“Of course he’s dangerous—he lives in a dangerous world,” said Eva. The tears in her eyes didn’t feel sad anymore; they stung with anger. “And he protected us from that world when it showed up. That’s all he’s tried to do!”
“Jesus, you’re in love with him, aren’t you?” Charlie spat in disgust.
Eva paused, then rose to her feet. She didn’t know what she felt for Will, other than that it felt as if parts of her were on fire that she didn’t know existed. “What the hell does that have to do with anything?”
“Eva, Christ, you sure know how to pick ‘em. First Rick, the worthless, abusive dirtbag, and now some psychotic, fucked-up biker? You’re a piece of work.”
Before she could stop herself, Eva slapped her brother across the face. Charlie cried out, more in surprise than pain, but she could still see the red mark where she connected. Her brother looked at her with shock in his eyes, but said nothing.
“Watch your mouth.” The voice that came from her sounded unlike any tone Eva had ever taken, especially with Charlie. “I’m not responsible for Rick’s behavior. And don’t you dare compare him to Will.”
Charlie scoffed just a little, rubbing the side of his face. “Christ…”
“Do you have any idea what he’s been through? Do you know why Uncle Owen was able to afford this land so cheap in the first place?”
“What?” said Charlie, frowning. “What are you taking about?”
“Will’s grandmother was murdered here. Murdered in her own home by the cartel, and he couldn’t do anything to stop it. You really expect him to sit here a second time, in the very spot she died, and watch it happen again?”
Charlie took her by the shoulders. “We’re not his family, Eva, he doesn’t have to protect us. We don’t know anything about him. I’m trying to protect you, too—don’t you see that?”
“If Will hadn’t been here, we’d both be dead, and you know it,” said Eva in a cold tone. “Is this really about protecting me, or is about you being too full of pride to admit that this time, you can’t?”
Charlie flushed red, giving her all the answer she needed. She knew her brother too well for him to get away with a lie so cleanly.
“Will isn’t some crazy thug out looking for a fight. He used his power to protect us, just because he could—because he knew it was the right thing to do.”
“Or because he likes fighting,” said Charlie. “Or because he saw an opportunity to get into your pants by playing the hero.”
Eva folded her arms. “Is that how little you think of me? Like I’m some child stupid enough to think fairytales are real and princes come riding in to save people? I’m not an idiot, Charlie. You can give me shit for caring about Will, fine, but don’t try to write it off like I’m just some dumb bimbo who can’t help but be seduced.”
“So you do have feelings for him.”
“Yes, all right? I care about him,” she said. “I care about Will, and you know why? Because I see something in him that you apparently can’t look deep enough to see. It’s the same kindness and gentleness I used to see in Pa—and in you. He’s not perfect. He’s done bad things. But he’s not a bad man, and he was doing the right fucking thing by us until you turned him in to his club. You could have at least been a man about it and told him to his face you didn’t like his plan.”
“I did tell him that, Eva. He wouldn’t listen. Has he listened to a damn word I’ve said since he showed up in this place?”
Eva didn’t respond. She didn’t have an answer for that. The sounds of the forest filled the silence between them.
Charlie sighed and came closer. “Look… all right,” he said, his voice calm. “All right. You’re right, the guy has clearly been through a lot. And I will even go so far as to say he maybe, probably thought he was doing the right thing, protecting us. Or protecting you, is probably more accurate.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“He doesn’t look at you like you’re a stranger, Eva. He looks at you like he’s known you all his life. If I had to guess, I’d say your feelings are reciprocated.”
Eva blushed and felt her stomach twist in nervous knots.
“But you have to believe me when I say that Will’s plan, it wasn’t safe. It was insane.”
Eva looked down in silence at the grass swaying at her feet, the sweet wildflowers bending and bobbing. She couldn’t admit that she had been worried about Will’s plan, too. In all earnestness, she assumed his tactical mind would see it was a bad plan as soon as he was a few days removed from the victory in the bar. But could she really blame Charlie for what he had done—for not seeing what she saw in Will?
“What do you think is going to happen to him?” whispered Eva.
Charlie rubbed a gentle hand up and down her arm. “I don’t know. But I’m sure he’ll be fine. He’s definitely capable of taking care of himself.”
~ SEVENTEEN ~
Tension ran up Will’s back and shoulders, all the way into his head, as he followed Jase and Ghost down the long hallway. On their separate bikes, he had followed his MC brothers not back to the Black Dogs clubhouse, but to an abandoned factory in the foothills outside of LeBeau where they frequently conducted meetings such as these. In fact, they had acquired the place after finding it when Jase’s now-wife and Henry’s daughter, Maggie, was kidnapped and held hostage by a rival gang. Will had flashes of the memories of helping to save her as he was led through the empty main machine room, past the empty concrete storage rooms, and into a vast open shipping bay.
Dim, dusty sunlight came through the enormous windows at the top of the room, some of them with glass shattered long ago and spider webs in their place. Already, men waited for them as they entered the room. Will could see Henry, his president, waiting with a cold look on his face. Across from his club, a line of Latino men stood. Two of them wore fine, tailored suits, their jet-black hair slicked neatly against their heads and drawn back in tight ponytails. The other three dressed much like the men who Will had fought at Swashbucklers, in jeans and tactical boots and leather jackets meant to be intimidating. Will only recognized one of them: Jorge Ramirez, leader of the cartel himself, in the blue pinstripes. The last time Will had seen him was when he had offered up the men who murdered Will’s grandmother.
Will walked up to Henry and realized he hadn’t seen him in a while. There was something strange about the feeling. He met Henry’s face with a blank expression, unsure what to expect.
“Can we get this started, at last?” said Ramirez.
Will looked around at the faces. “What’s going on?”
Henry sighed and walked to the center of the line, standing next to Will. Without instruction, Ghost and Jase sidled to the ends, flanking.
“Seems we have some problems to attend to,” said Henry.
“Is this the pendejo who has sent mine home, bleeding and broken?” The other man in the suit pointed a fat finger at Will, snarling. He trailed off in Spanish, something Will couldn’t translate, but knew wasn’t a compliment.
Will squared his shoulders as adrenaline began to pump through his veins. “I take it that means you’re the shit-for-brains who sent your men to get beaten in the first place?”
Henry slapped a huge palm on Will’s chest and gave him a stone look. He pushed him back to stand a few steps behind, and Will didn’t argue. Henry turned to the Latino men. “This is a clear violation of the treaty we drew up, Ramirez. We keep the mountain pass free and clear, and you keep your men from any operations inside LeBeau or Howlett. That was the deal. Now I’ve got word of your men pushing in on bar in Howlett? This is unacceptable.”