Hostage (Predators MC #3) (18 page)

T
he sound
of laughter hit her when she entered Shade’s home. Sex Piston’s little boy and Beth’s twin boys were sitting on the floor, playing with John. The women were in the kitchen and in the dining room, making a picnic, and Fat Louise was sitting on the rocking chair, watching the children.

“You look fabulous,” Penni complimented. The woman glowed with happiness. She looked like she was pregnant with a small basketball.

“I look huge.” Fat Louise smiled, patting her pregnant belly.

“It’s not much longer, is it?”

“Three more months.”

“Enjoy. Lily didn’t sleep the first four months with John.”

“I keep telling myself that.”

“I’m going upstairs to change.” Penni waved at Sex Piston, Crazy Bitch, Killyama, and Beth as she went up the steps.

She hurried through a shower then slipped on a pair of faded jeans and a flowery top that swung as she moved. Picking up her cell phone, she saw a message she had missed from Lily and a call from Grace.

Sitting down on the side of the bed, she dialed Grace’s number.

“What’s up, girl? If you’re calling me to tell me you can’t come back to work yet, I’ve told you to take—”

“Oceane passed away.” Her friend’s voice was husky and held a wealth of pain.

“I’m so sorry, Grace. I’m packing my suitcase. I can be there in—”

“No, stay in Treepoint. My dad isn’t handling it well. I need to concentrate on him right now.”

“What about you? You’re important, too.”

“I’m fine. Ice stayed and helped me, but we both agreed that Dad and Dax wanted to be alone. I’ll stay here for a couple of weeks before I come home. My dad’s so angry, Penni.” Grace’s voice dropped. “I’ve never seen him like this.”

“I wish you would let me come. I could make you some brownies.”

“Chocolate won’t fix this.”

“Not even my special ones?” Penni teased, trying to lighten the conversation.

A small laugh came across the line. “Text me the recipe; I’ll make them for my dad.”

They continued to talk for several minutes, Penni promising she would call her again tonight.

“Take care.”

“I will. Thanks, Penni.”

She disconnected the call, thinking of the beautiful woman who was going to be missed so badly by her family.

Penni went downstairs to see the women had moved out to the yard. She stood on the porch, watching the children play, before she walked to the picnic tables where the food had been laid out.

Lily sent her a searching look as she picked up a celery stick to nibble on. “What’s wrong?” Lily had been her friend long enough to know when something was wrong.

“Grace’s mother passed away.”

“I’m sorry.” The women sympathized.

“I didn’t know her very well. I had only met her a couple of times when she visited at work.”

“Are you going to be leaving?” Killyama asked a little to enthusiastically, Penni thought.

“No, she wants time to be alone with her family.”

Lily squeezed her hand. “I’m sure she’ll reach out if she needs you.”

Penni nodded, taking another celery stick before looking dead on at Killyama. “I thought you swore not to come to Treepoint when I was visiting.”

“I made the bitches show me everything they put into the food. I didn’t trust you not to put something in it that would fuck me up.”

“I didn’t mean for you to get alcohol poisoning.”

“You sure?” Killyama stared at her doubtfully.

“Why would I want to get you sick?”

Killyama reached for the vegetable platter, picking up her own celery stick. “Maybe because Lily told you Train took me for a ride, and I fucked him stupid.”

Lily grabbed Penni’s arm. “And you haven’t been out with him since. You told me you can’t stand him.”

“I can’t.”

Penni was unconvinced by her denial. From the way the other women looked, they didn’t believe her, either.

“You told her I had a crush on Train?” Penni turned to look at Lily, hurt that her friend had betrayed her trust.

“I did not. I wouldn’t do that.”

“Then how would they know—”

“Bitch, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see the way you look at him.”

“Oh …” Penni had no intention of getting in a bitch fight with Killyama. Number one, she was smart enough to know she wouldn’t win. The woman had been born knowing how to insult others. The second reason was, she might deny she cared about Train, but she did. Killyama was as transparent as she was where Train was concerned.

“You going to fight it out or eat lunch?” Fat Louise stood behind Killyama, trying to reach around for the potato salad.

“No one’s going to fight. Besides, there’s no need to fight anymore. Penni has a boyfriend.”

“Who?” Killyama asked, taking a seat at the picnic table.

“Jackal.” Penni thought his name slipped off her tongue too easily.

“You cook for him yet?” Crazy Bitch asked, moving her plate away from Fat Louise when she tried to take the last roll off her plate.

“No.”

“Give him my number. When he does, your boyfriend will be looking for another woman. I’m not much of a cook, but at least I won’t kill him.” Crazy Bitch nearly knocked Fat Louise off her feet when she elbowed her arm, laughing at her own joke.

“The next time I make the candy Willa gave me the recipe for, I won’t let any of you have any,” Penni bragged, knowing that would take the wind out of their over blown egos.

“She gave you the recipe?” Lily asked enviously.

“Yep, and I’m not sharing. She made me promise.” Willa had laughingly told her to make it when she needed to steal a man’s heart. Jackal had asked her about it twice since he had been at the clubhouse.

“You gonna put pot in it, too? Hell, you’ll take the whole Last Riders’ clubhouse down.” Killyama’s sarcastic comment fell on deaf ears as Lily, Beth, and Sex Piston began talking about planning Fat Louise’s baby shower.

Several of the men came out, carrying their lunches from the clubhouse, which Genny had made. Penni volunteered to get more drinks.

“Bring me a beer, and make sure the cap is on it.”

Penni wanted to dump her artichoke dip on Killyama’s head. Instead, Penni went inside to the refrigerator.

While taking out the pitcher of tea and a beer for Killyama, Penni overheard Genny and Viper talking in the dining room. Jackal, Train, Rider, and Hennessy were also in there, eating their lunches. Penni could tell Genny was very upset from the way she was shaking her head.

“I don’t want to move here. I have my own house.”

“It’s only for a couple of weeks,” Train tried to reassure her.

“No.”

Viper wasn’t going to take no for an answer. “I wasn’t giving you a choice. I’ll pay you for the inconvenience.”

“It’s not about the money. If you need me to work longer hours, I’m okay with that, but I want to go home at night.” Genny’s face was pale. She was clearly trying to make Viper listen to reason.

Penni was getting ready to interrupt when Lucky walked up behind her.

“Genny, let’s go talk in the front room.”

Genny turned toward Lucky, instantly calming and going into the other room with him on her heels.

“What was that about?” Penni asked.

Viper took his attention away from the closed door. “We want Genny to move in to the clubhouse until the trouble with Hennessy is taken care off.”

“So why not just say that to her?”

“Because, if I told her there was drugs involved, she would quit. The only reason I’m telling you is because you already know the trouble. Rachel, Mag, and Diamond will be moving in, too.”

“What about Evie?”

“Some of the Predators will be staying over there.”

“Okay.” Penni headed back into the kitchen as Lucky came back into the dining room alone.

“She didn’t listen, did she?” Penni could see Genny shoving dishes into the dishwasher.

“No,” Lucky confirmed with a set face.

“That house means everything to her. She works her ass off to afford it, so she’s not giving in just because men tell her to.”

“I’ll get Willa to talk to her when she gets off work.”

“Or could I make a suggestion?”

“What is it?” Viper asked, becoming irritated at having his plans thwarted. At least he was willing to listen.

“You could ask the Porters to watch her at home.”

The men stared back and forth between each other.

“That could work. I was going to pay Genny. I’ll pay the Porters, instead, and that way, she could stay home and be protected.”

“That’s bullshit,” Hennessy spoke out. “Just tell her no. Tell her she doesn’t have a choice. I’d never let a woman tell me no.”

Penni clenched her hands. “How well does that work out for you? It’s because of you we’re all in this mess.”

“I’m in this mess because of your crazy-ass, bit—”

Penni strode to the table, placing her palms on the table in front of him. “You’re blaming me?” Penni was getting fed up with people blaming her for everything. “If your little dick is as small as how much you know about women, I have someone I want to introduce you to. You’re a match made in heaven. Either you will teach her some manners, or you will kill each other. Either way, it’s a win-win situation.”

Penni was furious at Hennessy for blaming her, and she was mad at Jackal who hadn’t met her eyes when she had entered the room, nor had he taken up for her at Hennessy’s insinuation.

Penni stormed out of the room, going to the kitchen to take the tea and beer outside.

Killyama took the beer from her when she finally made it out there.

“What took you so long? The beer’s hot.” She checked the top to make sure it hadn’t been tampered with.

Penni tightened her hand on the pitcher of iced tea.
Don’t do it. Don’t do it
, she kept telling herself.

“Hand me those celery sticks, bitch.”

Fuck it.

“
W
ho’s she talking about
?” Jackal looked at Viper after Penni had left the room.

“You don’t want to know,” Viper answered.

“What do you think of Penni’s suggestion?”

“I’ll get Shade to go talk to the Porters when he gets back from talking to King.”

“Genny should be here where no one can get to her.” Hennessy shifted his weight, rubbing his hurt leg.

“If the Porters take the job, Genny will be more protected than she would be here. The Porters are fucking nuts.”

Hennessy wasn’t pacified, but then screams from outside had them running out the back door.

Jackal barely ducked in time to miss a bowl hitting the frame of the door.

“Dammit, when did they get here?” Viper shouted, wading through the women who were blocking them from seeing what was going on.

Jackal moved to the side, trying to see himself. He didn’t care about making anyone mad.

Penni was on the ground, fighting a woman who sitting on her.

“Pull her off, Penni,” Jackal said as he tried to reach her.

Viper and Train had each taken an arm, dragging the woman back. Penni used the opportunity to kick out, nailing the woman in the gut.

“Stop, Killyama!” Train fell back when the woman jerked back toward Penni.

“Bitch, I’m gonna kill you.”

“Quit calling me a bitch!” Penni screeched.

Rider and Razer made Lily and Beth back away as another woman Jackal didn’t know tried to bash Penni’s head in with the heel of her shoe.

Jackal reached down toward Penni, trying to help her to her feet at the same time Lucky did.

“Watch her teeth,” Jackal tried to warn too late as another woman with jacked-up hair jerked back, her hand bleeding.

He reached down, snatching Penni to her feet as she swung her hands in the air at the two women.

“Come on, Sex Piston and Crazy Bitch; you want some more of me? I’ll shove that celery up your ass!” Penni snarled.

“Penni, there are kids are here!” Lily had her hands on her hips as she planted herself so the other women couldn’t get to her.

Jackal could see reason come to Penni’s eyes as she turned to see a pregnant woman ushering the children into Shade’s house with Cade holding John and following her inside.

“Please, Sex Piston, calm down. She didn’t mean to pour the tea on Killyama,” Lily tried to calm her down again.

“The fuck she didn’t.” Sex Piston straightened her skintight shirt down over her leather pants, hopping on one foot until she took off her shoes. One of the high heels had a broken heel.

Stud steadied her, not removing his hand, either to balance her or hold her back from Penni.

“Want me to get you another beer?” Penni taunted the one named Killyama who had apparently set off World War III.

It was only when Shade and Knox arrived in the midst of the brawl that the men were able to get the women back under control. Jackal managed to get Penni to Shade’s front porch as the men ordered the women to clean up the mess they had made. He forced her to sit down on the swing, trying to give her time to gather her control. He didn’t want to take her inside. He was afraid she would scare the children.

“Want to tell me what happened?”

“No.” Penni used her foot to move the swing. “Lily didn’t tell me I wasn’t the only one who wanted Train.” She’d had a crush on Train for so long she didn’t know how to handle it now that she had found out another woman might have the same feelings.

“Why not?”

“She said she thought they hated each other.”

“I can see that.”

Train and Killyama were yelling at one another right this minute.

“Those women should take anger management classes.”

Penni sighed. “To be honest, I started it.”

“Because you were jealous over Train?”

“Because I wasn’t.”

Jackal tensed.

“I don’t know why I …” Penni looked away.

“Sucked my dick?”

Penni looked up at the porch ceiling. “Yes.”

“Anytime you want to do it again, I’m ready, willing, and able.”

“I’m not going to do that again.”

“Yes, you will.” Jackal stuck out his foot to stop the swing. He expected her to argue, but she was watching Train and Killyama disappear into the gazebo.

“He’s never going to love me, is he?”

“No.” No, he wouldn’t. Jackal himself would make damn sure of that. Train had years to make a move had he wanted to. Jackal was just glad he hadn’t. “He’s being deployed in two weeks.”

She turned to look at him. “How long?”

“I don’t know.”

“Oh.” Penni stood up. “I guess there isn’t any need for us to pretend any longer.” She started to move toward the door, but Jackal reached out, grabbing her arm.

“You weren’t pretending when you kissed me, and you weren’t pretending when you went down on me.”

“Don’t be a jerk.” She tried to yank away from him.

“How does me telling you the truth make me a jerk? I’m the one being taken advantage of here.”

“What?” Penni asked incredulously.

“Did we have an audience in the basement I didn’t know about?”

“No.”

“I was real with you when I kissed you. You’re the one who doesn’t want to admit we have something going on.”

“Like what?” she snapped.

“I don’t know. If you ever get your head out of your ass and quit worrying about Train, we could find out.”

“I don’t want to know.”

“Why not? Am I not rich enough for you?”

“Money doesn’t matter to me!”

“It matters a hell of lot to me. I might not be rich, but I work for Henry as head of security and a bouncer, and I’ve saved up every dime I’ve earned off the Predators.”

“Selling drugs and God knows what else,” she scoffed.

“He does know, and I’m cool with that. We don’t sell on the streets. As a matter of fact, the ones we do sell to know what they get is clean and won’t get them sent to the ER. And we don’t finance cartel or gangbangers. What they do with it after we sell to them is on them. None of us takes that shit, and none of us bring it into the club.”

“You’re honestly telling me you have a clear conscious?” She gaped at him, no longer trying to pull away.

“I didn’t say that. I’ve done things for the club, but I gave my oath as the enforcer, and I won’t break it.”

“Whatever it takes?”

“Yes.”

“Kidnapping wasn’t the worst thing you’ve ever done, was it?”

“No.”

“Have you ever killed someone?”

“Yes.”

Each question, she became paler.

“Do you sleep with …?”

“Yes.”

“Have you ever raped a woman?”

“No.” With that answer, he had a clear conscious. “How do you think Shade would answer the same questions you asked me?”

“Shut up. I’m not talking about him; I’m talking about you.”

“You can’t excuse Shade for the same offenses and then use them to not have a relationship with me. Are you going to walk away from Shade?”

“No,” Penni answered.

“Then don’t walk away from me.”

“I love Shade.” Her eyes met his, and the love he saw within them for her brother was unmistakable.

“How do you feel about me?”

“I don’t know.” The gaze became troubled, showing her confusion.

“Then let’s find out.” Jackal rose to his feet, taking her into his arms. “It’s good, Penni, really good.”

He wanted to slide underneath her defenses until there was no getting away from him. If that meant giving Penni time, he could do that.

She bit her lip, staring up at him. “Can you at least try to not be so bad?”

“I can try.”

“Will you try to get along with Shade?”

That took effort to answer. “I’ll try.”

“There’s going to be one deal breaker.” She pressed her hands flat on his chest.

“What is it?”

“If I ever find out you’re messing around on me, whatever this is between us is over.”

“I can live with that.” He smiled down at her. He tried to place a kiss on her mouth, but she stopped him.

“I’m serious, Jackal. I hate men who cheat.”

Thank God Lily had never complained about that to her. She didn’t think she could get past that as much as she loved Shade.

Jackal raised two fingers on his hand. “I promise.”

Penni melted against him, her face clearing. “We’re going to have to get home before we can seal this deal. I can’t … you know … do it in Shade’s house.”

Jackal straightened. “That could be a couple of weeks. There’s a hotel in town.”

“I’m not going to lose my virginity in a sleazy hotel.”

“Babe, I don’t think you can still be a virgin with the size of the dildo you had in your nightstand at home.”

Penni began hitting him on his shoulders. “I never used it! I was waiting to … use it for a toy when I was involved with someone.”

Jackal dodged her blows. “Damn, I wish I had known that.”

“Why?”

“Because I cut it up and threw it away.”

“You’re joking.”

“Nope. Babe, all you need is my dick.”

“I thought you saw it? Clearly, you didn’t see how big it was.”

Penni’s giggles stopped when Jackal ran a thumb over her bottom lip.

“I’ll tell you what; if you can buy a rubber dick as big as mine that feels as good as mine, I’ll buy it for you.”

* * *

J
ackal squashed
another bug that came too close. “How the hell can you handle these bugs?”

Mag smashed one on the banister with a bright purple fly swatter. “It’s so bad tonight because it’s getting dark, and it just rained.” She picked up her glass jar, taking a big drink.

It was his turn to watch the front door. He could easily see down the road from where the house had been built. Viper had made it impossible for anyone to attack the front without being seen. He needed to tell Ice he needed to step up his game.

“You don’t want to go inside and play cards?”

Since Cash and Rachel had brought her here, Cash’s grandmother had spent most of her time playing cards and sitting on the front porch. Usually, there were two men posted on duty, but one would invariably make an excuse to leave when she was wheeled out.

“You gonna marry that little girl?”

“She’s not little.”

She made him a sound like he was a dirty old man. “You know what I meant,” she snapped. “Well, are you?”

“Couples don’t get married; they live together.”

“If a man ever told me that when I was younger, I’d have cut off his balls.”

“You know, I found out something interesting about women. They all threaten to cut a man’s dick off.”

“It’s because a man will sit up and take notice when their dick is threatened. A woman cares more about how much a man carries in his back pocket than what’s behind his zipper.” The old woman sniffed. “Believe me; sex isn’t all that.”

“Then you’ve never done it with the right person.”

“You offering?”

Jackal discreetly backed up a step or two. “God, no.”

Mag cackled. “You’re lucky I’m not twenty years younger.”

“How did your husband die?” Jackal wondered if it had been with the helping hand of Cash’s grandmother.

“God took him with a heart attack.”

Jackal sat down on the banister, setting down the glass jar beside him. “You sure it wasn’t poisoning?”

Mag was still cackling when Penni and Rachel came outside.

“You behaving, Mag?” Rachel asked.

“What do you think? It’s not like I can do shit stuck in this wheelchair.”

Penni moved closer to Jackal. Slipping his arm around her waist, he pulled her back against him.

Penni wrinkled her nose up at him. “Is that smell what I think is?”

“No.” Mag pressed the glass jar between the side of her wheelchair and her thigh.

“You ready to go inside?” Rachel asked, gripping the back of Mag’s wheelchair.

“Might as well. The good Lord might come tonight.”

Jackal buried his head between Penni’s shoulder blades as Rachel and Mag went inside.

“Did you get Mag drunk?”

“Don’t blame me. Greer dropped it off when he passed through on his way to Genny’s house.”

“Well, if God does come, she won’t feel it.”

“Rider was supposed to take over an hour ago. Want to sneak me into your bedroom? Or do you want to go upstairs to my room? He can have watch duty for the rest of the night.”

“I’m not going to lose my virginity when twenty men could hear it.”

Jackal picked up his glass, taking a swig. He would make damn sure they wouldn’t hear a thing. The shape he was in, it would take him longer to get it out of his jeans than to actually fuck her.

“Are you drinking moonshine?”

“The whole it’s burning in my stomach takes my mind off my dick.” Jackal teased the back of her neck.

“Ah … You’re so romantic. Uh … Jackal?”

“What?” He crossed his arms over her breasts, pulling her back to his chest.

“Do you see the fire coming from town?”