Page 36 of Sweet Revenge for the Bikers

The brawl shifts our way, so close that a guy being chased by Mad Dog nearly stumbles right into us. Riptide moves faster, swinging me away from the fight and taking the hit himself. Mad Dog pats Riptide on the head twice before he’s gone, a wild grin on his face.

A door slams open above us. “What the fuck’s going on out here?” Eagle-eye’s gravelly voice carries over the noise of the fighting. “I can’t fucking think up here!”

And as suddenly as it began, the brawl ends in a comical freeze-frame of bikers in different positions of fighting, either looking ready to fall, or ready to punch. One is actually on another’s shoulder, either about to be pile-driven or used as a weapon. He topples with a grunt, falling over the back of a couch.

Eagle-eye glares down from the platform outside his office, leaning against the railing. The crowd breaks up under his glare, going back to their seats like they weren’t trying to kill each other a second ago.

“Jesus fucking Christ, I’m trapped with a bunch of fucking children.” He scans the room and spots us. “Get your asses upstairs. Shadow’s waiting.” Then he turns, goes back into his office and slams the door behind him.

“Guess we’re up to bat,” Mad Dog says, rejoining us. He has a red stain on his cheek.

“Come here.” I crook my finger at him. When he leans closer, I lick my thumb and wipe away the blood. It must be someone else’s.

“A little hot, right?” Riptide whispers.

Mad Dog grins. “Let’s go.”

19

MELODY

Going from the chaos downstairs to the quiet interrogation room is a jarring experience. Rebel raises an eyebrow at Mad Dog, whose hair and clothes still look, well, like he just jumped out of a brawl.

I might be back in the same room, surrounded by the same men, but the feeling in the room isn’t as hostile as it was yesterday. Mad Dog, Rebel and Riptide at least are here supporting me, not as prison guards.

“Are you ready?” Shadow slides my phone across the table to me.

I pull it the rest of the way. It feels like passing a lit grenade. “What should I say?”

“Let him lead the conversation at first. He’s going to know something’s fucked by now and we’ll probably have to hop in, but I wanna hear what his first reaction is.”

I nod. I can do that.

Outlaw starts recording, and Rebel has a legal pad and a pen to take notes. I hope I’m not going to regret this. If I get my father killed, even if it’s because of his own actions, I don’t know if I can forgive myself.

I tap Dad’s contact and wait for him to pick up. Part of me hopes he doesn’t.

He picks up on the second ring. “Who am I talking to?” His voice is flat and hard. His work voice, I guess. Not the one I’m used to. He was always the one who let me get away with anything when he was around.

“It’s me, Dad. I know you said to wait for you to contact me, but things have gotten a little complicated.”

“No shit. You and who else?”

I look at the guys, not sure what to say.

Dad sighs. “Give me a little credit, fellas. I’m not an idiot.”

Shadow leans forward. “This is Shadow. Your daughter’s currently a guest of the Screaming Eagles. There are a few other members present, but I’m the highest ranking person in the room right now.”

“Fucking figured. Are you safe, Dee? They treating you alright?”

“I am now, yeah. Someone jumped me at the rally after we talked, but I’m okay. The guys here have been…” Part of the complication. “They’ve taken care of me. Nobody’s hurt me or anything.”

“Where are you at now?”

I swallow down my nervousness the best I can. “The Screaming Eagles clubhouse.”

“Shadow?” Dad asks. “How much does she know?”