The Uber was sitting in a parking space next to the door, and she greeted the driver with a wave and a smile. He waved back, unlocking the doors before she climbed into the back seat. Once she was settled, he confirmed the address with her and left. Zora looked back at the bar and saw the old man at the door. He waved to her, but frowned as he did so. She waved back before sitting back and putting on her seatbelt.

  Soon, all this would be behind her. It had been a mistake from the start, and she was headed back to the little house she’d bought. It seemed like a step backward, but she was trying to see it as a sidestep instead. She wasn’t headed back to Gordon, and she wasn’t looking to Data to be her savior. No. She could do this herself. She would do it herself. She just had to be careful. Once she got home, she’d put some real effort into falling off the grid permanently. She had the skills. Time to put them to good use. Like she should have done in the first Goddamned place.

  Chapter Five

  “They’re on the move.” The call came from the Shadow Demons tech guy, Giovanni. Data was at his computer, assimilating the information Gio was sending his way. “Looks like the lower echelon moving, and Azriel’s contact says they didn’t give the order.”

  “So it is a set up.” Data sat back in his chair, finger curled over his chin as he spoke to the Shadow Demon on speaker phone so Cain, Torpedo, and Bohannon could hear.

  “If they didn’t have the go ahead from the top, they’re definitely doing something not sanctioned. The Brotherhood has people on their way, but you’re probably closer. They’re pretty far reaching, but Somerset is mighty out of the way.”

  “No worries there. She’s here and locked up tight. They can’t get into our compound.”

  “Well, at least part of that is true.” Data turned to see Pops in the doorway to his office, a grim expression on his face. “Your little Zora isn’t locked up tight here at the compound.”

  Data froze. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. What did he mean she wasn’t in the compound?

  “If she’s not here, where is she?” As enforcer, Bohannon would be the one to take on matters of security. “Wasn’t she with you, Data?”

  Data swallowed. “She was. Went off on her own a couple of hours ago. I thought she was still in the clubhouse. No one said otherwise.”

  “Wait,” Pops said. “Is this girl… your woman, Data?”

  “No,” he said, then shook his head. “Yes.”

  “Well, for fuck’s sake, make up your mind, boy!” Pops was obviously not in a congenial mood. “Fortunately for you, I have your back. She has the Boneyard’s card with my number on it as well as a tracking device on her.”

  Bohannon grinned. “And here I thought you didn’t know shit about electronics, old man.”

  “I don’t,” Pops snapped. “Which is why I gave her the fuckin’ card. There’s a tracker in her purse, but I have no idea if it’s turned on or if she’ll still have it tomorrow.” He took the five steps across the room separating him and Data. “She’s runnin’, DHS.” Pops only called him that when he was pissed at him. Usually for making him use technical equipment when he was clearly uncomfortable with it. He called him DHS because Data worked for the Department of Homeland Security in cyber security. Pops meant it more as mockery than respect when he used it this way. Normally, Data would take exception and the two would bicker back and forth until one of them got angry enough to stomp away.

  Not today. Data deserved anything Pops wanted to dish out.

  “Did you drive her away? Because, from all accounts, the two of you seemed to be getting along fine when you picked her up and when you first got here. You’ve been working with her online for years. Now she runs?”

  “I know, Pops. This is my fault. I’ll fix it.”

  Pops pointed his finger at Data, stabbing him in the chest. “You better. She’s a sweet girl.”

  “She’s more than a sweet girl,” Data muttered. “And she deserves more than anything I’m offering.”

  “Wait.” Cain rubbed his eyes with one hand. “What did you do, Data? Exactly.”

  He shrugged and sighed. “She’s twenty years younger than me, Cain. My daughter is older’n her, for Christ’s sake!”

  “So? What’s that got to do with anything?”

  “I kissed her. I nearly fucked her. When I finally came to my senses, I implied I shouldn’t have brought her to my room for sex because she was married. I’m sure she took it to mean I looked down on her for that, even though I know she didn’t have much of a marriage to begin with and had already filed for divorce. Besides, it was certainly not a marriage she ever wanted. Anyway, she didn’t leave in the best of moods.”

  “Can’t imagine why,” Torpedo said dryly.

  Data gave him a warning look. “We need to find her.”

  “She said she had stuff to get at home. I’d start there,” Pops said before shooting Data a killing look. Then he left. Pops was never a man of many words. Which is why Data always took what he said to heart.

  “Fuck,” he bit out softly. “This is all my fault.”

  “Worry about blame later. Right now, she’s got some fuckin’ dangerous men on her tail. Luckily we know where she’s going and we can get there first,” Cain said. Then he turned to face the phone and the open line, as if that would help him see the man on the other end. “Right?”

  “Depends on where your girl is. Give me the signal specs.”

  Data was already at work finding the signal for the device Pops had slipped her. Once he found it, he forwarded it to Giovanni. “He’s right. She’d headed to the place she rented and had intended on buying. That address is in the message I just sent.”

  “Got it,” Gio confirmed. There was a small silence, probably while the other man did some calculations. “If you leave now, you’ll be about twenty-eight minutes ahead of them. I suggest you not fuck around.”

  “On it,” Data said, snagging his jacket. “You keep an open link to me, Gio. I need to know every move she makes.”

  “There are plenty of men here who know where she lives, Data,” Cain said, inserting himself between Cain and the door. “You said yourself when you sent Viper after your daughter, you’re not a hunter.”

  “No. But she’s wily. She knows she’s being hunted. She’ll be on her guard. I know where she lives and can get there the quickest. She trusts me.”

  “Maybe,” Shadow said, shouldering his way into the room. “But, apparently, you’re not on her list of favorite people right now. Perhaps you need to send someone who’s in good with her.”

  “If you mean you, you smug bastard, the answer is ‘no.’” Data growled. “I sent Viper to find my daughter because no one knew where she was. I know where Zora’s headed and can take care of her myself. I can get there before she leaves and take her with me into hiding. We’ll wait until Gio says the Brotherhood has their end under control. Then I’ll bring her back.”

  “And if she doesn’t want to come?” Shadow raised an eyebrow at him as if to say, Then whatcha gonna do, you motherfucker?

  “She doesn’t get a choice.”

  Shadow looked as if he were about to argue that when Cain raised a hand. “Data will take Bohannon and Shadow with him. The three of you can ensure Zora’s safety. But if Zora isn’t comfortable with you, Data, Bohannon or Shadow will stay with her and you will not argue. You will come back to the club. You don’t follow that rule, you’re gone.”

  Like hell he’d leave her. He didn’t have to say it to Cain. Cain knew Data would call his hand if Zora protested. No way in fuck he was leaving her again. He didn’t care if she wanted him there or not. She’d wanted him before. He could gain her trust again.

  Without another word, he snagged his jacket and left the room for his bike. He didn’t wait to see if Bohannon and Shadow followed him. Simply started up his hog and sped off, heedless of the flying gravel. He’d fucked up mightily. It was time to fix what he’d broken.

  * * *

  The house was just like Zora had left it. Hadn’t been that long, though it felt like ages. It was hard to believe only about twelve hours had passed. Hard to believe her prince charming had turned into such an ogre. She’d cried the entire hour-long drive home. As happy as she’d been to see Data when he’d first appeared at her house, she’d been equally devastated to leave him behind and go back. On the ride there, she’d gotten angry as well as hurt and had decided she’d rather face whatever danger she was in by herself than go back to Data. She hadn’t asked for his attention, but once she had it, she hadn’t wanted to let go. He seemed to know that, and it made the situation that much worse.

  Fuck it. Fuck him.

  The second she stepped inside the house, she knew something wasn’t right. The sweet scent of cigar smoke tickled her nose, a scent that shouldn’t be there.

  “Who’s there?” she asked. Why, she had no idea. The smart thing would have been to turn and run. She was in her house, but she’d only been there a few weeks. There were no neighbors. No one to run to. All she had was the hope that no one heard her enter and she could get back to her car and out of there before someone came after her.

  “I’ve been sent to bring you home, Zora.” The slightly accented voice was vaguely familiar, but she her mind refused to go there.

  “I am home,” she said, reaching to flip on the light. Sitting on her sectional was the one man she feared above all others. Drago. Gordon’s personal bodyguard. She had never interacted directly with the man, but he’d always intimidated her whenever she’d thought about getting out of line with Gordon. Or refusing his advances. Whenever Gordon had initiated sex with her, Drago had always been nearby. He never interfered, but his presence was enough to render her docile with Gordon. The look in Drago’s eyes then had been one of cold heartlessness. Same as it was now. He had a job, and the only thing important to him was getting it done.

  “You can come with me easy way, or hard way. Choice is yours.”

  With more bravado than she felt, Zora lifted her chin. “I’m not going anywhere. You’ll have to kill me, because I’ve let Gordon touch me for the last time. I’m not going back.”

  “I can assure you, he has no interest in touching you or anything else. He merely needs you back to do a job for him.”

  “If he thinks I’m doing anything for him ever again, he’s delusional.” The adrenaline was kicking in now. She had to be very careful with Drago. She’d always got the impression he’d rather kill her than look at her. Like she’d be fun sport. “I know about the embezzlement. I know he’s in deep with some really scary people. From what I’ve heard, I don’t think Gordon or my dad realize exactly what they’ve gotten themselves into.”

  Drago’s head tilted, the only expression she’d ever seen from the man. “Explain.”

  “They plan to set me up to take the fall because of my computer and network skills. What they don’t know is the Brotherhood is on to them. They know it all.”

  Drago blinked several times, then raised a gun and pulled the trigger.

  Zora screamed instinctively, ducking, but there wasn’t a loud bang. Instead, there was only a soft click, but something struck her thigh with a heavy, sharp sting. The thick but short shaft of a dart stuck through her jeans about three inches above her knee. Right in the big muscle of her leg. Without thinking, she yanked it out in confusion.

  “What the hell?”

  “Tranquilizer. Did you really think I’d shoot to kill?”

  “Well, yeah,” she said. Strangely, she didn’t feel any different. Shouldn’t she be dizzy or something?

  He chuckled. “Little bird, you’re not worth killing.” She must have given him a funny look because he immediately raised his hands in surrender. “I mean that literally. They’re not paying me enough to kill you. Only to bring you back to Gordon.”

  “It must be pretty important if Gordon let you leave his side to come get me.”

  “Well, little bird, it is. If he wants to stay alive.” Then he shrugged. “If you’re right, it won’t matter anyway. Brotherhood isn’t group you mess with. Gordon and Frank knew when they started their scheme. Of course, now I know there is mischief going on, I must inform my boss.”

  “I thought Gordon was your boss.” Zora was starting to get dizzy now. The room spun gently, but she knew it was only a matter of time. Apparently the dart was working its magic.

  “No, little bird. I work for…” he waved a hand dismissively, “someone more powerful than your husband or your father. Frank was a fool to allow Gordon to take you from him. He wanted money and thought he could handle situation before he was found out, and he might have. If not for you. Your new friends, too.” Drago had been glancing at his phone from time to time since he’d shot her. Not once had he reacted to anything he’d seen on the screen. Now, he raised his eyebrows. “New friends who are just as resourceful as you.” He turned the screen to face her, as if he were showing her the message. It wasn’t like she could see it. Not only was he too far away, but her vision was starting to blur. “They are on way, and I’ve been recalled.”

  Recalled? “Whad’s dat mean?” Oh, Lord, her words were slurring. She was going to be helpless with this man. He had never done anything to her before, but she wasn’t her friend. He would do what he was paid to do.

  “It means, little bird,” he stood and crossed to her, “That you’ve been given a stay of execution, so to speak. Lie down and relax. You can’t fight the drug. You’ll only get sick, and you’ll still pass out.”

  “What’re you gonna do?”

  He gave her a smile that wasn’t unkind, putting a pillow down and urging her to lie on her side. He covered her with one of the throws she had folded on the back of the sectional. “I’m going to try and slip by your friends. If I don’t, there may be a small battle, but you won’t be hurt.”

  “Please,” she managed, her vision now going black around the edges. “Don’t hurt them. They’re only here because they’re obligated. I ran off, and they probably don’t like that I didn’t tell them.”

  He chuckled. “Little bird.” She tried to open her eyes, but he placed a gentle hand over them, urging her to keep them shut. “I think you’re cared for more than you know. Listen to me carefully before you pass out. Stay with these men. They’ll protect you from people like me.”

  It was the last thing she remembered before the darkness took her.

  * * *

  Data pulled in front of Zora’s house. The big hog he rode would announce his presence like a klaxon, but he couldn’t have given two shits. That’s what Bohannon was for. He’d have Data’s back and kill any motherfucker who came at them. Well, if Data didn’t get to them first.

  He pulled his gun and chambered a round before calling out. “Zora! Zora, answer me!” Data stormed up the porch steps and burst into the small living room, weapon at the ready.

  “Goddamnit, Data,” Bohannon bit out from behind him. “Clear the fuckin’ place first!”

  “You and Shadow clear it,” he muttered as he spotted her lying on the couch. He knelt beside her, feeling for a pulse at her neck. She didn’t respond, but her heart seemed steady and strong. Then he spotted the tranquilizer dart on the coffee table. “She’s been tranked. Someone got here first. Giovanni,” he spoke, knowing the other man could hear through the Bluetooth headset he wore. “What the fuck? That your people?”

  “They are not my people, Data,” Giovanni snapped. “I used to be part of them but managed to leave. It wasn’t easy, believe me. My contact says they got a message from a plant sent to keep an eye on Gordon and Frank. Says the man, Drago, was under orders from Gordon to bring her back. Since the Brotherhood believed Zora was involved, the Brotherhood gave the OK for him to leave his charge. He says this Drago knocked her out once he got the information delivered to his sat phone. Satellite service is glacially slow, so he was going on his last set of instructions. Bottom line? He let your girl go when he got the most current information. He couldn’t have her following him so…” Data had put him on speaker phone so the others could hear so he didn’t have to explain.

  “Her husband gonna let her go?”

  “Oh, don’t think for a second Gordon is going to let her go without a fight. It’s his life on the line,” Giovanni said. “Drago will either tell him he couldn’t find her, or he’ll disappear and keep a watch on Gordon from a distance so the Brotherhood has immediate access to Gordon if necessary. But Gordon won’t give up, even if he thinks Drago failed. And he knows where to find her now.”

  “Fine,” Data snapped. “We hide her until the Brotherhood takes care of this.”

  “They’ll want to talk with her,” Giovanni warned. “Will insist on it.”

  “Tell them no.” No way Data was letting anyone like that near his Zora. “She’s innocent in all this. They don’t need anything from her.”

  “They need to know what she found and how she found it. They will want to hear firsthand. Not from you or me or the data she passed on.”

  “Fuck!” This was getting him nowhere, and Zora might need a doctor. “Tranquilizer darts are hard to control in humans. I need Mama to take a look at her,” Data said, getting increasingly worried that Zora hadn’t even tried to wake up. “I need to get her back to the club, but, I swear by God and Sunny Jesus I’m not letting any of those bastards near her.” He turned to Bohannon. “My instinct is screaming to get her to the mountains. The cabin has all the security we need, and it’s easily defended.”

  “Are you sure you’re up to this?” That was Shadow. Until now, the man had been silent. Now, he gave Data his most intimidating stare. “She don’t need you being a jackass along with the threats.”

 

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