in suspicion. “Why would you do that for us?”
“Because you have the manpower, brains, and resources to strike Tash where it hurts.” T-Bone’s voice wavered with emotion. “You can topple the king looking down at us from his tower, but we can’t. Our goal is the same, but we’ve already been wiped out. If my whole club was here to back us, I wouldn’t be asking you for shit. But they’re gone. You still have a chance.”
Reaper kept silent, but the suspicion lifted away from his eyes. His whole expression softened as he took in the weight of what T-Bone was saying. Before he could respond, Larkan abruptly stood.
“I’ll go, president.”
“Sit your ass down, prospect,” Reaper growled.
“Yeah,” Noelle hissed through her teeth at her boy toy. “What the fuck are you doing?”
“No, I should do this,” Larkan insisted. “I’m not even a Demon, so you’re not sacrificing anyone important by sending me.” The prospect shrugged his shoulders. “If I don’t come back, it’s no skin off your nose, Pres. If I do?” He leveled his gaze at Reaper. “Maybe then I’ll be worthy of a patch.”
“He’s got a point,” Jandro weighed in, slouching low in his seat.
It took Reaper only one dram of whiskey to make up his mind. “Fine. Shadow, you’re going too.” He fumbled for his cigarettes and a light. “Because whatever happens, I know for a fact you’ll come back and tell me accurately what happened.”
“Yes, president.” Shadow didn’t seem to feel one way or the other about the situation. He did his job without question, and was therefore the perfect pick.
With a jovial grin, T-Bone clapped Reaper on the shoulder. “Thank you, Reap. We can’t fucking lose with two Demon riders with us. We’ll be in and out with the girl in no time.”
The matter seemed settled until Mari spoke up. “I’m going too.”
“No!”
The three of us were loud enough that the whole bar fell silent. Lookie-loos at other tables craned their necks to see what got our hackles raised.
“Hey, all y’all mind your own business!” I snapped. When the peering eyeballs were gone and the background noise resumed, I grabbed Mari’s chin to make her look at me. “Baby girl, I love you, but are you out of your fucking mind?”
She pulled my hand away with an icy glare. “No, I’m not. But the girl might need medical services that shouldn’t wait for a two-day ride.” She looked at the Sons over the table. “Do any of you know CPR? First aid? How to set a broken bone or treat an infection? If so, then fine, you don’t need me.” Her gaze swept over Shadow and Larkan. Her questions only met with blank stares, she looked back at me. “I’m going.”
“Like fuck you are,” Reaper roared.
“I’ll be fine. The guys won’t let anyone come within a mile of me. Especially with Shadow there.”
It was hard to tell with all his hair hanging in front of his face, but I swore the big dude blushed and tried to hide a smile.
T-Bone cleared his throat. “If I may add something to the little lady’s defense?”
“No, you fucking may not!” Reaper stared at him, incredulous.
“Go ahead, T-Bone,” Mari implored him with a loud slurp on her straw.
“The governor’s daughter will likely feel better about coming with us if she sees another woman in our company.” He gave his beard a thoughtful stroke. “I mean, we’ll tie her up and throw her on a bike if it comes to that, but we’d get out a lot easier if we didn’t have to. ‘Til we get her home, she’d just feel like she was being kidnapped again.”
“Excellent point!” Mari was getting louder the more she drank. “I’ll make the girl feel safe. The whole thing will go a lot more smoothly if I’m there.”
“Sugar?” Reaper leaned as far across the table as he could without standing up. “Be quiet. You’re not going.”
“We’ve got the majority of the club here, right?” Mari looked around. “Let’s put it to a vote.”
“This isn’t church,” Reaper hissed. “We aren’t voting on shit.”
“Who thinks I should go on the rescue?” Mari bellowed.
Everyone at the table, save for the men currently sleeping with her, raised a hand.
Jandro grabbed Dyno’s arm and brought it down to the table. “Y’all don’t get to vote on our business. Neither do you, Prospect, or Noelle!”
Reaper’s sister just shrugged and lifted her arm higher. “I want Mari watching out for my man. But I draw the line at her kissing his