Thunder (Hell's Handlers MC 10)

Probably sensing the drastic change in her energy, Thunder placed a hand on her thigh and squeezed.

She turned her head, staring straight into his eyes. Her bleak expression must have conveyed her thoughts because he gave her the subtlest of head shakes, which she took to mean she should keep her mouth shut. As if she was about to announce her father and husband’s role in a gruesome assault.

Copper ran a hand down his face, pausing to scratch his beard. “You fucking with me?” he finally asked, voice full of disbelief.

The sheriff dropped his head. “Fuck,” he whispered. “I’m pretty damn good at reading people, and you all seem genuinely shocked as fuck. Suppose it woulda been too easy a case if you’d been the ones to do it.”

With a snort, Zach shook his head. “We wouldn’ta done something so fucking obvious.”

“What’s the actual damage?” Screw asked from across the room. “They really all dead?”

Straightening, the sheriff smoothed a hand down his tan uniform. “It was a fucking bloodbath. When we arrived on scene, one of the Disciples was lying out front in the parking lot, gut shot. We were able to get a few things outta him before he died. He said the club got an anonymous call about ten minutes before the assailants showed up claiming an attack was coming. Whoever was inhouse, which seems to be most of them, armed up and fought back. I’m talking bullets, bombs, Molotov cocktails, you name it, all these fuckers used it. As far as we can tell, only one or two of the attackers managed to survive as well. We know from a blood trail that someone escaped, we just don’t know if it was CDMC or one of the other guys.”

“You said you don’t recognize any of the assailants,” Zach said. “Were you able to identify any of them yet?”

The sheriff shook his head. “None of them carried ID. I’ve got a deputy working on prints right now from the guys who still had ’em. Rest are gonna have to be teeth by the ME.”

“Well…” Copper’s grin stretched across his face. “Can’t say this news darkens my day, but I can say we didn’t have a fucking thing to do with it. Sheriff, you and your buddies can see yourself out. I’ll send my guys to the station a few at a time to give formal statements since I’m assuming you won’t let that drop.”

“All right.” The sheriff tilted his head the nodded, seeming resigned to that being Copper’s best offer. “I can work with that. Have a good day, gentlemen.” He tipped his hat. “Ladies.”

When he was halfway to the exit, he snapped his fingers while turning back around. “Oh, one more thing. Any of you happen to know a woman named Delilah?”

Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

Mak sucked in a breath before her brain could warn her to keep quiet. Then she bit her lower lip so hard, the metallic taste of blood oozed onto her tongue.

The sheriff’s head whipped her way and his gaze locked with hers. She held her breath until the room started to spin.

It’d been excess of two years since she’d been called by that name. The suffocating sensation of existing in the community came rushing back in a flood of nausea and terror.

The only thing keeping her from flying apart was Thunder’s touch, but even that couldn’t erase the brutal memories.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

THEY’D NEVER DISCUSSED it, but after hearing Mak’s story, Thunder assumed Makenna wasn’t the name given her at birth. He hadn’t bothered to ask because, to him, it didn’t matter. She was Makenna. His Mak.

But clearly, the name she’d gone by throughout childhood had been Delilah.

She sat so still and stiff he feared her leg would shatter beneath his palm if he squeezed too hard. Unfortunately, this sheriff didn’t appear to be the same kind of fucking moron they last one had been. His shrewd gaze assessed Makenna with open curiosity and suspicion.

Thunder cleared his throat and spewed out the first bullshit that came to his mind. “Sorry,” he said. “This is my ol’ lady, Makenna. Her mother passed last week in Ohio. Her name was Delilah. Kinda hard to hear you say it since it’s still so fresh.”

“Hmm,” the sheriff said, still studying Mak.

Had he bought it?

His woman played her part to a tee. “I’m sorry,” she squeaked. “I didn’t mean to interrupt. Just shocked me is all. It was a heart attack. U-unexpected.”

After clearing his throat, the sheriff nodded. “Sorry for your loss, ma’am.”

“Thank you.”

Copper shot the sheriff a raised eyebrow then grunted. “None of us know any Delilah around here. Why?”

Even if Copper suspected, it helped that he didn’t have to lie. None of them did know a Delilah. At least not that they were aware of.

“The disciple we spoke to said this group of psychos came roaring up in two Jeeps. They busted into the clubhouse, mowing down anyone they crossed. Hollering and opening fire at the clubhouse. One of them was screaming for the CDMC to send Delilah out. According to the disciple, they had no clue who the group was looking for. Then the battle began.”