“Why not?”
“She’s not part of this.”
“How can you say that? She left you with your father.” How could any mother leave their child with a cruel father?
“According to him, she dumped me and took off.”
“That’s not what happened?”
Elias shook his head. “My father threatened her life if she didn’t leave me behind, but I don’t have evidence to prove it. Just her word that’s what happened.”
“Maybe Zane or Riley can help us with that.”
“I don’t think so.”
She’d ask Riley to look into it anyway. Their friend and teammate might turn up something.
“Turn left at the next dirt road.”
Iona scowled. They were driving farther into the boonies. What happened if a biker needed medical help? The response time would be too long, not to mention the impossibility of toting an unconscious passenger to the ER on a motorcycle. “Are we stopping soon? We’re too far from civilization if we need help.”
“Two more miles to go.”
Soon, the Fortress operatives stopped in front of a roadblock manned by members of the Blackthorn Riders. “What is this?”
“Making sure unauthorized civilians stay out of Blackthorn territory.”
“That’s normal?”
“Oh, yeah. The Reckoners kept everyone off their land so no one could spy on them.”
“Really? That’s a thing?”
“It’s a thing. If an enemy club watched you long enough, they’d have first-mover advantage or could put together a countermove.”
She blew out a breath. “Never thought of that.”
“Oh, believe me, my father does. He’s like the boss. He always thinks five steps ahead of everyone else.”
“Brent has him beat. I think he’s ten steps ahead.”
Elias chuckled. “Wouldn’t surprise me.” He sobered as two more bikers swaggered toward their truck.
Iona lowered her window and stared at the two men staring at her.
“Name?”
“Iona.” She inclined her head toward Elias. “This is Elias.”
More staring ensued, then the linebacker-sized biker said, “Why ain’t your man riding his bike?”
“A cop shot him in the shoulder. Show him your bandage, baby. I don’t think this gentleman believes me.”
Linebacker held up his hand. “Nah. Don’t need to see. Prez told us to be on the lookout for you. Follow your friends. No detours. We don’t like strangers snooping in our business.”
She stared again, this time with her eyebrows raised.
The second man, shorter than his buddy, continued to watch Iona.
