was no suspect caught on the security camera at the P.D. That whoever tied the bandana to her mirror knew to stay below the top of the cars. The second bandana near her home on the stop sign could've been placed by anyone, at any time. He'd need to wait and see if the person with a vendetta against Lena would fuck up on his next attempt, and make sure nobody touched her.

At the end of his street, he recognized his dad's car in the driveway of his house. He pulled in alongside the SUV and cut the engine. Swinging his leg off the bike, he caught sight of his dad sitting in the driver's seat.

He took off his helmet and carried it over to the car. "What's up, Pop? What are you doing sitting out here?"

His dad had a key to the house and an open invite to make himself at home if Thad was away. He braced his hands on the door and peered through the open window. His dad, a quiet man, looked at the house.

"Lena's in the house," said his dad.

He straightened. "Yeah, she is."

"I rang the doorbell, spotted her in the window, but she didn't open the door. I thought it best to wait out here until you were home." His dad reached over to the passenger seat and picked up an envelope. "Your cousin, Karen, sent this to our house. It's an invitation to her wedding."

He fingered the corner of the envelope. "When's that?"

"Not until after Thanksgiving." His dad grinned. "It's in Hawaii if you want to go."

"Are you and Mom going?"

His dad shook his head. "No, your mom said something about sending a gift."

"I'll pitch in money and Mom can add my name." He scratched the back of his head. "You want to come in and have a beer before you head home?"

"No, I think it's best if I go home." His dad started the car. "I think Lena's uncomfortable with people she doesn't know, son."

"She's a 911 dispatcher. She talks to strangers all the time," he said. "It's something else. I just haven't figured her out yet."

"I'll let you get to that." His dad shifted the car into reverse. "See you later, son."

"Bye, Pop."

Thad walked to the front door, found it locked, and used his key to get inside. Setting his helmet and gloves on the floor to the left of the door, he shucked off his Notus jacket.

"Did you find out who wants to hurt me?" asked Lena.

He turned around and found Lena curled up in the corner of the couch with her cell phone in her hand. "No. Tigres are protecting who is responsible."

"Is that...normal?"

"Yep." He approached the couch, leaned down and kissed Lena, then sat beside her. "What have you been doing?"

She held up her phone. "Googling St. John's and Tigres and everything else I can find that has to do with gang activities. I've been the dispatcher for many of the disturbances between Tigres and Crips and Bloods, even when they've blocked streets to draw in the police, but I don't know what motivates them to draw up territories or what they're trying to do in St. John's."

He rubbed her thigh and let his head fall back on the couch. "They're just like any other club or organization. They found like-minded people and became a family. Loyalty is fierce. They protect their own. The difference with Tigres is they answer to Los Li, who answers to the Mexican mafia. Crime seems to be their livelihood."

"But, I have nothing to do with them, so it doesn't make sense that they'd come after me." She leaned toward him and linked her hand with his. "I need to go to work tomorrow, and I hate that this is still hanging over my head."

"You're protected at the dispatch center because of the location of the police." He strummed his thumb against the back of her hand. "I get off before you, so I'll escort you back here when your shift is over."

"How long will this go on?"

"Until I catch the person responsible." He studied her.

When she thought about things, her brows rose and fell as if talking to herself. A habit he'd picked up on yesterday, and kept him fascinated. Looking, touching, fucking, had become his new habit.

"Did you know my dad came by?" he asked.

Her gaze snapped to his face, studying him before she said, "You said I didn't have to deal with your family if we continued seeing each other."

"You don't." He looked down at their hands linked together. "But, what is the reason why you ignored him stopping by? You could've talked to him and found out what he wanted."

"If it's a problem—"

"It's not." He rubbed his hand over his face, already tired. "I'm trying to figure out how you can talk to strangers in an emergency situation and yet you don't want to answer the door to my family."

She shrugged. "It's just the way I am."

"Do you have family around?"

She pursed her lips and shook her head. "No, not anymore."

"It's just you?"

"You make that sound like I'm an anomaly. Lots of people are alone. Parents die. People move to a different country." She got on her knees on the couch and plopped her ass down on his lap, straddling his thighs. "While we're talking about visitors, Lieutenant Gomez called and wants to talk to me. I didn't want to invite him here since you weren't home and I didn't know how you'd feel about that. So, I told him I'd talk to him at my house at seven o'clock tonight. Can you take me?"

"Can't. I need to go over to Wayne's house for a club meeting." He rubbed the outside of her thighs. "I'll call Gomez and have him meet you there, and you can go with me."

"How about I stay here, and Lieutenant Gomez can come over? I doubt if he'll stay long," She dug her fingers into his beard and scratched his face, biting down on her lip.

"No, you're going with me to Wayne's," he said.

Her fingers stilled. "Are you the jealous type?"

He wrapped his hands around her wrists and brought them down between their bodies. "I like making sure what is mine, stays mine. I want you with me at Wayne's house, because now that I went to the leader of Tigres, they know you're my woman and where to find you. I don't feel comfortable leaving you alone anymore."

"The situation is only getting worse." She frowned and then leaned against his chest. "Maybe Lieutenant Gomez wants to file a prosecuting report because he hadn't mentioned one yet, and then he'll go talk to the Tigres guy himself."

"He can't." He cupped her face. "It's not illegal to tie a bandana on someone's car or a stop sign. It's also not trespassing to be in the parking lot of the police department because it's public property. The only reason you're here with me is because Gomez has taken a special interest in you is because he understands what a warning from a Tigres member means. Legally, he can't do shit. But, I can."

"I don't like the thought of you getting involved." She kissed him lightly. "Nothing has happened since Friday. It's probably going to turn out to be nothing, and I'll be fine." She inhaled. "Have I ever told you that you smell good?"

He palmed her ass, dragging her closer. "You're rubbing off on me."

"Oh, is that it?" She laughed and quickly sobered. "What if Lieutenant Gomez says it's safe for me to move back home?"

"He won't."

"But, what if he does?" She cupped his face. "Have I scared you away yet?"

"What are you talking about?"

She lowered her hands. "You know me better, and you can see that I'm only interested in you, not your life. A lot of people can't deal with that."

"It's fine." He lifted her and stood. "You're fine."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs around his hips. "Where are you taking me?"

"Bedroom." He captured her mouth, kissing her hard. "To show you how fine I am with you."

"Yeah?" She laughed. "Prove it."