by Lexy Timms
“Most of the blood will be yours.” Nate shook his head. “Don’t be foolish, Morgan.”
“Nobody said I was the smartest guy.” He tossed back the rest of his drink and took a step closer to Nate. “I’m not giving you either of them.”
“Have it your way. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, “Here’s my proposition gents: I can take your brother for the debt he owes—and it was him that came to me without your dumbass fearless leader’s permission to do it—or I can take the rich bitch here.” He looked around the room. “What’s it going to be?”
His back was to her. Katie grabbed the gun and would have pressed it against the base of Nate’s neck, but Morgan’s hand stopped hers. He covered his hand on hers and didn’t let her pick it up. He shook his head, his face grave. Something big was going down and she didn’t know the rules. However, she was not going with Nate. No freakin’ way!
Craig pushed his way to the front, his face scarlet with rage. “Take the bitch,” he said angrily. “Bros before hoes.”
“No,” Morgan warned softly. “Tell me something, Craig, how did you let them get the jump on you?”
Craig swung around. “What the hell do you mean?”
“Just what I said.” Morgan took the rifle from Katie and walked toward Craig, aiming it at his chest. “You lost a big shipment six months ago and we covered your debt. A street gang got onto you, remember? We took the fight to them even when they said they’d paid. We took your word for it. How did they get the dope from you, Craig? How’d they know you’d be out there, all alone?” His finger pressed against the trigger.
Katie cringed and looked away. The fearlessness she had felt moments ago disappeared. She did not want to be here. Not for a second longer.
Craig laughed. “Seriously man? You’re going to sell me down the river for her?”
“She doesn’t have anything to do with this shit. She walked in on your mess. We all did. What the fuck happened? You have some kind of deal? With Hades’ himself?”
“I don’t know what you are talking about!”
Morgan frowned but didn’t lower his gun. “Explain how you lost that last shipment but somehow can afford a new custom bike!” he yelled. “Explain to me how the fuck it is you knew exactly where the dope and money was at the house you took me to. Anyone would have taken the shit with them, left the bodies, but took the shit and money. If I had killed for it, I’d not left without it.”
Katie tried putting two and two together. The dog had been rescued from that house. Was Craig with Penny? No, that was wrong. Clive was the vet with Penny? This guy, Craig, was hiding something, that was obvious. What he was hiding was the million-dollar question.
Craig pointed at her. “You heard what she said, her old man has something to do with this.”
“I said he might have,” she blurted out. “He’s not involved.”
“How do you know, bitch?” Craig hissed at her and shut up when Morgan raised the gun again.
“Maybe he did. But I think maybe he had some help.” Morgan took a step closer to Craig. “This bar’s on his list too. Ironically, not too long ago you were telling me that you thought we should pull up stakes and sell this place.”
Katie backed up. Jack tapped her shoulder. She turned her head and he winked at her. He held out a glass with a scant finger of whiskey, and a single, slim twist of lemon placed neatly on the lip. He nodded and then directed his gaze back toward the two men facing each other.
Craig looked around and threw his hands in the air. “You guys feel the same way? I say hand over that chick…”
Clive stepped forward. “Answer the questions Craig. It ain’t just Morgan asking.”
Craig said, “What? Bros before hoes, man.”
More men stepped up. Jack crossed his arms and leaned back against the bar. “You playing for the wrong side, man? You selling us out for a little cash?”
“You’re my brothers!” Craig shouted.
“But are you ours?” Morgan asked as he lowered the gun. He didn’t need a bullet with a room full of angry men.
“Yes! Dammit Morgan, yes!” Craig yelled and stomped his foot. He looked terrified.
Katie didn’t blame him for being afraid. She didn’t have to ask what would happen if Nate took him. She didn’t like the guy, but she didn’t want to see him killed. She stepped forward. “What if he admits what he did and makes restitution?”
Clive looked over at her. “Not your issue Miss, respectfully.”
She stepped forward. “Well, since he’s trying to trade me off instead of himself, I have to respectfully disagree, sir.”
Laughter rang out and it was not just the Orphans laughing, it was OutKasts as well. She cleared her throat. Someone slapped Clive on the back. “Sir? Shit, I’ve heard you called a lot of things, Clive, sir’s never been one of them.”
Katie ignored the laughter. She’d been in a room full of pig-headed chauvinistic businessmen, this wasn’t that different. “If he admits what he did, and you get your money Nate, is that good enough?” She looked at Nate, taking pride that she had shocked him. “You let Morgan decide what happens to Craig. You and your guys could ride away from here with no harm and no foul.”
Nate said, “You got a sister?”
She stared at him, puzzled. “No, why?” What the hell? Was he joking with her? Motorcycle gangs were nuts.
“Too bad. You ever decide you’re sick of Morgan, you come see me.”
“Uh… I don’t think so, but thanks anyway.”
More laughter erupted around them, and it grew louder. Katie looked around the bar. She didn’t understand these men, or the women that rose with them either, but she had somehow managed to calm them and maybe settle an argument that would result in someone dying.
Morgan came up beside her. “I can live with that if you can, Nate. But, if you can’t, I don’t know what to tell you. I’m not giving you either of them. I can assure you that if I find Craig’s been double dipping then it is up to me to deal with my guy, not you. He’s an Orphan, not an OutKast.”
There was a murmur of assent.
Nate shook his head. “This is fucked! I ain’t leaving here until I know how I got caught in this squeeze play.” He looked at Craig. So did everyone else in the room.
Craig didn’t say anything.
Morgan sighed. “Don’t make me take you to the circle Craig. I don’t want to beat it out of you. You’re out of options. Did you set this shit up?”
Craig threw his hands in the air. “Fuck yeah, I did! But it wasn’t my fault, Morgan!” He jabbed a finger in Morgan’s direction. “You bought this damn bar when you became prez. All of a sudden you didn’t care about the money we could make anymore. You dropped the dope trade.” He spun around the room. “Most of you guys got a job or an old lady with a job or something. Me? I got nothing but you guys, and all of a sudden I was just hanging ass out to the wind, and nobody seemed to care that the money was running downhill and not touching any of us anymore.”
“It’s not anyone’s fault, but your own, Craig. You got greedy. No matter how you felt about what was happening with money you could have come and talked to us, to me. We are brothers. Not a bunch of OutKasts.” Morgan shrugged at Nate. “No offense, man.”
Craig clearly disagreed. “Whatever man! You stopped listening a long time ago.”
Morgan shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. You don’t make your crew responsible for your shit. Ever. We rode for you, man. We could all get our asses handed to us in a sling if we get looked at for being in that house. If it was somehow tied into some big money project you can bet the men who did it have enough cash to stay out of jail. We don’t. You screwed us, Craig. Now you have to walk.”
Craig’s eyebrows shot up. He stared at Morgan in disbelief. “You’re exiling me? You’re putting me in the wind, Morgan? I helped start this club!”
“Walk,” Morgan said evenly but Katie saw the sorrow on his face. S
he read it in his body language too. He was doing something so hard it was twisting him up inside but he had to do it anyway. “I mean it, Craig. Walk out of here or we’ll carry you out.”
Craig looked from face to face. Nobody looked away from him. Nobody made a move toward him either. He spoke again, and his voice held a break that made Katie’s heart catch. “Keep the sunny side up, Morgan.”
Morgan didn’t say anything.
Nobody did.
Craig walked.
Katie stared into the depths of her drink. Her thoughts twisted and chaotic. What would happen if she ever made Morgan angry? Would he send her away like he had just sent Craig away? He had cut her off earlier, and without a qualm. He’d been happy to see her when she had shown up, but did that mean he would let her stay? She didn’t know, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answers to those questions either.
CHAPTER 12
Nate cleared his throat. “This is all sweet and shit, but enough. Where’s my money?”
Morgan sighed. “You’ll get it in three hours.”
Nate glanced at Katie before turning back to Morgan. “You’d better have that timing right brother.”
Morgan met his eyes steadily. “I do.”
Nate hitched his pants and motioned to his club members. “I think me and my boys have a little business to deal with.”
“It better not have anything to do with Craig.” Morgan tapped the barrel of the rifle he still held.
Nate shrugged, clearly unconcerned by the gun. “Would it be so bad if it did?”
“We agreed he could walk clean,” Morgan said. “Let him walk.”
Nate shook his head. “Your call, but I’d be doing you a favor. Guys like that always come back pissed off.”
“I know. When he does I’ll be waiting for him,” Morgan said.
Nate pointed to the door and his crew began filing out. He turned to Katie and grabbed her hand, kissing her knuckles. “I’ll be seeing you around, babe.” He winked. “Maybe in my dreams, but fuck, you’ll be there.”
Katie pulled her hand back and slapped him. “Drive careful.” She took pleasure in the angry red print already showing on Nate’s cheek. He grinned and nodded at Morgan before leaving.
She sagged against the bar with relief when she heard the motorbikes rumble away. She lifted the drink to her mouth and sipped it carefully.
Morgan took her by one arm and said, “You, in the office, now. The rest of you, figure up what we have and get it in here.”
Katie was propelled across the floor so fast she didn’t have time to protest. Morgan closed the door to the office and looked down at the drink she held. “Fuck! It looks like Jack likes you now too.”
Her heart hurt. So did her throat, now almost painfully tight. “Do you?”
He stared at her, his facial expression giving nothing away. “Tell me why the hell you lied to me.”
“Because I didn’t know you. You lied to me as well.” She pressed her lips tight. This wasn’t about he said, she said. She didn’t want to fight him. She let out a shaky breath. “I was taught to lie. I was raised to believe my safety would be compromised at any time. Even in college I had to worry something bad might happen. I went to Yale for shit’s sake, where a lot of rich kids go, and even there I was constantly being reminded of how dangerous my last name and my family’s money could be. I didn’t know you, and once I did, I was scared you’d be like everyone else and only be interested in me for my money.”
“That’s not very flattering. About me, I mean. Your parents were afraid you’d get kidnapped and held for ransom because of what happened to your brother I take it.”
Her eyes filled and she blinked the wetness away. That was old news. It had happened before she had even been born. She’d never known her brother, she only knew that when he was five he had been taken and held for ransom. He had been returned, but he’d been left in the cold, in a park, at night. He’d died of exposure before he could be found. Nobody had ever told her she had been a poor substitute for him either—but she knew it anyway. “It changed my mother. She was…and still is, an alcoholic. She’s also in and out of very discreet institutions. My father wanted another child. She didn’t. Not after that. I was born to a surrogate. She refused to carry me. He hoped for a boy but he got me instead.
“He groomed me to take over the company and I went along with all of that but…but I never wanted to be there. Then I met you. I walked out on everything. On my job, the apartment, my life. Everything. I didn’t even take the car. I have no idea what I’m going to do, or how. I didn’t even think about it. I just knew I didn’t want to be there, living that life anymore. So I left and I came here. I don’t know what that tells you, if anything. I don’t know if you want me. I don’t know if…”
He crossed the distance between them and took her into his arms. “I want you. But Katie, look around. I don’t just ride for fun or pleasure. I’m not a bad boy you date to get back at daddy. This is who I am. I can’t guarantee you won’t get mixed up in more shit somewhere down the road.”
“I don’t care,” she said fiercely. “I don’t give a crap about any of it. I just care that I get to be with you.”
His heart beat rapidly against her cheek. “Katie, think carefully about what you’re saying.”
“I feel more alive when I’m with you than any other time.” She stepped back and looked him in his eyes. “I know what I want.”
Morgan ran his fingers through his hair. “I… We… You need to sit down and think about what you’re saying. Take the time to make sure. This isn’t a heat of the moment decision. You have so much riding on everything you do. Please. Just think about it.” Someone knocked on the door but didn’t open it. “I have to go right now. I have to cull money from some really shady places. I have to handle a lot of bad shit and I don’t want you mixed up in it.”
“I can give you the money…”
“No, you can’t! See, right now, you’re asking me to break a code. You’re asking me to let you do something that is mine to do. I’m the leader of this club. That means I have to take care of this. You can’t be here right now, not because I don’t think you can handle yourself—you’ve proven you can.” He started to laugh. “I should’ve gone out just to watch that OutKast get on his bike and ride with a bullet hole in his butt.”
She chuckled. “That might have been fun.”
He nodded and his face sobered. “I have to take care of things. You go back to your pent—wait…you left your apartment?”
“I quit my job. Everything.” The realization of everything seemed on the verge of settling in. She fought the fear and pushed her shoulders back. “I’m at the Earl and Spencer hotel down the street. Room 1502.”
“I’ll come there. Soon. I promise. Right now I need you to go. Will you do that for me?”
She nodded, suddenly scared to speak. The danger of the situation frightened her in a way she had never been scared. She didn’t want to lose him.
He released her then kissed her, softly. “I’ll see you soon.” He walked her to the door.
Katie stared at him, wanting to say something but all she could do was whisper, “I’ll see you soon.”
CHAPTER 13
Morgan watched her go and slowly turned away. He had shitty things to do to rake the money Craig had lost. Or stolen. Now he didn’t know. He didn’t want to think about Craig, or the whole mess he had gotten them into, or how close he had come to having to choose between Craig and Katie.
He would have chosen her if it had gone the other way. He would have, and it would have been the end of the club. Some would have understood, but it would not have changed things. It was brothers before women, always.
He hadn’t had to choose, and she had helped to make sure he didn’t have to. He was deeply grateful but he knew this wasn’t over. Not by a long shot. It wouldn’t be over until he had the last of the cash he needed to appease Nate and the guys in his crew. No matter what, Craig had ridden in his
club, and one man’s mistake was everyone’s mess. He would fix it—they would fix it, then move on.
And he could go to Katie.
His mouth curved up in a smile. He was going to see Katie tonight. That was what mattered to him more than anything. She mattered to him. He was fucking falling for her.
**
Katie walked the hotel floor the rest of the day and into the evening. Where was Morgan? Was he okay? Her thoughts kept going to the guns and the way he and the others had used them so casually. How they had gone from trying to kill each other to sitting down and having an almost normal conversation. All because of a damn code Morgan was always talking about. If she wanted to be with him, she knew she would have to get used to it, and some other things too.
But he was worth it.
She stopped pacing and sat at the desk, snatching a hotel pen and a piece of paper from the drawer. The classy hotel was posh, lower than her father would ever stay at, but still posh. She needed to make a list. It was a good distraction. There were a lot of things she would have to learn how to do, like buy a house, manage her finances, speak to a lawyer regarding her parents and her money. Maybe an accountant or financial adviser would be better. Someone who didn’t work for her father.
She made another column on the paper. This list was more personal. She had to learn how to speak up about what she wanted to do, and what she didn’t. She had to figure out what made her happy. Her future was her choice. Her career included. She wanted to do something she was passionate about.
She told her dad she wanted to be an artist. It was a heat of the moment comment, now she wasn’t so sure. She could paint and she liked art, but was she passionate about it? It just seemed if she felt that way, she would have been willing to fight harder for it when she was in university.
She understood passion. She knew the feeling now without a doubt. There was one thing she was willing to fight for. Morgan.
