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Hades seems to like our idea, choosing to sprawl out next to us.
“Traitor,” Punk grumbles at the dog. With a gigantic sigh, he gives up, sitting down on a boulder next to the trail.
We sit listening to the sounds of buzzing insects and chirping birds surrounding us. It’s peaceful…for a moment.
Red breaks the silence. “So you and Chase, huh?”
I groan, while Punk chuckles.
“Don’t laugh, skinny boy,” Ebony warns, wagging a finger at him. “The entire club is talking about it. It’s no joke. Chase is serious about her. Hence, why he and Butch hightailed it out of here, strapped like they were ready for bloodshed. I can only imagine it has business to do with Lucky Luca if the two of them are partnering up.”
Punk signals for Ebony to stop talking, slicing his hand back and forth across his throat hastily.
My heart drops. “What?”
“How do you know?” Punk demands rigidly.
I turn to Punk, my stomach in knots. “It’s true?”
Punk ignores me, waiting for Ebony to answer.
Ebony waves her hand dismissively. “Don’t get your briefs in a bundle. Nobody told me anything, but your reaction sure as shit did. You men can be so obtuse. Like us MC women don’t know what goes on around here? Please. When shit is about to go down, you guys ooze testosterone like you’re coating yourself in war paint.”
“Eb…” Punk warns through a clenched jaw.
“Red was passing the tech room and overheard Chase tell Butch ‘we’re going hunting.’ Red told Candy, who then told me.”
Punk groans, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“It wasn’t rocket science; I put two and two together. Butch and Chase pairing up for an assignment when you’re Chase’s usual partner? The only thing the two guys share aside from computers is a connection between Candy and Simone. Wasn’t difficult to surmise it involved Luca.”
Holy fuck buckets.
My eyes sweep to Candy. She twists the bracelets around her wrists, anxiety written all over her pretty round face. She’s worried about Butch the way I’m worried about Chase.
I wrap my arms around my midsection, desperate to hold my shit together.
Uneasiness settles over our group in deadly silence. Chase went to find Luca. This can only end badly for one of them.
Red rubs Candy’s back as she says, “Butch and Chase will be okay. They know what they’re doing. All the guys do. We just need to focus our attention on something else while we wait for them to return.”
It’s easier said than done. Yes, the MC men are trained to handle these types of hostile situations. That doesn’t mean the threat is diminished.
“Distractions are a good idea,” Candy mutters to herself. She tilts her head, studying me. “What do you have against being with Chase? The man adores you. He’s hot as hell. Not to mention he’s a fucking Einstein. And those muscles…”
Red nods, fanning herself as if she’s gotten warmer.
“It’s complicated,” I defend myself, still uncomfortable with Chase away on a mission. “My life’s in shambles. I just left my ex, who I thought was ideal. I’m trying to find my footing again.”
“You mean the man-child who was screwing behind your back?” Ebony scoffs. “Girl, please. There’s no redeeming qualities in the dude. Think of it like this. If you had a juicy T-bone steak and discovered it had a piece of shit on it, you wouldn’t eat around it. The whole thing would be ruined. It’s the same for your ex—he’s trash.”
Point well made, but Ebony misunderstands.
“You didn’t let me finish. I rushed into my last relationship, overlooking red flags along the way with my rose-colored glasses. All things are wonderful in the honeymoon phase. I don’t want to make the same mistake twice. I need to get myself sorted before moving into another relationship.”
“Makes sense,” Punk muses aloud.
Candy swats him in the shin, making him yelp. “Way to do your bro dirty. Whose side you on?”
