Tags:
Mafia,
Motorcycle Club romance,
outlaw motorcycle club,
psychological thriller,
Older man younger woman,
Biker Romance book,
gangs,
prison hero,
felon,
prisoner,
organized crime,
biker series
closer to town, so it's even easier for me to come to the parties with Merk after work." Desiree raised her brow. "I'm a businesswoman though, and I know how tourists eat up anything quaint and set back in time. They could market the motel as a place right out of the seventies and fix the huge tacky neon sign out front. They'd draw a crowd during the summer, which would bring legal money into the club."
She kept her opinion to herself, since Jacko never explained how he earned the cash he had on him. Desiree was involved with Merk, and probably had information she couldn't share, but she couldn't imagine Cam taking anyone's advice on how he should run his club.
Desiree sighed. "Of course, that'd blow their quiet cover around Federal."
She nodded, because she was well aware of Moroad keeping a low profile. "Yeah. They like having their privacy."
Jacko stood by a large tree, gazing up into the branches. He raised his finger, pointing in all directions. He seemed to have a conversation going with himself.
Gunner walked to the edge of the grassy area. Jacko charged him, tackling him around his waist. They both hit the ground with a grunt. Amy gasped, covering her mouth.
Desiree bumped against Amy. "It's okay. Jacko does that all the time."
She lowered her hand. "Are you—"
Jacko punched Gunner in the nose. The pop stopped all conversations.
"Oh, my God." Amy stepped forward, but Desiree grabbed her wrist.
"He does that, too." Desiree gave her a half hug. "It's okay. The guys know it doesn't mean anything. Jacko's only goofing around. Just watch."
Jacko stood up, offered his hand to Gunner and heaved him off the ground to his feet. Amy shook her head, traumatized over the violence.
"See, they're laughing now," said Desiree.
"That doesn't make any sense. He hurt Gunner." She turned away from Jacko and frowned at Desiree. "Jacko is crazy."
Desiree laughed. "I used to think the same thing when I first met him."
"But, now you don't?"
"Not so much. I had time to get to know him when he helped us at the bar." Desiree studied Jacko. "If you pay attention, you'll notice even though he's away from the group, he knows what everyone is discussing. If someone moves, he knows where they're going and their intent. There's a certain crazy brilliance to his madness. I know Merk trusts him with his life, and I would too."
"He wasn't always like that though," she whispered. "Something happened to make him act as if he's checked out of what's going on around him."
"The men don't talk about what happens in prison. Some of them come out barely able to live on their own. Others jump back into the kind of life they led before they were incarcerated and pretend nothing has changed, but no matter what their sentence, or sentences for Moroad members, prison changes them all. Jacko's adapted, even if he appears lost half the time," said Desiree.
She had never asked Jacko what he'd done to end up in prison. Sarah had shrugged off Amy's concern over her dating a felon and said he'd paid his time. After being around him and getting to know him better, she agreed with Sarah's opinion of him. Jacko had given her no reason not to trust him.
Amy scooted closer to Desiree. "Why was Jacko serving time?" she asked.
Desiree shrugged. "I don't know, and I never ask."
"Heads up," Jacko yelled, rushing toward Amy.
She grabbed onto Desiree, panic flowing through her. "What's going on?"
The men stood and Cam limped over to Christina. Merk headed straight toward Desiree. She gazed around trying to find out what alerted Jacko when he stepped in front of her and backed her toward the wall.
With the bricks against her back and Jacko pressed against her front, she couldn't see beyond his broad shoulders. She grabbed the bottom of his vest.
"What happened?" she said against his chest.
"Riders."
She gazed up at him. "Reds?"
"No. Reds don't ride bikes."
"Do you think the riders are enemies of the club?" She exhaled, relieving the pressure of his body