Free Meeting Danger (Danger #1) by Allyson Simonian, Caila Jaynes

shouldn’t do that,” Hale said loudly.
    Butch picked at the label on his beer bottle, grumbling something that sounded like, “Whatever.”
    “Why don’t you just try treating her nicer?”
    Butch pushed his beer aside. “What the fuck is this, Hale?”
    Hale sat back and crossed his arms. “I’m just calling it like it is. Someone has to. You run around on her when what you should be doing is treating her like a queen. She’s a nice girl, not like the others, and deserves better.”
    Butch darted an angry glance Camden’s way before turning back to his friend and lowering his voice. “How I treat her is none of your fuckin’ business.”
    “I just—”
    “Well, don’t.” Butch stood. His face turned red as he pounded the table. “Don’t just anything . Because I don’t fuckin’ want to hear it,” he bit out before he stormed from the room.
    Camden set a jar of barbecue sauce onto the counter and glanced at the door Butch had slammed through before turning back to Hale. “You really pissed him off.”
    “Looks like.” Hale shook his head and took a sip of beer. “Why do you even want to join this club?”
    “What?”
    Hale sighed. “Forget it.”
    Camden cast about for a conversation starter, not wanting to lose this opportunity to learn more about the Newburgh chapter and Butch Cobb.
    “How do you and Butch know each other?” he asked, deliberately keeping his tone nonchalant as he busied himself with starting dinner.
    “We grew up together. Went to school together.” Hale snorted. “Not that either of us got much out of it.”
    “Do you ride?”
    Hale nodded.
    “But you don’t want to be part of the club?”
    “Considered it before I met my wife. Now I’ve got no interest.”
    “You live in Newburgh?”
    “Yeah. Right near Butch. My wife and I were living in Alaska, but we moved back here last year. Jobs dried up, and the wife wanted to be near her family.”
    “What were you doing up in Alaska?”
    “I ran fishing tours. Here I drive a truck. How about you?”
    “I’m working at the Wrench in Scranton.”
    Hale nodded.
    “Is your wife here this weekend?”
    “Nah. She and my daughter stayed home.” Hale frowned and looked toward the door. “And I’m beginning to wonder why I’m not with them.” He stood and walked out, calling his good-bye over his shoulder.
    Camden watched out the window as Hale disappeared down a dirt path through the woods that led to some cabins. What were the chances the man could be turned and used as an informant?
    He quickly shook the thought away. Loyalty around here ran deep. Even if Hale did know what the club was doing, he and Cobb had history. He wouldn’t just turn.
    In a way, the loyalty was admirable. Too bad it was on the wrong side.

CHAPTER 14
A PRIL
    Scranton, Pennsylvania
    Camden walked inside the Wicked Disciples’ clubhouse when he got off work on Wednesday, trying to keep his spirits up. Nothing much had changed in the three weeks since the trip to the Poconos, and he was frustrated.
    It was early for church yet, and there were only a few brothers and their women in the common area when he walked through. He nodded to one or two who looked up from their pool game as he passed. Deciding to hit the bathroom before he grabbed a beer at the bar, he headed down the hallway to the back of the building. As he passed a storeroom, he paused for a second, surprised to hear a banging noise coming from behind the door.
    He opened the door cautiously and was shocked to find a man inside, bound to a chair and gagged. It was Joe Mann—the Helmsman who was seeing Blade’s ex.
    “Mmph!” Mann’s eyes widened and he struggled against the duct tape binding him, yelling through the tape covering his mouth.
    Shit! Camden’s heart thundered at the dilemma he faced. Free the prisoner and risk blowing his cover, and therefore the whole operation, or look the other way. His conscience quickly made up his mind for him.
    Just as Camden stepped forward