Page 31 of Iggy

“I can only imagine,” said Gunner.

“No. No, you can’t. I have a bad feeling about this recent investment but she’s not the kind of woman that will listen.” Bunny looked at the clock and frowned.

“One last question. How does she figure her daughter is worth twenty million? One woman. That’s a lot of money,” said Iggy feeling the bile rise in throat.

“Because what Neela didn’t know is that the kid owns everything. It all belongs to her. The club, bikes, businesses, warehouses, all of it. The old man left it to her, not Neela. They’ll come for Neela, they’ll get their licks in with her but what they’ll really want is Olive.”

The table was silent except for the pattering of rain on the roof and the sounds of pool balls hitting one another.

“I have to get back before I’m missed. Just keep the kid safe.”

“She’s not a kid anymore. Neela wouldn’t want her if she was,” said Skull.

“That’s where you’re wrong. If she were a kid, she’d want her even more.” Bunny stood and walked out of the bar, headed to her own bike. Just as they were about to stand and leave, the sound of gunshots filled the air.

The men in the bar, so used to gunfire just stared at one another.

“That ain’t somebody shootin’ gators,” smirked the man at the pool table.

Gunner ran out first, his own weapon drawn. Lying across her bike, it appeared as if Bunny was bleeding everywhere. The life in her eyes gone, her breath no longer her own. Skull stared at the scene, Iggy and Razor looking for tail lights. Iggy finally summed it up.

“Fuck.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

It was late when the men returned, the rain coming down even harder than before.

“I’ll go fill Ham and the others in,” said Razor. “You guys get some rest.”

The three men nodded, leaving Razor to tell the team leaders what happened. No doubt they’d receive a nasty-gram from the bureau tomorrow. Tonight, they could care less.

Iggy started toward his own cottage and then changed his mind. He needed to see Olive. He needed to hold her, love her. He also needed to tell her what happened.

He wasn’t surprised when he rounded the path to see her on the front porch, rocking on the swing as if she were waiting just for him.

“You’re up late,” he said attempting a smile.

“Yes. I was waiting for you. One thing I’ve learned recently, it pays to listen in on ops through the comms systems.” Iggy stared at her and then nodded, letting out a long breath.

“You heard it all?” he asked.

“Every last word. You and I both know that it was Neela that killed Bunny. She wouldn’t tolerate someone going against her like that. I feel bad for the woman but I also know there is no way she spent almost twenty years there and didn’t participate in some of the illegal activity.”

Iggy sat beside her on the swing, pulling her against his side. He nodded, letting out a long, slow breath.

“I think she loved her and hated her at the same time. She said as much. I can’t imagine what that feels like,” he said kissing her temple.

“I can,” she whispered. He stared down at her. “I hate her for what she’s doing, what she’s done. But I also have to feel some sort of love for a teenager keeping a baby, even though I know it wasn’t out of love.”

“You’re a better human than I am,” said Iggy. “I still can’t forgive my parents for what they did.”

“But you don’t really know what they did other than leave you,” she said softly. “They could have been kids who had no way to provide for you. Or maybe your mother was a single mother with no support. Or, it could have been a married couple that their lives were just a mess.”

“Maybe,” he said thoughtfully.

“I had time today to speak to a lot of different people. Sly was left at an orphanage because his mother had cancer and they couldn’t afford anything any longer, including milk for him. Trevor’s parents left him at a fire station because his father was killed while serving overseas and his mother was feeling helpless.”

“You did talk to a lot of people, didn’t you?” he smirked.