“And onetime lover,” I confirm, winking at Diesel.
He arches a brow, and I grin just as Saint shoves me out of the way, lunging at Diesel. They tumble to the ground, throwing punches at one another, as they instantly get into it.
“Twenty on the old dude,” Caz says into my ear.
“You’d bet against yoursaintlyleader?”
“I know a crazy motherfucker when I see one, and I’m not talking about Saint. That dude is hardcore, and I’m intrigued.” Caz waggles his brows, shoulder checking me.
“That makes two of us,” Theo says, coming up on my other side. “What the hell is going on, Lo?”
“If they stop acting like idiots, I might get the chance to tell you.”
“You fucking pervert,” Saint roars, landing a punch to Diesel’s nose.
Diesel rolls on top of him, pummeling his face with a barrage of punches that’s got to hurt. “You fucking delinquent.”
“Okay, enough.” I grab the back of Diesel’s shirt, yanking him off Saint.
Saint sits up, spitting out blood as Diesel presses his fingers to his nose to check for damage. They sit across from one another, both with new cuts and grazes on their faces, spewing vitriol through their eyes. Any other time I’d find it funny, but we have shit to talk about, and we’re getting sidetracked.
I loom over them, planting my hands on my hips. “Stop this petty shit. It’s beneath both of you. We have stuff to discuss, and it can’t wait.”
A few minutes later, we’re seated around a large rustic table, on mismatched chairs, facing one another over cold beers. Tension is so thick you’d need a machete to cut through it.
I love the guys’ place although I haven’t seen upstairs yet. It’s got this edgy, industrial-type vibe, yet it’s homey, and I’m surprised because it’s not really a guy thing. I knew their bedrooms back at our house were only places to sleep, that they had somewhere else they called home. Where their bedrooms lack personality, this converted barn has it in spades.
Framed movie pictures line the walls along with an assortment of biker pics, sports memorabilia, and the requisite naked chicks. Multicolored rugs are scattered around the vast space, taking the cold edge off the hard concrete floors. Two comfy-looking battered brown leather couches and a matching chair rest in front of a large open fire, and if things were different, I could visualize nights cozied up to all of them in front of a roaring fire, toasting s’mores and drinking beer and getting our sexy on.
But things won’t be like that anytime soon, because the trust is broken, and Galen’s betrayal is the colossal-sized elephant in the room.
“How did it go down?” I ask from my seat at the top of the table. Saint is on my left and Diesel on my right. Theo and Caz are seated beside their leader, and Galen is by himself at the end of the table, slumped in the chair, in obvious discomfort. He needs medical attention, but no one has offered him any. It seems fitting. His actions have ostracized him from his crew, and he has no one to blame but himself.
I tap my fingers on top of the table, drilling him with a look that challenges him to deny me.
He puts his beer down and clears his throat. “Darrow approached me after the fight ended. I was carrying Parker’s body to the car when—”
“Wait.” I sit up straighter. I can’t believe I forgot about that. “Where is the body?” I glance at Theo.
“Who is Parker?” Diesel asks.
“It’s taken care of,” Theo confirms.
“How?”
“The less you know, the better,” Saint says, and I slam my fist down on the table.
“No.” I glare at him. “That is not how this is going down.” I point my finger in his face. “There are new rules,myrules, and we’re playing it my way from now on.”
“I get you’re pissed,” Saint says, flipping the bottle cap between his fingers. “But I’m still junior chapter leader, and I’ll be calling the shots.”
“Because that’s been working out so well.” I sneer at him, waving my finger in his face. “I wonder what Sinner would say if I told him Galen made a deal with our archenemy and deliberately went behind your back. Or how that psycho would react if he knew his precious son was planning on hiding me away instead of taking me to the training facility like he demanded.”
I sit back, smirking as I pick at the label on my bottle. “I don’t think you’d be leader for much longer if I divulged all that.”
“Lo, you can’t go to Sinner. He’s unpredictable as fuck,” Theo chimes in.
I jab my finger in his direction. “Let’s get one thing straight here.” My gaze moves between them. “No one gets to tell me shit anymore.” I eyeball Saint. “You might be the leader, but I’m making the decisions now. Cross me, and I’ll have a little word in Sinner’s ear.” I narrow my eyes at Galen. “Betray me again, and I will take great pleasure in ending your miserable existence.”
