The Predators had been willing to help Colton, especially when they had realized King was Lily’s father. When one of the brothers had been sent to keep an eye on her and the Last Riders and then subsequently disappeared, Jackal had taken Penni as insurance until they could get him back.
The trip to Treepoint had been more aggravating than he could have dreamed possible. Penni had become a raving bitch, trying to escape despite his assurances that she would be turned over to Shade as soon as Eightball was released. She had nearly crashed his motorcycle twice, bit him hard enough on his back to leave a scar, and it had taken two weeks to heal from the scratches she had made sure hurt like hell. At one point, Jackal had nearly left her stranded at a rest area. Ice’s anger when he had called him to give him the location of the meet with The Last Riders had forced him to turn around to get her back.
Jackal had never met a woman who wasn’t afraid of him. When he had pulled into the meeting place, he almost hadn’t stopped. Only keeping his word to Ice had kept her safe as he’d forced himself to let her climb off his bike. She had spat at him before sedately walking away.
Jackal wasn’t sure why he had let Penni go. He was a hard-ass and didn’t care what any of the Predators thought of him. Fuck, that was why he was the enforcer. They preyed on the weak. They took what they wanted, when they wanted. The only reason the Predators were involved with Lily in the first play was because King had made it worth their time.
When Penni had walked away from him, his eyes had met with Shade’s. Her brother was as ice cold as his half-sister was volatile. Jackal had felt the chill coming from halfway across the parking lot. He was smart enough to recognize Shade for what he was—a killer. Jackal knew because he was one, as well.
The men gathered on the parking lot had vowed their loyalty to their respective clubs. With one glance, Jackal could tell the difference between the men facing off against each other. The Last Riders held a loyalty to the club that the Predators were missing. All The Last Riders had bonded together to protect Lily, while the Predators were monsters no one could control. They were willing to help King for a price, whereas Eightball had been returned at any price because no one took what belonged to the club.
Jackal stared down at the picture, wondering if Penni knew how dangerous Shade was, how dangerous he was.
“Not since she nearly killed me.” Jackal didn’t try to keep the irritation out of his voice.
Ice stopped him again. “I didn’t think there was a woman you couldn’t handle.”
Jackal studied Penni’s living room. Something was missing, but he couldn’t place his finger on what.
“Sometimes, the work isn’t worth the effort.” His hand went to his scarred cheek. “I learned a long time ago from Camy that you’re not going to steal a woman’s heart when she doesn’t have one.”
Camy had been his old lady. He had been nineteen and stupid, believing in forever. He had gone for lunch one day and found her fucking his father, who had stopped by to tell him he was out on parole. The two men had fought, and the cops had been called. When the cops had tried to stop the fight, his father had pulled a blade, cutting him from his brow to the corner of his bottom lip. He had been arrested, still trying to get away from the vicious attack.
“All the women like Penni.” Ice braced his legs apart as he leaned over to look out the window.
Jackal set the photo back down. Jackal was right; Penni had dozens of friends. Many were captured in the pictures placed around her living room. Her smile displayed evident humor as she grew older in her photos. The only thing missing from family and friends were boyfriends. None of the pictures seemed to show old love interests. Maybe he had been wrong. Maybe women didn’t want be reminded of old boyfriends.
When he had pressured Ice to find out whom Penni was dating, Grace would only tell him that she had seen several men, but she didn’t believe Penni was in an intimate relationship.
Jackal had been shocked. His jealously had fueled his imagination, picturing her with numerous one-night stands, some of them with the members of the Mouth2Mouth band she managed. According to Grace, though, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Penni would get all gung-ho about meeting particular men, looking forward to getting to know them, only to never see them again after the initial date.
“The women at the strip club all like her, too. Even her fucking neighbors like her. They think she’s sweet.”
Jackal snorted as he leaned next to Ice. “I bet they’ve already called the cops.” Jackal nodded his head toward where the neighbors could be seen as more of the Predators filed into the house.