Before Plank could make up his mind, Shark suddenly interrupted. “Savage, you brought your woman, Seychelle, with you, didn’t you?”
Savage froze. His ice-cold gaze slid sideways to land on Shark. A killer’s eyes. There was an instant of recognition in the circle of Diamondbacks. A shift as Lion and Judge moved to close ranks on Plank and yet try to include Shark in their protection. They recognized a threat, and all Savage had done was look at him. He was still looking, unmoving, a shadow come to life, the assassin unmasked.
Savage. You have to stand down.
Tony doesn’t get Seychelle.
Take a breath and let me handle this. You’re too close to the end of your cycle, and you’re pulling in too much rage from the rest of us. Trust me to do this.
“Tony.” Czar kept his voice even and calm. “Out of respect, we don’t bring your women into meetings, and we expect that you leave ours out as well. One of our women was already disrespected and continues to be so every time she meets one of you playing your silly video of her like teenagers, like you did in the bar a couple of weeks ago. We take that shit because we gave our word to Plank and we keep our word. Please don’t take that for weakness. That would be a big mistake.” Even issuing the warning, his tone didn’t change.
“There’s no need to bring other women into this,” Plank agreed immediately, sending Tony a warning look.
“I wasn’t being disrespectful of her,” Shark said. “Just the opposite. I believe she could help all of us. She has a gift that might allow her to identify any of our women who might have the suggestion planted in them.”
“How could she do that?” There was real interest in Plank’s voice.
There was silence as everyone looked at Shark. Savage had never taken his death stare from him. Czar watched him closely as well.
He doesn’t know for certain, and he’s got a hidden agenda, Savage. I think he hopes Seychelle can identify something Brandon did to him.
She won’t have to if he’s dead.
You can’t start a war here.
Watch me. She can’t do what they want her to do. Putting out that much psychic energy would kill her. He knows it if he knows anything about psychic energy.
I’m betting he doesn’t. Not really. Look at Lion, his brother. He’s in the dark as well. They suspect something is wrong with them, but not what it is. I’m betting they’re worried they’re spreading this dissent among their brothers.
That would make sense and explain the sudden interest in Seychelle and her capabilities. Absinthe was somewhere close. So was Scarlet. Both had extraordinary abilities to ferret out truth. Savage wouldn’t mind seeing the two of them interrogate Tony.
Tony cleared his throat. “I’ll admit I don’t know exactly how it works. But she can do it. I’m certain of it. She has that ability. They only brought a few women with them. Five. That’s it. They have another full chapter with them from Trinity. Two women. They knew there was trouble, and they brought women capable of helping them in a fight. Seychelle is the exception.”
Plank looked to Czar. Czar shrugged. “She’s Savage’s old lady. Where he goes, she goes. He doesn’t leave her behind.”
“I think it best if your people extract the information we need from Tawny. My people would kill her. I’ll need one of mine observing.”
“Absolutely not. We don’t have witnesses. We’ll give you information, that’s the deal,” Czar said, “but I won’t compromise any of my men. And I don’t want her man coming after any of mine because we weren’t nice asking questions.”
Pierce had walked closer to the circle. It was clear he had taken in quite a bit of the conversation. He wasn’t happy about it. “I’m not her man and never have been. I’m doing a fucking job, keeping that bitch in line. Who exactly is Destroyer? Where did he come from?”
Czar turned his cool silver eyes on him. “He’s Torpedo Ink, that’s who he is. She’ll live, but we will make it very clear that she will not go to the cops. We’ll follow up on anything we get from her as soon as possible unless your men will take it from there.”
Plank shook his head. “That’s what I asked you to do.”
“Consider it done.” Czar signaled to his men. Maestro, Keys and Ink began stalking Tawny, a slow move, easing their way into the crowd heading toward the small group of women.
“Czar, I’d like to meet Savage’s old lady, just have a conversation with her. Respectful. She sounds interesting,” Plank continued.
“I’ll see if I can arrange that. She’s new to the life, and it was her first time on a long ride. She’s exhausted.”
Czar was already moving, Reaper and Savage closing in on him to cover him as they followed the others into the crowd. Behind them, other members of Torpedo Ink slipped in to shield them, more and more, building a wall until Czar couldn’t be seen.