“So? What gives? Where the heck have you been?” “Let’s talk in the car.” He looks around. “I’m not sure if you’re ready for the whole truth and nothing but the truth.” Of course, I’m happy to see him alive and well, but he’s a shit.
“Max, this isn’t funny,” I say when he slings an arm around my shoulders. “And what the hell are you wearing?” It’s only then I notice the patch, and the smell of leather.
“Now don’t get mad.”
“You seem to be saying that a lot.”
“The Ridgehaven Hellions?” I whisper-shout. “You’ve got to be kidding me?”
“Why don’t you sky-write it, I’m not sure New York City heard you.”
Max is happy-go-lucky, but he’s aware that some of his antics could reflect badly on me. Not that I’d ever put that before his welfare, but he’s the one who chose to go off grid.
“Well, I’m mad at you.” I shrug out of his hold. “I haven’t heard from you in almost two years, asswipe.”
“Stick and stones, big sis.” He grins down at me. “I’ve been gettin’ my shit together as it happens. Tryin’ to make you proud of me.”
“By joining the Hellions?” I shake my head. “Bikers just won’t leave me alone.” I mutter that last part.
“You’re right on that, but only because we care.”
Of course, my brother knows all about Haze and the Rebels. Haze joined the MC after we broke up, but he’d been involved with the club for a few years before that. Something else we fought about. Back then, I didn’t understand the Rebels. To me, any biker club was an outlaw club, or a 1% as they call themselves. The Rebels are a legit club, meaning they don’t run in illegal circles and aren’t involved in drugs and guns. That doesn’t mean they’re angels by any means, but I understand the differences. Haze has never touched drugs in his life, and I know he wouldn’t surround himself with men like that, but the stigma is still there. I know enough now to understand that not all MC clubs are like that, and I like Cash, I think he runs a tight ship, and I respect that. Am I a fan of vigilante justice? No, but here we are.
“Jesus, Maxi. I don’t believe this. Why the Hellions?”
“I got into some trouble,” he starts. “And things went from bad to worse. Bane helped me out.”
Bane Adler — the MC Prez for the Hellions. Now I’m just mad. “And you didn’t think to call me?”
“I wanted to figure shit out on my own. You’d already done so much for me, and I didn’t wanna disappoint you by flunking out again on you.”
Unlike me, Max has no problems expressing how he really feels.
“You make me sound like the Wicked Witch,” I grumble, folding my arms over my chest. “Trust me, I’m used to the men in this family disappointing me.”
“Which is exactly why I didn’t want to drag you down with me,” he states. I’ll give my brother some credit, he’s many things, but never a liar.
When we get to the curb, I see a motorcycle parked right in front of the building. “Yours?”
He grins. “Did her up myself. Nice, right?”
“I don’t know. Aren’t you just paying for all that chrome?”
He swings his arm around my neck again. “Don’t be mean. Anyways, I’m on Dad Duty until he gets his ass to dinner.”
I frown. “Wait, Dad knows you’re here?”
He chuckles. “Uh, yeah. I knew he’d be in town. It’s fucked, but it’ll be quaint, just the three of us.” “Quaint?” I roll my eyes. “Jesus, bro. I don’t know where you’ve been for the last two fucking years, but you need your mouth washing out with soap.” “Touche, sis,” he laughs. “Touche.”
CHAPTER
NINE
Haze
I can’t fucking sleep.
All that talk about Willow and those photos… I rest my folded arms over my face, trying to think.
