Niro (Henchmen MC Next Generation 1)

"Thank you. I needed that," I added, shooting him a grateful smile that fell dead away on my lips when my gaze went over his shoulder, and a set of eyes met mine.

Those eyes.

Ones that used to be familiar, so full.

But now, all I saw was a void.

Niro's jaw seemed tight as he stood there, staring at me, then Toll for a long moment before turning and walking away.

"Boyfriend?" Toll asked, following my gaze. "I should have asked."

"No. No boyfriend," I said, then winced, remembering my uncles lecturing me that I should never admit that to strangers.

"So if I asked you for your number," Toll started, giving me what I could only call a bashful smile, "you might give it to me?"

"I, ah, I might be able to be persuaded," I said, trying for light, for casual, even though flirting had never been a strong suit of mine. Looking back, I wasn't even sure how the heck my relationships had happened. You know, all three of them.

"Great then..." he started, getting cut off by the loudspeaker.

"And next to the ring. Who you have all been waiting for..." it started.

"I'm afraid that is me," Toll told me, giving me an apologetic look. "Can I come find you after?"

"I, ah, sure," I agreed, wondering if I could sneak out before then. Sure, he seemed nice and all. But I wasn't going on a date with someone who hit people for fun. No way.

"Looking forward to it," he said, giving me a smile before moving off to the ring.

It wasn't until I saw him move inside that I realized I had missed the names on the announcement.

Toll, sure.

But someone else as well.

Niro.

"Oh, fuck," Hope said, coming to stand back with me again.

"I know! I can't believe he is fighting!" I said, mouth agape.

"What? Niro? He's a fucking lunatic. He does this for shits and giggles. No. I mean that," she said, waving a hand out toward the door. Where a new group was entering.

A group of men.

With a woman at their lead.

I didn't see them for long, but I knew them immediately.

The bikers from the night before.

The rival bikers.

"Should we be finding Fallon?" I asked, stomach tightening.

But then the woman biker's gaze slid to the cage, slid to Niro, and there was a tightening in her jaw.

"What the fuck is going on?" Hope asked, keen gaze moving around. At the new bikers, then over at the Henchmen guys. There was anger for the former group and uncertainty from the latter.

But we didn't need to ask any other questions.

Because, suddenly, a man moved to the side of the cage, sliding a padlock on the door, then moving to stand in front of the cage.

"Who is that?" I asked.

"Jax. That's Jax Ward."

The son of the owner. Or the co-owner. However it worked out.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen. It is the fight you all didn't know you were waiting for," he started, smirk wicked.

"I don't like that smile," Hope decided, tone cold.

And if Hope didn't like it, I knew it couldn't be good.

"Niro, from the Henchmen MC. And his new contender. Toll from the East Coast Vultures MC." Jax paused for dramatic effect. Then went ahead and proved Hope right by finishing his thought. "May the best MC win."

"Oh, holy shit," Hope hissed.

I wouldn't pretend to understand what was going on, but one look at each of the biker clubs told me that Hope was not exaggerating.

Whatever Jax had just done had pissed everyone off.

Chapter Seven

Niro

I was so busy grinding my teeth over seeing Andi flirting with some random guy that I somehow missed it all until it was too late, until it was getting announced to everyone, until I finally understood why Jax was keeping it all under wraps who I was fighting.

Because he was stoking a potential street war, whether he truly understood that or not.

He was forcing us to go at each other.

To prove one was better than the other.

And whoever lost, and their club, was not going to take it lightly.

Fuck.

Fuck.

One glance over made me realize Jax had multiple tricks up his sleeve. Because he'd locked us in. They never locked us in.

And judging by the added club security moving in, I was pretty sure they weren't going to let our people step in to put an end to this before it began.

His father would lose his shit when he heard about this.

Ross had always prided himself on having a relatively tame club environment. Everyone behaved when they came, or they got ejected, and never invited back. People toed the line so they could continue to come and enjoy themselves, maybe even make a little money too.

This?

This was like stoking a small fire until it burned down the entire town.

Was it maybe a good business move?

Fuck yeah.

The money was pouring out of people's wallets and purses as soon as the words were out of his mouth.