Page 16 of Beyond the Cut
Dawn fought back a sigh. So charming. And yet why would he be interested in a woman with a fucked-up life, two kids, three jobs, fifteen extra pounds, and baggage in the form of a psychopathic outlaw biker ex who had already tried to kill him? Maybe it was just his way of getting back at Jimmy, or maybe he wanted another notch in his belt.
Cade leaned down and brushed his lips over her cheek before mounting his bike. “See you later, beautiful.”
Or maybe not.
FIVE
I shall savor the ignorance of those who do not know me.
SINNER’S TRIBE CREED
“He’s on his way.”
Cade startled when Zane stepped out of the shadows. He’d brought Zane and four brothers with him after receiving a tip that Rusty, the redheaded bastard from Mad Dog’s van, was at Peelers Strip Club, but Zane had the unnerving ability to move without making a sound and damned if he’d known his brother was right behind him.
“Christ.” He lowered his weapon and drew in a calming breath of night air, cool but damp with an oncoming storm. “Don’t sneak up on a man with a gun. I almost shot you.”
“Your gun was pointed in the other direction,” Zane said. “Mine was aimed at your back. Wasn’t feeling the threat.”
Shaggy joined them from the far side of the parking lot, located at the side of the small brick building. “He’s got a woman with him. There’s a buncha Brethren inside, but doesn’t look like they’re planning to go anywhere. We should be good if we keep it quiet. If any of his buddies decide to join him…” He raised his weapon. “I figure the only good Brethren is a dead Brethren.”
“In a normal situation, I’d agree with you.” Cade checked his magazine and holstered his gun. “But we’re here for Rusty only, and the rest of those Brethren will soon be our brothers.”
Shaggy’s face curdled beneath his beard. “I voted to protect the club, same as you, but I still don’t like it. The Brethren can’t be trusted. We learned that lesson the hard way and had to run them outta town. Why the hell are we bringing them back?”
“To win the war against the Jacks. I don’t want to bury any more brothers over at Sandy Hill Cemetery.”
The front door opened and Rusty emerged with a woman beside him, her red hair twisted into a messy bun on top of her head. She wore workout clothes, and not stripper gear, and Cade didn’t recognize her until he heard her raspy voice.
“C’mon, Rusty. I’m in big trouble here. I need the cash you owe me and I need it fast or Jimmy’s gonna slit my throat.”
Shelly-Ann.What the fuck was she doing at Peelers when she was supposed to be looking after Dawn’s kids?
Rusty shoved her away. “I don’t owe you nothin’, bitch. I paid for that coke by giving you the pleasure of my dick.”
“That’s Mad Dog’s sister,” Cade murmured to Shaggy. “The one who’s blackmailing Dawn.”
“You want her taken out?” Shaggy jerked his chin in Shelly-Ann’s direction. Vicious, loyal, and trigger-happy, he’d once claimed he would shoot his own mother if it would benefit the club.
“Just keep her quiet.” Motioning to his brothers to follow, Cade unholstered his gun and crossed the parking lot, blinking to clear his vision when the first few raindrops fell.
“Hey, Rusty. Remember me?” He smashed the butt of his gun into Rusty’s head, and the smaller man staggered back against the wall.
“Stop! No!” Shelly-Ann’s hand flew to her mouth as Cade threw punch after punch, easily dodging Rusty’s retaliatory strikes. He hit Rusty’s nose and blood sprayed over Shelly-Ann’s jacket and splattered on the wall.
“Oh God.”
Shaggy grabbed Shelly-Ann and pulled her away when Zane and Gunner joined the fray, the three men pummeling Rusty until he fell to his knees.
“You like that Rusty?” Cade kicked him in the ribs. “You want my boot prints on you to match the ones you left on me?”
“Damn Sinner. We shoulda fucking killed you when we had the chance.” Rusty heaved in a breath, and pushed himself to his feet. Then he ran at Cade, knocking him back.
“Your mistake.” Cade grabbed Rusty and twisted his arm behind his back, then pushed him to the ground. Raindrops splattered on the pavement around them, streaming off Cade’s jacket. “Six against one and my hands tied? You must have known I’d come for you.”
“Didn’t think you were that stupid,” Rusty grunted, his cheek flat against the wet pavement. “We’re patching over to the Jacks, and then we’re all coming for you. There won’t be a Sinner left alive when we’re done.”
His free hand slid out from beneath him and Cade caught the glint of steel. “Look out!” He dived to the side just as Rusty fired. The bullet hit Shaggy in the leg and his brother went down.
