Out of habit, I bristled. Rubi had been ribbing me about the chemistry between my VP and my little sister since Nash had joined us ten years ago. I was a dick about it because that was the culture, but most days I had more trouble thinking up a reason to give a shit. “Are you really doing okay?”
Rubi sighed again. “I’m bored, man. Not riding makes me claustrophobic as fuck.”
“Go out in the van then.”
“Yeah?” Rubi’s tone perked up. “You want me to take River his cheque?”
“Fuck no. I don’t want the club anywhere near him right now. Go to the fucking beach, man.”
Rubi muttered something I didn’t quite catch. My brain ticked again, but I had too much to think about to pay it much attention. I made him promise to rest, then left him alone.
A message buzzed in as I hung up and my heart flared.Saint.He’d been by my side since he’d patched in and usurped my father’s sergeant-at-arms. It was weird to be somewhere so long without him scowling at me from the shadows.
Saint:all ok?
Cam:yup. are you?
Saint:taking care of business
Cam:nash updated me. you got more?
Saint:maybe. talk when I see u
Cam:when?
Saint:couple of days. got more wings to clip first
I rolled my eyes. It made sense to reduce the Crows’ capacity for launching attacks on us—we should’ve done it years ago—but if we were right about them working for someone far bigger, we were wasting time and resources squashing flies. And taking risks that made my stomach churn. If whoever was sending snipers to biker brawls came looking for their man and didn’t find me, they’d kill a brother instead. Rubi, Nash.
Saint.
My capacity for doing nothing expired.
I rose from the bed.
Alexei appeared from nowhere and pushed me back down. “No.”
“You don’t even know what the fuck you’re saying that for.”
“I don’t need to. The fire in your eyes is enough.”
I was taller than him, wider, but strength was a complex characteristic, and there was logic behind his intervention. I just didn’t want to hear it. “I need to go back. I have responsibilities.”
“You did not come here for me, then?” Alexei spoke with a smile that was hard to decipher.
I grappled with the loose threads I needed for even the vaguest explanation of the last few days and how I felt about it. “The fight with the other club. It was premeditated by both sides. Same old shit—we can batter the Crows in our sleep—but they brought a little extra this time. Some fucker with a gun tried to end me.”
Alexei didn’t blink. “Another assassination attempt?”
“Yup.”
“What happened?”
“That’s the other messed-up thing. A motherfuckingsnipergot him from the undergrowth. An arrow to the brain.”
“An arrow?”
He looked amused, which lightened my mood a touch. I loved it when he laughed, even if it was at my expense.
