I freeze in place as fear washes over me. Darkness is the president of Ironbound, which shares a forty-mile border with Vulture’s territory. Ironbound is into everything from trafficking women to running drugs. His biological brother is in prison for beating his wife to within an inch of her life. He left her crippled and led the cops on a wild chase across the county that caused several automobile accidents.
I try to imagine a young grieving twenty-year-old woman marrying Darkness. It makes my blood run cold.
Jasper states quietly, “You know that Darkness would chew her up and spit her out. He’d take her inheritance and use those trucks to move drugs and all kinds of contraband. He’d baby trap her so fast, she wouldn’t know what hit her.”
I curse under my breath, because I can walk away from all the other things Rock believes will make me agree to an arranged marriage with this woman but not this. I won’t leave any woman to that fate, even a total stranger.
Knowing he’s poked through my last line of resistance, Rock adds, “We need the alliance to be seen as legitimate. That means there won’t be hiding this. The wedding needs to be huge and public.”
“Yeah,” Jasper chimes in. “We’ll pull out all the bells and whistles so Vulture’s little granddaughter can have the wedding of her dreams with her prince charming. Think about it. Who would spend that kind of money on a wedding unless it was real.”
“You’re enjoying this way too much, you prick,” I bite out.
My old man has really given this some deep thought. Jasper is along for the ride.
“It’s for the best, son. You’re coming up on forty with no bride in sight. Sometimes, young people just need a little push in the right direction to sort their fuckin’ life out.”
“She has a say in this too,” I point out. “Has anyone considered that? Maybe she’ll think this idea is as crazy as I do.”
“Her uncle talked to her about this plan,” Rock shoots back. “We’re not making decisions for the two of you. We’re just trying to work out a solution that solves everyone’s problem at once.”
“Which is not the same as her agreeing to it.”
“No woman is gonna agree to marry a man she’s never met. Which is why I arranged a meeting between the two of you.”
“You did what?” I don’t know why I’m so upset that he did that without asking.
My old man glances casually down at his watch. “They should be here any minute. Pull yourself together, son.”
“You set up the fuckin’ meeting without telling me.”
“I honestly thought you’d jump at the chance to marry the club princess of Vulture’s Pride. As it stands, the least you could do is meet her before you dismiss the whole idea out of hand.”
Rachel’s voice comes through the intercom, and even through the small speaker I can hear that slight elevation in pitch that means something has caught her attention. “Mr. Jackson, you have new visitors. Should I send them in or ask them to wait?”
“Bring them in,” I tell her with as much civility in my voice as I can manage.
Chapter 3
Nova
My uncle takes me to a two-story office building with a glass door and a lobby directory hanging on the wall. His finger trails down the list of names and stops at Owen Jackson, Certified Public Accountant, Room 223.
So far everything my uncle told me checks out. This guy really is an accountant. I’m relieved but not quite sold on this idea. I feel like I’m walking into some kind of trap. I feel bad thinking that my uncle would lead me down the wrong path. But who has an arranged marriage in this day and age?
We walk through the door with his name on it and are greeted by a receptionist. She has us sign in and lets her boss know we’re here. I’m still thinking this might actually work out somehow, right up until the receptionist opens the door to his office and I see a man in a button-down shirt and tie behind the desk and men in cuts sitting on the other side.
The older of the three comes to his feet. “Cray, thanks for calling me first.”
“Thank you for entertaining the offer, Rock. I know your son’s an honorable man, one that I can trust with my grandniece.”
I recognize the patch and immediately take a step back. I know all about the Sons of Rage MC because I’ve been looking at that name in my grandfather’s paperwork since I was old enough to understand what territory lines mean. When I was little,maybe eight or nine, I remember my grandfather pointing to the map spread out on the kitchen table. He said, “Smart leadership and big numbers are what makes them dangerous. They’ll come for the Vulture’s Pride one day, girl. You wait and see.”
And now here they are. A wave of revulsion rolls through me so strongly that I want to throw up. But I somehow manage to quell it.
The accountant must be linked to them, somehow. “Owen Jackson,” he says as he stands to greet me.
When I don’t respond to his outstretched hand, my uncle places his hand at the small of my back, and he tries to propel me forward. I don’t budge though because I’m still trying to work this all out in my head. “Nova,” my uncle says in a warning tone. “Come and sit down like civilized folk.”
