I shine my light in her face so I can get a better look, and she squints and throws her hand up in protest.
Her features are sharp. A deep, defined brow line, angular jaw, and bright brown eyes. But the expression she’s wearing rather than the characteristics of her face are what really give her away. The signature don’t-fuck-with-me look that I’ve endured every time I’ve gone toe to toe with the Soldiers of Sin president. Everyone in that fucking family looks perpetually pissed off.
“That’s Gracie Donovan.”
Jack’s younger sister. Half sister, I guess. She’s Lena McKenna and Jimmy Donovan’s kid. A secret affair baby situation. Guess we have that in common. I have the honour of sharing a bloodline with the piece of shit who raised her. Rick McKenna. Devil rest his soul.
Once upon a time, Jack shared more than he should about that with me. I’ve known the truth about Grace’s lineage since shortly after I found out about mine, though I’m not privy to many details. All I know is that Rick attacked Jack and Gracie’s mother and that a hell of a lot of violence came after that. Sinners killing Sinners, Axe in handcuffs, Jimmy gone. A final face-off with Jack’s father. Jack laid the final blow. I cleaned up the mess. My first duty as Axe’s little bitch. Dig a grave for the man I inherited half my DNA from.
I honestly kind of forgot Grace existed. Axe has been the only Donovan in South Bay since Jimmy packed up his family ten years ago and tossed his crown at his only son’s feet.
The girl’s got a hell of a family tree. Which means I’m in another situation where I have to be careful, choose my words like my life depends on them. Fuck with Grace Donovan a littletoo liberally, and I’ll have two very pissed-off bikers kicking down my door.
Grace crosses her arms. I almost laugh. She’s a Donovan, all right. Same irritated demeanor. Same disdain for law enforcement. Though she’s a little nicer to look at than her brothers. A lot nicer, actually.
Grace grew up hot.
Tilting her head, she gives me a once over. “Wish I could lie and say it was nice to see you, Decker, but the last time we crossed paths, you were putting my brother in handcuffs.”
I smirk. “I did do that, didn’t I?”
She narrows her eyes, but before she can manage a retort, Allen interrupts.
“Donovan? You’re Jimmy’s kid?”
She gives him a smooth nod.
“Licence and registration,” he says, his mood shifting from irritated to elated. “And maybe you can tell me why you’re riding a motorbike that doesn’t belong to you.”
“Last time I checked, that wasn’t a crime.” She unzips the bag strapped to the tail of her bike and digs inside, then hands Allen her papers. “You’re seriously pulling me over for doing seventy-five in a sixty? There’s like, no one around. Come on, Decker. You really that bored?”
“We clocked you at over ninety.” Allen shines his light on her registration, squinting, as if searching for a detail that’ll allow him to arrest her. “You failed to pull over. Any reason for that?”
“You’ll have to excuse me for not wanting to stop for a cruiser on an abandoned road in the middle of the night.” She throws me a scowl. “Cops in these parts haven’t exactly been kind to my family.”
I roll my eyes. “Give it a rest, Grace.”
“Where is Jimmy, exactly?” Allen asks.
Her only response is a glare. Outlaws have few rules, but the ones they do maintain are upheld fiercely. And the most important? Nobody talks. Jimmy Donovan could be livestreaming cartwheels on the front lawn of the South Bay Police Station, and Grace still wouldn’t tell Allen where he is.
He huffs when she remains silent. “Got any drugs on you? Weapons?”
She scoffs. “I’ve given you no reason to think that.”
Allen pockets her documents and smiles. I don’t like it. He looks too excited. Like something’s about to go his way.
“That wasn’t a no.”
“It wasn’t a yes either,” she snaps, her chin lifted.
“I’m gonna have to ask you to put your hands on your bike so I can search you.” He takes a step forward.
She immediately steps back, as if sensing a threat. Her eyes shoot to me and then back to Allen, on the hand now sitting steady on his gun. She raises her own hands slightly, putting them both in clear view. “You’ve got no right to search me. I haven’t done anything.”
“Let’s all just… calm down.” I slide my hand to my own gun.
At the subtle move, Grace side-eyes me, frowning.
