Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 47579 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 238(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47579 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 238(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
When he pulled into the parking lot, the crowd was already rocking. An array of bikes was backed into spaces across the front curb. Steele bypassed those to leave his bike in a less desirable space on the side. No need to ruffle feathers before he even got inside Inferno.
“Nice bike,” the powerful man stationed at the door said as a greeting. He didn’t stand but stayed seated on his stool. “Shadowridge Guardians.”
“Yes. I’m looking for Lucien.” Steele didn’t introduce himself to the MC member. He needed to talk to the President first.
“He’s behind the bar.”
“Thanks.” Steele headed inside, scanning the room to absorb the vibe. It was larger than the Hangout. He suspected it drew more of a rough crowd than the array of everyone from college-age kids to sixtysomethings who filled his hometown spot. He liked the atmosphere of Inferno. He could see what drew people here. The owner had his finger on the pulse of his clientele.
He checked out the two guys behind the bar and took his best guess. Steele headed for the heavily tattooed biker with the sides of his skull shaved and sat down on the stool in front of him. “Lucien?”
“Yeah. Who’s asking?” The man’s piercing green eyes didn’t seem to miss much.
“I’m Steele. I ran into one of your club members at the gas station today,” Steele said, keeping his tone even. There was something about this guy that screamed danger. He needed to navigate the conversation with care.
“You’re on my turf,” Lucien said bluntly.
“My apologies. I didn’t know this town had an established club. My old lady is here to work at a bank for a few weeks. I always travel with her.”
“The Shadowridge Guardians, right?” Lucien asked.
Steele nodded. “I’m the President.” It was best he got that out of the way early in their conversation.
“Yeah. You guys have a bike shop.”
“I’m a welder. I specialize in custom jobs. There are a lot of great bikes out front.” Steele kept his eyes on Lucien. He couldn’t pick up any vibes to judge how this was going.
“Is your club coming to town?” Lucien asked.
“There are no plans for that at the present.” Steele left that open. The club would be there in a flash if something happened to him.
“I understand. Keep your nose out of our business and don’t try to stay permanently,” Lucien warned.
“What is your business?” Steele looked pointedly at Lucien. He wasn’t going to pussyfoot around.
Lucien laughed.
Steele understood the message. A giggle caught his attention. Automatically glancing toward the sound, he spotted a woman dressed in holey jeans with a pink ruffled top on the other side of the bar. Her hair was in two braids with pink ribbons.
The other man behind the bar moved to stand next to Lucien, blocking his view. That confirmed for Steele that Devil Daddies wasn’t just a name. He didn’t address the man who’d joined them but directly met Lucien’s gaze.
“The Shadowridge Guardians protect those with tender hearts and feelings. They’re off-limits.”
Lucien studied him for a long moment before reaching across the bar to offer his hand. “I’ll hold you to that.”
“Likewise,” Steele declared before shaking the man’s hand. While this was promising, he would remain on guard while they were in town.
His business done, Steele stood. Feeling the prickle of at least a dozen eyes on his back, Steele walked confidently to the front door. The guard at the entrance had disappeared. They wouldn’t touch him now.
He reached his bike and sent Kade a message:
We have some Little things in common with the Devil Daddies. There will be no problems here.
The response came instantly, confirming for Steele that Kade had prepared to ride if he’d sent a different message.
Got it. Devil Daddies. Don’t start wearing horns.
Not going to happen. I’ll stick with my Guardian wings.
Steele fired up his bike and drove from the parking lot. He’d accomplished his mission. His Little girl would be safe here in town.
CHAPTER 1
A week after Lucien updated the MC about a Shadowridge Guardian’s presence in town, no other bikers had arrived from that MC. While that eased their concern, the Devil Daddies continued to be vigilante for a takeover, but it appeared that Steele’s word was good. He did not plan to challenge them for territory. Lucien’s focus returned to Inferno and the warehouses. He did place his Enforcer at the door, just in case there was trouble.
Wraith stretched his back. He hadn’t done door duty for a long time. Sitting just inside the door, he screened each person who wished to enter. Maintaining that level of evaluation demanded focus. He’d need to rotate guys there more often. One wrong decision could be problematic.
“Go home. This isn’t a good place for you,” he growled at a woman wearing a knee-length full skirt and a cardigan. Really? A cardigan? At a biker bar?