The Sinner’s Tribe Motorcycle Club, Books 1-3 by Sarah Castille Read Free Book Online Page A

bid for power. But he wasn’t so sure that they were as convinced of Arianne’s innocence as he was. All Axle needed was a seed of doubt to set in motion a chain of events that could topple Jagger from his throne.
    A seed he wasn’t going to sow on Jagger’s watch.
    Feigning weariness, Jagger raised his voice. “Stand down, Axle. Let her go.”
    â€œSomeone’s going down.” Axle sneered and gestured to Arianne, who was standing stiff, the knife against her throat. “And it won’t be me.”
    Rage pumped through Jagger’s veins and every instinct screamed at him to protect her. But Christel’s death had taught him to show no emotion when women were involved; reveal no weakness. So he focused his attention on the real threat: Axle. His eyes were bruised and swollen after the beating Zane had given him last night, but they gleamed victorious nonetheless. Not since Christel died, had he wanted to kill a man more.
    â€œYou do it or we do it,” Axle shouted. “No more of this bullshit. The executive board will do what you tell them to do, but no one really wants to let her go. They’re just afraid to tell you. Viper wants a war. Let’s give it to him.”
    A few of the brothers dipped their chins in assent. Jagger leaned back in his chair, affecting an air of indifference while inside he seethed. Axle wasn’t helping himself by making a mockery of their bylaws, despite the kernel of truth in his words. Cold, cruel, ruthless, and incredibly cunning, Viper wouldn’t hesitate to kill Arianne if he were in Jagger’s position, no matter that she was a woman.
    Gunner pushed himself to his feet, wincing slightly as he stood. As sergeant at arms, he was responsible for keeping order in the meeting, and right now the room pulsed with tension, a powder keg ready to explode.
    â€œPenalty for going against anything the board has voted on is suspension or dismissal.” Gunner folded his thick arms and glared. “Penalty for disrupting a meeting is eviction. Penalty for bringing a woman and a non-patch member into a board meeting is suspension. Penalty for threatening a woman the board has just decided to release is a personal ass-kicking from me.” He drew his Springfield XD-S .45ACP from its holster and placed it on the table in front of him. “You got a problem with any of that, Axle?”
    Taking advantage of Gunner’s diversion, Jagger rose slowly from his seat, his focus now back on Arianne. Her face was taut and her hands were fisted by her sides. But damned if she didn’t look angry rather than afraid.
    â€œBefore this goes any further,” Jagger said, struggling to keep his voice level. “The executive board reviewed the surveillance tapes before church began. We are satisfied that Vexy was not involved in the arson or the theft of the weapons. She arrived after the fire had started and Cole and Gunner were down. However, there are four Black Jacks whose lives are forfeit as soon as we identify them and all the Jacks will feel our wrath for what they have done.”
    The crowd cheered, but Axle cut them off with a bark of anger. “Why was she there? It’s an obvious question that everyone seems afraid to answer. Was she too late to help out? Well, I’ve brought her to you. Ask her.”
    â€œFar as I can recall, you don’t have the floor.” Gunner thudded his fist on the table. “Penalty for talking without getting the floor from the president is eviction and an ass-kicking. Guess I get to take my boot to your ass more than once. I still got one good leg, and it packs a helluva kick”
    â€œI’ll accept the question.” Lips pursed with suppressed fury, Jagger rounded the table and walked toward Arianne and her captor, a skinny rat of a man aptly nicknamed Weasel. “Vexy?”
    She shot him a look of gratitude, which quickly faded into resignation. “I was trying to stop