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“It could just be something with the band that they don’t want to distract you guys with,” Roark said as he checked the snow beneath the SUV, sweeping the phone out in front of him before he rolled over so he could check the undercarriage.
“I wouldn’t have felt it so strongly if that was the case,” Cor replied. “Now that they’ve settled in here to be Comet Lake’s premier entertainment group, the only time they get intense over anything is when they’re working on a song. What I felt from Zane was outranged and murderous intentions. He assured me that they weren’t in any danger and insisted that was all he was going to share until we got home. If you ask me, I think it has something to do with what’s going on out here and Erik’s history.”
“All I got from Cage is that three of the wolves we rescued tonight might be coming home with us,” Rusty said. “I’m sure he and Brooks will clue us in on the ride home.”
“I’m just grateful to have been able to report that there wasn’t a scratch on me and that the fighting had been brief.” Cor said.
Talking while they worked made everything feel normal. Like they were back at the garage, working side by side in their bays. Roark squirmed around on his back, running the light over every inch of the undercarriage, pleased not to have come across any scrapes so far.
“Once they realized they were surrounded and completely outnumbered by folks itching to spill their blood, they opted to save their skins. Can’t blame them for that,” Rusty said.
Roark heard grumbling coming from one of them and hoped the damage wasn’t too bad.
“Were either of you the least bit disappointed that we didn’t have to get bloody like when we went up against the Outlaws?”
Cor’s sudden question caught Roark completely off guard, and he needed a moment to think about it. Rusty, however, answered right away.
“Nope. I like these leathers. Couldn’t wear them home to the pups with blood all over them.”
“That’s the same way I feel,” Cor replied. “I went in ready to do whatever needed to be done and felt nothing but relief when I didn’t have to hurt anyone too badly.”
“I’m good with the way it ended,” Roark admitted once he’d had time to sort out his feelings. “Last winter, I doubt any of us could have said that.”
“Cor would have been a raging ball of pissed off. I’d have been stomping around looking for things to kick.”
“Because you didn’t learn from the first two times you broke your toe,” Roark pointed out.
Cor’s laughter was immediately followed by a loud owe!
“Serves you right,” Rusty said. “You dropped your phone on your face again, didn’t you?”
“Fucker,” Cor grumbled. “You’re not wrong, though. I would have been pissed and probably tried to antagonize one of the assholes we caught just so they’d fight longer. I’m not sure I like that version of myself anymore.”
“Look at us,” Roark said. “We finally grew the hell up like Mama G has been after us to do.”
“We are her favorite ruffians, to hear her tell it,” Cor said.
“That wolf has a soft spot for the Howling Devils, that’s for sure.” Rusty said. “This one’s clear. I’m moving on to the next one.”
“Right behind you,” Roark said.
“Same,” Cor replied.
“I might be able to shed some light on why,” Roark said as he crawled under the next SUV.
“Oh, juicy gossip,” Cor said. “Let’s hear it.”
“Why do I not know this already?” Rusty grumbled, grunting in between words, “Owe, fuck!”
“What are you doing over there, dropping a phone on your face?” Cor called out.
“Ha, ha, no, it was a wrench,” Rusty grumbled.
“I do not like the sound of that,” Roark said. “Why do you have a wrench out?”
“If I can fix it, you’ll never have to know,” Rusty replied.
“And if you can’t?” Cor called out.
