Diablo:Fuck yeah! Major event. I’ll come by around 11 tonite.
Fallon:Ok. You can stay longer if you want.
Diablo:I know. U b careful. I’ll have a prospect make sure u get home ok.
Ever since she’d told him about inheriting the money and that someone had tried to impersonate her, he made sure to watch her. He had to keep her safe. Her birthday was approaching, and then she’d fall into a shitload of money. It made him feel more than uneasy.
Fallon:You don’t have to do that. I’ll be fine. Promise.
Diablo:It’ll be either Patches or Ruger. U know them both. See u later.
In his mind’s eye, he could see her frowning, her lips pursed together the way she did when she didn’t agree with him.
Fallon:You’re going to do it regardless of what I say, right?
Diablo:Ya. Gotta go. Text me when u get home.
Fallon:Ok. Have fun.♥
She’d started using hearts to end their text conversations, and for some reason, he found it cute as hell. There were many things he found cute: her freckles, the way her forehead creased when she was pissed, her giggles, the way she ate all the crust off her toast first, her spontaneous hugs.My sweet pea’s got a good hold of me.He chuckled and slipped his phone back in the inner pocket of his cut.
Walking back to the group of brothers who still congregated around Goldie’s baby, heat radiated through his chest. He couldn’t remember being that happy with any woman, even Hannah.
Fallon was quickly becoming his everything.
And he was just fine with that.
***
Amber-speckled bar lightsilluminated twisted curls of smoke as loud conversations in loud voices competed with the rock music from the jukebox. Shot glasses, beer bottles, and mounds of buffalo wings and nachos littered the counter and tables. Most of the room wore denim and leather; the ones not wearing it gazed at the rough-looking men with fear and admiration. A few citizen women ventured over and struck up a conversation with some of the men, but they soon retreated to their tables in the back when the club girls rushed over.
Goldie laughed and tugged Angel close to him. “You girls don’t want any competition tonight.”
Shaking her dark brown hair, she grabbed hold of the back of his neck, pushing his face toward hers. Their lips met and Goldie’s hands slid down to Angel’s ass. Diablo threw back his shot, wishing Fallon were there. He had a real bad urge to kiss her deep and wet, but it’d have to wait until later.
“You look like you wish you had a woman,” Maria said as she ran her finger up his arm.
“Only one.” Diablo tossed the whiskey down his throat.
“Fallon. That’s her name, right?” He nodded. “I’m not gonna lie to you and tell you I’m happy about it, but I’m used to it now. That’s something, right?”
Smiling, he picked up another shot glass. “How’s your brother?”
“Not good. Thanks for asking. No one else has.” She picked up her beer bottle and took a long pull.
“Did you wanna eat something? It looks like you’ve lost some weight.” He pushed the plate of nachos he’d been munching on close to her.
She smiled and squeezed his arm. “You’re really a gentle person. I hope your girl’s treating you special.”
“She is.”
Wiping her eyes, she laughed. “She better be or I’m gonna beat her ass.” A pause ensued. “You must be loving Goldie’s new bike. It’s so fuckin’ cool.”
As the two of them spoke, Diablo saw two men walk in and his senses went into high alert. There was something about the men that raised red flags: sweat poured down from the skinnier one’s face, and both men darted their eyes around constantly.
They seem outta place. Like they’re not comfortable. Why the fuck are they hanging by the door?
Diablo went over to Steel, who was talking to Paco, Crow, Muerto, and Shotgun about some of the best road trips he’d been on. Diablo stood close and Steel stopped in mid-sentence, turning to look at him. “What’s up?”
