I took a swig of beer. “Well, now he’s arrived at the finding out stage. Apparently, he’s been trying to get Ash to talk to him, but she won’t.”
“I saw him tryin’ to engage her at your weddin’,” Atlas informed us. “I also heard her tellin’ him to leave her the fuck alone, or she’d kick him in the balls.”
We all looked at each other, our lips twitching.
“Aislynn’s stubborn,” Callum mused. “She’s also her mother’s daughter. He’s lucky he didn’t get a skillet wrapped around his head.”
“I heard that she ripped half of Saskia’s hair out when she caught them,” Atlas muttered.
Callum shook his head, smiling. “Sounds like Ash.”
“How do you know all this shit, At?” I demanded. “I thought clubhouses were supposed to be sacred places?”
Atlas leaned forward and dropped his voice low. “Between you and me, the Kings of Anarchy have a club whore problem. Frankly, those bitches can’t keep their mouths shut. Also, Saskia’s still friends with Lucy Bloom. They met at Martha’s coffee shop a few days after the big event, and Saskia told her the entire sordid tale. Martha told Ed, and Ed told me. Small-town gossip at its finest.”
“Pagan won’t be happy,” Breaker muttered. “He’s big on loyalty, and he keeps his cards close to his chest. He won’t like Saskia or anyone else broadcasting his business.” He glanced in Pagan’s direction and slowly shook his head. “I never saw him as the cheating type. Known him a long time, and don’t get me wrong, the ladies have always loved him, but he’s not disloyal. Callum’s right; everything he does is calculated.”
“Pagan told me outside that they weren’t exclusive, so he didn’t regard what happened as cheating,” I returned.
Breaker frowned. “It still doesn’t sound like him, and from what I could tell, he liked Aislynn. Why the fuck would he screw her around for the likes of Saskia? It doesn’t add up.”
Atlas let out a snort. “Get a grip, Break. We see it all the time, especially in this lifestyle. Dudes have a good woman at home, but fuck it up for a piece of ass. Betas need their egos stroked, end of story.”
“You’re right, brother,” Breaker agreed. “Except Pagan’s no beta.”
“Well, whatever you put it down to, Pagan’s actions prove he ain’t the man we thought he was, and it’s good to know now rather than later. We’ll bring it up at the next Church. The fucker’s obviously not trustworthy, so we need to limit our interactions.”
“Shame,” Breaker muttered, his stare veering back to Pagan.
Atlas shrugged. “Untrustworthy assholes are everywhere. Talking of which… Donovan, when are we gonna go over to Idaho and kick the fuck out of my sister’s ex-fucknut?”
“Wish it were that easy,” I answered. “If I thought I could get away with it, I would’ve done it back when he defended his piece when she was a bitch to Gabby.”
“He’s always been an entitled motherfucker,” Atlas bit out. “Thought when Ro finally got shot of him that he’d fade into the background. He regrets lettin’ her get away, so I think he does most of his shit to get her attention.”
“I was thinking the same thing,” I concurred. “He seemed to step up his take-Rosie-down campaign when she started seeing me. He can’t fucking stand her being happy with somebody else, and he hates that the kids like me.”
“Thank fuck Colt and Perry are on it,” Atlas said quietly. “It’s the only thing that’s stopped me from drivin’ over there, kidnappin’ his ass, and giving him a good talkin’ to with a gun to his head.”
“Haven’t heard anything from Colt,” I admitted. “I haven’t bugged him ‘cause I know he’s busy with his FBI shit and the Virginia chapter.”
“That’s decent of ya, Donovan. Lucky for you, I don’t give a fuck. I check in with him all the time, and they’re slowly buildin’ a case thanks to DJ’s input. Has Rosie heard from the family court yet?”
I shook my head. “No, brother. Kennedy said it could take weeks to get a date, then we could be waiting months for the hearing.”
“It gives Colt more time to dig at least,” Callum interjected.
“True,” I replied. “I just hate that it’s stressing Rosie out. She’s worried about losing the kids.”
Atlas snorted. “That’ll happen over my dead body. The prick will go sailin’ off the side of a cliff before that happens.”
My mouth curved up. “I like your way of thinking.”
Atlas grinned back at me. “We’ll bide our time but consider it a date.”
Breaker looked between us, grinning. “Check you two future brothers out, bonding over blood and mayhem. It’s enough to warm my cold, dead heart.”
My gaze cut through the room toward the table where my woman sat beside my sister, listening intently to Aislynn’s every word like they were the only two people in the room.
