She thought they would drive, but when she moved toward Jackal’s bike, he took her hand and pulled her through the crowd, walking through the parking lot. Hennessy and Cruz walked next to them.
“Thank you for letting me have my things back,” she muttered to Hennessy, unsure how to talk to the imposing man, but she couldn’t resist criticism on the way her things were returned. “It would have been nice if I had my wallet in case I wanted to buy something.”
“If you want something, Jackal can buy it. He has all kinds of money.”
Penni couldn’t understand his mysterious comment, though she didn’t miss the sharp look Jackal gave Hennessy. It would have been nice to have her wallet if she managed to slip away from the Road Kingz. Obviously, Hennessy had thought of that, which was why he hadn’t given it back.
Like escaping is going to happen, anyway! Penni snorted to herself. She was surrounded by Hennessy and his men.
“Where are we going?” Penni asked Jackal, curious about how Hennessy planned to find Striker.
Hennessy was the one who answered. “To the Night Owl. It’s a bar where most of the clubs hang out. Cruz and I will be next to you the entire time, so don’t think you can sneak away. The men there won’t give a shit that you don’t want to be there.” He turned toward her, giving her a calculated glance. “Hell, it’ll make their fucking night, and you’ll find yourself in more trouble than you bargained for. The clubs there are one percenters, and they aren’t squeamish about slitting our throats and raping you before they buy everyone at the bar a round of beers.”
In other words, they weren’t The Last Riders. Penni wondered how the Predators behaved when they were away from Grace, Vida, and Casey. Their husbands seemed happily married, but did they act like the men who were lining the streets?
Flushing, Penni saw women within the groups wearing shorts and tops. She was wearing jeans and a sweatshirt, and she was freaking cold. These women didn’t even look chilled.
Penni was relieved and terrified when she saw the huge sign for the Night Owl on top of a building that had a massive crowd out front.
“I can’t believe there aren’t any signs of the police.”
“Believe it,” Jackal replied sardonically. “It would take the National Guard to get a squad car through this part of town.”
Both Jackal and Hennessy shifted closer to her side as they entered bar with the Road Kingz at their heels. Penni felt the room sizing them up as Jackal found an empty spot at the corner of the bar.
She shook her head when the bartender asked if she wanted a drink, too disgusted at the behavior taking place in the bar. If the women had been scantily clad in the street outside, the women inside were wearing next to nothing. There were even three dancing on a stage in the front of the packed bar.
Jackal took his beer, not paying attention to the women nearby who were doing their best to get his attention.
“Do you see him?” Hennessy spoke softly into her ear.
Penni pried her eyes away from one pretty blonde woman who was speaking to Jackal out of her earshot. She forced herself to concentrate on the males in the bar. Once or twice, she caught her breath, thinking she saw him, only to realize it wasn’t Striker.
Her shoulders drooped. “I don’t see him.”
Hennessy’s mouth quirked in a smile. “It’s early. Don’t worry; he’ll show tonight or tomorrow.”
“Are you sure he’ll show?”
He ignored her question. “I’ll take a Hennessy,” he told the bartender before turning back to answer her question. “He has nowhere else to go.” Hennessy waved his hand around the bar. “Everyone he does business with is here.”
“You could stop all of this and let me go. Is the reason you’re trying to find Striker worth dying for?”
Hennessy stared at her, his eyes going hard. “I am trying to stay alive. If I don’t find Striker, my men and I will be eating dirt.”
Penni turned away and toward the bartender. “I’ll take what he’s having.”
Jackal and Hennessy watched as the bartender poured her the drink she had requested. Penni took a sip of the amber liquor, enjoying the taste. It wasn’t as strong as she had expected, but it wasn’t bad.
“I’ll have to buy a bottle of this for Shade when I buy one for Ice.”
Hennessy choked on his drink. “Ice hates Hennessy. It’s an acquired taste.”
“Really? Then why did Jackal tell me he likes it?”
Suspiciously, Penni glared at Jackal’s innocent expression.
“He’s acquired the taste for it since you left the Predators.”
Hennessy didn’t seem to believe him anymore than she did.
She took another sip of her own drink then motioned for the bartender to give her another one.