Riding Danger (BBW Biker Romance) (11 page)

* * *

“I
told you not to come here!” Ron bit out at Alec as he sat down at the bar alongside him. Not only had he wanted to collect the reward from Alec, but there was no telling what he might do when he came face to face with Jace. Ron didn’t think Jace was armed, but he didn’t know for sure and didn’t want to take chances.

Alec downed a shot of tequila, and Ron could tell it wasn’t his first tonight. “Shut your mouth, Ron. I don’t answer to you. I’ve got more than one bullet, you know. I wouldn’t mind using one of them on you.”

Ron knew he wasn’t bluffing. The man had become unpredictable in recent months, and while Ron would continue to follow him until he reaped his own reward, he couldn’t wait for the day when Alec was a distant memory.

“Just think this through and take it easy. He’s not alone, which means either you have a witness, or you have to take care of an innocent woman at the same time.”

“I don’t care who he’s with, Ron. This will be finished once and for all.” He ordered and downed another shot, making Ron wince. “You can stay or go, but don’t get in my way.” He slapped a twenty on the counter and stormed out of the place, leaving a bitter taste in Ron’s mouth as he swallowed past the bile rising in his throat. This wasn’t going to end well, and as he paid his tab and stepped outside into the night, he growled. Alec was nowhere to be seen, but pulling into the parking lot across the street were four individuals, three of which looked very much like law enforcement. And they were headed his way.

What the hell did he do now?

* * *

S
terling recognized the insignia on the jacket the man wore, but if she knew anything about her sister, this wasn’t the guy Piper had run off with. At least, she hoped the girl had better sense. This man looked like a thug. Grabbing Alvarez’s arm as they walked side by side in front of the federal agents, she leaned over and whispered, “He’s in the club.”

With a nod, Alvarez quickened his steps, moving ahead of the others, heading straight for the man.

“Sir, could I speak with you a moment?” He held up a badge and saw the fleeting thought of running on his face, but to the man’s credit, he didn’t move.

“Sure, officer. What can I do for you?” His voice was hesitant, unsure.

“I’m Sergeant Alvarez with the Dallas P.D., and I’m looking for a man I think you may know. Jace Dawson. Have you seen him recently?”

The man’s eyes darted around the group as the others approached, and he appeared quite nervous. “What is this about?”

“Sir, that’s police business. Do you know where he is or not?” He faced the man down while Morris and Resner flanked him, menacing looks on their faces.

Swallowing nervously, the guy shifted from one foot to the other. Finally, he seemed to slump. “Listen, I came here to stop someone from going after him. So if you’re here to do something other than arrest Dawson, you might want to get across the street, because there’s an angry, drunk man about to storm into his motel room and kill him and his old lady.”

Almost feeling Sterling’s panic rising, Alvarez placed a hand on her shoulder to keep her calm and still. “What is your name, sir?”

“Ron...Ron Rickman. But you want Alec Stone, who is on the verge of shooting two people, probably in the head, right across the street.”

Alvarez wasn’t stupid; he knew the man was throwing the heat off himself. At the same time, he knew the agents had already moved over to the motel in preparation. Nodding, he told Ron, “I want you to stay right here in the back of my police car until I get back to you. Do you understand? You’re not under arrest. I just want to ask you a few questions.”

“Yeah, okay...sure.” Ron replied, looking away.

Morris and Resner were already headed across the street, running as quickly as they could. Holding up his hands as if in surrender, Ron followed Alvarez to the car, climbed into the back, and waited.

“Stay back,” Alvarez called to Sterling.

But there was no way she was staying behind. “That’s my sister in there. I’m coming with you.” She was across the street just behind him before he could stop her, and she was adamant as she stayed right on his heels even as Morris and Resner positioned themselves outside the door in front of the bikes, prepared to shoot.

* * *

A
loud thud had Jace on his feet in a heartbeat, wide awake and staring into the eyes of his former best friend, barely recognizable as Alec’s face fell into harsh, angry lines. The man chuckled with a sinister smile.

“Well, well, well. If it’s not the narc I’ve been hunting down.” His eyes cut to where Piper lay, the covers pulled erratically around her to cover herself, her eyes wide in the face of a gun pointed at Jace. “And his sweet new piece of ass.”

Jace held his hands up to show he wasn’t armed. “Look, Alec...I haven’t sold anyone out or betrayed anyone. If you leave now, all I want is out, and you can keep the money for yourself. I just want to walk away and have nothing else to do with the gun-running.”

“Bullshit, Dawson!” he exploded, his voice booming so loudly it made Piper cry out. “You’ve talked to the cops, asshole. You told Eli I wasn’t interested in the deal so his suppliers would shut it down! You’ve hung me out to dry, and here I thought you were my partner in all this. I had over a million coming in from this next order, half of which was headed straight to your bank account, and you had to go and fuck it all up. Did you even stop to think that if we weren’t running this operation, one of the other clubs would be banking on it? It’s just a matter of who claims the territory first.”

Jace shook his head, smelling the alcohol on Alec’s breath and recognizing the crack in the façade. “It’s not about the money or the guns, Alec. I have to walk away because I can’t watch another one of our brothers get hurt or killed. It was getting too dangerous, Alec. And just so you know, I haven’t told the cops anything yet, but the Feds are on your ass. They know what’s going on, and they’ll find you and book you with or without my help.”

Roaring wordlessly, Alec took a step toward Jace, touching the gun to his forehead. “Do you know who I’ve been relying on since you decided to turn on me? Ron, the sniveling fuck who thought he was worthy of taking your place. You screwed me over, Jace.”

Jace cast a sidelong glance toward Piper, whose lip was quivering as she fought the instinct to scream.

“You don’t want to kill me, Alec. You don’t want to hurt anyone. What about Patty? If you kill me, you’re going to prison. You’ll never make it out of this motel without getting caught, and then you’ll lose the person who cares most about you in this world.”

“Shut up, Dawson!” Pressing the gun harder against his head, Alec turned his focus to Piper. “I do want to kill you. But first, I want you to experience betrayal the way I have. Maybe I’ll have a little fun with your old lady here...give her a taste of what a real man feels like. Make you watch, son.” Keeping the gun pointed at Jace, he took a step toward the bed, his hand gripping Piper’s ankle, pulling her to the edge of the bed.

Jace swung out, trying to knock the gun out of Alec’s hand. The gun fired and Jace tackled him around the waist, knocking the gun from his hand. It slid across the floor and came to rest beneath the small table. Alec fought hard, fists flying, hitting Jace in the jaw.

“I’m going to kill you!” Alec bellowed.

Jace growled, his fist slamming into Alec’s face again and again.

Alec reached out, fingertips grazing the gun until he had it in his hand once again, and he tried to fire it at Jace, who struggled to pull it from his hand, the barrel waving back and forth between them as they fought for control.

Piper could hear the strangled breathing of the men, watched the blood streaming from Alec’s nose, a scream pouring from her lips. Frantic, she scrambled to her feet when the door to the room flew open. She instantly recognized the two agents from the hospital as they came into the room, guns drawn. She pressed herself against the wall as they focused on the two men fighting it out on the floor.

Piper heard a familiar voice call her name, and she looked around the corner to find her sister cowering in the doorway. “Sterling! Get out of here!”

The commotion was getting louder and louder, and another gun went off. Both agents hit the floor and Piper did the same until she heard a squeal of pain and realized it was her sister. Dragging the sheet with her as she crawled toward the front of the room, she saw Sterling slide down the wall, her hand covered in blood.

“Sterling, don’t move!”

Alvarez hit the door, took one look at Sterling, and aimed his gun at Jace and Alec. Alec had Jace pinned down to the floor, and the gun was slowly turning toward Jace’s chest.

“Please, no, please...” Piper prayed in a panicked whisper.

Alvarez fired his gun, and there was a split second of chaos before everything froze. Jace cursed, Alec grunted, and Piper knew she’d let out a cry of her own, fearing the worst as both men on the floor went stock still. Morris and Resner were on their feet and pulled Alec away from Jace as Piper watched in horror, seeing blood on both of them and trying to decipher whose blood it was.

When Jace sat up, the wave of relief was so strong she couldn’t stop the instantaneous tears from flowing. Wiping a streak of blood from his face, he glared at Alec, who hung limp from the two agents’ arms, before he moved over to Piper, pulling her into his arms, holding her tighter than he ever had before.

She squeezed his shoulders, noticing cuts, scrapes, and what she knew would later become bruises, but he seemed to be okay and she cried out in relief.

“I was so afraid I’d lose you...”

Jace kissed her forehead tenderly, his strong arms wrapping around her, protecting her.

“I know...but I’m okay. I love you, Piper.”

“I love you, too.”

Jace let out a deep breath, exhaustion settling in. “You should go check on your sister. Make sure she’s okay.”

Piper nodded before moving to where Sterling rested, her back propped against the wall as she winced in pain from the wild bullet that seemed, upon closer inspection, to have grazed her arm, skimming it rather than going through.

“It burns like hell,” she laughed as Piper inspected the wound and tore the bed sheet to make a tourniquet for it.

Piper offered her a wavering smile. “I’m sure it does, but it could have been a lot worse. What the hell were you thinking coming here? You could have been killed.”

“I could say the same thing to you!” she countered, hissing as Piper tied the cloth tightly around the wound. “You should have just told me where you were and what was going on. You should have trusted me.”

Piper nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. “I know...I’m sorry, Sterling.”

Sterling smiled weakly, her head resting on the wall behind her. “Just don’t ever do it again.”

Piper smiled and then turned to the agents, who knelt next to Alec. “I can help him.”

Morris looked at her with surprise before shaking his head. “I called the paramedics. They’ll be here in a few minutes.”

She nodded as she grabbed her backpack and headed to the bathroom where Jace was waiting. Inside, she collapsed against his chest, the tension leaving her body as his arms enveloped her in a comforting embrace.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked him, her voice muffled with her lips pressed to his skin.

“I’m fine, baby.” He caressed her hair before pulling her back so he could plant a reassuring kiss on her lips. “We’re going to be okay. Alec’s going to the hospital, then to jail, and with him out of the picture, no one else in the club will have the balls to come after me. Everything’s going to be just fine, Piper.” He ran his fingers through her hair and felt a shiver flutter down her spine. “Get dressed so we can get back out there. You need to be with your sister until the ambulance gets here.”

Nodding, she did as he told her to. She waited with her sister until the paramedics arrived and lifted her into the ambulance.

“You’re going to be just fine, sis.” Piper kissed her sister on the cheek before jumping down from the ambulance. She made her way back to Jace, who wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders.

“We’ve got Alec on breaking and entering, attempted murder, illegal possession of a firearm, and there will likely be a ton of other charges when this all comes out, even before the gun smuggling charges are laid. When we present the evidence that he’s a threat to you and tell the judge it’s going to take a few days to get you locked down somewhere safe, he won’t make bail, and no one’s going to be allowed in his hospital room except law enforcement. You’re safe now.”

Jace nodded, patting the agent on the shoulder. “Thanks, Resner.”

Gathering his things, he guided Piper out the door and over to where his bike stood in the darkness of the night. “Let’s go to my place.”

She raised an eyebrow at him. “Are you sure it’s safe?”

“Yeah, I’m sure. Besides, we can get a cop posted outside the door.” Jace smiled that incredibly sexy lopsided grin that took Piper’s breath away. “I just want to get you in my bed.” His arms went around her and he lowered his lips to hers, kissing her with heated demand, a kiss of love and promise that went straight to her heart.

“There’s plenty of time for that,” she laughed, burying her hands in his hair. “Because I don’t plan to leave your side.”

His hands stroked lovingly over her back and she could feel his heartbeat against her chest.

“Good, because I don’t plan to ever let you go.” The words blew quietly across her forehead, his voice soothing as he tightened his hold on her. He brushed her hair from her face, kissing her long and deep, his hands holding hers, promising to never let go. When he finally broke away, she saw that there were unshed tears swimming in his eyes.

“Let’s get out of here.”

He swung a leg over his bike, revving it as she climbed on behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. Before long they were cruising down the highway, the warm night air fueling their senses, and for the first time in a long time they felt truly free.