"Don't judge. It's fucking delicious."
"Whiskey for me, thanks." I settle onto his couch, kicking off my boots.
He pours two glasses and hands me one, then sits on the opposite end of the couch. Not crowding me. Interesting.
"So," I say after a sip, "Outlaw Order… You said 8 months, right?"
"Yeah. Knew them about a year before that, though."
"And they're legit? Not just some thugs playing dress-up?"
His eyebrows shoot up. "Why do you care if they're legit?"
I shrug. "Just making sure my friend's little brother isn't mixed up with losers."
"They're family," he says simply, like that explains everything. And in a way, it does. "They took me in when I was spiraling after James got sent up again."
"Spiraling how?"
He takes a long drink before answering. "Let's just say I was on the fast track to joining my brother behind bars."
"And now you're what? Reformed?" I can't keep the skepticism from my voice.
"Fuck no." He grins. "Just smarter about it. The club has rules, structure. Keeps me from doing really stupid shit."
"Like boosting cars from the mayor's fundraiser?"
He winces. "James told you about that?"
"He tells me everything." I lean forward. "Including how he took the rap for you."
"Yeah, well..." He looks away, and I can see the guilt written all over his face. "He's always been looking out for me. Even when I was too stupid to look out for myself."
There's a rawness in his voice that catches me by surprise. For all James's stories about his reckless little brother, he never mentioned this depth of feeling.
"He's proud of you, you know," I say quietly. "Says joining the MC was the best thing you could've done."
Dice looks genuinely surprised. "He said that? In his letters, he always gives me shit about it."
"That's just his way." I finish my whiskey. "He was terrified you'd end up like him."
"Instead I ended up an outlaw biker." Dice laughs, but there's no humor in it. "Not exactly the straight and narrow."
"Better than prison."
"True enough." He refills our glasses. "So, what about you? James says you've been all over. What brings you to our shitty little town? No way it’s just because of James."
"I’m serious. James is getting out. I wanted to be here for it."
"You could've just shown up on release day."
Smart boy. "Could have." I take another sip. "But I like to get the lay of the land before diving in."
"Reconnaissance," he says.
"Exactly."
"And what have you learned so far?"
