Booshie turned away before he had to witness them dry-humping each other and saw Ranger leave the room where he was talking to Scars. The Bastards’ president leaned against the meeting table and grabbed a cigarette out from inside his cut. Scars’s face held a hard expression, and Booshie knew something was up. He made his way toward the meeting room and once inside shut the door behind him.
“Hey.”
Scars looked up and lit his cigarette while staring at Booshie.
“Hey, man.” He tossed his light on the table, inhaled deeply, and exhaled just as forcefully. After pulling the cigarette away and looking at it, he took one more hit and snubbed it out. “I really need to quit this shit. I told Stella I would, and look at me smoking.”
“It’s a hard habit to kick.”
Scars nodded.
“What’s up? You look like you got something on your mind.” Booshie pulled out a chair and sat down a little ways away from Scars.
“It’s nothing.”
“Scars.” Booshie waited until he looked his way again. “I’m your VP, your second in command, and I have known you longer than anyone else in this club.” He left it open like that, letting the other man know they were close and therefore needed to trust each other.
He sighed, ran a hand through his dark hair, and finally nodded. “Yeah, man, I know. I guess I’m just feeling my age.”
“You act like you’re Ranger’s age.” Booshie grinned and was at least glad when the other biker grinned in return. “But seriously, what’s up?”
“I just think I need to get away for a while, maybe head up to the cabin and just relax.”
“Not a bad idea. You live and breathe this club, and while that is what we need, you also need time to yourself or you’ll snap and end up taking out a prospect.” Booshie chuckled, because that wouldn’t be the first time one of the members kicked a prospect’s ass.
Scars stared at him for a moment and finally sighed. “Marriage is next, man.”
“No shit?”
Scars shook his head but didn’t answer that question. “I’m happy for my baby girl, I really am, and feel like a bastard father for feeling this way.” He sounded stunned. “I mean, I still remember her running around the clubhouse throwing peanuts at the guys.” Scars started laughing as if picturing that moment.
“Kids have to grow up, man.”
“I know, but makes a guy feel old as dirt… and like I’m losing the last part of her mother.”
Shit, Booshie wasn’t good with this depressing, sad shit, and it was equally uncomfortable, because Scars was not a man who showed emotion. “Kids grow up, brother, leave the nest, and start their own families.”
Scars nodded, but that hard look on his face grew even stonier. “They went to The Springs this week, and I know Cadeon plans on proposing.”
“How do you know? I think you’re getting yourself pissed over nothing.”
“He asked me for fucking permission to marry her, showed me the big fuckin’ ring too.”
Booshie was silent for a moment. “Damn.”
“Of course Stella didn’t know, but she told me they were talking about it, and then Cadeon came to me before their trip, asked, and pretty much shoved the diamond in my face.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “But she hasn’t said anything to me about it when she calls to check in, so I assume he hasn’t asked yet.”
“You’re not losing her. It isn’t like she’s leaving town with him. Cadeon is rooted to Reckless and respects the hell out of you and the club.”
“I know, and I’m happy for them, I really am. But when and if you ever have a kid and go through this, or lose someone you love, you’ll know what I mean.”
Booshie was speechless for a moment. “Scars, I look at Stella as if she were my own flesh and blood. I watched her grow from a screaming toddler to a gorgeous woman. But even after that, I know I could never really understand what you’re going through, not after all you lost.” The scar on the president’s face seemed more pronounced with his emotion.
Booshie wasn’t good in situations like this, but he needed to be there for his friend, brother, and the president of his club. “Take some time off, get your head on straight, and when you come back, everything will be as you left it.”
Scars turned away from the window he was looking out of and nodded. “Yeah, I think a couple days in the cabin might do me some good.”
“You could take one of the girls up with you. You know they can make you forget your name if they try hard enough.” Booshie stood and clapped Scars on the back. “The fort will be held, brother, but we can’t stay united if your head is somewhere else.”
Scars pushed off the table, and they slapped each other on the shoulders. “You seem different, more upbeat. You get laid or something?”
Booshie just grinned and shook his head. This wasn’t just about getting laid, or at least he hoped it wasn’t where Naggie was concerned. “Nah, I think I found myself an old lady.”
14
Naggie cleaned off her workstation and leaned back in her chair. It was already the middle of the week. She was moved in temporarily with Bennie and hadn’t heard from Rob—which was a good thing. The wall clock showed it was a quarter after five, and although they normally stayed open well past nine at times, she hadn’t booked anything after six aside from Booshie coming in, and she knew Ziggy didn’t have any more appointments either.
Booshie was supposed to be here any minute, and she would be lying if she said she wasn’t nervous. They hadn’t seen each other since he dropped her off at the parking lot Saturday morning, but they talked on the phone enough.
With her getting as settled in at Bennie’s as she was going to get, and being packed with appointments for the last
