His Loyal Rebel - Debra Kayn Page 0,34

at Kelly Island." Priest stopped him from leaving the room.

"We have guys at that location?" He cocked his head. "There's nothing there."

"I had a hunch and sent a crew out earlier." Priest lowered his voice. "What do you think about backing away from Twyla when she's at work? Give Big a little nibble of the bait."

"Fuck no." There was nothing to think about. He wasn't going to throw Twyla out there to fend for herself.

"I hear you." Priest stroked his beard. "The more time we give them to get a better game plan, the more damage they'll put on Tarkio."

"Then, let me be the bait."

Priest walked deeper into the room. Whip put the plates down on the table and waited for his president to say something. The idea wasn't a new one.

He'd bided his time over the last four years, since he'd walked out of prison, to pay Cusclan back for killing his parents. He wouldn't stop getting retribution until he runs out of luck.

"I'm not willing to lose one of my men." Priest faced him. "It'd be no different than if we rode to them and called a war on the spot. Whether we lose one or twenty men, I'm not willing to put that on the club."

"You're admitting that we'll lose—"

"Yes, damnit," roared Priest. "We'll lose one, ten, twenty, who the fuck knows. In this day and age, with both clubs having the manpower and Cusclan's supply of endless weapons and money, there is no good outcome."

Hardness sealed Whip's heart. To back down and take a passive stance wasn't the way to go.

"Things have changed. The power inside the prison system dictates what happens on the outside. Not only in Montana but Idaho, too. We also have every club in Washington pushing in at us. We've already seen a merger of two clubs, who understood the need to become bigger, so they can retain their territory. It's time to tread softly."

"Are you thinking about expanding?"

Any time a club brought in new members, they became weak. Trust and loyalty came with time. Tarkio swore on the patch. As a club, they were at their strongest because of the years the members had invested.

A quarter of the club was comprised of second-generation Tarkio members. They had children who would become third generation.

"We can't let them walk in and take what we've invested in Tarkio." He picked up the plates.

Priest sank down in the chair at the head of the table, steepling his hands in front of him. Whip let himself out. When Priest wanted to talk or had a decision, he'd be there to listen. Until then, there was nothing he could do.

Nobody had an answer. Tarkio had to play each day as it came.

And, tonight, he had a pissed off woman who was hungry, tired, and confused. He had to make that right.

Taking the key off the top of the doorframe, he unlocked Twyla's door. Inside, he flipped the light on and found her curled up in bed. Tilting his head, he listened.

Slow, even breathing filled the room. His gut tightened. She'd already fallen asleep.

Setting the cold pizza on the dresser, he picked up a slice and had dinner alone. There was no reason to wake her. She was out for the count.

He sat in the lone chair in the room and one-handedly unlaced his boots. Once his feet were free, he crossed his ankles and stretched back, ogling the slope of Twyla's hip under the covers.

Maybe Priest was wrong, or perhaps he was right about the direction of the world.

He needed to figure out where Twyla fell in the situation. Everyone would feel the impact if a war broke out.

Could he get rid of Big before blood spilled on the club? How would he let her walk away afterward, knowing he wouldn't be around to protect her?

Brushing his hands off on the thighs of his jeans, he only knew that whatever happened, he wanted her safe. He couldn't trust anyone else to protect her.

Chapter 17

Twyla

Raucous laughter permeated the wooden door. Twyla shoved her hairbrush in her purse. Her mood turned sour, suspecting Whip was out there having a good time with his biker brothers.

It'd taken her only a minute when she woke up to realize she'd overreacted last night when she tried to pay Whip for letting her stay at the club. But, waking up alone made her doubt herself.

Maybe she was right about her initial reaction that Whip believed she'd already paid for her stay by having