Honestly, it was a weak one, and I knew this, but I didn’t have many options and time was running out. A brawl in the street was not my idea of a good time, but all I could think about was Harper being in danger. She was definitely inside, so they’d have to be stopped before they got near her.
The first indicator that trouble was arriving came when we heard the rumble of several motorcycles heading our way. It was more than a sound… I could feel the ground vibrate before they even came into view.
They rounded the corner three blocks down the street. There were more of them than us, even with several of their members still behind bars, because they had some men that had to be cartel with them. I clenched my jaw and buried my uncertainty about how this would play out.
If I appeared intimidated, this would be over before it began.
“Spread out on the sidewalk,” I ordered, planting my own feet front and center. My arms were folded over my chest and I kept my chin up. The club stretched out on either side of me, and I was sure the message was clear—they weren’t getting in here without going through us first.
Suddenly, the other people on the sidewalk started to disperse, disappearing inside the Red Stone Hotel or scurrying away in the opposite direction. Across the street, a few excited tourists lingered while holding up their cell phones like they were about to enjoy a spectacle.
The Devil Riders stopped on the street in front of us. In a no-parking zone, but of course, they wouldn’t care about that.
Leading the group, Snake was the first to park and dismount. His black boots ate up the concrete as he walked across the sidewalk to stop in front of me.
I was reminded of when I visited his bike repair shop last week, but this time, we both had back-up, people waiting to follow our orders if we couldn’t talk this out.
“You lost?” I asked coolly. “This is Rebel Saints territory, friend.”
“Come on, Bones, let’s not pretend we’re anything other than rivals at this point.”
“That’s your doing.”
I sneered.
The Devil Riders had parked and were gathered behind Snake, glaring daggers at us.
I noticed that the guys from the cartel hung back a bit, like they were waiting to see how this played out before committing to getting involved. “You’re the one that left to form your own club, and for what? So that you could continue living outside the law?”
“You have something against making good money?”
“I have something against the way you go about it. And now, you’re here to do what? Rough up the owner of this place because he didn’t want your guys dealing here? Have you thought that through?”
Snake narrowed his eyes. “You seem well-informed.”
“This place is under my protection. Rebel Saints is not going to let you go in there and hurt people.”
“John Boyer brought this on himself. He called the cops on us.”
“What about the people that work inside? The customers?”
Snake shrugged. “Sometimes, you have to break a few eggs.”
His cavalier attitude disgusted me. I heard movement behind me, and I glanced over my shoulder to see a group of people crowded at the glass doors of the hotel.
Harper was front and center, her wide eyes meeting mine. She looked scared.
John was there too, with his phone pressed to his ear. I was sure he was calling the police and I doubted that he was the only one. It probably looked like two motorcycle clubs were about to start a war in the middle of downtown.
No one, except Harper, would know that Rebel Saints didn’t pack any heat these days. That might be why there was so much fear in her eyes.
Turning my attention back to Snake, I scowled. “You’re scaring people. Just get the hell out of here.”
Snake chuckled, but it was a dark sound. “I’m scaring people? Don’t you get it? They see you as a threat too. You think that doing good for this community is going to change that? You’re wasting your time.”
“That may be,” I conceded, “but it’s not going to change a thing. We’re not letting you in here.”
Snake stepped even closer until only inches separated us. He was up in my face, trying to rattle me as he stared into my eyes.