Barely Undercover: Legal Heat Book 2(80)

“He’s not worth it,” Bones said. “Let’s take him out to Gunn Island, or Williamson. They’re both isolated and restricted to the public. You already took a risk bringing the kilos on site. We gotta dump them before we do anything else. And our guests should be back soon. You don’t want a mess.”

James’s heart hammered in his chest, and he forced himself to look anywhere but at Ryder. His friend was on his side, but even two against five were bad odds in such a tight space.

Rex looked from Ryder to Bones. Then he studied James for a long moment. “You would’ve made a damn good biker, but you’ll make an even better dead rat.”

He leveled his gun and smiled.





Lana paced up and down in front of her office window. She’d called James almost three hours ago. Where was he? With Levi in town she couldn’t wait much longer.

The wind whipped around the building, rattling her windows. He’d better hurry. If it started to rain he wouldn’t be able to ride and they would have to run away in her Jetta.

A half smile curled her lips. Wouldn’t that be the ultimate irony? The car he despised would save yet another life. This time, hers.

She still couldn’t believe he was coming to help her. Even after she’d run away. Nothing she’d done had put him off. He had trusted her with his heart, how could she do any less for him?

A thud sounded at the door and a gasp broke free from her lips. Breathless anticipation ratcheted through her as she ran into the foyer and threw open the deadbolt. Only then did she remember.

James had a key.

The door slammed open. Lana staggered back, her breath catching in her throat as she came face-to-face with her worst nightmare.

“Levi.” Her horrified whisper brought a cruel smile to his thin lips.

“Hello, darling.”

Lana’s stomach clenched violently. She willed her feet to move, but fear and shock had frozen them in place. Even after so many years, she couldn’t look at him without a painful tightening in her chest. His beauty—sharp and sensual—had not diminished with age. Black hair, steel-gray eyes, sharp cheekbones, a narrow jaw and a cruel slash of a mouth. With his pale skin, his incisors shaved to points in tribute to Fang, he resembled a gothic vampire. But he was no comic book villain. Tall and muscular, his corded forearms covered in tats, he’d dished out his strength frequently and always with a side helping of bruises.

“Did you miss me, Roxie?” He struck her across the face, the blow so hard her head snapped to the side.

Lana stumbled away and fell to the ground. Ears ringing, she could just make out Kickstand’s angry shout as he raced into her office and crouched protectively by her side.

“You told me you were friends. You can’t touch her. She’s Ice’s girl.”

“She’s no one’s girl.” Levi kicked her in the ribs with the hard tip of his biker boots, and she instinctively curled up, trying to protect herself from the sharp, familiar pain.

“She’s my wife.”





A hushed murmur swept through the crowded Hades clubhouse as Levi dragged Lana into the center of the empty lounge. The main floor of the clubhouse had been cleared of furniture for the extraordinary visit of the Wolverines. James counted at least twenty Wolverine patches in the crowd. A large contingent for an insignificant city, but a small group in the packed clubhouse.

Every full-patch member, prospect, old lady and Hades affiliate had been called to witness Rex’s biggest triumph. The return of a runaway slave to one of the biggest, most powerful motorcycle clubs on the west coast. The reward was substantial. The accolades impressive. But the goodwill Rex had bought Hades was priceless.

James couldn’t decide whom to kill first.

Hands cuffed behind his back, ankles tied together, flanked by Ryder and Bones, James growled his anger and frustration. Ryder glanced over and frowned, warning him to keep quiet. If not for the timely arrival of the Wolverines, Ryder might not have been able to convince Rex to hold off the execution. He shouldn’t be pressing his luck.

Claw and a sheet-white Kickstand stood beside Ryder. Tears streaked Kickstand’s face. Horrified that Rex had used him to lead Levi to Lana on the pretense of reuniting two old friends, he’d begged Rex to release him from his pledge to the club. Rex had promised him his patch instead.

Rage thrummed through James’s body when Levi forced Lana to her knees and fisted her hair, holding her in place.

“Which one of you is Ice?”

James forced himself to keep his gaze on Levi, and not Lana on the floor, head bowed under the pressure of Levi’s fist.