“Noted. Let’s go, Grant.”
The operatives headed for the bikers who straightened and climbed off their bikes to face the visitors.
“You have a plan?” Elias asked his friend as they walked.
“To make a statement.”
He rolled his eyes. “Just follow my lead, all right? We don’t want to start a war in another club’s territory.”
Elias and Grant closed the gap between them and the bikers. “Why are you following us?” Elias asked curtly.
“Can’t a guy go out for a ride on a nice day?”
“You don’t look like a pleasure rider, buddy.”
The grizzled rider flushed. “Wait a minute.”
“Tell Dutch we appreciate the gesture, but we don’t need protection. We’re not planning to run afoul of the law in Red Rock.” He got in Grizzled’s face. “If your president wants to know where we’re going, all he has to do is ask. So when you report back to Dutch, tell him we’re shopping for food since no one in your club bothered with that courtesy. We’ll be leavinghere in about 45 minutes to return to the cabin. No stops along the way since we’ve been invited to dinner with your president.”
The club members looked at each other, then Grizzled gave a curt nod.
Although it went against everything he’d been taught, Elias turned his back on the two men and walked toward the truck. He didn’t have to be told that Iona and Rayne were watching their backs and would protect them if the bikers made a move.
Grant locked the truck with the key fob, threaded his fingers through Rayne’s, and tugged her into motion. “Let’s get this done. My neck is tingling.”
Elias wrapped his arm around Iona’s waist. “I hope you and Rayne have a list because we need to get back as soon as possible.”
“What do you know?”
“Nothing.”
“But you have a feeling?”
He gave a curt nod.
“Lucky for you, we made a list while you and Grant faced off with the Blackthorn Rider duo.”
They entered the store and made a surgical strike through the produce, dairy, and meat sections. Rayne and Iona consulted the list on their phones, then gave each other a high five. “We’re finished,” Iona said.
Grant scowled. “Wait a minute. You don’t have any proper food in that grocery cart.”
Rayne rolled her eyes. “Just because what we have isn’t processed doesn’t mean it’s not actual food. Your taste buds need an education.”
“My taste buds are in great condition. I can taste potato chips, ice cream, and brownies just fine.”
The women laughed. “Come on.” Iona turned the cart around and headed for the aisle where Grant’s food choices were located.
“Told you he would complain, Iona.” Rayne smiled at her husband.
“You know what’s normally in your grocery cart.”
Grant’s eyes narrowed. “Were you really going to leave the store with only the stuff in the cart?”
“Nope. We can’t buy only for my taste. An army marches on its stomach, after all. If we want happy and satisfied operatives, we have to feed them well.”
“Too bad we don’t have Nate Armstrong. I wouldn’t object to a chef preparing our meals.”
“We’d love that, but Nate has been with Durango for years. I don’t see him taking pity on one of our teams and defecting.”
