Knowing Owen wasn’t around to corrupt anymore young girls hasn’t brought the anticipated relief. It’s Devon I’ve got my sights set on now, and I’ll be fucked if Bolt and that member without a dick from Utah are going to swoop in and take him out of my hands. They’ve got a habit of doing that.
“You okay, Brother?” Prez has stopped by my side.
I glance toward him. “I’ll be fuckin’ fine just so long as Utah doesn’t pull a Stormy on us again. That fucker’s mine.”
Prez purses his lips, then nods. “Already thought of that, sergeant-at-arms. I’ll be calling Drummer later and giving him a heads-up. Working with us is one thing, taking the kill shot for us, something else. It’s a question of trust, Brother. Utah lost ours when Stormy took out Alder, lost Demon’s too when he finished Major for them. It caused them to lose the trust of Red and of Drummer as we’re all one fuckin’ club. If Snatcher hasn’t learned that lesson, then he won’t have a fuckin’ chapter to lead.”
What Lost has said makes sense. That he’s worried that has any possibility of being the outcome fuels my rage. “I suppose Stormy hasn’t shown his face yet?”
“Not as far as we’ve been told.”
I raise my eyebrows at Lost. “You really think he’s back and Snatcher’s protecting him?”
Lost shakes his head vigorously and snorts. “I’m seeing conspiracies all over the place now, Brother. Utah hit us hard.”
He’s right. They had. As he pats my shoulder and walks off to the clubhouse, I gaze after him. San Diego is no stranger to underhand plots—we’d had Snake and his betrayal to deal with. While Utah hadn’t betrayed the club as such, they’d kept so many secrets, I’m not sure even now whether they’re all out in the open. Perhaps meeting two of them tomorrow will shed some light on whether I can really trust my northern brothers, or, whatever I should refer to Swift as.
“Beer?”
I swing around, not realising Salem was following me. I consider it for a moment. Yes, I could use a drink, but the clubhouse will be full of brothers talking about Owen and his revelations, going around in circles without solving shit. Rather than reliving the last few hours, some space might clear my head.
“Not sure my heart’s in it right now,” I tell the enforcer.
When he replies, “I know what you mean,” I realise this is the man who had been prepared to slice off a man’s dick and let him bleed to death. His job, but it doesn’t mean he enjoys doing it. But I’m only partly on the money as he continues, “Christ, the whole fuckin’ business makes me feel sick, Brother.”
I rest a sympathetic hand on his shoulder, and for his sake, and mine, I change the subject. “So, how do you feel about meeting Utah’s enforcer?” I can’t help the roll of my eyes.
“Yeah, what about that?” Salem gives a quick grin. “Think I might need to see what she’s made of.”
Good luck with that. From what Dart had said, even Blade, the fearsome enforcer from Tucson, hadn’t seemed to want to push his chances. It might prove entertaining to watch Salem go up against her. I’m reserving judgement as to who my money would be on.
I slide my bike key out of my cut and bounce it in my hand. “I’m going for a ride. Need to get some breeze on my face.”
“Yeah?” Salem gives a snort. “As if I don’t know where you’re going.”
Unable to tell him he’s wrong, I ignore his comment instead. Mary’s good for me. Somehow being in her presence soothes my soul, and I’ll be damned if I don’t need some calming down now.
“I’ll expect Wrangler back soon.” Salem salutes me with a smirk and walks off.
Fuck but it’s good to be back riding my baby. She, too, tends to have the effect of calming me. I frown as I approach, seeing the rain marks on the tank. Since the prospects had been tied up on other duties, she hasn’t had a proper polish to clean her up. Taking a rag, I do my best to get the worst off, contemplating only for a moment whether to stay here with her and do a proper job, or, to do what my heart is telling me, and go see Mary.
Mary’s like a magnet drawing me, and I’ve no idea why. No woman has ever affected me like her. Is she still in the friendzone, or would I like to explore deeper? Maybe, possibly. For the first time in ages, my dick says it’s ready. Just thinking of her has me adjusting myself in my pants.
But what about her? She’s a respectable lady. What would she want with a biker like me? A short ride on the wild side? I can’t see anything else between us working out.
Maybe I should stay away. Wrangler’s on his way to being patched in. Apart from his slipup with Alicia, which I won’t let him forget, I trust him and will give him my vote. Knowing a man learns from his mistakes, I doubt anyone would be better to leave protecting the women. I don’t need to go.
I realise as my leg seems to work of its own accord, stepping astride my bike, it’s not a need, but it is a want. If I can’t spend the night choking the truth out of Devon, the only way to settle the unease inside me is to go see her. There’s no point fighting it.
The rain’s long gone, and the late afternoon sun is warming when it lands on my face. The sky has become an endless sea of blue once again—a perfect time of day for riding.
