“Surprised you didn’t just let me bleed out there.”
To that, Fallon sighed.
“Look, I’m the last person who is gonna say I did everything right in life. I mean, I was fucking the president of a rival MC in secret.”
“It worked out in the end.” They were married, had a litter of kids, the whole deal.
“Look,” Fallon said, moving to the foot of the bed. “The rules exist for a reason. But the uncles, cousins, and I have been vague about them.”
“Okay…”
“For very obvious reasons, we don’t want guys in this club to use and toss aside our cousins.”
“Yeah, I get that.”
“And, for the most part, that’s what the guys are interested in. The girls don’t need to be anywhere near that shit. That said, none of us are in the business of telling the girls or the club members who to love. So if that is what this is, we might be able to come up with a punishment that doesn’t involve you in a fuck of a lot of pain.”
Some part of me wanted to insist it was too early.
But that feeling I’d been pretending not to notice in my gut, in my chest? There was really nothing else to call it.
“I love her.”
“Figured. And Duke’s been here already with the ‘don’t hurt my girl’ spiel, right?”
“Right.”
“Remember that comes from all of us.”
“I know.”
“Figure once you’re recovered from this shit, you’re taking over prospect duties for three months for lying. I think I’d be satisfied with that.”
“Gotta tack anything else on in the future, I’m game. It’ll be worth it if I can be with her.”
To that, he nodded.
“I’m gonna make her come back to the clubhouse to get some rest. And so you can rest.”
“Good. She won’t admit it, but she feels like shit.”
“Yeah. Her folks will bring her the meds from Hailstorm so she can get outta pain and sleep. You take what they give you too. Don’t need to badass your way through this.”
“Boss’s orders to take drugs. I like it.”
He smirked at that. “You have a guard shift ‘round the clock.”
“That necessary?”
“Being cautious. Got busy saving Gracie, so we didn’t get a chance to round up more of the crew to pressure test them. So for now, you have guards, Gracie is at the clubhouse, and the other girls and kids stay at Hailstorm. I’m hoping by the time you’re released, it’s all over.”
“I’m sure I don’t have to ask this. But Cameron?”
“Handled.”
“Was Gracie the one to handle it?”
“Not gonna lie, almost. If he was left alone, it would have happened eventually. But, no. I… handled it so that’s not on her.”
