Hostage (Predators MC #3) (23 page)

Genny kept mopping, answering, “I don’t mind at all.”

Penni didn’t have to broach the topic on whether or not Viper had already told Genny who had been responsible for her house being destroyed. It was on her face.

She went toward the basement door, knowing there had to be a mess left over from last night.

“Raci already cleaned it. She was doing it when I was talking to Viper,” Genny said, stopping her from going down.

“Genny, I wish there were something I could do to make you feel better. I know how much that house meant to you.”

“Really?”

Penni nodded. “I’ve been lucky. My parents had a wonderful marriage, and they gave me a home I’ll always cherish and can tell my children about one day. One day, I’ll have enough to buy my own home.”

Genny began crying, placing her head on the handle of the mop. “I worked so hard for that house.”

Penni moved toward Genny, patting her on the back. “Whoever blew up your home didn’t only destroy your home, but your dream. But you can buy another one. Viper probably feels bad enough that he’ll buy you a bigger one.”

Genny lifted her head, laughing. “He already did. He offered to buy me the house next to Mrs. Langley’s home, and it’s bigger than hers. I told him I wouldn’t want to clean it on the weekends.”

“If it were me, I’d get Viper to make Raci clean it every Saturday.” They laughingly came up with other chores to make Raci do. Then Penni went to the counter, beginning lunch. She was going to make The Last Riders a meal they would never forget.

She worked as Genny cleaned the rest of the kitchen then left to work on the rest of her chores.

It was lunchtime when Winter came in to the kitchen.

“Something smells delicious.”

Penni tossed the broccoli she had been cutting into a bowl. “Thanks. Lunch will be ready in a few minutes.”

Winter poured herself a cup of coffee. “Have you seen Viper this morning?”

“No, and I haven’t seen Jackal, either.” She picked up several cloves of garlic, mashing them with her sharp knife.

“They left to go to town to see Knox,” Genny said, having come back in, as she took the plates out of the kitchen cabinets. “Viper told me this morning before you got here.”

“Oh, thanks.” Winter moved away from the smell of the garlic. She stared at the food spread out on the counter. “Uh … Penni, what’s in the crockpots?”

“Meatball stew and barbeque hotdogs.”

Winter opened the crockpots then closed them. “Did you mean for the food to look this way?”

“What’s wrong with it?” Penni scraped the garlic from the cutting board into a bowl of vegetables. She set another five cloves on the cutting board then mashed them one at a time.

“Never mind. Isn’t that a lot of garlic?”

“Yes … it … is.” Penni scraped the garlic into the salad then poured on the dressing. Using tongs, she tossed the salad before setting it on the buffet. Then Penni went to the pantry and fridge before coming back to the counter.

“What are you making now?”

Penni opened the bread. “Making you a sandwich.”

“I was going to eat in my room, but I wouldn’t miss this, even if the house caught on fire.” Winter winced at her word choice. “Sorry, Genny.”

“None taken. I’m supposed at be at work in an hour for Willa at the church. When I saw the way Penni was cutting the hot dogs into small pieces, I figured I could risk being late. Did you see the way she cut the broccoli? She cut off the heads.”

Penni garnished the cheese ball with a small slice of red pepper then stabbed a small knife into the center for the men members to use.

Winter took her sandwich and went to sit at the kitchen table. “I need a front seat to enjoy this.”

Penni saw Viper, Jackal, Ice, Cade, and Hennessy come into the kitchen. They hesitated before coming forward to take their plates and get in line.

“Hello. Are you having a good day?”

Penni shot Viper a spearing glance, not answering his question.

Viper hurried through the line.

Raci, Jewell, and Evie came into the kitchen next, followed by King, as Shade came in from the back door.

Jackal was next in line. “I want to talk to you after—”

Penni picked up the sharp knife she had used to cut the vegetables. She began cutting the large carrots into slivers.

Jackal blanched, moving away.

The line moved along, none of the members brave enough to talk.

Evie took a bowl next to the crockpot, asking, “What is it?”

“Meatball stew.”

“You go, girl!” Evie grinned, closing the crockpot and putting the bowl back.

The members continued to pass her one at a time. Raci looked like she wanted to bolt from the line.

Raci raised her eyes after she had put salad on her plate. “Penni … I—”

“No worries. Here, have some more.” Penni put another mound of salad on her plate. “Enjoy.”

“Thanks.” Raci moved away in relief.

I wish I had put another ten cloves of garlic on the salad
, Penni fumed internally.

“Do you want me to turn down the crockpot? It looks done.” Genny’s hand went to the power switch.

“No. I will after lunch.”

“Okay.”

Penni waited until all of the men were settled before she went to stand at the table where Viper was sitting with Shade, Jackal, and Ice.

“I want to talk to you.”

“Can it wait until after lunch?”

“No.”

Viper sighed, starting to get up. “Fine, we can go in the living room.”

“Don’t bother. I just wanted to tell you I’m leaving.”

“You can’t leave yet …” Viper and Jackal spoke at the same time.

Penni put her hand in front of Jackal’s face. “Don’t talk to me. The only reason I’m talking to Viper is as a sign of respect for Winter.”

Viper’s face grew cold.

“I hired Alec to protect me, so there’s no reason for me to stay. I’m going to meet up with the band in Reno. With Alec and their force, I’ll be well protected. If anyone tries to stop me, Alec has my permission to call the State Police. He’s waiting for me in the parking lot now.”

“Shade?” Viper’s voice was hoarse with anger.

“She’ll be fine. Alec hired extra men, and he understands how dangerous the men he could be dealing with are.”

“I guess I have no choice other than to let you leave, then. I wish you would wait, but I won’t stop you.”

Penni nodded, turning toward the kitchen.

“This is horseshit. You’re not leaving!” Jackal tried to take her arm, but Penni jerked away.

“I told you last night not to touch me.” Penni strode by angrily as Shade and Viper stood up to make sure Jackal stayed seated.

Penni went to the kitchen counter, making a bowl of stew, then carried it to the table where Jackal was sitting.

“I made you a bowl of meatball stew.”

“I don’t want any fucking stew. I want you to listen to reason. There were reasons—”

Penni dumped the contents of the bowl on his lap.

Shade and Viper sprang away from him while Ice simply leaned away from the droplets of stew that were flung his way.

“You crazy bitch!” Jackal jumped to his feet, trying to tug the hot material away from his skin.

Penni picked his still full plate up then slammed it down on side of his head.

Jackal fell like a brick wall.

“I warned him not call me a bitch.”

“
I
s he breathing
?”

Jackal blinked up at the ceiling, seeing Stump bent over him, filling his vision.

“Of course. She just rattled his brain.” Viper tried to lift him.

“Give me a minute.” Jackal was going to lose the small amount of food he had forced himself to eat.

“Whoa, brother, you need a breath mint.” Stump’s face disappeared from his sight.

“Ready?” Shade’s face took his place.

“Yeah.” Jackal let Shade and Viper lift him. Swaying a bit, he took a minute to feel steady on his feet. Then Jackal nodded his head for them to let him go.

A series of explosions went off in his head.

“Give him a chair.”

Viper moved so Shade could slide a chair under him.

“What did she hit me with?” Jackal held his hand to his aching head.

“Your plate.”

Shade’s muffled voice had Jackal wanting to look up, but he knew he would vomit if he moved.

“That bitch took him out!” Stump chortled. “If she weren’t your woman, I’d marry her.”

“Where did she go?” Jackal asked as the men sat back down at the table. He couldn’t make up his mind whether he wanted to know to protect himself or kill her.

“She went to say good-bye to Lily and Beth.”

Shade’s amusement had Jackal wanting to hit him with another plate on the table.

“I’m going with her,” Genny announced, standing in the doorframe of the dining room.

“Genny, don’t go.” Winter placed an arm around her shoulder.

“Penni offered me a job as a caterer for the band the night my house exploded. I’ve thought it over, and I think it’s the best for me.”

“Where will you live?”

Winter’s tearful voice had Genny’s face crumpling.

“I’ll be living on the bus with their other workers. Right now, I don’t want to live in another house or apartment. When I’m ready, I’ll find another place to live. I have no ties, so I can live wherever I want to.”

“You have ties. Willa and I will miss you.”

“I can Facetime you and Willa, and I can see you when Penni comes in to visit. I can ride in with her.” Genny sounded positive, but the pain in her eyes showed it was a lie. When Genny left, she wouldn’t be coming back. “I need to go and tell Penni I’m going to take her up on her offer and pack my bags.”

“I’ll come help,” Winter told her.

The two women exited the room, leaving them all staring after them.

“Does this mean that we’ll have to start doing chores again?” Ember broke the silence.

Raci ran out of the room, crying.

“Do you want me to stop her?”

Viper shook his head at Shade. “No. Tell Alec to watch her. I’ll add her to the payroll.”

Jackal took a drink of his water. His head began to feel like it was attached to his shoulders again.

“I have to go get showered and changed. Don’t let Penni leave before I can talk to her.”

“No, you’re going to stay away and let her leave. I need your head on straight until we can get the cartel taken care of. Then you can chase after Penni,” Ice ordered.

Jackal managed to stand up despite his swimming head. He glared at Hennessy. “I should have killed DJ myself. I knew he was a fuckup; you knew he was a fuckup—hell, DJ knew he was a fuckup. The only reason we’re all in this position is because I didn’t kill him when Ice told me to.”

Hennessy started to lunge toward Ice, but Jackal pushed him back down.

“I knew DJ was going to drag you down. I lost my brother”—Ice smacked a hand on his chest—“when you turned your back on the Predators.”

Hennessy relaxed back in his chair. “I couldn’t leave him.”

“And we couldn’t let him stay. You have your own club now. You’ve learned a hard lesson, one Viper and I already learned. A weak link will destroy your club. You can’t break the chain if it’s made of steel.”

“I can’t handle this deep shit. I’m gonna go change my jeans.” Jackal walked through the dining room.

“Lunch ready?” Max asked as he swerved out of Jackal’s way when they passed on the landing. “You smell and look like a vampire pissed on you.”

“Penni cooked lunch.”

Max gave him a pitying look. “She try to kill you again? Brother, when you gonna understand that bitch wants you dead?”

“When she marries me, you can be my best man,” Jackal said half-jokingly.

Max took out his wallet, taking out a card and handing it to him. “Call her.”

“Who is she?”

“My life insurance agent. Take out enough for me to bury you. If not, then fuck her. At least she won’t kill you.”

“I like to live dangerously.”

“How do you think being dead will feel?”

“She wouldn’t seriously try to hurt me.”

Max looked at him incredulously. “How’d you get that blood on your forehead?”

“Penni hit me with a plate.”

“You sure you don’t want me to ride her out in the mountains and leave her?”

“She’s a bad Penni; they always show up,” Jackal wisecracked.

Max slapped him on the back, knocking him into the wall. “Keep your sense of humor. You’re going to need it.”

“Which jackass is making all that fucking noise?” Mag bellowed from inside the room.

Max went pale, running down the steps like a bear was chasing after him.

“Lord, what have I done to deserve you sending me to live with this pack of heathens?” Mag lamented. “Heavenly Father, call me home.”

“Lord, either you answer her prayer, or I will.”

* * *

J
ackal was jerked
awake when the alarms blared throughout the hallways. He jumped out of bed, already dressed, reaching for his gun. He then ran from the room.

Jackal almost fell down the flight of steps when he saw Mag on the landing.

“Why in the hell aren’t you in your room?”

“You worry about your own sorry ass, and I’ll worry about mine!” the old bitch mouthed off to him.

He was ready to throw her over his shoulder and carry her back to her room when Cash came running up the steps, tossing Mag a rifle.

“First man who comes out the door I don’t recognize, I’m gonna blow their heads off! I ain’t afraid of no damn cartel. I was raised to shoot at revenuers when they came snooping around.”

Cash took his place on the landing next to her, telling Jackal, “Go on downstairs. I’ve got the upstairs covered.”

Jackal saw the three Porter brothers running up the steps. He expected them to line up beside Cash, but they didn’t.

Dustin stopped on the last step, the step down was Greer, and the next step down was Tate. Dustin and Greer braced their shotguns on their shoulders. All three were aiming at the door. Rider stood by the door with a pistol in his hands.

Jackal ran into the living room. He was going to take the spot behind the pool table, but Train and Razer were both there with AKs. Therefore, he hastily took a spot behind the bar where Drake, Hennessy, and Cruz were.

Viper came out of the swinging door from the kitchen. “As soon as we open the door, Knox and Stud’s men will block them in the parking lot so they can’t escape. Both basement doors are locked down. The Predators have the kitchen.” He took a quick glance around the room. “Rider, open the door and let the sons of bitches in.”

Jackal aimed his Glock at the door, watching Rider open the door. The men running into the room didn’t know what hit them. They made it past the entryway before they started being gunned down, the sound of gunfire deafening.

A few turned back toward the door, but men coming in blocked their path. Others tried to run into the dining room, and the sounds coming from there showed they had met the same end.

Viper kicked the bodies to the side, opening the way to let men inside. Blood blossomed on Viper’s leg then, showing he had been hit.

Holding his position, Jackal shot the man as he was lifting his gun to shoot Viper again.

Jackal then moved from behind the bar, kicking more bodies out of the way, positioning himself next to Viper. “Get behind the bar.”

Viper didn’t move, shooting at more coming in through the door. Then Jackal and Viper moved backward as the bodies fell.

One man came in, terrified, and tried to grab Rider. As they struggled, Tate put a bullet in his skull.

When those outside stopped trying to get inside, the Porters, Rider, and Viper moved toward the door, going to them.

Jackal waited inside with the rest of The Last Riders, checking to make sure those littering the floor were dead. Those who were still living had their guns removed and were lined against the wall, moaning in pain.

Viper came back inside, limping. “That’s the last of them. The DEA is here. Train, call Shade; tell him it’s over. We won’t let the women up until we have the mess cleared.” Viper had moved the women into the basement last night. “Anyone who doesn’t want to have their guns checked for ballistics, give them to Drake. He’ll stash them until the DEA leaves.”

Jackal handed Drake his weapon, and several others gave theirs. Then Drake went to the kitchen, coming back with an armful of guns before going up the steps.

“Show me where you’re putting them. You have your hands full.” Tate took his brothers’ shotguns, following Drake.

“You need to go to the hospital to get that leg checked out.” Jackal gave Viper a bar towel to stem the blood soaking his leg.

“Train will patch me up. I’m not leaving.”

“Suit yourself.” Jackal shrugged, raising his hands in the air as the DEA agents came in with raised guns.

It took four hours before Viper let the women come upstairs.

Jackal went behind the bar, taking a bottle of whiskey out of the cabinet under the bar. He was surprised it wasn’t broken with the amount of bullets that had hit the bar from the front.

Train went to the kitchen, coming out with paper cups. Jackal poured all the men a drink.

“Fuck, the television has a crack on it,” Rider complained.

“None of the liquor was broken, but your TV is fucked.” Jackal took a drink of his whiskey before pouring one for Ice.

“That’s because Viper had a sheet of steel running through it.” Rider took several bottles of beer out of the cooler behind the bar, placing them on the bar for the men to reach.

Jackal and Ice stared at the men, taking the whisky bottle and passing it around, instead.

“I told you that you had to step up your game. That’s a five-hundred-dollar bottle of whiskey,” Jackal chided Ice.

“How many bottles does Viper have under there?”

Jackal poured himself a cupful. “I saw three or four.”

“Slip them out here and put them in my saddlebags. As soon as the shit clears, we’re out of here.”

“If you’re going to steal from a man, at least wait until I can’t hear what you’ll be taking.”

Ice took the whiskey back, pouring some in Viper’s cup. “Call it a parting gift. I was going to take the TV.”