RIDING DIRTY (Steel Titans MC Book 4) by Franca Storm (ebook voice reader .txt) 📕

you’d rather go it alone. You’re a novice. Having somebody like me beside you is not only beneficial, but it’ll prove necessary. It’s why you chose me. I’m just reminding you of something you already know, because sometimes we can’t see clearly through our fears and insecurities. Falling victim to that would be a shame for somebody with such vast potential.”

His lip curled up. “You really have a way with words, don’t you?”

“I’m just telling you things you already know.”

Finally, he released me and pulled back. “We’ll move against Nolan, per your plan. I accept your two conditions, but I have one of my own.”

I cocked an eyebrow.

“I’ll be your backup.”

“You aren’t equipped to do what I can,” I warned.

“That’s why I’ll be close by. We’ll also be in constant communication via COMM’s.”

“Fine. Let’s not waste any more time.”

“Time to build that empire.”

We’ll see, asshole.

23

~Slade~

 

I NEEDED A DRINK.

Something to take the edge off.

A smoke would do it too, but I weren’t gonna go down that road again. It’d been a bitch of a thing quitting in the past. To start up again now right in the middle of a high-stress situation was far from the best idea.

Besides, I had to stay alert.

So much was on the line.

The club.

My freedom.

And, worst of all, the fate of the woman I loved.

Another couple of days had gone by of running down sources, pressuring contacts, and all that, but nothing had come back on Willa’s current whereabouts. That fucker was keeping her off the grid. It was disturbingly ironic, given that it was usually the other way around, with her being the one to hide her clients when they needed it.

Freeman hadn’t just kidnapped her out of spite, or for some sick thrill. The kind of heat involved in taking and trying to hold somebody like her weren’t worth it just for that. Nah, he wanted something from her. With her skillset, what that something could be was anybody’s guess. Whatever it was, I had no doubt it was something real fucking bad.

Well, we weren’t gonna let it get that far.

We were gonna pull my woman out of there and take that trumped-up kid down.

I took another sip from my coffee, making an effort not to crush the mug in my hand with how worked up I was.

I couldn’t count the number of times I’d looked out on the same fields and foliage surrounding the through road that led up to the Steel Titans clubhouse. Just like back at Willa’s safehouse, when shit was going down and the stress and frustration was trying to get the best of me, I came out here to be around nature and fresh air. I drew in a deep breath and continued taking in the view around me, just breathing it all in, as I stood just a few feet beyond the clubhouse gates.

It was hard to believe that it would be nothing but a memory soon. After doing the same job for decades, it was a hell of a thing to wrap my head around.

I turned away from the view and scanned the courtyard until my gaze fell on my bike. I’d gotten real lucky that the boys had been able to retrieve it intact and without a scratch. It’d been far enough away from the safehouse explosion that it’d made it and been in the same condition as I’d left it the night before.

At least that wasn’t gonna be a change I had to make in my life. Not only would my bike still be with me, always be with me, my retirement plan featured bikes very heavily. Everything was ready and waiting for me. I could walk anytime I wanted. I would have by now, if it hadn’t been for the threats still out there. I just needed to hold on a little while longer, then I’d be free. And, hopefully, I’d be taking Willa right along with me.

Movement from the clubhouse entrance pulled me from my thoughts and drew my gaze straight to the heavy, old doors.

Cole was walking out.

His instincts as good as they were, he noticed me right off the bat, giving me a chin lift, and veering my way with those strong, no-nonsense strides of his. The guy was a force, for sure. He really had been my greatest soldier. For the longest time now. I’d taken a chance on him, bringing somebody with his temper and wild nature into the club. Sure, there’d been some issues along the way, but the good far outweighed those. He was one of my greatest assets. Hell, the truth was, he was like a son to me.

As he got closer, I tensed up, just thinking about all that. It would be hard to say goodbye to him. Hard for both of us. We’d been through a lot together. We’d suffered through a lot together. We had a bond, no doubt, one that went deeper than what I had with the rest of the boys, except Liam. And now, I was gonna break that.

He was off-duty. It was always easy to tell with Cole, because he went without his cut, just sporting that gray hoodie of his, which seemed to function as some kind of security blanket. He also had a much more relaxed edge about him when he had a day off.

Because I still had Liam running things as Acting Prez right now, I had no clue about who was scheduled where and when. It was strange as fuck not knowing every little thing that was going on with the club. But, I’d decided to let Liam continue leading even with me technically back on club soil, because it would be that way permanently soon enough. We both needed some time to get used to that. Also, I weren’t exactly in the best frame of mind right now. I was frustrated, full of rage at Nolan and Freeman, and suffering some major anxiety and real fear for Willa. My judgment was clouded,