‘As long as you do what you’ve promised to then we have nothing to worry about.’

‘Good,’ he said and kissed her again, then he left the apartment.

This wasn’t her home, and she’d never lived here, but getting the chance to root around in Dax’s possessions wasn’t an opportunity that Ivy would flout. She’d call and request that his gym equipment be shipped to the opposite coast, but that would mean finding a storage unit because it wouldn’t fit in their one-bedroom apartment back east.

Heading for the phone, she sought out a pen and paper then sat down to make her calls before she started packing. Keeping busy was a good distraction for her, she still wanted to quiz her husband on what Trystan had said to her last night. Yet once again her questions were left unanswered while Dax took care of his mysterious business. He had left without much of an explanation and in her past experience that never spelled anything positive for her.

Dax had taken a cab to the storage unit so that he could pull out his bike. It had been a delight to uncover his bike and stand astride her again. After a few basic checks and a trip to the gas station, he was on his way to the bar where Serg had asked to meet him. The two of them couldn’t be called close friends, but they had been through some trying times together. Serg had always been available when Dax needed him, and he didn’t ask questions, which was a major plus as far as Dax was concerned.

Being that this might be the last time that he was in California, possibly for the rest of his life, Dax didn’t mind taking the time to talk to his old associate. He doubted that whatever Serg had to say would take long because the man was usually one of few words.

Parking in the alley next to the bar, Dax went through the chain link fence past a bunch of the guys who were barbequing beside the picnic bench. With a nod of acknowledgement, he strode past them and into the rear entrance of the hang out he and his men used between jobs. Pushing aside the metal link curtain, he strode onto the red tile of the private back room that was usually full of people, today Serg was the only one here.

‘What’s up?’ Dax asked.

Serg hadn’t even lifted his head from the books he was poring over when Dax came in, which was a stupid mistake. He should always be aware of his surroundings because in their line of work no one knew who was out looking for payback.

When Serg did raise his attention it didn’t stop on Dax, he stood up to get a better look behind him, which made Dax glance over his shoulder, but there was no one there.

‘Where’s Ivy?’ Serg asked.

‘Why would I bring Ivy here?’

‘You brought her here before.’

‘Once and she’s not with me this time,’ Dax asked, Serg wasn’t making any sense to him. Serg seemed agitated, which wasn’t at all like him. ‘Why would you want to see Ivy?’

‘You haven’t heard?’

‘Heard what?’ The conversation made him sigh, but his colleague’s sudden interest in Ivy, coupled with his odd conduct, was disconcerting.

‘Shit,’ Serg said, falling back down into his seat. ‘Maybe it’s just bullshit.’

‘What’s just bullshit?’ Dax asked, coming deeper into the space.

There were couches around the perimeter of the area, but it was the large metal table in the middle that dominated the room, and it was at the head of this table that Serg currently sat. The walls were a kind of yellowing brown that had probably once been white. The gradient of the grimy colour deepened the higher that it went, due to the slick layer of nicotine that had built up over the years.

Serg nodded him over, and Dax went to the seat at Serg’s side. Serg put a forearm to the table and leaned in close to Dax, closer than the two men had ever been before. ‘I could get my ass handed to me for telling you this, maybe, I think… I don’t know.’

‘Tell me already, I’ve got shit to do—‘

‘There’s a bounty out.’

‘A bounty on what?’ Dax asked.

They had never been the type to chase money, so he had no idea why this information was relevant. Serg was paid well for what he did and as far as Dax knew the guy had no vices that would eat up his income. So Dax already knew that he was going to refuse whatever offer Serg was about to make about hunting down this bounty.

‘Ivy.’

Her name changed his whole thought process, his whole demeanour. Sitting back, away from Serg, Dax tried to consider who may wish his wife harm. But it was Serg’s question on Dax’s entry that spiked his fury.

‘Is that why you were fucking asking about her?’ Dax asked, standing up so abruptly that his chair clattered onto its back.

‘No!’ Serg said, leaping up ready to defend himself and trying to calm Dax at the same time. ‘I was worried if you left her somewhere that she could be spotted.’

‘What’s the bounty?’

‘Half a mill for her dead.’

Dax could defend Ivy against anyone who came after her in person, but this was a different ballgame altogether. It might take a day or two for word to spread throughout the community, but when it did, Dax would have every lowlife scumbag from far and wide on their tail. That kind of money was appealing to even the most loyal or cowardly of men. It would make anyone believe that going after the bounty was a risk worth taking.

‘Who the fuck is on it?’

‘I don’t know,’ Serg said. ‘I got word this morning. I heard it, and I sent you that message to meet me. I thought you would want to know.’

‘Yeah,’ Dax said. With eye contact and a nod, he gave his thanks.

‘Who would want this? Does she have enemies?’

The only enemies he knew her to have were ones relating to him. His thoughts briefly went to their time in Vegas, Trudi was pissed at her and probably Carlos too if he’d heard that his name had come up in conversation. But they wouldn’t flout five hundred grand on something like this, they just wouldn’t have that kind of cash to burn.

Saul could have savings, but he hadn’t struck Dax as the vengeful type. Though Saul did have friends in every walk of life from what Ivy had told him, so he would be able to set something like this up.

But pinning this on someone from Ivy’s past was ignoring the obvious. Those angriest with her now were his adopted family. Mauri might blame her for Dax’s choices. Trystan was pissed that she had rejected him again. But it made no sense why they would come after Ivy and not after him directly.

‘Is this Mauri?’ Serg murmured. ‘Does he think you’ll come back to the family with Ivy out of the picture?’

The man could be that deluded. Though it wasn’t much of a delusion, Dax had shown a precedent for believing what Mauri said. Mauri probably believed that he could talk Dax into just about anything and without Ivy there to keep him balanced, Dax might just be broken enough to let the old man win.

‘I’m gonna find out,’ Dax said.

Spinning around, he set his destination as the Stark mansion where he was determined to get answers. If this was Mauri’s bidding then Dax would find a way to have him call it off. Except word was still spreading, and it would take twice as long to call off the minions who would chase Ivy down.

Before getting on his bike, he took his phone from his pocket. He couldn’t tell Ivy what was going on, not over the phone, and not before he had all of the information. But she was in danger and liked to defy his authority, so she could be out on the streets now, a walking target.

Dax called the apartment and was relieved to hear that the line was busy. If she was home then she wasn’t outside presenting an opportunity for every psycho with a gun. Opening his texts, he typed in his commands.

Stay home. No messing, Minx. Danger outside. Stay in the apartment.

He expected her to call as soon as she read the message and sure enough before he had started the engine of his bike his phone buzzed. For a few seconds, he debated with himself as to whether or not he should answer the phone because he wanted to get to Mauri and get some answers of his own. But if he ignored her she was likely to ignore his message, so he picked up.