“Open the door and let the women in with drinks,” Iron Jack says. “We’ll increase our patrols and reconvene when Deity’s enforcer arrives with a plan.”
I glance over at Merrick. This time, he’s looking at me. I know what he’s thinking. This is more than we bargained for.
My time with the Wild Hair just jumped the bookshelf from biker romance to mystery/thriller.
CHAPTER 34
MERRICK
The bar is tense for the next couple of nights. On Monday, Marietta stays behind at the club to help with the women of the Kin, who have decided to stay.
The Wild Hair travel in twos and threes. Iron Jack has his scouts watching everywhere.
By Tuesday, Marietta is feeling cooped up and asks to work the bar. Iron Jack is in talks with the Deity enforcer, so it’s up to Stoney, who is back from the hospital with Carol and the baby.
He shrugs it off, so Marietta puts on her miniskirt and the bandanna top and rides with me to the Leaky Skull.
Diesel opened, and Symphony’s sitting at the bar when we arrive.
Two-Shit and Fancy, who rode over alongside us, decide to stay for a drink.
The bar is quiet in the late afternoon. I pass the Wild Hair their usuals and walk down to where Marietta is talking to Symphony and Diesel.
Symphony’s head snaps up at my arrival. She comes around the bar to hold my arms and look me up and down. “Are you okay? I can’t believe those bikers tried to run you off the road!”
Shit. Marietta must have told her friends. That is not a good idea.
Diesel glowers at me. He’s tried to warn me off the club since the beginning.
“I’m fine,” Marietta says. “Iron Jack will take care of it.”
I pull her away from Symphony to head for the kitchen.
“What?” she asks.
“It isn’t wise to spill club business to outsiders,” I tell her.
“But Symphony is my friend!”
“I know. But anybody could be listening in. You don’t want to tip off the Kin.”
She juts out a hip. “The bar is dead, Merrick. Nobody’s listening. Good grief.” She pushes back out through the kitchen door.
Goddamn it. That woman. I return to the bar, right on her heels, and grab her elbow. “Look, Marietta. There’s a hierarchy at the club for a reason. You’re not at liberty to talk.”
She jerks her arm away. “What the hell, Merrick? This isn’t 1850, and you’re some black-hat cowboy playing Billy the Kid. You can’t tell me what to do.”
Two-Shit and Fancy look up at that.
“Told you she was his woman,” Two-Shit says.
Fuck. Now, it’s all getting out.
“How long have you two been shacking up?” Fancy asks. “Because you’re fighting like she’s your ol’ lady.”
“Never figured she’d have such a big mouth,” Two-Shit says. “But I like sassy women.”
Diesel drifts down the bar. “What the fuck is going on? Is somebody trying to kill you already?”
