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One rectangular patch said Crazy Pete.
Heat pressed against her back as Judge put his hands on her shoulders, squeezing them.
She leaned back into him, her head against his chest. “Stella’s father?”
“Yeah, he was an Original.”
“Just like yours.”
“Yeah.”
“Where’s your father’s cut?” Pete’s was the only one she saw displayed on the walls. She wondered why.
He hesitated and when he finally spoke, his voice was rougher than normal. “Wearin’ it. Normally, when a member dies, he gets buried in it. Stella didn’t get home in time to do that with Pete. She was dealin’ with another crushin’ loss. Mine was in prison when he was killed. Had no fuckin’ clue where his cut was ‘til I found it a while later at the old warehouse.”
The warehouse. That had been located on the lot where he followed her the third time they met. The Fury’s old clubhouse.
“What was he in prison for?”
“Murders.”
She turned her eyes up to him, finding his expression grim. “As in plural?”
“Yeah. More than one.”
“Were you ever in prison?” That was an important detail she should know.
“No.”
“Have you ever done anything that could’ve put you there?” When he didn’t answer, she turned to face him directly. “I need you to answer that truthfully.”
“It’s in the past, Cass.”
The blood drained from her face. “But I need to know. I need to know if what you might do in the future would get you arrested. Get you taken from me. From us. It’s already happened once, Judge. I’m dealing with a cluster because of a man who committed a crime that I had no knowledge about and who was also yanked from my daughter’s life because of it. I can’t risk Daisy going through that again.” Hell, she couldn’t risk it, either.
“On the day Ox was arrested, promised myself and my sister I was never goin’ to prison.”
His sister? She didn’t even know he had a sister. She’d have to circle back to that at another time. “You can’t guarantee that if you’re doing things that could put you there.”
“Ain’t doin’ shit to put me there.”
“Smoking pot.”
He shook his head. “Ain’t goin’ to prison for that. Get a citation at the most. Cops around here don’t give a fuck about dope. Hard shit? Yeah. Some grass? No. Gonna be legal for everyone one day soon, anyway. They got bigger fuckin’ fish to fry than someone smokin’ a joint, gettin’ mellow and eatin’ an order of fuckin’ loaded fries from Dino’s.”
Maybe that was true—though, she hadn’t tried the famous Dino’s Diner loaded fries yet—but she had done some Googling of what a Sergeant at Arms did in an MC. She had read several articles on motorcycle clubs. Not only because she worked for one but because Judge had been staying in her bed and spending time with her daughter. Before coming to Manning Grove, she knew nothing about MC’s. She still didn’t know a lot, but she did know what a club’s enforcer did for the most part.
“You enforce the rules.”
“What?”
“You’re supposed to keep everyone in line and punish those who don’t follow those rules. Do what you need to do to protect your club and brotherhood.”
“Where’d you hear that?”
“I read about it,” she admitted. Though, she never would have if it hadn’t been for this conversation.
“Yeah, baby, that’s my job as the enforcer.”
“It’s dangerous.”
“Could be.”
“It could get you arrested.”
“Could, if I do somethin’ stupid.”
“Like murder?”
His silence was telling. She turned but stayed toe to toe with him.
“Like assault and murder?” she asked again.
“Gotta do what needs to be done, Cass,” he said way too seriously. He grabbed her chin and tilted her head up higher. “Not just for my brothers, but their ol’ ladies and their kids. Current and future. The club’s one big family. They’re responsible for their own, but I’m responsible for all of them. Took my father’s former spot. Didn’t want it, took it anyway. Take the job seriously. Wanna do better, be better than him. Will do what I gotta do but keep my ass out of jail.”
“You can’t guarantee that.”
“Just gotta be smart.”
“Judge…”
“Baby, trust me. Ain’t gonna do shit to land behind bars. Swore to Jemma, I wouldn’t.”
“Who’s Jemma?”
“My sister.”
“We need to talk about her, too.” She needed to know everything about him. Not just bits and pieces.
“Not now.”
“Then soon.”
He stared down at her. “Yeah, soon. Right now, wanna fuck you. Got the babysitter stayin’, right?”
“Yes, until morning.”
“Want you to stay with me tonight.”
She wanted that, too, even though there wasn’t much left of the night. Sunrise was right around the corner. “Only...” Heat flooded her cheeks. This heat wasn’t from the tequila.
“Only what?”
“Only if you take me against the wall just like that couple back there.”
“Back where?”
“Where you came from with that woman.”
His head twisted in that direction. She knew the exact moment he realized what she was talking about.
