by JP Sayle
I could see by Linc’s face what his reply would be before he uttered a word. “Mr. Stone would like to request a ten-minute break,” I stated, before he could say a word.
The threatening sneer aimed at me caused my heart to sink to the floor, but I didn’t back down. With agreement, and a silently seething Linc, we left the room. The busy hall offered no privacy and I sighed as Linc held on to River like a precious gift. Her crestfallen face and sad eyes stabbed at me.
I indicated down the hall to a door that led to a private room lawyers could use to talk to clients during meetings such as the one I’d organized today. “There’s a room right down the hall we can use.” I hoped it was free as I walked off, hoping Linc would follow.
I breathed a little easier when the sound of his booted feet sounded behind me. The moment the door shut behind us, I faced him. The heat of his gaze stole my breath and I struggled to form an apology that would remove the fury I could see and feel in the small room.
“I’m sorry.”
River lifted her arms out toward me before Linc could say a word. “Mason,” her chin wobbled, and I stepped toward her.
My hands shook as I opened my arms, waiting to see if I’d broken the fragile trust Linc had given me not even a week earlier. The seconds that ticked by were never ending, before he finally relinquished his hold and River leaned forward for me to take her.
A wave of dizziness swept over me and I had to lock out my knees to keep standing. I buried my nose in her sweet-smelling hair and I held her to my chest. “I’m so sorry, River. I should never have said those things in front of you.”
Her small hands came up to rub at my cheeks, watching me with eyes far older than her years. “You’s tryin’ to protect my Poppy from the bad people. Sometimes we say and hear things dat hurt.”
Eyes so much like Linc’s turned molten and as she looked over to him. “Don’t be mad at Mason, he’s gonna save ya Poppy by tellin’ da truth. Ya kept secrets from me, and isn’t dis what ya say always happens? Da truth always comes out.” The stern voice coming from a five-year-old made it hard to remember this wasn’t a funny situation.
Raw emotions flitted across Linc’s face as he met my gaze over River’s head. “I don’t need savin’, Spirit, but you’re right, I should have explained everythin’,” he rasped, his voice thick with some unknown emotion I couldn’t fathom.
Not sure I’d been forgiven when he refused to meet my gaze, I checked the time. “We need to go back in.”
“No more speeches,” Linc growled as he took River from me and stalked out of the room.
I caught River’s eye roll before the door shut, and I leaned against the wall, working on steadying myself. Had I fucked any chance up with Linc? You have to close the case first. Then you can beg for forgiveness.
Exiting the room, I walked slap bang into Mr. Winter, Freddy, to his friends. Not that he and I could ever be classed as that. He was a sleaze, and I’d never go out of my way to befriend the prick. His only goal was to make money and it didn’t matter if his clients told the truth or not. His reputation preceded him.
We’d had a few run-ins that left me feeling tainted. To that end, I'd made it my mission to avoid him. The only thing was, he was also gay and had made no bones about how he’d like to bounce on my bone.
His face held an ugly sneer that he probably thought was a come on. “I can now see why you’d be interested in defending Mr. Stone. He’d be a prize in anyone’s trophy cabinet.”
The people roaming the hall around us faded into the background as anger pulsed through my veins. My fists balled at my sides as I took a step closer to him and glowered. “I’d mind your fucking mouth. That man deserves respect, something you know very little about.”
His face showed fear for a second before the sneer was back. “Oh, you’ve got it bad. He must be a good fuck—”
My hand reached out to grab hold of his shirt front and tug him close enough I could smell his stale breath as I shut him down. “If you utter one more word about Mr. Stone, that ten-thousand-dollar smile will be situated somewhere at the back of your head,” I ground out through clenched teeth.
I shook him once, before releasing him to spin around only to be met by Linc and River, who stood not ten feet from me. Both expressions showed they’d not missed the exchange. I sighed when heat spread over my face.
River recovered first. “Dat told him! He’s a nasty man with eyes likes a weasel.”
I choked back my laughter as Mr. Winter stomped off. I paid him no mind when I caught an odd look in Linc’s eyes, and my laughter died. Had I just made things worse between us?
Not wanting to dwell on how I’d been fucking things up, I checked my watch again. “We’d better get back in before they send a search party for us.”
Linc’s brooding gaze lingered for a moment before he nodded, and we all walked back to the door we’d exited ten minutes earlier.
Back in our seats, Judge Rains continued where he’d left off with his questioning. Sweat soaked the back of my shirt by the time we’d finished. The sense that River had swayed the tide grew with every question she answered. Her voice rang with truth. She didn’t falter and kept her story consistent, even when Mr. Winter had tried to trip her up.
At the end of his questions, his face was a mask of frustration, whereas the judge looked more than a little pleased. He’d offered River a warm smile and thanked her for her testimony.
“Dat’s alright, Judge. Poppy says you’s have to tell da truth otherwise nothin’ good happens.” Her brow pinched as she looked between the judge and Mr. Winter. “Will ya make Nola and that nasty man pay for not’s tellin’ the truth?”
The judge choked back a laugh as his face went a little red. His eyes gleamed with amusement before he could pull himself together. “I’ll need to go through all the evidence from today and weigh what action I need to take.” His answer was noncommittal, but River seemed pleased with it, nonetheless.
“Thank you, Judge,” she offered her tiny hand to him and he got up and reached across the table to take it.
“You’re welcome, and it was a pleasure to meet you, River.”
Linc’s brows arched up, and I kept my lips in a straight line, gathering my things after the judge advised we were to return the following day for his verdict.
Outside, dark clouds hung heavy in the sky, threatening a storm after the heat and humidity of the last couple of weeks.
River stood next to Linc, bouncing on the pavement. “Are we’s goin’ for ice cream now, Poppy? Ya promised me.”
Linc gave her the first genuine smile I’d seen all afternoon before he glanced at me. I stilled as he stared at me with the same look he’d given me after I’d chewed out Mr. Winter.
“You wanna come for ice cream?” His voice was gruff and uncertain.
The gaze that held mine for a second revealed vulnerability that left my heart thudding madly against my ribs. I winked at them both. “It just so happens I love ice cream.”
When his shoulders visibly relaxed, the final knots that had formed after my outburst about the allegations, released and, for a moment, I let myself believe that he’d forgiven my fuck up.
Chapter Nineteen
Lincoln
As I walked out of the court building the following day, without the tracker attached to my ankle, I couldn’t help but look at the man who’d worked to make it happen. His hair moved in the fresh breeze the storm had left in its wake as his thoughtful eyes met mine and the air became trapped in my lungs.
I’d not wanted to admit that a part of me had doubted he’d pull this off, yet here I stood on the sidewalk, a free man. The judge had waffled a load of stuff I’d not really listened to until he’d pinned Mr. Winter with a hard stare, advising him that his client could find herself on the wrong side of the law if I chose to press charges against her for false accusations, defamation of character, and a bunch of other crap I wasn’t interested in.
No, she’d be dealt with ju
st like the other treacherous bastards, by the rules of the club. If she wanted to be a prospect, then she’d find out what that could mean to someone like her. As for the other members who’d tried to gain control of the club, it was time to pay them a little visit.
Mason had warned me that Mr. Winter had probably already alerted Nola to what had happened yesterday. I wasn’t worried. There was nothing she could say to Ned that might alert him to what I’d found out.
“Listen, I’ve got to head back to the office…I was…erm wondering…maybe you and River…would like to come over to my parents for another barbecue on Sunday. No pressure,” he finished lamely, his face full of hope he didn’t hide.
The invitation answered a question I’d asked myself last night. Once Mason had done his job, would he wash his hands of me, or still be interested?
I’d heard what he’d said to Winter after I’d come out of the restroom with River, and even with my anger still boiling inside me at his outburst in front of River, I had to recognize that he’d cut the fucker down to size for me.
Had a man ever treated me with real respect that didn’t come with the knowledge of the club and who I was? I couldn’t think of one time, and that right there scared the fuck out of me. This man, I’d somehow known, was different than anyone I’d encountered before. He had a code of ethics that was hard to match.
Could I trust him, not only with me, but River, too? We were a package deal that came with more baggage than most and I wasn’t stupid to assume that just because Mason was attracted to me now, that he’d want more.
He must have taken my silence for refusal when he muttered, “Okay then, well you have my number if there’s—”
“Yes.”
His brows rose. “Yes? Yes to you have my number, or yes to Sunday?” The hope was back on his face and I cursed under my breath, finding myself defenseless against his openness.
“Yes to all of it,” I muttered as a wave of heat coursed through me at the sexy smile that formed on his far too tempting lips.
“You have the address. It kicks off about one. Do you want me to come and pick you and River up? Then you can have a few beers. I can have someone drop you both home when you’re ready to leave.” His sea-green eyes gleamed in the sunlight and I found myself nodding.
I felt more than a little awkward as I stood there, fighting the urge to kiss the smug smile off his lips. “Later,” I muttered, walking away before I gave in to temptation.
Back in the parking lot, I sat astride my Harley, strapping my open face helmet on. I slipped my Oakley’s out of the front of my leather jacket and put them on. Taking several deep breaths, I savored the sense of freedom and the lack of metal around my ankle. The engine throbbed to life as I turned the ignition.
A grin spread over my lips. Time to clean the house.
***
My first stop was the auto shop. The sound of my bike must have alerted Sid because he appeared from inside the large garage as I came to halt on the front drive.
His face was smeared with grease, as was his bald head. His blue overalls weren’t in a much better condition as he strolled toward me, rubbing his hand on a greasy rag. I acknowledged his presence before glancing at the sparkling clean window with a display of bikes. The artwork on the frames and tanks made me itch to get a closer look.
With most of my time taken up with the tattoo shop and club business, I didn’t come to the auto shop often. This was Sid’s baby, and he’d run it for the last ten years. He was always coming up with new ideas to keep the business fresh, and what I was looking at was the latest addition.
Where there had once been corrugated iron, in its place was a large wall of glass. The small part of the shop he’d turned into a showroom had white walls that made the bikes and the artwork stand out. “You clever fuck, that artwork sings against the white.”
I got off my bike and strolled to him, slapping him on the back as he gave me a grin.
“What can I say, I’m a genius.” He glanced over at the window. “I’ve even asked Toad to work on a design for my bike.”
“No fucking way! You’re gonna let someone loose on your hog?” I could hear the disbelief in my voice as my gaze moved from the window back to Sid. “In all the time we’ve been friends, not once have you let anyone touch your bike.”
He shrugged as if it wasn’t a big issue, though I knew it was a huge deal. He’d been known to threaten to kill anyone that breathed anywhere near his bike. “He’s a fucking master, man, what can I say?”
His voice held an awe I wasn’t used to hearing come from him, and my gaze narrowed on him.
“You got a thing for him?” Sid was gay, but it was a touchy subject and one I didn’t often mention for want of not getting a punch in the face.
He stilled before he forcibly appeared to relax his stance. “It’s not up for discussion,” he said, shutting me down, so I let it go.
Instead, I lifted up my jean leg to reveal my ankle. His eyes darkened and a malicious smile formed. The knuckles of the hand holding the rag turned white as he lifted his fist. “It’s time to show them why you’re president.”
My gaze narrowed on the open workshop door behind Sid, and the shadow of a man who wasn’t quick enough to move back before I’d seen him. “Did ya talk to Ram?”
“I did. He’ll keep his mouth shut if he knows what’s good for him. Beau, he’s too full of his own importance to notice anything.” As Sid spoke, he glanced back at the workshop.
“That’ll work in our favor.” He twisted his head to look back at me. “When you wantin’ to set the wheels in motion.” His knuckles cracked.
“Let’s stick to the plan. Now that Mason has managed to work his magic, I don’t wanna end up back inside. Revenge is best served cold,” I ground out, my jaw aching as my teeth clenched. The plan was to wait for the next ride out, which was planned in a month’s time. I’d had Sid reach out on my behalf, so as not to breach the terms of my bail, to an old club member, Rattlesnake.
Quinn, aka Rattlesnake, had originally come from Austin. He’d followed an old flame to Belton, but when they’d split up and he’d lost his job, he’d decided to head back to Austin. I had affiliations with The Chosen Few, a club that was based on the far side of Austin in Round Rock, so I’d spoken to Dog, the president. He’d accepted Rattlesnake as a prospect at the time.
That had been two years ago. Now Rattlesnake was part of Dog’s trusted inner circle. When that had happened earlier this year, Dog had offered me a favor for sending Rattlesnake his way. I’d gotten Sid to call in that favor and it seemed once Sid had laid out what had happened, Dog was only too happy to help.
I rubbed at my bristly jaw. “If everything goes to plan, then the fall out shouldn’t touch the club, or us.”
“I don’t fucking care if it touches me, right now all I want is to make sure that none of those traitors walk, or ride a fucking bike again,” he growled, low and mean.
“Amen to that, but we can’t show our hand right now, got it?”
“Yeah, yeah, that don’t mean I gotta like it.” Red splotches of color appeared over his cheekbones.
I slapped at his arm in a comradely gesture. “Me either, but it will be worth the wait to see that fuckin’ light dawn in their eyes when they receive club justice. Hang on to that. Now let’s get out of this roasting sun and stop wasting good air on those fuckers. Show me those bikes, I’m thinkin’ I might need a new paint job myself.”
He chuckled and I knew he’d let it go for now.
Now I just needed to make sure I kept a lid on my own anger for the next four weeks. I heaved a sigh as I followed him into the workshop, wondering for the first time if club business could fuck up something I’d yet to fully accept—my growing feelings for Mason.
Chapter Twenty
Mason
The sun was already doing its best to melt the asphalt as the heat shimmered and warm air blasted my face through the open window. Stevie Ray Vaughn belted out of the speakers as I
drove from Killeen to Belton to collect Linc and River, nerves making my stomach trip over itself.
I took my eyes off the road for a second to glance down. I swallowed a groan, recalling how many outfits I’d tried on before opting for board shorts and a T-shirt. The hope was that I could talk Linc into my parents’ pool at some point throughout the afternoon. The heat today would warrant cooling off and gave me a perfect excuse to get close to a wet and semi-naked Linc.
Warmth that had nothing to do with the sun spread down my body and I squeezed my butt and shifted. Come on, you’re picking up a child!
That thought did little to help my problem. It had been getting progressively harder to think about anything other than Linc since I’d left him on the court steps. With the last time he’d been in my parents’ home on replay, I stood little chance of keeping hold of the desire.
Did I want to be his bitch? I fully understood what that meant to Linc, but I tended to top in my relationships, not that I’d had one in a while. That being said, I was not averse to letting Linc fuck me. My ass clenched and my dick jerked against the front of my shorts, seemingly happy with the idea. Yet, I knew myself, I’d never be content with that being the only option.
Getting a little ahead of yourself, aren’t you?
You’ve kissed once. Maybe Linc isn’t up for more.
Choosing not to let that depressing thought linger, I hit the gas pedal, focusing on the fact he’d agreed to come to the barbecue. That had to mean something, right?
Oh fuck, stop! You’re acting like a teenager going out on his first date.
The fact I’d thought about little else over the last three days, waiting not so patiently for Sunday to arrive, was a little more needy than I’d like. This was our first real date. Did he see this as a date?
I chewed my lower lip between my teeth. Had I made it clear I saw this as a date? Shit! Did he think this was just a ‘celebration of winning the case’ kind of thing? I cursed long and loud as I hit Belton city limits and followed the signs. Why hadn’t I made it clear?
