Colt (Desert Sinners MC Book 2)

by Rachel Lyn Adams

  Knowing who she was allowed me to lower my defenses a little. I loved Viking like a father, and I’d heard nothing but good things about Kate. It only seemed right I gave her the benefit of the doubt.

  We chatted for a bit and I was happy to have someone keep me company while I waited for the guys to finish up.

  After about an hour, Kate let out a huge yawn. “Sorry, I’m super tired. I had an early shift at the diner this morning. If I didn’t think Mac would get pissed that I walked home in the dark, I would head back and wait for him there.”

  “You’re dating Mac, this club’s secretary?” I asked, vaguely remembering hearing something about that.

  “Yes,” she answered with a dreamy, far off look on her face. The newness of their relationship was evidenced by her heart-filled eyes.

  I knew Mac in name only and had never officially met him. We had moved long before he started hanging around the club. And, since the Las Vegas chapter covered a large area, north about halfway up to Reno and west out to Los Angeles, they divided up their territory, having members deal with different areas. That way of doing business allowed them to build up contacts and get to know the area. With Mac being a newer officer, he hadn’t yet made a trip to Reno.

  “First MC member you’ve dated?” I asked. She looked vibrant and happy, not like most of the women I was familiar with. The ones who were around long enough to be jaded and bear the scars of a rough life.

  “He is,” she gushed. “I’d never met anyone like him until I came here looking for my father. It turned out to be the best decision I ever made.”

  I was slightly envious of her positive outlook on life. It was doubtful I would ever feel that way about my own decisions.

  2

  Colt

  Viking pounded his gavel on the table, calling our meeting to order. It was a tight fit tonight with us hosting some members from our various chapters. The Desert Sinners were having problems with the Phantoms MC, who seemed to have popped up out of nowhere in recent months. I suggested bringing Ice in to help with the situation since it appeared the Phantoms were making a push north. Viking invited the other chapters to keep all of us on the same page.

  “I was just talking to Ice, and we think the Phantoms are planning to make a move sooner than we expected,” Viking announced to the group once everyone quieted down. The move Viking spoke of was opening a direct route between Mexico and Canada for all of their illegal activities, which included human trafficking, gun-running, and drug dealing. We stayed away from sex trafficking, but we didn’t appreciate them attempting to steal our drug clientele right out from under us.

  All eyes turned toward the visiting president. “We were given some intel that shows they’re currently up north in Idaho, trying to make deals with a couple of other clubs. We think they may be trying to boost their numbers so they can strike when they get back.”

  The idea that they were seeking out reinforcements made the situation more pressing. The Phantoms were a new club, but the rate at which they were growing was alarming. Almost as troubling as their willingness to take us on since we were one of the largest clubs west of the Rockies.

  “Do we have any idea how long they’ll be gone?” I asked.

  We prided ourselves on our excellent intel, but the Phantoms were proving to be difficult to track. We suspected they were receiving financial assistance from someone or multiple people not associated with another club. The question of where the assistance was coming from still needed to be answered.

  “Not yet, but I have a few people I’m talking to. We should know something soon,” Ice informed us.

  “Maybe we need to go to them before they have time to get their shit together,” Wolf suggested.

  I didn’t disagree with him. It felt like we were sitting ducks waiting for them to strike first.

  “We have a better chance of taking them out if we fight them in our territory,” Viking stated. “We don’t know who they’ve managed to align themselves with. At least here at home, we know who we can trust.”

  Viking had a point, but I didn’t like it. Waiting to have someone come after us didn’t sit well with me. We continued to discuss our plans to deal with the Phantoms for the better part of an hour when Ice brought up a good, albeit risky, idea to the table, and now it was up for a vote.

  We needed to set up some surveillance to see where they were getting their funding and backing, and Ice wanted to use a couple of our guys to help get that information. While I was apprehensive about sending our guys away when we were facing a threat here at home, I didn’t have any better ideas.

  “Okay, all in favor of our fact-finding mission,” Viking motioned.

  A round of “ayes” went up around the room. The motion passed unanimously, and Viking adjourned the meeting. I was out of my seat and ready to make my way back to Ember before anyone else got up.

  I’d only seen Ember a handful of times since her dad caught me sneaking out of her room seven years ago. It wasn’t my finest moment, but at twenty-four years old, I’d found it impossible to ignore the red-haired bombshell who had been flirting with me all night. Joker, Ember’s dad and then president, had been adamant that if I wanted to keep my balls intact, whatever occurred that night with his daughter had better been a one-time thing. She planned to go to school, and he didn’t want her settling down until she accomplished her goals.

  Because I knew Joker, I’d taken his threat seriously. After that visit, I’d looked for her when the Reno chapter visited but never saw her again. I figured she’d moved on with someone else. But tonight, I’d immediately noticed she hadn’t been wearing a property patch.

  “Hey, man. You got a second?” Fitz asked as I entered the hallway.

  I let out a groan before turning around, knowing this was going to delay my mission to get back to the party. I didn’t want someone else going after who I was determined to make mine for the night. “Sure. What’s up?”

  “I was going to talk to Viking, but it looks like he’ll be tied up for a while.”

  I looked back in the room as others exited and saw Viking in deep conversation with Mac. He was probably talking to him about Kate’s safety should anything go down over the next few weeks. Never thought I’d see the day Mac was so completely pussy-whipped. And while I gave him shit about it any time I could, I was happy for him. Kate was a good one, and it was apparent she loved him.

  “I want in on the Reno job,” Fitz stated as we started to walk toward the main room.

  Shit. I knew we needed to send a couple of our best guys, but not having Fitz here in Vegas if shit went down could fuck us over.

  “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

  “We owe it to Joker to make sure Ice has our full support.”

  Joker may not have been my biggest fan, but Fitz had always respected him, so I could understand his determination to help out with this situation.

  “We can sit down with Viking tomorrow to work out the details. I’m sure he’ll be on board.”

  “Besides, the scenery up there isn’t so bad,” he added, looking at something in the main room.

  I turned in the same direction to see what he was looking at and saw Ember. Fitz was one of the few who knew my history with her, and I could tell he was enjoying giving me shit. I was about to tell him to fuck off when I saw something that had me grinding my teeth so hard I thought my molars were in danger of cracking.

  Torch sauntered over to Ember and put his arm around her waist. She looked up at him and the intimate and possessive way he was holding her indicated to everyone in the room that this wasn’t a casual interaction.

  “Too bad it looks like she’s already spoken for.” Fitz slapped me on my back and meandered off to join the party.

  I continued to watch Ember. When Torch grabbed her face and kissed her hard on the mouth, I had no doubt she was his regardless of her not wearing a patch.

  Then I remembered traveling to Reno a couple of years ago when Torch married some chic
k who was pregnant with his kid. I hadn’t heard he’d gotten a divorce, and the wedding ring on his finger made it clear Ember was the other woman. Knowing they shamelessly fucked around on the road while his wife stayed home with his kid left a bitter taste in my mouth.

  Most married members of our club didn’t step out on their old ladies unless it was agreed upon by all parties involved, and even then, it wasn’t a typical arrangement. For the sister of the club’s president to be playing the role of a pass around just didn’t seem right and I knew it wouldn’t sit well with a lot of guys here. Ember could have any guy she wanted, but she chose a married man to screw around with. I may have fucked around a lot, but never with someone who was married. Previous experience taught me that you couldn’t trust someone who didn’t honor their wedding vows. And while Torch was the one married, I thought Ember would have more self-respect than hooking up with someone else’s man.

  Since my original plan for tonight was no longer an option, I searched the room for one of my regular hookups. I saw plenty of women I could approach, but none of them compared to Ember. Maybe I just needed more alcohol.

  I shouted over to Zeke for another whiskey while I scanned the room again. I watched as Mac led Kate out the back door, heading back to their house on the other end of the property. Fitz and Wolf were engaged in a physically violent game of pool, and most of the other members were busy either drinking or fucking.

  Not finding anything of interest and needing some air, I stepped out front to have a smoke. The only other people out here were the two prospects monitoring the gate and they were about thirty yards away. I took a moment to enjoy the silence that was difficult for me to find most days.

  At this late hour, the stars and quarter moon were bright, but it competed with the Vegas skyline, which was lit up like a Christmas tree. I leaned against the brick siding, tilted my head back and closed my eyes. Sometimes, I just needed a break from the constant noise and craziness of the parties. I often took part in the crazy, but I liked being by myself just as much.

  As I took a deep drag from my cigarette, the front door opened. I was a few feet from the entrance, so the woman who came out didn’t see me right away. I watched as she walked to one of the bikes and rummaged through the saddlebag looking for something. When she spun around to head back inside, she saw me standing in the shadows.

  “Hey,” she said, her breathy voice just above a whisper.

  Under the porch light, I could see a light blush creep up her cheeks. Everything about her screamed sweet and innocent; she was beautiful, always had been, but my thoughts were interrupted by the vision of Torch with his hands all over her. I’d been fooled by appearances before and had paid the price—still was. And it pissed me off that Ember was standing there, blushing, while I knew the innocent act was nothing but a lie. Then and there, I knew she wasn’t any different than the other women I came into contact with around here. A part of me was disappointed but not surprised. Some club members, like Mac and Viking, got the good ones. And others, like me, got the shit end of the stick.

  “So you and Torch, huh?” I wasn’t going to beat around the bush or give her any reason to think I was still interested despite my conversation with her earlier. “Gotta admit, I didn’t see that one coming.”

  “What?” She seemed confused, but there was no way she could deny what I saw inside just a few minutes ago.

  “You heard me. Didn’t take you for a home-wrecker.” I watched her take a step back, like my words physically hurt her. Maybe she never had anyone call her out on her shit before. She’d always been daddy’s little princess who could do no wrong. It was hard to believe Ice or the rest of the club were okay with it, but each chapter ran things a little differently. I was used to the way Viking ran this club, and it had become my creed, so Ember’s affair with Torch didn’t fly with me.

  Instead of backing down like I assumed she would, she steeled her spine and looked ready for an argument. “Looks can be deceiving.”

  Not wanting to hear her excuses, I stamped out my cigarette and said, “So can whores,” before I headed back inside.

  I woke up to an empty bed and a massive hangover. The sun streaming in through the window was too bright, forcing me to close my eyes again. Only this time, when my eyes were shut, I saw a pair of emerald-colored ones staring back at me, brimming with hurt.

  There was no reason for me to feel guilty for what I said to Ember last night. It was the truth. Still, something didn’t set right with me. But I chalked it up to her being a damn good actress. Plenty of those types around here too. Shaking my head to rid it of the memories of last night and our brief past, I took my time getting ready.

  I walked to the kitchen and was grateful for the breakfast spread put together by some of the women. A cup of coffee and some bacon was just what I needed to get started with my day. I planned on heading over to The Den, a restaurant and bar we owned, for inventory and to check in with our manager, Noah.

  I was pouring my second cup when Viking grasped my shoulder. “We’re going to talk logistics with Reno this morning. Meet us in the back in ten.”

  I finished my coffee and checked emails on my phone, using every second of the ten minutes Viking gave. I wasn’t in any hurry to sit in a room with Torch. My aversion to him pissed me off more than I already was. He was a brother who wore the same patch as I did. There was no reason some chick should get in the middle of that.

  I walked into church and saw that it was only our chapter and Reno present, so the room wasn’t as jam-packed as it was last night. I sat in my usual spot, tapping my lighter on the table. I wanted to get this over with as fast as possible.

  “Hey, man. You look like shit,” Fitz said as he sat down beside me.

  I grumbled at his observation and called him a dick under my breath.

  “Damn, someone’s grumpy. Guessing you didn’t get laid last night.”

  “Fuck off,” I responded, which only confirmed his suspicion.

  The asshole chuckled as the rest of the guys walked in, stopping him from saying anything else that might set me off.

  Once everyone was seated, Viking got right down to business. “Okay, after multiple conversations between the officers, it’s been decided we’re sending Fitz and Hawk up in two weeks. That gives you guys in Reno some time to get things ready before they get there. We’ve got enough shit going on here that I don’t want my guys up there longer than a week. If anything comes up before that, we’ll come up with a new plan.”

  Ice nodded his head. “We’ll be ready. I’m going to put the club on a modified lockdown until we know what we’re dealing with.”

  It was a smart move. If the Phantoms caught wind we were on to them, they might strike before any of us were ready. If they were in Idaho like we believed, then Reno was more vulnerable than we were here in Vegas.

  After the update, most everyone emptied out of the room, either to go back to sleep or get breakfast. Before Ice walked out, Viking took the opportunity to ask him how his family had been holding up since Joker’s death.

  “Mom’s having a hard time. She’s been talking about going to visit her sister in New York. Now might be a good time for her to go. I want to send Phoebe and Ember with her, but I doubt this one will let Ember go,” Ice joked while pointing at Torch.

  I couldn’t control the humorless chuckle that escaped.

  Torch turned his attention to me. “Got a problem?”

  I wanted nothing more than to punch the fucker in his smug face. To be honest, I’d never liked his cocky attitude and it seemed to have gotten worse since he became VP. When Ice had chosen him, I hadn’t fully endorsed it, but the majority had ruled.

  My brain told me to ignore him, but my mouth had other ideas. “I didn’t get a chance to ask you last night, but how’s the wife? She know you’re out here with your side piece?”

  A deep growl from across the table was thrown in my direction, but this time it was from Ice. “That’s my sister you’re talking
about.”

  “I know who the fuck I’m talking about. I’m just surprised you’re letting your married vice president fuck her and parade her around like a whore.”

  Chair legs scraped across the floor as both men jumped to their feet, ready to defend Ember. I stood, ready to throw down if necessary.

  “Knock it the fuck off.” Viking’s voice was calm yet stern. The same way you would expect a father to talk to his rowdy teenagers. We all sat back down begrudgingly and turned to Viking. The glare Viking leveled me with told me I had gone too far. I gave him a curt nod, letting him know my outburst was finished.

  Once we calmed down a bit, we finalized things with Reno. Since we had a firm plan in place, Ice and his crew were going to head back home later this morning. It wasn’t a moment too soon.

  I’d made a promise to myself a year ago that I wouldn’t get twisted up over a woman ever again. I preferred a no-strings approach to sex, and so far, it was working for me. I wasn’t going to allow Ember’s reappearance to fuck with my head. But I couldn’t deny that seeing her again and thinking we could rekindle something, only to see her with Torch, bothered me more than I wanted to admit. Back then, I’d always thought she’d be the kind of old lady who’d make a man proud, not like one of the club girls. I couldn’t have been more wrong, but it was for the best. As soon as she left, I would forget all about her. At least that’s what I told myself.

  3

  Ember

  The last couple of weeks since we left Las Vegas flew by. I was happy to get out of there. Crazy old feelings about Colt continued to resurface, causing me to feel out of sorts. But then I would remember how it felt when he called me a whore. It made me want to tell someone the truth about my situation, but I wouldn’t put anyone at risk just to help save my reputation.

  Now, some of the Vegas guys were on their way up here for a few days on some sort of mission, and I couldn’t seem to get my heart rate under control. What if Colt showed up here? How would I handle him being in my space again? Torch wouldn’t allow me to skip the party since he loved using public events to exhibit his control. Besides, James would expect me to be there.