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I pulled the phone from my inside pocket. My heart kicked with the name on the screen. “I’ll meet you inside,” I said to Kodiak. “I need to reply to this.”

He nodded.

“And Kodiak—”

He glanced over his shoulder.

“I mean it. Stay away from Natalie. I’m working it out. I don’t want you or the club involved.”

A tight smile found his lips. “Like you said, we’re brothers. You don’t get a choice. I’m riding with you. I’m always going to have your back. You know that, right?”

“Yeah, and I’ve got yours.” And I would unless he betrayed me or the club.

Now that I was alone, I stared at the words on the screen.

Jaymi: Can we talk?

Three little words but they hit hard. Did she want to formally cut me lose? I think I’d prefer she just ghosted me indefinitely.

Brett: …

Did I ask her to meet me in person? She didn’t want to be seen together. That much I was sure about. Did she want me to call her? I’d rather lie on my bed, in my room, in the dark, and listen to her voice and remember the way she whispered my name.

Or maybe she just wanted an impersonal exchange of messages. Nah, fuck that.

Brett: Did you want to come here or meet somewhere?

I wasn’t going to make her uncomfortable by inviting myself to her place. But I also wasn’t going to settle for a conversation via text messages. I wanted to stare into her eyes as she told me to fuck off.

Jaymi: Can you come here?

My gut was tight, and my balls were warm. I could hear her voice in my head as I read the words. I attempted to rake my fingers through my hair, then remembered it was gone.

Yesterday, I’d left the barber shop with the high fade because, according to the guy cutting my hair, old men and dudes with no aesthetic kept it low and tight. Sounded like exactly what I wanted—conservative and boring—but he must’ve thought I was joking because he clipped me high on the sides and longer on top.

The attorney had made a comment that impression would greatly affect my position in court. There was nothing I could do about my tattoos, but I could try to pull off respectable with a haircut and a shave.

Brett: When?

Jaymi: Tonight? Late? After ten?

After dark. But I understood.

Brett: I’m working. Might be closer to eleven.

Jaymi: Okay. Text me when you’re on your way.

I slid the phone back into my pocket. I was behind the bar tonight, but the MC was quiet. Just patches and old ladies. If they wanted a drink, they’d put the money in the till.

I sat at the table. Kodiak cocked a brow.

“Jaymi wants to talk. I’ll head over in a bit. Who’s deal?”

Over the next hour, I lost thirty bucks playing cards. Then we called it a night. I grabbed a shower and changed into new jeans and threw on a tight gray shirt under my cut. As I stared in the mirror, I hardly recognized myself.

The unopened box of condoms sat on my dresser. I didn’t want to make assumptions that we were okay. Just because she wanted to talk, didn’t mean she wanted to reevaluate whatever this was between us.

But then why call me over? Why call at all? She didn’t owe me shit.