“You’re going to have to save this for later,” Hennessy interrupted.
Jackal groaned, lifting his head. Licking his bottom lip, he imprinted her pliant image in his mind then helped her to straighten. She sat mutely, not butting in as Hennessy motioned for the Road Kingz to surround them. That’s a first, Jackal thought sardonically, not expecting it to last.
The dangerous tension spread among them. Cruz, as Hennessy’s enforcer, took his flank. Jackal was impressed as he maneuvered the Road Kingz so bystanders wouldn’t be able to see what was taking place from within the enclosed circle.
“If anything goes down, stick to me. Got me?”
“Okay.”
He was so proud when Penni didn’t show the fear she must be feeling.
Cruz stepped in to allow Striker to enter the circle then closed ranks, preventing prying eyes from watching.
Jackal stood in front of Penni, his hand riding low at his back, under his jacket and on the handle of his Glock. Any move that threatened Penni, he would drop Striker, regardless if Hennessy’s life depended on him.
“Where’s my money?” Hennessy demanded.
“I don’t have it.”
“Then there better be smack in that duffle bag.” Hennessy raised his T-shirt, showing the Glock tucked into the waist of his jeans.
“How do I know you won’t kill me as payback for DJ?
“You’re lucky that you’re not already dead.” Hennessy’s unfeeling voice had Striker’s eyes flickering over the men surrounding him.
“I didn’t lay a hand on him. I went to take a piss, and when I came out, Ricky had killed him.” He leaned sideways so that he could see Penni. “The bitch will tell you that I’m telling the truth.”
Hennessy turned so he could keep his eyes on Striker and Penni.
“That true?”
Jackal knew Hennessy was playing with Striker. Penni had already told him Ricky was responsible for DJ’s death.
“Tell him!” Striker demanded urgently.
Jackal hid his smile when Penni kept him waiting. Finally, when he rocked nervously back and forth on his feet, as if he were about to piss himself, she spoke.
“Why should I? You didn’t care that you were leaving me to get raped and killed.”
“He would have killed me, too!” Sighing and turning away from Penni, Striker dropped the duffel bag in front of Hennessy. “It’s all there. We good?”
Hennessy used the same tactic that Penni had.
“Shit, Hennessy, let him go before he shits himself,” Jackal spoke in the growing silence.
“Apoc, check the bag.” Hennessy kept his hand on his weapon.
Apoc bent down, unzipping the bag, checking the contents, and then zipping the bag closed.
“It’s good. The same product we sent to sell.”
“You and Cruz take it to the car. Tia’s waiting by the food truck. I’ll see you back at the clubhouse.”
“Tia’s here?”
“Yes, if you hadn’t had your tongue down her throat”—Hennessy nodded at Penni—“she would have said hi.”
Tia was Hennessy’s cousin. Jackal had met her when she had turned eighteen and her parents had been murdered. He had found her a place to live in Queen City. Then, when Hennessy had left the Predators, she had left with him and DJ.
“We done?” Striker took a step backward.
“We’re done.”
Jackal kept his eyes on Striker as he walked away. Being an enforcer for the Predators had honed his skills over the years. The uneasy feeling traveling up his spine had him pulling out his Glock before Apoc fell to the dirt, staring up at the night sky.
Hennessy and their men pulled their weapons out as screams filled the night. The red-orange flames from the bonfire glowed across the bloodbath that had begun.
Jackal jumped on his motorcycle, his bike in the direction of the road. They had to get through a half-mile of gunfire to make it to safety.
15
“Get her out of here!” Hennessy yelled, running to the duffel bag Apoc had dropped.
Jackal saw Ice, Max, Stump, and Fade running toward Hennessy and his men as the Unjust Soldiers attacked.
“Hang on,” Jackal yelled back to Penni as he started his bike.
The Road Kingz began dropping like flies.
Dirt flew out when his back wheel spun in the loose soil.
Hennessy’s large body provided cover as one the Unjust Soldiers pointed his weapon at him. He had to get Penni out of here so Hennessy could focus on keeping himself and his men alive.
Hennessy saw the guns trained on him and tossed the duffle bag to Penni, who managed to catch it. She looped it through her arms, carrying it like a backpack.
“Shit.” Hennessy had put a bullseye on them.