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“I’m sending War over. Come back to the compound, make sure Rose is with you. Charli and Willow are around and will keep her busy while we meet.”
“They want Rose.”
“They want a war, we’ll give it to them,” Guard responds.
SIX
Yours and Ours
THUNDER
Rosie isn’t happy knowing that we’re heading to the club instead of the shop. She wants to get Petals up and running again as quickly as possible.
Risk overhears her and calms her fears. “My crew is already on the job. The place will be cleaned up by end of day, and I’m going over later on to make a list of what we need to get it back to its former state, sparkling lights and all.”
“I should be helping,” Rosie counters. “You’re all working, and I’m doing nothing.”
“It’s easier if the place is empty for us to work,” Risk says with complete honesty.
Charli offers a way to keep her busy. “Let’s make a list of the stock you need to replace. We can get that on order today and be ready to go when Risk and his team is done.”
Rosie seems satisfied with that plan. “That’s true. I’m going to be spending long nights getting floral arrangements together. I just hope I haven’t lost the interest of my regulars.” She sighs. I leave her in good hands with Willow and Charli. Both women have been instructed that Rose isn’t allowed to leave without me.
What most MCs call “church,” which is an official meeting of the members, we call the “round table,” like in the knights’ tales. It started off as a joke, but it makes sense for our club. We ride free and live free, but we’re not out to hurt others. We’re actually well-liked by the people in this town. The town of Bournham was dying. All the viable businesses were shutting down and the young people were leaving for greener pastures. Guard started off with a parts store, and we’ve expanded to include a ton more resources, which meant jobs for the town.
The club is growing too, and we’re going to need to expand this room if we keep adding new members. It’s standing room only, with the original members sitting at the table. War, Orion, and Demon are among them, and of course, Guard, who stands, waving me forward.
“Floor belongs to Thunder. Go ahead, brother,” he says.
I look around the room, but before I can speak, Demon says, “Whatever you need, I’m in.” I smile at the depth of his loyalty, and the room erupts with the same message. I wait for the clamor to subside before I say my piece.
“I appreciate it. But I think you need to have all the information first. Then if you still want to help—”
“We’re in, man,” War says. I look at the mighty warrior. There’s no other way to describe him. He’s big and he’s a mean motherfucker if you cross him.
“All right. Rosie is the sister of a woman I dated way back. Clarissa was a lot older than Rose, and when I met her, she was full of life and a lot of fun. She was also a great liar, and she knew how to hide her shit. I found out she was a junkie. Her parents were out of their minds with worry. Together, we put her into rehab over and over again. One night, she fucked me over, stole from me, and took off. I lost my shit on Rose and her family before leaving town. I thought that was it.”
“What about Rose?” Risk asks.
“She was too young back then. Did I feel something for her? Yeah, but it felt wrong. Especially having been with Clarissa.”
“What the fuck is happening now?” Saint asks.
“They’re together,” Hammer says.
“The night I saw Rose again, I knew I was fighting a losing battle. It seems that she’s thought about me the same way I did her. We’re still figuring it out, but I want to make her my old lady,” I say.
“And the shop?” Risk asks.
“That’s where this gets messy. Clarissa died of a drug overdose six months after I left. Then, Rose and her family were shaken down for money that Clarissa owed. It got to the point that Erik, Rose’s father, had to move the family back to Nebraska. I think what happened last night involves the same group of men that Clarissa was involved in. The message on the wall indicates that’s the case. And this morning, there was a red Corvette waiting for us, and then at the diner, another car had eyes on us. None of this feels right.”
“Does Rose know who they are?” Steady asks.
“Nah, the last time they came to her, she was in college and her father got her the hell out of there. I’m going to call Erik myself and see if he has anything else for me.”
“So, these guys are shaking down a woman who had nothing to do with her sister’s crap? That’s cold,” Wildcard says. This hits too close to home for him. Charli was basically thrown into a similar situation.
“What’s the plan?” Saint asks.
