Iron to Iron (Wolf by Wolf) Read Online Free

dangerous.”
    “Dangerous?” The fräulein’s lip curled to show teeth. “I’m the best racer in the Nürburgring circuit. I can handle a motorcycle, even with ovaries.”
    “What do you think the Axis Tour officials are going to do when they find out you’re a girl? Hmm? Give you a chain of daisies and send you on your way?”
    “They’re not going to find out.”
    The Luger swung up. Luka found himself staring down the barrel of his own gun, then into the eyes of the fräulein who held it. They were as fine cut and heavy as a crystal candy dish, filled not with sweetness but grit. Hard, yes, but not a murderer’s eyes.
    “You won’t kill me,” he said.
    The girl shrugged and aimed the gun at his foot. “Maiming works just as effectively. Carrying a Luger around in your pants, where the safety can slip on your belt? You’re just asking to get detoed.”
    She had oomph.
    But he had her by the (metaphorical) balls.
    “Don’t think I won’t tattle from my hospital bed. I’m not above petty revenge.” Luka dropped his hands. “Listen. I think there’s a way we can both come out ahead. You need me to keep your secret, and I need an ally to help me on the road. Zinc oxide, soup-guarding, all the things I told you last night.”
    “You want to team up?”
    “Not want,” he corrected her. “Need. You saw what happened to Herr Rust today?”
    “The flat tire.”
    “That wasn’t an accident. That was sabotage. Tsuda Katsuo can’t stand for anyone to pull ahead of him. If you steal the lead without a plan under your belt, he’ll take it back through less conventional means.”
    Those first-frost eyes narrowed. “I assume you have a plan under your belt.”
    “A few.” Luka nodded. “Depends on how the race goes. Most of the plans require a set of helping hands, and I’d rather not have to rely on Dirk Hermann and Kurt Baer. They’re slow. Unambitious.”
    “If I help you edge out Katsuo, you’ll keep my secret?”
    “I swear on my big toe, and all the little ones, too,” he added. “But if you double-cross me, I’ll have no problem letting Joseph Goebbels and every other Axis Tour official know what you’re hiding.”
    “How do I know you won’t do it anyway?”
    “Look, love, I don’t think you’re in much of a position to doubt my honor.”
    Her eyes thinned even more. She jerked the pistol at him. “Call me
love
again, and see what happens.”
    “What’s your name, then?” Luka asked. “It’s obviously not Felix.”
    “Felix is my twin brother.” The girl hesitated a moment before lowering the Luger. “I’m Adele.”
    “Adele.” The name rolled smoothly off his tongue. “Adele Wolfe. I like it.”
    “Like it all you want,” she told him. “You just can’t say it where the others might hear.”
    “Certainly not, Adele.” Luka held out an open palm. “My gun? If you please?”
    Adele Wolfe switched the Luger’s safety back into place and returned his weapon. Luka wondered if he was making a mistake, not turning her in to the racing officials immediately. But he needed her to help oust Katsuo from the running, and really, how much damage could one fräulein do? Even if she did get ahead of Luka, he could always expose her secret.
    Luka’s fingers closed over the gun. He tucked it back into his pants and smiled, ignoring the lightning stab in his cheek. “You and I are going to make an excellent team.”

Chapter 5
    The next day was straightforward: no sabotage, no subterfuge. Just an eight-hour stretch of road from Rome all the way to the edge of Europe—where the Mediterranean lapped at Sicily’s shores and the racers were allotted an entire day of rest for the ferry crossing to Tunis. This boat trip was one of Luka’s favorite parts of the tour. Over twenty-four hours without riding. No crowds screaming
Sieg heil!
His road jitters had faded into the backdrop, even though he was now technically in third. Luka had dropped back outside of Rome, allowing Kobi