As they left the gym, the sound of thunder grew louder, and Shane realized it was the rumble of a shit ton of motorcycles as they entered Hard Ink’s parking lot. The sound was almost deafening when they stepped out the door.
Holding Sara close, Shane scanned the lot, almost packed to capacity now. Everywhere he looked, he saw men in cutoff denim jackets with the Raven Riders patch on the back. They hung their helmets on their handlebars and congregated behind Ike and a couple other obvious leaders in the center.
Sara stepped closer to Shane’s side, her arm coming around his back, and Shane was only too happy to return the gesture by pulling her close and making it damn clear that she was off-limits. Nick was all but draped around Becca, too, so at least he wasn’t alone in the feeling.
Hands were shook, introductions were made, and thanks were given as the two groups made nice.
Time and again, Shane heard one of the Ravens express the sentiment that any enemy of the Churchmen was a friend of theirs, so he didn’t have any questions about the loyalty of their new allies. At least, as long as they were paid.
Shane’s question had more to do with how twenty-eight guys used to operating loud and visible were going to mesh with the team’s general covert approach. Time would tell.
“All right,” Nick said to Ike, who they’d learned was a General Board member in the club, and Dare Kenyon, the club’s president. Kenyon was tall and lanky, with brown hair nearly to his shoulders. Seemed friendly enough. They all did, so far. “Can we get everyone to come inside so we can get some plans hammered out?”
“Come on, sweetness,” Shane said against Sara’s ear, earning a smile.
When he’d offered them the space earlier in the day, Jeremy hadn’t been lying. This room on the far side of the Hard Ink building was just a big open rectangle unfinished all the way around. Looked like Jeremy had demolished whatever had been in here down to the studs. But at least there was plenty of room for all the men to lean against the wall or sit on one of the sawhorses scattered around. Shane and Sara made their way toward the front with the rest of his team.
It took a few minutes to get everyone in and quieted, but once they did, Nick offered some words of welcome and thanks to Ike, the president, and the club in general. And then Marz took over briefing everyone on the nature of the missions at both locations. At the parking garage near the football stadium, the identification of the players in the trade and possible interception of the cargo—whatever it was. The latter was particularly important to the Ravens. God knew Shane wasn’t adverse to interfering with the Churchmen’s cash flow, and neither was the rest of the team. At Confessions, though, the mission involved a rescue and was, in Shane’s mind, the far more important of the two.
As the conversation turned to Jenna and Confessions, Shane checked in with Sara. “You okay?” he whispered.
“Yeah. Be better when all this is over and Jenna’s back.” She laid her head against him.
In the planning, the Ravens proved themselves equal partners in strategizing each of the locations. Within an hour, the men had firmed up the plans and been divided into two teams—a group of twelve for the part inside Confessions, another four on the outside of the club just in case, and the remaining eighteen at the parking garage. The Hard Ink guys would split between the two. Those Ravens heading to Confessions left their jackets stacked in the corner for Jeremy’s safekeeping. They wouldn’t be able to get in the door with them on.
Back at Hard Ink, Charlie and Jeremy would be running the communications and monitoring the surveillance at the club that they’d just installed at the garage. So at least his teammates would know what was going on at both locations. It was déjà vu of the night they’d rescued Charlie all over again.
After everything was set, the Ravens filed out of the room, and within minutes, the lot outside roared to life.
When just Ike and Dare remained inside with the team, they offered a final recommendation. “You know,” Kenyon said to Nick, “Church is going to consider this a full-on assault no matter what you do. So from one man to another, I strongly suggest you consider taking him down once and for all.”
“Meaning?” Nick said, eyes thoughtful and intense.
“Church, his Apostles, Confessions. As much of it as you can.” Kenyon and Ike traded glances, and Ike nodded, too.
The justice and righteousness of that resonated way down deep in Shane’s gut. Tempting as it was, though, the team couldn’t give into full-scale vigilantism without becoming just like that which they were fighting against, could they?
Chapter 23
Shane watched as A-Team—the larger team headed for the garage delivery—rolled out of Hard Ink’s lot, forming a long stream of bikes following Beckett’s SUV and the Ravens’ box truck full of barricades to force traffic in the garage where they wanted it to go. With Beckett was Nick and Miguel. The whole team was leaving early to set up the barriers and get well hidden before the Churchmen ever arrived.
The remaining team had a good ninety minutes before they could set out for Confessions. And that gave Shane more than enough time to do something he’d been itching to do. Hand in hand, he led Sara up to his bedroom and closed the door.
And then he pushed Sara up against it, his hips against hers, his hand on the door beside her head. “Sorry, darlin’. I just needed a little time with you before I left.”
Sara shook her head, a small, sexy smile on her face. “Don’t even think about apologizing for telling me what you want,” she said, echoing his words from the previous night.
Shane threw his head back and laughed, but the humor died in his throat as she stole the opportunity to flick her tongue over his Adam’s apple and lick up to his jaw.
“You don’t play fair,” Shane said, bringing his gaze back to hers.
Still smiling, Sara wrapped her arms around Shane’s neck and lifted her legs around his waist. She arched a brow.
Groaning, Shane’s hands went to Sara’s delicious ass, holding her up against the door. “You’re killing me, sweetness. I want in you so damn bad.” He kissed her deep, plundering her mouth with his tongue. He held back a little, not giving in to the need to ravage her, but Sara’s moans and whimpers communicated only pleasure.
“Can you please be inside me right now?” she asked.
He froze long enough to assess her sincerity, and then her jeans and panties were gone. “How?” Shane said, almost frenzied, as he grabbed a condom and pushed his jeans to his knees.
Sara eyed the door. “I’d like to try that,” she said, nodding toward where they’d just been standing. “Just please go slow at first?”
“Anything you want, Sara. Always.” He rolled on the condom and easily hiked her back up around his waist, her heat already washing over his cock. Gently, he pressed her up against the door. “I love you, Sar. Don’t let me hurt you. I’m a little wound up over you right now, but just say the word, and I’ll stop.”
“Okay,” Sara said. “I trust you.” And then her center found the head of his cock and she lowered herself down.
“Oh, fuuck,” Shane groaned, as her tight, wet heat engulfed him. “Okay?” he managed.
“More than,” she said, smiling.
Shane started moving then. Really, he had no choice in the matter. Her body felt too good, he loved her too much, and his veins were flooded with pre-mission adrenaline. The combination had his hips swinging and his hands grinding her ass down for each upward thrust. Sara’s gasps were the sexiest fucking thing, so free and full of passion.