Steel and Sin

id off Nolan's bike on shaky legs, trying not to stumble. H

ans where she'd pressed against it. Her gloves left

ismatched chairs and a scarred wooden table. The club's patched memb

supposed to be here; she knew that much. But no one had told her to leave, and a

the table. He didn't speak right away. His eyes were sha

stlessly on the edge of a chair, leg bouncing, his boyish face lit with adrenaline and nerves

ips thin. A map tacked to the wall had red chalk marks along likely routes, and a de

ke. "We need to ta

ightened. Heat cr

d from an old fight, grunted. "Talk? Ain't nothing to talk about. She's

over. Like she was a bargai

dead if it wasn't for us. You think the Fangs want

t negotiations. They want blood. Giving her up

, and clashing. Some backed Rocco, other

he was safe. But here, in the so-called safety of their own camp, sh

ze locked on her, heavy enough to pin her in pla

his eyes. "You mean wheth

ne s

"Guess that's one way to

"Damn, she's

ght know things. Information that could put us ahead instead

her out of pity-he'd framed her a

paints a target on our backs. We've already bled

ttention. His jaw flexe

ve got a leak. Somebody is feeding them our mo

hink I told them? Are you out of your

n trust... act innocent while y

o fire back, but Nolan

But it isn't her. I don't believe th

her chest ea

e play, Prez? Keep her under lock a

d-into them. Into this violent, dangerous fa

ou know damn well the Fangs aren't done. If she's with us,

ne to flinch. "All in favor of keeping her

. Cole next, his jaw set. After a pause, Jax's hand fol

down. Rocco gl

. He raised his hand without hesit

one cracked open in Ashley's chest. She was

e table. Everyone froze. Jax scooped it up,

e was flat. "The Fang

hrough the room. Chairs s

in went col

e the chaos. "Told you.

. Gear up. Nobody leaves this cam

ast. "You wanted in?

e shoved toiletries and a worn hoodie into a duffel that a scowling kid thrust at her, and for the first time felt the weight of what "sta

e them, which trailers to set fire if they needed to cover a retreat. Nolan listened, razor focus, then added one more... a

imeter, check the rigs, and pull the cameras. If the Fangs had eyes in

the floor. "

the south lot. Cole, with me - we'll get the bikes and the women's things. R

Ashley; it was the code for anyone vulnerable under the club's roof. Cole's face tightened with a

under a thumbtack; "Fuel cache?" with a circled X. Someone had been planning a contingency, but the handwriting was

lined up like beasts

Headlights on low until we hit the gravel. S

wo bikes behind, and Cole stayed within Nolan's immediate orbit, the only one who kept ste

re than a dim light far away. The Fangs, or whoever had been tipped, wo