"A meeting for what?"
"You're right about one thing. Neither police department will help you, but there's someone who can help you."
Hope filled her. She moved to the desk. "Who?"
"Give me an hour, honey." He turned his back to her and talked into the phone.
Whoever was on the other end of the call obviously held more power than Banks. Her boss had asked permission to call a meeting.
She assumed it had to do with his motorcycle club. There were other times she'd overheard him on the phone and then was informed he and the other bikers who worked at the body shop needed to leave.
Banks got off the phone. She looked to him for answers. At least he'd listened to her. Maybe he could see that she was the answer to getting to Cami and bringing her home.
Before she could ask him any questions, he went to the window and rapped his knuckles on the glass, motioning everyone into the office. Her gaze went straight to Paco in the garage. He stared back at her.
Her stomach quivered, already planning on fighting him to make sure she could attempt to rescue Cami. She refused to back down.
Finally, he looked away and headed toward the door. She inhaled deeply, knowing in thirty seconds he'd be in the office.
No man had ever set her on edge that she lost control of her temper. Her reaction must come from lack of sleep and the strain of being held by Askook, plus her worry for Cami. She'd admired Paco's looks before yesterday and enjoyed it when he visited the other bikers because she could watch him from the office.
But he took her senses away, deafening her to his ways. Blinding her to his intent. Numbing her from the situation.
When he was around, it almost seemed as if the last week hadn't happened. That he was some trick of her mind. Alluring and distracting, he appeared to show up to block her journey to help Cami.
Chapter 5
Paco
Priest shoved back from the oblong table and stood. On his feet, Paco planted his hands on the back of the chair and slammed it against the floor.
"You heard it from Josie's mouth. She gave you all the proof you need to come down on the casino." Paco walked away from the table, wanting to bust heads, and came back, determined to convince Tarkio's president to help Josie. "We've gone into the casino before to shut them down."
"Temporarily," muttered Priest.
When the Casino's former leader became infatuated with Priest's woman, his president had killed the guy. They should handle the situation the same way for Josie.
It was no surprise to any of them that the group of men who ran the casino continued kidnapping women. Sex trafficking was a lucrative business, and the men knew damn well those in charge of the casino were protected on the reservation. Crime happened in Missoula the same way. There were dirty cops that aided Tarkio Motorcycle Club in their endeavors.
Except Tarkio would never steal a woman away from her family, sell her for profit, and sign her to a death sentence after forcing her through abuse at the hands of men willing to pay the price.
"The last time, it was one man." Priest faced him, holding up his finger. "If we go in there, we have to take them all out."
"If you cut the head off the rattlesnake, the tail still twitches," muttered Aaron.
Jerry shook his head. "The casino is a fucking empire. The majority of those living on the Rez are employed there, not to forget those in Missoula who worked there, too. Hell, the city would have something to say if their biggest tourist attraction disappeared, and that's what would happen if a full-scale investigation happened because all the big wigs are buried six feet deep."
"Do we even have the number of men we're dealing with?" Rick latched his hands behind his head. "You have those involved with the kidnapping and shipping the girls. How many others have knowledge of the crimes but choose to turn a blind eye?"
"Every fucking person on the Rez." Paco let go of the chair. "We can't let that stop us. Either Tarkio backs me, or I'm going in alone."
Curley leaned forward. "Paco—"
"Fuck you." Paco aimed his frustration onto Curley. "I know what will happen to her friend. I know what will happen to each woman who leaves Montana. I'm not going to sit back and let it happen. It'll destroy Josie."
"Again, I’m going to remind you that Josie doesn't belong to you." Priest picked up a pack of cigarettes off the table and lit one. "I'm not going to lose my men—"
The door burst open. Josie stepped into the room.
Chrischris rushed in from the hallway and stepped around her, stopping her progress. At the sight of his MC brother touching her, Paco moved toward her.
"I got her." Chrischris pushed her back.
"Let me talk to them." Josie swung out, fighting to stay. Her fist connected with Chrischris's jaw.
"Hell, woman. That was a hell of a punch." Chrischris picked Josie up and strode toward the door.
"Please. I'm sorry, but I need to talk to them."
"Put her down!" Paco reached between them and extracted Josie from his MC brother's clutch. "What's wrong?"
"I need to tell you something." Her throat muscles spasmed. "Privately."
He looked back at Priest, received permission to leave the meeting, and took her across the hallway to an empty bedroom. During the meeting, the other Tarkio members had watched over her, ensuring she remained in the building. He'd expected to be done with business sooner, but they couldn't agree on how to handle the problem.
Closing the door, he faced her. "What's going on?"
"What did they decide? Are they going to help me?" Her breasts rose and fell with her breathing. "Can I go?"
"We haven't come to a decision yet."
She inhaled swiftly through her nose and clamped her lips together. Her hand went to her forehead.
"Go ahead."
She grimaced. "I need to tell you something that isn't my secret to share."
"About?"
"Cami." She closed her eyes a few seconds and then met his gaze. "It's important for me to save her, not only because she's my best friend, but because she's pregnant. Nobody knows, except me. She's only three months along and not showing. If the men who are holding her find out, they won't sell her. If they can't sell her, they'll..."
He jerked, not needing to hear more. He knew what would happen to her and the baby if Shaw sold her. "The father?"
Josie shook her head. "He's not around or involved in Cami's life."
A crushing heaviness settled over him. He knew what the outcome would be before it happened.
Josie wrapped her arms around her middle. He had no strength to lend her. Going after her had opened up a nightmare.
"Give me a few more minutes, and I'll have an answer for you." Paco opened the door and walked her back to the main room, handing her care over to Chrischris.
Alone in the hallway, he failed to control his anger and burst into the meeting room, slamming the door behind him.
Everyone turned toward him. Inside his body, his blood boiled. His hold on reality slipped the more information he gained from Josie. The outcome flashed in front of him, and his reaction never changed. It never changed.