He flinched, then shook it off in the next second and ordered his muscle, “Put him down.”
They came at me then, Rick hanging back and looking on with a sick grin of satisfaction plastered on his face. It didn’t escape my notice that none of them drew their pieces holstered at their hips. So, Nik had given orders to keep me alive then. With the twisted way that psycho operated, that definitely wasn’t a good thing, because it meant he had plans for me. Real nasty plans.
He’d wanted me for a long time. Because of my connection to his obsession, Natasha. He’d goaded me to come after him several times and when I’d been ready to give in to it, Slade had stopped me with roadblock after roadblock.
Soon we’d both get our wish, though.
I’d bring hell to his door and he’d experience true brutality up close.
I’d fucking well end him.
For Natasha. For me. For Slade. For the club.
But first thing was first.
My motorcycle boots planted firmly on the concrete of the parking lot, I waited until the first one was right upon me, then I turned into his attack, using his weight against him and hauled him over my shoulder. As he hit the ground with a satisfying thud, groaning in pain, I delivered a brutal back kick to the guy coming at my six. The next second, I spun into the third, catching his fist in my palm before it made contact with my jaw. I used my hold as leverage to jerk him into me and then I hammered home rapid-fire punches into his gut. It had him choking and doubling over, his fist crushed in my palm going slack. A roundhouse kick propelled him back and he collapsed to his knees.
The prospect I’d kicked from the circle at the start came at me again. I deflected his fist, then thrust mine into his throat. He sputtered and stumbled back, fighting to draw a breath. I shot a quick glance at the other two. They were still down, the enforcer groaning as he strained to get to his feet. It bought me enough time to deal with the architect of this shitshow.
I ran at Rick, covering the distance quickly, before he had much time to react. My hand wrapped around his throat as I slammed him back against his bike, knocking it over in the process.
Adrenaline was spiking through my body.
My heart thumped violently in my chest.
My mind was in a state of hyper vigilance.
But through all of that, the predominant driving force was pure fucking rage.
I was out for blood and I was damned well gonna get it.
There was no way in hell I was gonna back down or—
“Cole!” Natasha screamed.
I jolted at the goddamn shock of her interruption.
I’d told her to stay put and instead she’d come out here right into the line of fire?
Her heels scraped on the ground. She was only a few feet behind me.
With her so close, the threat against her intensified, which only made me want to rage harder.
Snarling, I tightened my grip around Rick’s throat. He gagged, his face turning a deep shade of red as he struggled to draw in a desperate breath.
“Stop. Now,” Natasha spoke again, calmer this time.
I grunted.
She pressed her hand to my back. “You’re killing him, Cole. You need to release him now.” She trailed her hand down my back, a slow, soothing stroke.
“Tasha,” I warned, trying to keep my focus, trying to keep my rage alive. My power.
She didn’t let up, stepping up her game instead by leaning into me and brushing her lips over my cheek. “He’s not here to hurt me, but not hearing him out and actually killing him will hurt both of us and your club, Cole.”
She kissed me again and whispered in my ear, “I need you. We need you.”
Goddamn her!
With a growl, I released Rick roughly and took a step back, easing Natasha back with me.
Rick’s eyes were wide with disbelief as he rubbed his throat and stared our way. Yeah, he couldn’t believe I’d let up when I’d been that far gone, that Tasha had managed to talk me right down.
It was because he didn’t know that things had changed. And he never would. He didn’t know she was carrying my kid. Things were different now.
That new reality was shifting something in me, something on a fundamental level.
“Talk,” she ordered Rick. “What the hell does Nik want from me now?”
“Wants you to run that Trojan Horse job.”
“I made it very clear that, not only was I never taking that job, but that I’d sabotage anyone else who tried to carry it out in my place.”
That same weird look I’d seen flash on Rick’s face earlier returned as he told Tasha cryptically, “He wants you to reconsider.” He pulled a cell phone from his pocket and held it out to her. With a fucked-up grin, he added, “He’s certain this will change your mind.”
I stepped forward and snatched up the device. It took me a split second to discover it was locked with a four-digit code.
I glared at Rick expectantly.
“It’s for her.”
“Cole,” Tasha said, rubbing my arm and holding her free hand out for the phone. “It’s all right.”
Reluctantly, I handed it over.
“What’s the code?” she asked Rick.
The asshole smirked. “The usual.”
Tasha rolled her eyes. “Unbelievable.”
“What?” I asked her.
“Nothing,” she said, averting her eyes, and trying to blow it off.
Of course, that reaction just made me pursue it harder. “Tasha,” I pressed, feeling my anger returning in a sudden rush as I looked between Rick’s highly amused reaction and Tasha’s highly uncomfortable one.
She shifted her weight and blew out a breath. Still not looking me in the eye, she murmured quietly, “It’s the date that Nik and I first
