Warlord (Anathema Book 1) (31 page)

I made a lot of
stupid decisions the past couple weeks. Pawning the guitar almost seemed like
the right career move. Sleeping with Anathema’s president wasn’t even the worst
of it. I might’ve been an idiot, and I might’ve trusted a man who didn’t
deserve his name on my lips in conversation, song, or passion, but I could
survive those mistakes.

I stared at the bag.
It was identical to the one I carried so briefly in college. I didn’t know what
was in it, and it didn’t matter. The Coup might’ve filled it with nickels or
dynamite. Nothing could save me now.

“Can I buy you a
cup of coffee at least?” Luke offered.

“Why?” My voice
fizzled, as if I inhaled the acrid smoke once again. “The last time I saw you,
your club tried to murder Thorne, and you nearly killed me and my brothers in
the process. The time before that, you left me tied to a chair while your crew
of psychopaths drowned the room with diesel fuel and then set it on
fire
.”
I arched an eyebrow. “And you think one cup of coffee will earn my
forgiveness?”

“You did steal
my bike.”

I wanted to kick
the diamond blue frame over. “It’s still in one piece.”

“You don’t want
a muffin either?”

“I don’t want
anything to do with you or your club, and I don’t give a damn if you feel guilty.”

“Who said I’m guilty?”

I twisted my
fingers into fists. “Breakfast. Coffee. Muffins?”

“Maybe I’m just
a gentleman?” Luke said. “Or maybe you’re just a Darnell.”

“What does that
have to do with anything?”

“Everything, Bud.”
He brushed a lock of blonde hair from his face. “No one’s innocent here, least
of all you.”

“I’ve done
nothing wrong.”

“Never said it
was fair.”

Luke smirked.
Either he was a fairytale prince, or he was every aspect of the villain I
imagined in Exorcist. He didn’t have a cloak or a gallant white steed, but Lyn
trusted him. Maybe she cared about him, or maybe she thought he was the best
way to avoid bloodshed in Sorceress.

But he admitted
it himself. In the MC world, no one was innocent.

“Are you going
to be able to do this?” He asked.

“Do I have a
choice?”

He had the
decency to shrug. “You don’t.”

“Then what does
it matter?”

“I need you to
do this right.”

“Oh, well then,
if it’s a favor to
you
.”

He chuckled.
“That Darnell wit. It gets old, Bud.”

“So I’ve been
told.”

“You want the
truth?” Luke smiled. A single dimple dotted his cheek. All he needed was a
wandering minstrel and the parking lot of the Bacon N’ Eggs diner might have
turned into an enchanted forest. “You’re doing this for me.”

“Why?”

“Because I know
it can work.”

I crossed my
arms. It didn’t make me look tough. No matter the responsibilities or the
promises made to Anathema or The Coup, I still looked like a child standing too
near their bikes.

“You’re trying
to buy drugs from Temple,” I said. “You and every other gangbanger in town.”

“But I have a
secret weapon.”

I didn’t have to
guess. “Me?”

“Blade Darnell’s
daughter is a good weapon. We earn their trust, this war ends.”

“And what about
Anathema?”

Luke didn’t have
an answer. My stomach turned.

“Take this bag. Temple
will send men to the pickup point. You exchange it with them, call me on this
number…” He handed me a scrap of paper. “And then you give me the goods. Okay?”

“Sure. If I
don’t get killed first.”

“Don’t be stupid
and you won’t get killed.” Luke held my gaze. “Run away with the money? Stupid.
Not coming back with the merchandise? Stupid. Running to Anathema?” His voice lowered
to a growl. “Really stupid.”

“You think they
won’t know?” I laughed. “What happens when Thorne finds out?”

“I don’t think
you understand, Bud. Thorne won’t find out.”

I didn’t picture
Luke as the eternal optimist, but he wasn’t a total idiot. Thorne didn’t
survive Anathema’s schism because he was ignorant of what his members were
doing. He was alive, and that made him smart, resourceful, and, above all else,
the most dangerous man in my life.

I trembled in
his shadow the first time I met him, and I was a fool for ever letting those goose
bumps fade. If he hadn’t figured out what I was doing now, it wouldn’t be long
until he learned.

And I didn’t know
who he’d punish more.

But Thorne also
thought one of my brothers was a traitor. That my brothers would actually
work
for Exorcist. I didn’t care what Thorne did to me, or how badly it hurt that he
used me to investigate some vendetta, but nobody dared to insinuate Keep or
Brew were anything less than loyal.

I might have
been stuck doing Exorcist’s bidding, but my father instilled in his children a
sense of devotion. I hated and feared my father, but I loved my brothers.

I’d do what Luke
asked not because I feared for my life, but because I would do anything to save
theirs.

I didn’t pick up
the bag. Instead, I held Luke’s stare. I was a musician, not an actress. But if
hiding the quiver in my voice was anything like playing dumb, I needed to jump
from jazz onto Broadway.

“I don’t think
you understand.” I stalled. “I might be able to avoid Thorne, but what about my
brothers? If Keep or Brew finds out about this, they’ll both charge right into
war with Exorcist. I don’t think anyone will survive long enough for your plan
to work.”

“Don’t worry
about your brothers.”

“I have to. They’ve
controlled my life since I was a child.”

“You’ll be in
and out,” Luke said. “They’ll never find out.”

“Sure. Until
Exorcist kills me. Then they might have a clue.”

Luke smiled. A
warm, compassionate smile. “Exorcist won’t kill you. That’s not part of the
deal.”

My stomach
flipped. “What deal?”

“You aren’t
going to get hurt. We just need you as a show of support for Temple.”

“I don’t
understand. What deal?”

“Trust me, the
less you know, the better.”

Luke edged the book
bag toward me. I didn’t pick it up. Couldn’t. Not when my head swirled and any
movement might’ve sent me toppling over into the gravel.

“Don’t get
caught. You’ll be fine. You have my word.”

“Don’t take this
the wrong way, but I don’t trust you at all.”

“Are you sure
about that?”

“Tied up? Fire?
You threatening Thorne at Sorceress?”

Luke sat on his
bike and fixed his helmet. The motorcycle roared under him.

“Do you think
anyone would’ve survived if I aimed my gun at Exorcist instead?” Luke let the
question linger. He pointed to the bag. “Get to work, Rose.”

Luke turned out
of the parking lot and into traffic. I stared at the bag for only a moment
before bending down and unzipping the pocket. The amount of green on the inside
shaded my face the same color. My stomach heaved. At least fifty thousand
dollars shoved inside my bag. Plenty of money for me to hop in my car, drive
across state lines, and do my best to hide.

But it wasn’t
enough money for me to damn my brothers.

Or Thorne.

I didn’t know
why that son of a bitch still deserved my compassion. But I was never good at
denial. The ground bobbed under my feet, and my heart raced my stomach to
escape my mouth.

Someone else was
working with Luke. Someone who had promised my safety.

I might have
prayed if my family hadn’t become anathema to all things holy long ago. Instead
I could just hope. Wish.

My brothers
couldn’t
have made any arrangements with Exorcist. There was no way. Thorne broke my
heart, and I was looking for any reason to forgive him. Even if it meant questioning
my brothers’ loyalty. That was the sickest part of all.

I threw the bag
in my passenger seat and started my car. My hands trembled on the wheel. I
closed my eyes.

The hunting
crescendo of the police siren, just the faintest chirp, cemented the air in my
lungs. Red and blue lights flashed in my rear view mirror. An unmarked sedan
parked behind my car. I hadn’t moved, but the Darnell in me nearly leaded my
foot against the gas.

But I didn’t
wear a cut. And I hadn’t done anything wrong.

Except shoulder a
bag filled with fifty grand offered by the VP of a notorious motorcycle gang.

I turned the car
off and tossed the keys away. The sedan silenced the siren and flicked off the
lights. Two people emerged from the vehicle.

I didn’t know if
they were police. Plain clothes meant problems. A badge never bothered my
family, but the ones smart enough to get off the street and dumb enough to look
for cases to pad their resumes posed a challenge. I double checked the bag to
ensure the zipper was closed. It was. The female officer—all legs and pants
suit—rapped on my window. My hand shook as I lowered the glass.

“Good morning.”
She flashed a badge. If I had any breakfast to lose, I would’ve given the game
away. “I’m Agent Katherine Greene, ATF. Let’s take a walk, Ms. Darnell.”

I cursed going
into music instead of law. Not that my father would ever have allowed it. My
family preached anarchy and nonconformity on the other bullshit principles that
Anathema endorsed. But I didn’t need a law degree to realize that ATF didn’t
give a damn about Anathema’s charter. And the brunette woman wielding the badge
wasn’t flashing her credentials to be polite.

I debated my
options. Getting out of the car without being tossed onto the gravel first
wouldn’t endear me to either biker club. Anathema and The Coup didn’t agree on
much, but no brother would tolerate me talking to the Feds.

On the other
hand, resisting her offer would last only until she acquired a warrant. She’d
take the bag, sprinkle the money around her department, and Exorcist would have
more of a reason to kill me.

Then again, if I
just hyperventilated, choked on my own tongue, and passed out, at least I might
go in peace. No matter what betrayal my brothers had allegedly committed, and no
matter what Exorcist planned to do to me, no matter how horrible Thorne’s
heartbreak, nothing was worse than grabbing the bag and greeting federal agents
with fifty thousand dollars bouncing on my back.

“This is my
partner, Agent Wright,” Agent Greene said. Her partner offered me his badge. My
day was going bad enough that I believed him without looking. “Are you hungry, Rose?
May I call you Rose?”

“I—”

“Let’s get some
breakfast,” she said. “We can talk inside.”

Other families
had lawyers. Legal counsel. My father used my college fund to pay his
attorney’s retainer. Once that dried up, he left us with nothing. I flinched
away before she led me beyond my car.

“I’m sorry,” I
said. “Am I being detained?”

Agent Greene
exchanged a quick smirk with her partner. She winked.

“We request the
pleasure of your company, that’s all. A cup of coffee and some pancakes.”

I never heard of
this diner before, but the sheer amount of people forcing a Breakfast Smile
down my throat spoke wonders of its kitchen. I searched over my shoulder. Luke
was gone..

Maybe it was all
a set up. Place me into a compromising position, tip off the Feds, and force me
to make a deal against Anathema.

That might have been
Luke’s plan, but it certainly wasn’t something Exorcist would have concocted.
Agent Greene awaited my answer. She pulled a pen from the bun tacked behind her
head. A notebook flipped from her pocket.

“Or maybe I will
have a few questions to ask you,” she said. “I thought the restaurant would
foster a better conversation than my office.”

She wasn’t
wrong. I tightened my grip on the bag. Her partner gestured toward the
restaurant.

“My treat,” she
said.

I nodded. She
waved me forward, and I dreaded how bulky the bag felt bouncing against my
steps. Agent Wright, a balding man nearly my father’s age, held the door open
for me. The air inside the restaurant heated from the griddles and stuck to my
skin like syrup. As if I didn’t feel sticky and thick enough, the overpowering
coffee scent caffeinated my every breath. My hands shook. I blamed it on the brewing
espresso. I doubted the agents would believe me.

They forced me
into a booth. I tucked the money between my feet and stared down at the stained
menu the bubble gum cracking waitress stuck in front of me. Agent Greene wasted
no time and ordered a stack of pancakes for each of us.

That was fine by
me. At least then I wouldn’t have to reveal that I had forgotten how to read in
their presence.