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“We’re never ready.” Nobody wants a turf war. Nobody seeks out that pointless bloodshed. “But we’re prepared.”
An opportunistic deal two years back saw the club arsenal filled to capacity. Enough weaponry for every man, woman, and child if it came to that. Fuck knows it almost did in my old man’s time at the head of the table.
“There you are.” Maddie slips through the narrow gap provided by the clubhouse door and marches the long way off the loading dock. “Christ. It’s colder than a witch’s tit out here.” Her tight leather pants leave nothing to the imagination. The cropped top shows far too much mid-section for my liking.
I kick Rigs in the shin.
“Fuck you.” He hisses a breath between his teeth. “Can’t help the fact my eyes work well, can I now?”
“You can fuckin’ choose to put them somewhere else before I do.”
Minion chuckles, gazing firmly at the ground at his feet as he does.
“You ready to tell me why you sent Rae home when she’s got Connor fucking Creed on her ass?” Maddie folds her arms, doing nothing to help the warm-blooded men to her left.
“Rae will be fine.”
“How do you know?” My daughter narrows her eyes, long hair tousled by the breeze.
I grit my teeth and shrug my jacket higher.Fucking fall. “Because I’ve got Graves on his way over to take Digger’s place so your damn uncle can get back here for the vote. You think I’d leave her open like that? Without an eye on her?”
“I still don’t like it.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t like havin’ shit like this sprung on me.” I step closer and tower over my daughter. “Got anythin’ else you want to say in front of everyone?” I grit the last words out, making my point clear.Don’t question me in front of my men.
Maddie’s lips twist, whatever protest she’d already played out in her mind subdued. “Thanks, Daddy,” she drips with saccharine sweetness. Her gaze sweeps across the two men who attempt to look everywhere but at her date night outfit. “You boys decided, then?”
“You’ll hear when it’s official.” I scowl down at the way her pants fight to remain stitched over her ass. “Who the fuck you seein’ anyway, dressed like that?”
“I’ll tell you when it’s official,” she sasses, turning heel and heading back to the warmth and comfort of the clubhouse.
Rigs laughs softly, Minion eyeing him with eyebrows raised.
“Got somethin’ you want to share, asshole?”
The handsome fucker rises from the table and slaps me on the upper arm. “Good luck with that one, Boss.”
I ran out of luck years ago.
All I’ve got left is hard work and sacrifice.
Lots of sacrifice.
6
DIGGER
Mother Nature sinksher fangs in as I stand in the yard, cool night air swirling around my exposed arms, neck, and face. Maybe this’ll be the year I let my hair grow long again. Give me something to cover my neck on the more unforgiving rides.
Hands laced behind my head, I stare up at the stars in the sky and trace the patterns, finding solace in the twinkling little fuckers.
Rae’s place was quiet when I pulled in—too much so. I sat on the roadside, with her silent behind me, and watched the shitty little stairs to her above-garage apartment for an eon before I felt comfortable enough to get off the bike and lead her inside. What I found shouldn’t have surprised me, but the sight shocked me all the same.
A simple setup, no chair or TV. And fuck me—that fold-out table that doubled as a kitchen counter. Her so-called home showed no signs of life other than a sad-looking houseplant perched in the corner of the windowsill, dreaming of a better life outside the glass.
The girl’s a veritable ghost. No hint of family. No indication of history.
Most people move somewhere new and take some of the old with them. A bit of comfort. Familiarity. Whatever Rae shifted away from, I bet she either left in a hurry or didn’t care to have any reminders with her.
