Savage Road (Torpedo Ink 7)

Savage kept his expression perfectly blank, but that added an entire layer of danger to what had to be done. Even interrogating Tawny could have gone all ways bad, and both of these men had known it and hadn’t warned them.

“Can you identify them?”

Both men shook their heads. “They’re meeting up with their informants on the run tomorrow.”

“And you know this how?” Savage pushed.

Tony sighed. “We think we’re the informants. We both separately received instructions on where to meet our ‘handler.’ It could be bullshit, but I’ve found myself in strange situations and don’t remember how I got there. I’ve been suspicious that my stepbrother has been messing with my head. Then Leonardo mentioned he was having similar problems. When our shipments started going south, we knew we were in real trouble. We both suspected Brandon had planted some kind of suggestion. He’s capable of doing it. He fools around with using his voice to plant suggestions all the time.”

“You heard Seychelle sing,” Savage said.

Tony nodded. “I suspected she had a very powerful gift. If she had developed it, she might be able to counter Brandon. He’s a vindictive little shit.”

Savage gave him a little half smile. “My assessment exactly. I’m surprised you haven’t taken him out.”

“It isn’t so easy to take out family,” Tony said.

Savage shrugged. That wasn’t his problem. “You ever pull a fast one on Seychelle like this again, you’ll never see me coming. Plank’s going to want her looking at every woman you brought with you. That’s going to be too hard on her. There’s nowhere you can go that I can’t get to you. Your brothers will never know it was me.”

As far as he was concerned, it wasn’t a threat he’d made, it was a fact, and he delivered it that way. A statement. Calm. In a low voice. Looking at them directly with killer eyes. He turned and walked away from them, heading to the woods, signaling for Keys and Mechanic to escort Seychelle to him.

She came straight to him, ignoring the Diamondbacks, her gaze only on Savage. He framed her face with both hands and filled her in on what the other club wanted—no, was demanding. He told her Tony and Leonardo’s fears and what would happen to them if they were correct and anyone found out. “Just know you don’t have to do this, baby. I know you don’t like the club. You’re not doing it for the club. Or for me. Quite frankly, I don’t want you to do it. I’m afraid for you. It’s your choice, Seychelle. You want out, I’ll get you out.”

Her eyes searched his. He was telling her the truth. He wasn’t altogether certain if Leonardo Ravard would take it in his head to try to kill her if she discovered he’d been snitching on his chapter and the Demons to the Feds. Savage wouldn’t put it past the man. “If you see it in either of them they want to kill you after you find something, if you do this, you tell me. Understand? That’s the one thing I ask of you.”

“You can’t use me as an excuse to fight someone, Savage. I can feel the rage rising in you like some kind of tide.”

“We’re not in sync, Seychelle. You want to leave me.”

“No, you’re wrong. I’ve never wanted to leave you, Savage. I love you. Didn’t you hear me? I love you more than anything. I don’t love what’s happened to me. I’m losing myself. That’s not wanting to leave you. That’s trying to save myself.” She leaned into him and brushed a kiss across his lips. “We’re in sync enough for me to know these two men are Eden’s sons. I don’t care about the Diamondbacks, but I do care about Eden. She loves them, and she’s my friend. Let’s see if I can figure this out. If there are Feds here, Savage, you and the others are going to have to be very careful.”

He knew that already. She didn’t have to give him the warning, but he was grateful she cared enough to do it. He wanted everyone to go away and leave the two of them alone to work it out together.

“Wish you were wearing your ring, baby. Don’t like that you’re exposed to either of them without it, or at least my jacket.”

“I know who I love, Savage. There’s never going to be another man for me.”

“It just gives you another layer of protection. Tony, I have a little more faith in than his brother. Leonardo has been Diamondback a long time, and he knows they’ll skin them both alive if they’ve ratted to the Feds, even if it isn’t their fault.”

“Stay with me.” She took his hand and walked over to Tony, greeting him as she always did, as if they were old friends. She completely ignored his colors. “Tony. I wasn’t expecting anyone this evening. I have to admit, I’m pretty tired, but Savage explained the problem.” She glanced toward the picnic table where the Diamondback president and his old lady were talking with Czar, Lana and several of the Torpedo Ink crew. “We should move a little farther away.”