Ride Rough (Raven Riders 2)

“Which brings me to some news from Baltimore,” Dare said, opening the folder of intel Maverick had received from Nick Rixey. “Off the record, Nick shared that the Feds are running some kind of undercover operation targeting Baltimore’s gangs. Ongoing investigations into narcotics and especially heroin. Long story short, in the week since everything went down, the Feds have tightened the noose around the Iron Cross as the primary player in that market, so it’s very possible the Feds are about to take them out all on their own.”

“Well, that’s . . . kinda fucking unsatisfying,” Phoenix said.

“‘Possible’ isn’t good enough for me,” Maverick said. “And letting the Feds do it does nothing for avenging ourselves and defending our reputation.”

“I agree on both counts,” Dare said.

Doc sat forward in his seat. “Given everything this club’s been through the past six weeks, first with the fight over at Hard Ink and then with the attack here, we do not need more good people put in harm’s way.” He’d been leery of getting involved with the Iron Cross in the first place. Well, they all had. Maverick sure knew he’d been. But those motherfuckers hadn’t given them much choice if they didn’t want to make an enemy of a new player in the region. Turned out they had anyway. Which pretty much proved that the road to hell was paved with good intentions. “I get that the Iron Cross is a problem that has to be resolved, but if someone else is willing to do the dirty work, I say we let them.”

“All due respect, Doc,” Maverick said, the anger inside of him hot and thick like the June night outside. “We sit back, even if the Feds do their job here, we pretty much invite every other fucker who wants to make a name for themselves to do it on our backs. They invaded our territory. Attacked our home. Hurt and killed our people.”

“I agree with Maverick,” Caine McKannon said, his ice-blue eyes slicing toward Dare. Low murmurs of agreement rumbled around the room. Wearing a black knit cap over black hair and with black gauges in both his ears, Caine served as the club’s sergeant-at-arms, which put him in charge of rule enforcement. The guy radiated a quiet intensity you didn’t want to cross. Maverick had never heard the guy raise his voice, and could only imagine what kind of pissed off he’d have to be to do so. Of the six men who made up the club’s board of directors—Dare, Maverick, Bear, Phoenix, their Race Captain Jagger Locke, and Caine—Caine was by far the one Maverick knew the least, despite having known him for years.

“So, what are we talking about here?” Phoenix asked, face set into an unusually serious frown.

Considering glances were traded around the table until Dare finally spoke. “Here’s what I suggest. We’re not typically into offensive assaults. But we have to assume that the Iron Cross will keep coming at us, because they made it clear they want to push us around until they push us out as a player in the power dynamics in this area. In my view, going after them would be a defensive preemptive strike.” More murmurs of agreement. “I say we make a statement that hurts them where they live—we attack their clubhouse, clean them out until they’re left with nothing, and then burn their world to the ground. And if that sonofabitch of a leader Dominic gets in the way, so much the better.”

“And how do you think Haven will feel about you doing that?” Doc asked.

Dare’s dark gaze cut to meet his grandfather’s. “This is club business, Doc. But if you really want to know, I told her this was the likely reality. Don’t think for a minute she doesn’t understand our world after the one she grew up in, nor that this is still her father’s mess that needs to be cleaned up. She’d be on the back of a Harley helping us do it if she could. Haven Randall is a hundred percent behind every one of us. Always.”

Maverick surveyed his brothers’ faces and saw the bone-deep respect they held for Haven. By saving Dare’s life, she’d more than earned it.

“So we’re going after property, not bodies,” Phoenix said, eyebrow arched.

“That’s what I’m proposing.” Dare looked from one member to the next. “Discussion?”

“It may not be a long-term solution,” Caine said, eyes narrowed.

The concern echoed Maverick’s own thoughts; then something else occurred to him. “But think about this. If the Feds take out the Iron Cross after we take them down, then maybe it’s the best of both worlds. They’re out of the picture and we protect our rep and make it clear that fucking with us comes at a cost. A big one.”

“Exactly,” Dare said with a nod, his whole face set in a frown. “Anyone else?” When the room remained silent, Dare heaved a deep breath. “Let’s put it to a vote. Raise your hand if you support going after the Iron Cross.” His gaze sliced through each and every one of them, because they all knew he was asking them to cross some lines. But sometimes, that shit couldn’t be helped.