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She eyed him up and down. “How did the feds know someone was coming for that woman?”
Viper glanced at Spike. “Maybe we shouldn’t talk about this with anyone but Lobo.”
“I’m not justanyone,” Maria snapped, showing an aggressive side to her he’d never seen. She didn’t like being dismissed. She wanted him to believe she hadsome power in the MC, though women took a back seat to the men who ran the club.
Spike looked nervous about agitating Maria, so maybe she quietly wielded power behind the scenes.
He let loose the exact same explanation he’d given Lobo after Bleaker died. “Fine. You want to know what happened? Bleaker fucked up. He got caught in that woman’s house, killed someone, and left a witness.”
“Things happen you can’t plan for.” She eyed him, expecting him to go on.
“Then, you don’t go off half-cocked without thinking things through. If I’d known what he was getting me into, I could have helped him come up with a better plan than going in guns blazing at two trained feds.”
“You weren’t supposed to be there,” she snapped, keeping her tone low and lethal.
“He asked for my help,” he bit out, letting her know he was angry about the whole damn thing, because Bleaker could have gotten him killed. He still might, and the man was dead. “I didn’t know what he had going with that lady. But when the shit went down, I backed him up the best I could. When he went down, I saved my own ass from ending up dead or in a cell.”
“You disappeared shortly after Bleaker’s death.” Her gaze bore into him.
“That was some messed-up shit. Lobo didn’t want the heat coming down on him or the club. I needed a minute. Plus, it was close to the holidays. I went home to see my family. Grandad’s getting up there. I thought this might be my last chance to see him.” His granddad was actually an ornery son of a gun, who’d probably outlive him. Especially if things here went sideways again. “Why the hell do you or anyone else care what I do?”
“Just making sure you’re still a team player.”
That got his hackles up, and he let her know it. “I’ve put in the time and paid my dues.” He didn’t think he needed to justify himself to her, but something told him she was working her own thing, and it had everything to do with Spike and the mysterious others in on it.
Maybe Lobo knew about it. Maybe he didn’t.
Either way, Viper had just hit Maria’s radar, and this might be the break he needed.
She held him in her considering gaze for a moment. “Spike has a job tonight. It’s a solo mission.” Maria eyed the other man. “Maybe next time you can assist. And if both of you perform well, maybe we’ll make it a regular thing.”
“Fine. Whatever.” He shrugged like it didn’t matter. “I’ve got to go bid on a job.”
“What kind of job?” Her question sounded curious, but he thought it meant more.
“Bathroom renovation.”
“Where?” Now he knew he needed to be careful around her.
“Willow Fork.” He had all the info to back it up.
She raised a brow. “All the way out there.”
“It’s winter. I’ll take all the work I can find, wherever I can find it.”
“Will you be back here tonight? Or do you plan on hanging out at your favorite place?”
He didn’t like that she knew he’d rather be at the Dark Horse Dive Bar than here wasting away hours with the guys. “It’s too damn cold to be out tonight.”
“I’ll never understand why an Arizona boy like you came all the way out here.”
“I hate the sweltering heat.” True. He did. But,though that was his cover story, he’d never lived in Arizona. He was born and raised in Montana and worked all over the northwest, but mostly in Idaho and Wyoming. “I just wish I could ride during the winter here.” Everyone in the MC felt that way. His motorcycle, like everyone else’s, was sitting in a garage.
He smacked Spike on the back. “Good luck.” He headed for the door.
“If you change your mind, I’ll be here tonight,” Maria called after him.
He didn’t turn or acknowledge that in any way, especially since the other eight people in the club heard her say that to him.
