“You heard me. You wouldn’t be the first woman to use her pussy to get over on a man.”
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I know you warmed his bed last night.”
I open my mouth, and he puts up his hand. “And you’re right, it’s none of my fuckin’ business who Diesel screws unless it blows back on the club. Whatever troubles you got with the cartel are not gonna become the Royal Bastards’ troubles or Diesel’s.” Smoke throws me one more deadly glare. “Just remember, I know everything that goes on at the gym, the garage and The Tropics. Understood?”
He pushes away from the desk and nods toward the door. “And don’t go crying to him either, ‘cause I don’t think you’d like his answer.”
“Don’t worry, I don’t need to go crying to anyone, least of all Diesel. So your boy is perfectly safe.
I spin around and slam my way out of his office.
CHAPTER 18
DIESEL
I replay my conversation with Smoke all the way to the gym, and it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I lied to him about my feelings for Martina, and worse, I lied to myself. After the last few weeks, and then last night, I knew what I wanted, and I knew I wanted to protect Martina and make her mine.
I enter the gym and head for Blood’s office with one thing on my mind. “You got a minute?”
“What’s up?” Blood looks up from the computer monitor on his desk. “You look like shit.”
I drop into the chair facing his desk. “I just had a conversation with Smoke.”
“Yeah?”
“It was mainly about the deal with Benito, but he also asked me about Martina.”
Blood stares at me, waiting for more.
“I gave him a line of shit, how she was just some hot pussy, but that’s wrong.”
“Her pussy ain’t hot?” Blood smirks, a wiseass, as always.
“Shut the fuck up and listen.”
Blood leans over his desk. “You haven’t forgotten I’m your VP, right?”
“Sorry, but this is serious.”
Blood leans back in his chair. “Must be when you can’t take a joke.”
“Look, I don’t know where this thing is goin’ with me and Martina, but I wanna make her mine.”
“And you spoke to her about this?”
“Not yet.” I’m rambling, but I have to get this out.
“Might be a good idea.”
“I plan on it, and I plan on bringing it up at the next church meeting. I just wanted you to know how it is, and I’ll straighten shit out with Smoke later.”
Blood offers me his fist. “Happy for you, brother.” We tap knuckles. “Hope it works out.”
By late afternoon, my nerves are jangling. I can’t keep my eyes off the gym door, and every time it opens, I expect to see Martina—but she never shows.
Maxie gave me Martina’s burner phone number, but it went straight to voicemail. Maybe she is out of minutes. I would take care of that and get her a regular phone. Not knowing where she is and what she is doing is working on my last functioning nerve.
