We all felt it.
The phone. The warm coffee. The chairs perfectly placed like some twisted welcome mat.
They wanted us toknowthey were close. That they were watching. That they were in control.
And I fucking hated it.
I kept one hand tight on the throttle, the other brushing the spot on my jaw where Amanda kissed me. Her voice echoed in my head.
“Come back safe.”
I would. But not just for me.
For her.
For Scout.
For every woman this sick-ass ring had taken and branded and used like she was nothing.
We weren’t dealing with amateurs. They had resources, surveillance, intel. They knew our patterns and were feeding us just enough to keep us hungry. Just enough to mess with our heads.
Ghost peeled off first, his truck kicking up gravel as he disappeared down the east road with Smoke panting in the passenger seat. Ranger nodded to me before turning toward the back gate. Brutus rode up alongside me one last time, his expression unreadable behind his helmet.
“We need to hit back,” he said. “Soon.”
I nodded once. “We will.”
At the clubhouse, we parked and dismounted in a tight line, engines still warm. Cap was already waiting on the front steps, arms crossed.
“Well?” he asked, eyes sweeping over our faces.
“Warehouse was staged. Charity center was too clean. And the storage unit…” I held up the phone. “They knew we were coming.”
Cap’s eyes narrowed. “That Scout’s?”
“Could be. Or a plant.”
“Either way, they’re fucking with us.”
Ghost stepped forward. “They want us chasing ghosts while they move the real pieces.”
Cap nodded slowly. “Then we change the game.”
He turned to Brutus. “Get with Brick. I want security tripled on the northern line. I don’t care how quiet it’s been.”
“On it.”
“Ranger—grid the tire marks from the charity spot. We need to match them with distribution routes.”
Ranger gave a quick salute and disappeared into the garage.
Cap looked to me last. “You good?”
“Yeah.”
“You sure?”
“Not even a little,” I said. “But I will be.”
