“This is why I want you to work together.”
“From what E… Handlebar is saying,” she corrects herself, but neither me nor King missed it. “You’re setting us with an impossible task.”
“I have faith.”
Cassie snorts and King leans back, but he isn’t angry, he’s half smiling back at her.
“What you need,” he says. “Is someone who needs their help.”
“And do you happen to have one of them?” she asks.
“You can’t make someone up to lure them in,” I say, stepping closer to the table. “All due respect, I really do not want to be a part of trying to fool them, Prez. They do a lot of good, and to have them avoid this area because we piss them off could mean the difference between life and death for a woman who needs them.”
Out of the corner of my eye I notice Cassie watching me. She doesn’t say anything but I’m close enough to hear her breath catch at me challenging King. I remain focused on him, conveying I’m serious. I’ll do anything for the club but screwing around with the Veil Line, that’s not something I want to be a part of. They’re too important.
“Thank you, Handlebar, let me talk to Cassie alone.”
He isn’t really asking me if it’s okay, he’s dismissing me. My teeth grind and I make eye contact with her as I start to turn. I can’t read whatever it is she is trying to convey because I’m too angry. I never should have told Mace about the Veil Line. If I asked him not to say anything, he probably would have told me to go to hell.
I can’t help but think I may have fucked things up.
I walk straight through the bar and back out into the night without acknowledging anyone, and head to the garage. It’s dark inside due to being closed and everyone off doing whatever they do with their night.
There has got to be more to this than King is letting on. He isn’t the type to want to dip his hand into something like the Veil Line.
Standing in the dark, I stare out at the compound taking in the buildings, the high wall and security gate that was fitted after the Kingsmen blew up the regular wooden one, killing one of our brothers in the process. That was a dark day, but we got retribution for him. And then some.
Wiping out a whole MC has given us an even stronger reputation.
My mind is whirring with memories of the past and the recent present. The more I think about it, the more I start to doubt what I’m worrying over.
Does King have a real woman he needs saved? Or does he plan on using the Veil Line for his own gains? That doesn’t sit right, King isn’t like that. Officers hold things close to their chest and, a lot of the time, no one knows what King is thinking. He always has a plan, is always ten steps ahead of everyone else.
It feels as if things are changing. Whatever King is up to, he’s involving me. Maybe it’s because of my association with Veil, but it could be more.
People often mistake my laid back, southern charm as uninterested or they think I only want to work on my machinery, doing things for the officers when I’m asked.
What they don’t realize is, King isn’t the only one who sees beyond the surface.
Cassie comes out of the clubhouse around an hour after I left, she steps onto the porch and stares up at the stars, rubbing her forehead like she has a headache. I don’t want to scare her but I’ve been leaning against the wall watching the comings and goings in the shadows.
It’s stupid but I’ve been waiting for her. I’m not sure she wants to see me. King is a lot, I’m only planning to offer a decompress, if she needs it. I’ll back off if she doesn’t.
She startles when I step forward and slaps a hand over her chest. “Jesus, Eli. What are you doing hiding in the dark? You scared the shit out of me.”
“Sorry,” I walk closer.
“Were you waiting for me?”
I shrug. “Thought you might want to talk.”
Her brow furrows, and she sweeps her hair over her shoulder. It takes her moment to gather her thoughts. “Can we get away from here, the smell of cigarettes is gross,” she walks down the steps, avoiding the overflowing ashtray.
It’s late and I’m conscious of her having to get back to Parsippany for work in the morning but she isn’t complaining. The silence isn’t as awkward as I thought it would be but there is still distance between us.
I let her lead and wait for her to break the silence. It’s a surprise when she heads towards the garage. The noise coming from the house may have something to do with that. Following her lead I turn on a couple of lamps rather than the full overhead strip lights, they’d be too jarring at this time of night. Cassie knows her way around here and wanders over to my station.
The Buick is covered, so it doesn’t get damaged but it’s a big car and it’s unusual to see something like this in here. Cassie moves around the hood, looking at it and lifts her head.
