It was creepy, for sure, but it didn’t explain the level of animosity Ace was displaying for Pyro. “What else?”
“He talks shit about her all the time. How she’s an uppity bitch and how she sucker punched him, and that’s the only reason she got the drop on him. I don’t know who he thinks he’s foolin’, though. The whole damn club saw her lay him out.”
I didn’t have time for this shit.“Okay, so he perved on her panties once, and he’s running his mouth. It’s Pyro; the man loves to hear himself speak, and he’s an ass to everyone. That girl doesn’t need anyone sticking up for her. She can stick up for herself. Are you seriously this pissed over some schoolyard meanie bullshit?”
“Meanie bullshit? Yesterday, he cornered her in the kitchen. Didn’t know I was working in the garden bed below the open window. He told her it wouldn’t be long before she was tossed out on her ass, and as soon as she was, he was comin’ for her. Told her he was gonna pay her back for humiliating him. He was gonna…use her. Do…things.” Ace, a war veteran and MC soldier, paled, remembering whatever threats Pyro issued toher. “The things he said… they were completelyfucked up, Priest. He said she was just askin’ for it with that smart mouth of hers, and one day he was gonna be able to do everything he wanted, and no one was gonna give enough of a shit about her to stop him.”
I looked at Bones, who was grinding his jaw. We had no illusions about who we were as individuals and as a club. We all had blood on our hands; we all were on the wrong side of the law and operated on the fringes. We did have standards, though—lines we had to draw. The Crows operated within their own moral code, and one of the most absolute laws we had within the club wasno rape. My grandpop Gavin was one of the OG founders of Los Cuervos and insisted that all Crows abide by this rule. My dad explained once that Gavin was raised by his mother, a victim of sexual assault, and the trauma she lived with changed him. He couldn’t abide a rapist, and he passed that conviction down to the next generation and the next after that.
No one should ever take what should only be freely given, and with our lifestyle Los Cuervos had never experienced a shortage of willingwomen looking for some fun. The fact of the matter was, if Duke found out any of the Crows had raped someone, it resulted in an expulsion from the club and an act of club justice. Duke was a firm believer in an eye for an eye even before Ellis’s loss. He’d go fucking Old Testament wrath on anyone he caught forcing themselves on someone.
The single time a Los Cuervos member assaulted a girl from Sagebrush, and she ended up committing suicide afterward… Gavin’s punishment was so vicious it served as a macabre warning for any other brother who might consider rape in the future. Once Gavin discovered what had occurred and knew that one of his very own had committed such a brutal act, he executed the offending brother himself. His name was struck from our ranks, and what was left of him was fed to the hogs kept by our New Mexico chapter.
“What did chica loca have to say about his threats?” Bones asked. “She doesn’t walk around the club like she’s scared of him or feeling threatened. Girl has given every indication she’s happy here so far.” I nodded my agreement. I didn’t spend as much time with her as Bones, Cricket, and Lennon did, but I do watch her obsessively, and I never noticed Pyro making her appear uncomfortable.
Ace chuckled. “I like her, that girl. She’s a firecracker. Don’t take no shit, especially off Pyro’s stupid ass.” Ace sneered. “She can handle herself. I ain’t worried about her. Pyro tries anything, I’m confident she can handle it. My point is, it shouldn’t get to that point. It’s not the LC way.”
I nodded, agreeing that we didn’t condone rape at all. “That’s true, and we can have a discussion with Pyro about his attitude and threats. I can’t punish him for something he hasn’t done, though. Until he touches her against her will, my hands are tied.”
“I get that, Priest. Just wanted you and Bones to be aware of the situation. I wonder if that little girl’s brought out Pyro’s true colors. If you’d asked me six months ago if any Crow would threaten to rape someone, I’d call ’em crazy. After hearing Pyro, though…it just didn’t sit right with me.” No, it didn’t sit well with Bones and me either.
“Thanks, Ace,” Bones said, “we’ll keep an eye on Pyro. Priest and I are gonna be heading into Reno tonight, so we’re gonna grab a bite at the bar before we go.”
Ace stood and patted me on the back as he strode toward the exit, not one for socializing after church. Bones and I abandoned the booth and headed toward the bar where Prospect had our burgers waiting.
“Here you go, VP. No tomatoes.” Prospect slid my burger over and handed Bones his plate. I curled my lip at the tomatoes and sunny-side up egg on Bones’s burger. He took a huge bite and had egg yolk and tomato juice dribbling onto his chin as he chewed. I mimed gagging—burgers shouldn’tdriplike that. Bones grinned and chewed obnoxiously, knowing how picky I was about my burgers. Prospect reached for the scotch to pour me a drink, but I waved him off.
“Water for me. I already had a few in my office, and we need to hit the road in a bit.” Prospect handed Bones and me bottles of water and walked down the bar to see if any of the club girls needed a refill. We were halfway through our burgers when the music playing on the Bluetooth jukebox suddenly cut off.
“Attention, please!” Lennon’s voice rang through the club from her position at the top of the stairs. “You all may have gotten to know our guest, Girl, in the past few weeks.” Lennon sauntered down the stairs, looking dressed to kill in a teeny-tiny dress for a night at the club. “Well, she’s turning over a new leaf and embracing her new life. Indigo is making her debut, so let’s give her a Crow’s welcome!” Lennon hit a button on her phone, and suddenly, “Rhapsody in Pink” by Stella Cole blared from the speakers. All eyes were on the staircase as the girl started down the steps. She wore the same chunky boots she always wore, with fishnet tights and high-waisted booty shorts that would make Daisy Duke jealous. Her little crop top hugged her tits perfectly and showed off a sliver of her pale stomach. My eyes widened when my perusal arrived at her shoulders, which were engulfed by indigo-colored waves. Fingers of blue and violet played peek-a-boo toward the crown of her head, which remained the ash blond it always was. Her luscious pink lips curved into a deliciously deviant smile as she got to the bottom of the staircase and gave a little spin and a curtsy.
Wolf whistles and catcalls started ringing through the club. Bard was standing on his damn chair and clapping for her like a dumbass. Cricket stepped forward to engulf her in a hug, and when he swung her around, she let out a cute little giggle that got on my last nerve. At my side,Bones frowned in Lennon’s general direction, which was his default setting whenever Lennon was around. She glared right back and motioned for Bones to come greetIndigolike she had undergone some sort of metamorphosis instead of a dye job. Bones and I walked across the room, and he paid her some kind of compliment that made her face light up.
Well, we couldn’t have that.
“Where are you two going dressed likethat?” I took my time dragging my eyes from her toes to her face, letting my thoughts on her whole biker slut outfit apparent. I did the same to Lennon, raising my eyebrow at the dress that showed far too much T&A.
“You can take that misogynistic bullshit and shove it right up your ass, Priest. What we wear and where we go is none of your business.” Lennon sneered. Hmm, seemed like our homeless freeloader encouraged Lennon’s inner brat to come out and play.
“Duke saidsheisn’t to go anywhere unaccompanied by a brother. So I’ll ask nicely one more time, where are you going dressed like hookers?”
Lennon had the audacity to look atherbefore they both rolled their eyes. My molars would be ground to dust if I had to put up with their bratty behavior for one more minute.
Sensing my patience was reaching its limit, Indigo put her small hand on my forearm. Her hand was pleasantly cool on my skin, and if it belonged to anyone else, it might have had a calming effect. The opposite was true; her touch made me feel even more agitated than I already was, and it pissed me off that she had any effect on me at all.“Calm down, Growly Gus, we’re just going dancing at a club Lennon knows of in Reno. As for an escort…”
Indigo looked around the room until her eyes caught on Cricket standing by the bar talking to Thor. She gave a loud whistle, catching Cricket’s attention. “Hey, conscience, your services are required! Lennon and I are in need of a squire to take us around town. You in?” Cricket, the damn pain in my ass, pretended to consider it before he winked at her and said, “Whatever milady requires, she shall have!” Oh, for fuck’s sake. Bones and I must both look like we had sucked on alemon because smug giggles from Lennon and Indigo signified that they were, in fact, going out whether we liked it or not.
Cricket and Thor ambled over, and Cricket threw an arm over Indigo’s shoulders. My eyes narrowed as I caught the familiar gesture, and it made me wonder exactly howclosethe two of them had gotten. A feeling that certainlywas notjealousy swelled in my chest. The idea of any of my brothers getting snared in her web caused my jaw to clench and my molars to grind. I’d need a fucking mouthguard if she didn’t get out of my town soon.
Thor approached with his signature golden retriever energy and asked, “Mind if I tag along?”The girl…Indigo…her face lit up like the Fourth of July at his question.
“Sure! The more the merrier, big guy. Will you be our DD? Lennon and I pre-gamed,” Indigo explained to Cricket’s mock dismay, “and really if you’re going to be wielding that heavy equipment in your pants, you should stay sober. It’s the responsible thing to do.”
She solemnly nodded along to her statement while Cricket and Lennon tried their best to hold in a torrent of laughter. Thor looked smug as hell before Bones asked, “Heavy equipment, chica loca?”
“His hammer, duh.” Indigo rolled her eyes like we were being especially obtuse, and that seemed to be the straw that broke the camel’s back because Lennon, Cricket, and Thor all dissolved into a fit of laughter while Indigo watched them in confused bemusement. Even Bones chuckled a bit, but I wasn’t fuckin’ amused.
“Ohmigod, Indi, you’re the best.” Lennon linked arms withherand headed to the door, both cackling like witches. Before Thor and Cricket could follow, I held my hand up, stopping them.
