Talon (Uncompromising #1)(62)

The pings of bullets hitting metal sounded over the roar of the bike’s engine and the truck pulled even closer. I barely had time to register what kind of crazy fuck would do that when the truck’s tinted window went down.

Neil scowled. “Follow me,” he yelled, stepping on the gas and pulling in front of us.

My heart in my throat, I patted Siren’s leg and spoke over the wind. “We’re good. He’s one of us.”

Without a word, she shoved the gun back in my holster and wrapped her arm around my stomach.

I followed Neil through the empty city streets, wondering what the fuck he was up to. When he turned north onto a two-lane county road that went straight toward Ocala, alarm bells started going off. I was about to pull back and let him go fuck himself when I saw what he was after. Two SUVs appeared a quarter mile ahead of us before a curve took them out of view.

Neil eased off the gas and motioned for me to pull up alongside him. “Blind spot, driver side, keep up,” he issued the command then sped back up.

Three feet off his left rear panel, I kept pace. Two more turns and Siren gasped in my ear.

“That’s Stone.”

The second we’d turned onto this road, I’d figured that was Neil’s end game. “I know. Hold on.”

Neil pulled into the lane for opposite traffic and I drifted with him. I knew what he was gonna do the second we came to the next curve. Neil hit the gas, rolled his passenger window down and fired three consecutive shots, followed quickly by three more. The rear SUV spun sharply as it lost two tires. Narrowly missing us, the tail spun out. I glanced back and saw the huge vehicle flip twice before landing tires up in the ditch.

Neil was already gunning his diesel truck and cutting off the front SUV. Forcing them off the road in a calculated move, he screeched his tires and pulled perpendicular to the SUV as it braked to avoid rolling into the ditch.

Neil was out of his truck, gun drawn, before I had the bike stopped. I hit the kickstand and grabbed my 9mm.

“Stay here!” I barked at Siren.

As Neil walked toward the SUV, he unloaded two rounds into the driver-side door by the lock and another one into the lower rear corner of the window. The safety glass spidered and without missing a beat, Neil’s elbow smashed into the window. He reached into the SUV, wrenched the door open using the inside handle and yanked the bloodied, stunned driver out by his shirt. He threw him to the ground, brought his heel down on his neck and trained his gun on the front passenger seat.

“Out of the vehicle,” Neil commanded.

I held my weapon on the driver as Stone Hawkins slowly got out of the SUV.





HIS HANDS IN THE AIR, a smug expression on his face, Stone walked around the front of his SUV. The first thing I noticed was how young he looked.

“Well, if it isn’t the infamous Talon Talerco.” Stone inclined his head at Neil. “But I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting his muscle.”

“Consider yourself lucky.” My mind spinning from Neil’s tactical precision, I studied Stone’s almost perfect appearance.

Neil aimed his gun at Stone’s head. “On your knees.”

Wearing a cut but looking nothing like the rough LCs back at the apartment complex, Stone glanced down at his pressed shirt and black jeans then smiled. “Is that really necessary, gentlemen? You have me at a disadvantage, I assure you.”

Neil took a step toward Stone.

Stone dropped to the dirt. “All right, all right.” He laced his hands behind his head. “So, what business brings you out on this quiet evening?”

Ever so slightly, Neil inclined his head at me.

The fact that Stone wasn’t already dead told me Neil was giving me a chance to clear shit with the asshole. If it didn’t go our way, I had no doubt Neil would pull the trigger. I needed to get my head in the game and let Stone know he couldn’t fuck with us but his appearance, his speech, it was throwing me. Nothing about the way he dressed or spoke screamed ruthless MC president.

“Looks like you’re down a few brothers,” I said casually.

As much as anyone could shrug with their hands clasped behind their head, Stone shrugged. “Price of doing business.”

I circled him slowly. To give him credit, he didn’t follow my movements. “Wasn’t hard to get at you either.”

“No, I suppose it wasn’t. But next time it will be.” His casual smile stayed in place.

“What makes you think you’ve got a next time?”

Stone chuckled. “I was told you were smart. Isn’t it obvious? If you wanted me dead, I’d already be dead. Simple truth.”

“Temptin’,” I admitted. “Solve a few problems with one solution.”