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I’m not shocked Knox is asking me if I’m good to ride. I’m surprised he waited until now, to be honest.
He gives me a pointed look. “Maybe stay away from any pretty young things on this trip.” And there it is—the warning I’ve been waiting for.
“No worries, brother.” I clasp his shoulder and confidently meet his gaze. “There won’t be any repeats of last time.”
Knox was the one who kept our mom sane while I was gone. Well, her and Trick. They held her up when she wanted to crumble every time she got home from a prison visit. I’ll forever be grateful to them, but I have to get on with it now that I’m out. This life will always be dangerous, and there’s always a chance any of us could end up doing time. Nothing is going to change that, and my mom knows it.
“Just go say bye to Mom before you leave,” Knox tells me and walks out the door. Well there goes my plan for the sendoff I was hoping to get from one of the bunnies.
It’s been a grueling three-and-a-half days getting to Texas. We met with the Irish and dropped the guns with them. They get to figure out how to get them across the border. Thank God because that’s a headache I don’t want to deal with. We’re at yet another cheap motel for the night. My ass hurts, I’m hungry, and in need of a beer or seventeen. Now that the guns are gone, we can relax and have a night to let loose before we hit the road tomorrow and get the hell home. Three days riding through back roads, staying on high alert and only stopping for gas station sandwiches, got real old real quick.
“I asked the lady at the counter where to get a good meal, and she said the diner across the way has a decent meatloaf,” Wyatt tells us as he comes out of the office of the motel, handing us our keys. “They don’t serve alcohol, but there’s that little bar we passed on our way in. Let’s get cleaned up, get some hot food, then go get some beers.”
We all grunt in agreement, and I grab the key. When I get inside, my eyes travel around the old room. It’s like every other fleabag motel we’ve stayed in on this run. Turning on the TV, I’m thankful it works. I toss my bag on the bed and head to the shower. Cranking the water all the way to hot, it’s a pleasant surprise to see steam rising almost immediately. A hot shower is just what I need to relax my sore-as-fuck muscles. After drying off and throwing on some clean jeans, I go to the room next door and knock on the door. Jude answers in a towel with his phone in his hand.
“I’ll be ready in a sec. Just checking in with my brother.”
Jude’s brother served in the Royal Marines, same as Jude, but he got out first and moved to the States. He does some under-the-radar shit that’s just as dangerous, if not more so, than what Jude and I do. According to him, though, he stays on the right side of the law. I have my doubts.
When he’s dressed, we meet the other two guys and head across the street to the diner.
“Damn, Linc, you’re walking like you have a stick shoved up your asshole. You okay over there?” Barrett teases.
“Fuck you, asshole. I haven’t been on a run in six years. I’m just a little rusty.”
“Need to make a switch? You can drive the van, and I’ll take your bike back to Shine.”
“Not on your life,” I volley back.
Barrett is still bitter he had to drive the van instead of ride, but there’s no way in hell I’m going to be stuck in a cage.
The older waitress comes to take our order, and Jude gives me a nudge.
“No cute waitresses this time around. Lucky us, huh?”
I give him a side eye and let out an annoyed sigh.
“Got something you want to say about Charlie?” We haven’t had this conversation outright. It’s mostly been him making comments under his breath about getting stuck in prison because of some bird.
“Yeah, actually I do,” Jude snarks. “She took six years of your life, and she’s still getting to you. Don’t think I don’t see the way you’ve been since you got back.”
“What are you talking about?” There’s no way he can miss the irritation in my voice. Unfortunately, it doesn’t stop him from continuing.
“The way you’ve been fucking your way through the bunnies and any other girl that comes into the clubhouse. That was never like you before. Then there’s the fact you only go for the ones with blonde hair and blue eyes. The ones that look surprisingly similar to the girl you rescued, who then bailed on you.” He takes a sip of his coffee and continues. “Look, I just want to make sure your head’s on right. I’m hoping this ride gives you some perspective.”
Since when did bikers look down at copious amounts of sex with random women?
“You guys in on this?” I look at Wyatt and Barrett, sitting across from me.
“Not so much in on it as we’re concerned, too. The whole club is,” Wyatt answers.
I scrape my hand over the four-day stubble I’ve grown since being on this run.
“Listen, I appreciate the concern, but I’m fine. I haven’t heard from Charlie in years. As far as I know, she’s moved on with her life, and she’s happy. I’m not fucking my way through all the blondes I can find in some attempt to fuck her out of my system. I haven’t been all that particular about where I stick my dick the last six months. Same as you assholes.” At least, I don’t think I have. Never mind that every time I closed my eyes in prison, bright blue eyes stared back at me. Every. Damn. Night. But I haven’t tried to find her since coming home. She found a way out of a violent life. I’m not about to drag her or anyone else into one.
Jude whips his head toward me. “What do you mean you heard from her? She was in the wind six years ago.”
I may have “forgotten” to mention to my best friend that she wrote to me while I was in prison. His feelings toward the broken girl I found on the side of the road is the reason I kept it to myself.
