I waited until I was in my car to check my phone, which had been tucked into my back pocket for most of the night. I had two text messages. One from Jason, agreeing that he did owe me a big one for covering for him. The second one was from Blade, and I smiled to myself as I sat there reading it.
Thinking of you tonight, Kitten. I have plans with friends tomorrow. But see you at work Monday.
I typed out a quick response, even though it was late and he’d likely be asleep already.
Thinking of you too. I’ll bring the coffee Monday.
Tacking on a winky face, I pressed send before starting my car. I had nothing planned for tomorrow, so I would probably sleep in and spend the day in my pajamas. This half-formed plan was pushed out of my tired mind when I was about to exit the parking lot. My eyes landed on my dad, stumbling toward his motorcycle.
Oh, hell no.
Changing direction, I pulled up alongside him and rolled down the passenger window.
“Get in,” I said when he blinked at me.
“Nah,” he shook his head. “I’m good.”
“No, you’re really not, and I’m too tired for this shit,” I snapped impatiently. I was already pissed at him, and now he was wasting my time. “Get. In. The. Car.”
“Fine,” he mumbled. “Don’t get your panties in a bunch.”
He opened the passenger door and got into the seat. I crinkled my nose.
“You reek of stale beer,” I complained, turning in the direction of his apartment.
“And you think you don’t?”
He chuckled, and I found myself smiling despite myself.
“Give me a break. I had to deal with assholes all night.”
“Yeah,” he sighed, scrubbing a hand down his face. “I know Snake’s an asshole, but he’s all talk.”
“Well, maybe someone should shut him up.”
I could hear the bitterness in my own voice, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t pretend that he hadn’t hurt my feelings with his indifference.
“Yeah, maybe someone should,” he replied vaguely, turning to look out the window. I clamped down on my disappointment. Mad Dog could call me a part of the family all he wanted, but that didn’t matter. My dad put the club members first.
I pulled up in front of the shitty apartment he lived in, feeling uneasy being on this street at this time of night. It was a rough neighborhood, and hanging out in the open was just asking for trouble. I wasn’t worried about my dad, though. He’d lived here for ten years. This definitely wasn’t the first time he’d stumbled home trashed in the middle of the night.
“Thanks for the ride, Katherine,” he said as he got out of the car.
He was the only one that called me that. Ever since I was a little girl, he’d used my full name. It was something that always gave me a wave of affection for the man, even when it made me feel stupid.
“Goodnight, Dad,” I replied just before he shut the door. I drove away the second he was inside the building, ready for some sleep.
Fourteen
Blade
I walked into the back room at the Blue Dog, surprised by how different it looked when it was full of people. Most of the club had already arrived, and I got a few surprised looks as I took a seat next to Ryder, but no one said anything.
Chels, the only full-time bartender at the Blue Dog, came in with buckets full of ice and bottles of beer. She placed one on each table, and we helped ourselves. The feeling of brotherhood here was evident in the relaxed atmosphere and the small talk that filled the room while we waited. I’d been told that the meetings weren’t always fully attended under the last president, but since Ryder took over a few years ago, nearly everyone showed up.
“Okay, let’s get started,” Ryder said when all the members had arrived. He stood in front of the room with his hand in his pockets. “This meeting was called for one reason. To discuss Luca Bianchi.”
There was murmuring around the room, and I heard someone behind me mutter, “Asshole.”
