Ravage and Law flanked him, both men silent and alert. He and Ravage had parked their bikes beside Law’s truck behind the barn. Standing out here in front without them had him feeling very exposed. Hopefully, this would be worth the risk.
The low rumble of a Harley’s engine broke through the quiet morning. Reflections from motorcycle chrome sliced across the field. A beat-up black Harley with extensive chrome trim rolled up and came to a stop twenty yards away.
Ghost parked the bike and swung his leg over the seat. Ravage tapped Jaxon’s shoulder and nodded. Okay then. Apparently, this was their guy.
Hunching his shoulders forward, his eyes darted around like he expected someone to shoot him any second. Walking toward them, he held his hands visible and empty until he stood in front of them. Smart man.
“I’m dead if anyone figures out I’m talking to Sabre, you know,” Ghost said.
Law studied him for a long moment, “You left the note at the DA’s office?”
Ghost’s head snapped toward Ravage, eyes narrowing. “What the fuck? You told him? You were supposed to keep my name out of it.”
Ravage didn’t even blink. He just stared the man down with that cold, dead-eyed look that made most men piss themselves.
“Well? Aren’t you going to say anything?” Ghost clenched his jaw so tight Jaxon could see the muscle jump. Ravage jerked his head toward Jaxon. A clear sign that he should be addressing Jaxon, not himself.
He turned back to Jaxon, voice dropping even lower. “Yeah, I left the fucking note. Figured somebody needed to light a fire under the DA’s ass. That General fucker has gone batshit crazy. He’s going to bury anyone around him.” Ghost looked at Jaxon, then Law, then back to Ravage and waited for a response.
Jaxon wasn’t quite ready to break the silence. He’d learned that if you want someone to keep talking, stay quiet. Most people hated silence.
It worked.
“The Lawless Warriors, or what’s left of them, seem more than willing to do the General’s bidding. Either his or that prick lawyer.” Ghost shook his head. “That ain’t for me, man. If that new club I heard you’re building is an option, I wanna prospect with that. I like the sound of being a Ruthless Saints.”
Ravage lifted his chin but said nothing.
Jaxon didn’t answer either. Letting the silence stretch further, he watched Ghost sweat it out under the mid-morning sun just a little more before speaking.
“You’re assuming you’ll live long enough to make a choice. Tell us what the hell the General’s planning. You have thirty seconds. Make it fast,” Jaxon demanded.
Ghost wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, glancing around the barn as if someone was going to jump out at any minute and put abullet in him. “Who knows, man? He’s losing his fucking mind. Thorne told him that with yours and that Lele girl’s testimony, there’s no way he was walking away clean. Now the General’s pushing hard for a plea deal or some other way out. He’s talking crazy—saying if he goes down, he’s taking everybody with him, or some shit like that. All I know is something big is coming, and soon. I don’t know the details yet, but it’s bad.”
Jaxon’s jaw tightened. “Where is he right now?”
“Still inside the compound mansion at Graceview,” Ghost answered without hesitation. “Hasn’t left the grounds in two days. I checked myself before I rode out here.”
Jaxon felt a flicker of relief. At least the bastard wasn’t near Tazzy. Not yet.
Ravage’s rough voice cut in. “You contact us the second anything changes with his location or his plans. You hear me? Anything. You do your ghosting shit with us, and I’ll hunt you down myself. You get me?” When Ghost didn’t answer, Ravage fisted the man’s vest. “I asked you a damn question. Do you get me?”
Ghost furrowed his brow. “I get you! Fuck, you don’t need threats. I came to you, remember?”
“You came to us because you’re scared. It’s time to prove your worth,” Ravage snarled.
“Fair enough,” Ghost said. “I’ll keep my ear to the ground. Just… get me the fuck out when this is over.”
Ghost fired up his Harley and roared down the dirt road, leaving a cloud of dust behind him.
“I thought you were going to give the man a heart attack with that threat, Ravage. What was that ‘proving worth” crap about?” Law asked.
“It’s part of being a prospect for an MC. Normally, he’d hang around and get to know the brothers, and they’d get to know him. With Ghost, that isn’t necessary since there’s so few of us, and because we know everything about him. You see, ‘proving his worth’, is a hell of a lot more important. I was just making sure he understood. The Ruthless Saints isn’t the same as the Warriors. He either proves he canbe trusted to do what he says he’s going to do, or he finds another MC. I didn’t scare him away. I reminded him of why he’s doing what he’s doing for us, and the potential reward.” Ravage turned his attention to Jaxon. “I’m headed to Books-N-Brews to help Brick keep an eye on your girl.”
Jaxon watched Ravage’s bike disappear, and the dust settle behind him before addressing Law. “I hope Ghost is right. Whatever the General’s doing has him pretty rattled. If what he said about the plea deal is true, the General must be getting desperate.”
Law spat on the ground. “And desperate men do stupid shit.”
Jaxon’s voice went cold. “The man’s like a cornered rattler. When the snake’s cornered, that’s when it’s the most dangerous and unpredictable. We’d better be ready for whatever he has in store. It could be anything.”