He stared. That wasn’t possible. Elias knew he didn’t give things away like that. He’d worked plenty of undercover operations when he was a cop. So what was causing this sudden breakdown of his wall of indifference?
“Did I shock you into silence?”
He scowled. “Nope.”
After a few moments, Iona laughed.
“What’s so funny?”
“You don’t like that I know you so well, do you?”
“Maybe.” Definitely. Couldn’t a man have any secrets?
Iona coasted to a stop in front of the cabin and turned off the engine. She turned her head toward him. “Someone wants you dead, Elias.”
“I figured that out when the guy in the garage shot me.”
“Any idea why?”
“Your guess is as good as mine.”
“Know what I think?”
“You’ll tell me whether or not I’m interested.”
She ignored him. “I think your father has something to do with this.”
Elias froze. “My father? What brought you to that conclusion?”
“Think about it.”
“I have. My father has nothing to do with my life.”
“What if you’re wrong?”
Iona was wrong. Elias’ hands fisted. She had to be wrong. He’d severed ties with his father’s world when he turned eighteen. His dad had disowned him when Elias joined the Army instead of stepping up as the new Vice President of the Reckoners. “I cut ties with the Reckoners and my father. I haven’t seen him in over twenty years, Iona.”
“How did you get out of that life?”
He tilted his head. “You know how. The military.”
“A short while ago, I read an article about MC life. The author said the only way to leave an MC is in a body bag. Is that true?”
His stomach knotted. “Yes.”
“So, how did you get out?”
“I left the clubhouse when it was still dark. My father was the Master of Ceremonies at a party, and everyone was drunk. If I hadn’t left then, my father would have tried to beat me into doing what he wanted or killed me.”
Seth knocked on the driver’s side window, making Iona jump. “Take it inside. No need to make yourselves sitting ducks and invite another biker to try his luck at killing you.”
Elias opened the door and climbed out of the truck, grateful for the temporary reprieve. And, yeah, it was definitely temporary. Iona was like a dog with a bone. Once she sank her teeth into something, she didn’t let go until she got what she wanted. What she wanted was information he didn’t have.
He had to admit, though, that she had a point. Elias had been too cocky as a high school graduate to realize he got away from the MC too easily. Looking back on it, he should have had a more difficult time escaping that life. Not only that, but the Blackthorn Riders had a sanctuary agreement with the Reckoners. Was it possible his old man was mixed up in this somehow? Was he the puppet master, orchestrating everything from behind the curtain?
Elias met Iona at the front of the truck and walked inside the cabin with her. He led her to the sofa and sat beside Artemis’ leader.
When Seth signaled for silence, Elias realized his teammates were doing a room by room search for more bugs and cameras. He’d have to scan his and Iona’s room before he could relax enough to sleep there.
