Stand Off (Predators MC 2)

She stood then walked outside the room and sat in the chair Ice motioned for her to take. The brothers surrounded her. Max was familiar with the tactic of trying to intimidate before they even began.

Casey stared at Ice in trepidation, and Max sensed she was more frightened of Ice than Jackal. She was smart. Jackal didn’t make a move unless it was directed by Ice.

“You ready to tell me why you decided to take a shit on our club?”

Casey remained silent.

Ice arched a brow at her before turning to Jackal. “Give me her phone.”

Jackal handed him the phone. “It takes her thumbprint to open it.”

“She has two; take your pick.” Ice tossed him the phone.

Max lifted one of Casey’s hands, expecting her to fight, but she didn’t. He pressed her thumb against the button, and the phone immediately opened. He handed it back to Ice who scrolled through it.

“It’s clean. The only things on it are the pictures she took from the computer. She didn’t even put a contact list of numbers.” Ice stared down at Casey. “We found the stash of information you had on us at your apartment. There isn’t much you found out from your snooping. The check Max gave you opened all the doors you needed, didn’t it?”

“How?” Max asked, his hands clenching into fists.

“She used the number of the account on the check you gave her to trace other accounts that made deposits to that account, which led to other accounts. Once she had yours, she had it all, didn’t you?”

“Yes,” Casey admitted.

“She wasn’t working at the Quik and Go for the extra money, either, were you?”

“No, everyone in Queen City knows he sells drugs out of the back room. I figured if he was selling the drugs, he was giving you a share of the money.”

Max kicked one of the empty chairs across the floor. “I fucking watched her every night so she wouldn’t get robbed, and she was fucking putting us away!”

“She’s smart. She accomplished what the police and the FBI couldn’t do—search the club without probable cause—which is why they went after her, isn’t it?”

Casey nodded.

“The thing I’m curious about is, why now? You could have done this anytime, so what made you decide to help them?”

“Maybe I was bored. Maybe I was sick and tired of your club running the city.” Casey’s sarcastic reply only brought a tight smile to Ice’s lips.

“No, I don’t think that’s it. I don’t think that’s it at all, Casey. I think something set this whole thing off. You get pissed when Mugg left Renee like every man she had?”

Casey leaned back in her seat. “If you want to think that, then go ahead. I told you why.”

“You haven’t told us a fucking thing,” Max burst out, getting tired of the bullshit.

“You want me to tell you something? Use better passwords. Don’t pick ones named after your dogs. You’ve become so arrogant, thinking no one can touch your little club, that you became sloppy.”

Max was surprised Ice wasn’t flipping out on her when he only nodded.

“You’re right. All the information you had is useless now, though. Everything has been wiped clean. We have all the papers you had at your apartment, even the ones you hid in your safe deposit at the bank.”

Casey hadn’t seemed concerned until Ice mentioned the safe-deposit box. “How did you…?”

“That would be my secret, now wouldn’t it? And, since you’re not sharing, I see no need to.” Ice pulled a set of keys out of his pocket, handing them to Max.

“Take her home.”

Max didn’t know who was more surprised by Ice’s order: him or Casey.

“That’s it? You’re letting me go?”

“That’s it. You don’t have anything else on us, so I see no need to keep you any longer.”

Casey stood, obviously wise enough to leave before Ice changed his mind, then took a step forward.

“Oh, by the way, if you try to bring any kidnapping charges against us, I have five brothers prepared to swear that you’ve spent the last day fucking their brains out.” Ice pulled his own phone out of his pocket. Pushing a few buttons, he turned the phone to face Casey. It showed her plastered against the wall with Stump all over her. “I don’t have to prove it, just place doubt on any of your claims of kidnapping, and I think this little piece of video proves that, don’t you?”

Her face paled as she watched herself on the video. “Yes.”

Her strangled reply contented Ice enough to put the phone back in his pocket.

“Are we done? Can I go home now?” she asked.

“Go. And, Casey, if you think you’re going to cause any more trouble for the club, think again. I don’t like hurting women, but I have no compunction about hurting another man.” Ice held his hand out to Jackal, who removed something from his jacket, raising it for Casey to see.