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When he notices her looking at me, he follows her eyeline.
“Are you still fucking here?” He snaps.
“Just leaving.” I snatch up my jacket and head out.
I find Dec standing at his office window, staring out onto the town square and looking unnerved. I don’t know what he wants, maybe now my bike’s finished he’s gonna offer me that prospect jacket. But before I accept it, I’m gonna have to have a man-to-man talk with him about my intentions.
In the short time I’ve been here I’ve grown, not just to respect the man, but to like him too. I may not understand all this Skinner shit, but I do know how much Mia means to him, and I don’t want to go behind his back.
“You need to pack your shit and get out of town.” His words come as a total shock, and he doesn’t even have the decency to turn around and look at me.
“What… why?”
“I don’t need to give you a fucking reason. I want you gone.” Dec cracks his knuckles before he takes a seat behind his desk.
“I ain’t leaving until you tell me why.” I stand firm, all this has come out of nowhere. Last night, I was drinking with this man and he was telling me how well I was doing.
“Who do you think you’re talking to? This ismytown and when I tell you you’re leaving it, you pack up and ship out.” At least he’s looking at me now, even if he is scowling a warning.
“I want a reason.” I hold my ground, I’m not going anywhere, not unless she’s coming with me.
“Ok, I’ll give you one. If you don’t leave I’m gonna make sure the police find out exactly what happened to Dane Brightman.
You can either leave here on that bike you built or leave in a police car. You think your parents are ashamed of you now? Imagine how they’re gonna feel when they know they got a cold-blooded killer for a son.”
“That’s not how it was and you know it. Don’t fucking use that against me, there’s not a man in this club who hasn’t taken a life.”
“You’re right, but there’s a difference between you and them. They’re in and you’re not. I want you gone by three pm, and I’ll be watching. If I catch you within smelling distance of my sister, I swear to god I’ll kill you.”
“You’re making a mistake. You think she doesn’t know what’s going on.
I may not know your logic behind it, but we both know she’s gonna get hurt. Skinner ain’t the man for her.”
“And you’re telling me that you are?” Declan’s looking at me the same way my father did when I told him I didn’t want to be a doctor. I got no words because I can’t let them down any more than I already have. And I can’t protect Mia from behind bars.
“Get out of my town.” Declan nods his head at the door to dismiss me.
“I really hope this club is worth it because one day it’s all you’re gonna have.” I leave him on that, walking out and slamming the door behind me.
As I walk across the street to my motel room, I think about stepping into the bar where Skinner’s took her for lunch. I want to tell her that I love her, I want to beg her to come with me. But I’ve learned in the short time I’ve been here, that Declan is a man who doesn’t bluff.
Throwing the little I have into my holdall, I head straight for the garage and stare at the bike I built.
I didn’t build it just to get into the club, I built it for us. Mia told me how much she wanted to ride, and we were supposed to do it together.
I grab the phone pad and a pen and scribble her a note, then ripping it from the pad I take the keys to the bike and shove them both in an envelope.
I leave the garage and head to where my car is parked around the back of the motel. I got one last stop to make before I head out of town.
“What’s the big emergency?” I ask Beth when I walk through her front door. Her calling may have gotten me out of a spot with Skinner, but I can tell from the look on her face that something’s wrong.
“Jamie left town. I don’t know why, or what happened. But, he asked me to give you this.” She slides an envelope across the table and I try not to let what she’s just told me affect me as I rip it open and find a set of keys and a note.
Mia,
Sorry I had to leave, I’m even sorrier I couldn’t say goodbye.
The bike is yours, I won’t be needing it anymore.
