Nothing else comes through on the phone but the men head out after a few minutes. No one from the other club follows them out which says something about Ragnar. Wonder how many of them he’s holding back. The windows are dark but I see shadows moving. We are being watched.
“Where are we headed?” Whosie asks. I’d almost forgotten he was here.
“Most of us have had a few beers, not enough to worry but if we get pulled over,” Talon mutters.
“Which could happen if they have any sway with the cops,” I sigh.
“It’s that bad?” Quincy asks.
“I have to consider the worst-case scenario.”
The others head to their bikes.
“Fuck. Where the hell is Handlebar, that dick should have never done what he did back there. Who was that all about?” It doesn’t take Talon long to put two and two together. He’s commented on Handlebar and Cassie a couple of times over the last few months. “That was dumb.”
“I don’t need your opinion.”
“Not that I can blame you.”
“Jefferson, where are we going?” I ignore Talon.
“There’s a motel about two miles from here, hour by hour basis. Should do.”
“Don’t want to talk about it huh?” Talon says from beside me.
“Not with him, not with you.” I shove my phone in my pocket. “Let’s get the hell out of here. Hozier can ride to the motel, it’s not far. Whatever is going on with him, I want it dealt with as soon as we’re back.”
Talon gets serious again, forgetting all about what caused this shit to kick off in the first place. But he does notice Handlebar isn’t around and mentions it. “He can find his own way back to Jersey,” he says with a growl.
I pull my phone out again and text the asshole. I’m not going to leave him, but damn if I want to.
Mace:
We’re leaving and not waiting
Everyone gets on their bikes and Jefferson agrees to stay tight to Hozier. It isn’t ideal but we need to get the hell away from this clubhouse.
Just before I mount my bike, Handlebar rides up and positions himself at the back of the group. Everyone looks, but no one says a word.
Talon shakes his head and looks back at the clubhouse. “Doesn’t matter what we do. This shit is never gonna end,” he mutters.
I’m beginning to think he’s right.
Chapter Twelve
Eli (Handlebar)
We’ve been riding for six hours straight. No one wanted to stop on the way back.
The whole run has been a fucking disaster. From the hidden woman, the revelation about the Veil Line and the fuck up at Hamilton.
It’s usually the actual buy that is the tense part of a run. It says something that part of it went off without a hitch.
I’ve been thinking about the Veil Line and Marshall’s sister for most of the ride home. It’s not what I want to focus on, but if I let my head go where it’s fighting to, I’m going to lose my shit and I can’t do that while I’m riding.
The thought of it, of him touching her.
I grit my teeth as we get closer to Stroudsburg. We will pass through there before Sussex and I will have to stop and speak to them. Regardless of my feelings about Mace, he’s still the Prez of this chapter, and I’m not going to be like the men in Hamilton. I can’t ignore that I disrespected him in front of everyone.
