She knitted her brows. “Okay.”
Ace snorted. “Better deal hanging here in the air conditioning and crunching numbers than sweating your ass off and cleaning dirty fucking sheets, right?”
She tried to batten down her laughter, but she couldn’t, releasing a small giggle. “Much better deal.”
“Alright then.” Ace walked down the hall, and she closed the door.
Doing inventory wasn’t a huge upgrade from cleaning, but it would be a nice change. And as Ace pointed out, better accommodations.
Sweet!
****
They were about thirty minutes from Killcreek when Cross waved his hand toward the exit. If Wraith had his way, they’d drive straight through. But he wasn’t leading the club. He switched lanes before any of the others, and the rest of the club followed suit.
The ramp off the exit was a four way stop. Cross made the initial stop but they drove through as a club. There were two other cars waiting. The small compact sedan across from them seemed to be patient. The other car, not so much. The man honked but didn’t get any attention. When he started to slowly inch up, Wraith jerked his head around to stare down the driver, and the car suddenly braked. The driver was reading Wraith’s messageloud and clear.Don’t make me get off my bike, you’re not gonna like the outcome.
They parked in front of the familiar bar. It was a local hangout and a frequent stop for the club when traveling the highway. Ace and Cross had gotten close to the owner, Barry, over the years. The Drifters served as protection in a sense. The owner hadn’t hired the club, but their frequent presence was enough to keep the locals in line. It also helped weed out the passersby.
“Gotta take a piss,” Cross said, rounding the bikes.
Wraith stretched his back, prepared to stay with the motorcycles. Oak, Ghost, and Gent had other ideas. They followed Cross toward the entrance.
“Where the fuck are you three going?”
Oak glanced over his shoulder, smiling. “Can’t come to a bar and not get a beer. That defies all the laws of common sense.”
“The saying is gravity, asshole.”
Oak shrugged with a chuckle. “I’m feeling the pull to sit my ass on a stool.”
“Feeling that same pull, brother,” Ghost said just before disappearing inside.
Wraith grasped the back of his neck and rolled his shoulders. He’d been with the club long enough to know that there wasn’t such a thing as one beer. It always turned into at least two, if not more.
Wraith walked up the short path, grabbed the door, and swung it open. A couple jumped back and scurried toward the wall as he entered. At six foot six, his size alone was intimidating. Most people kept their distance. In the event someone got brazen, direct eye contact usually did the trick.
The members were sitting at the bar. The place itself wasn’t much more than a dive bar. It had a stage and small tables with mismatched chairs scattered around the room.
Wraith sat at the end of the bar next to Ghost. He tapped his finger, and Barry looked up, making his way to Wraith. “Get me a beer.”
Barry jerked his chin, grabbed a glass, and walked over to the tap. Wraith rested his arms on the bar, scanning the room. He’d seen the place at maximum capacity. Tonight it was basically dead. There were a few men seated at the opposite end and an older woman two stools down from him. The only table occupied were three women on the other side of the room who couldn’t have been much older than Cleo.
Wraith had done his best to put all thoughts of her in the back of his mind. His ride to clear his head that night hadn’t worked as he’d hoped. He should’ve been solely focused on her breaking the rules. But he wasn’t. Wraith had hurt her feelings, and he couldn’t get rid of the gnawing ache in his chest. He wasn’t soft by any means, and no one had ever referred to him as kind or nice.And I don’t give a shit.And he didn’t when it came to everybody but Cleo.
“Who’s got a lighter?”
“Where the fuck is yours?” Oak reached in his pocket, sliding it down the bar. “Ah shit, did you lose it?”
Wraith turned his attention to Gent, who scowled and lit his cigarette. “No, asshole. I forgot to refill it before we left.” Gent tapped his chest. “I got it.”
“Has any brother ever lost theirs?” Oak asked.
He was one of the younger brothers and had only been with the club a few years.
“No,” Wraith said.
“What happens if you do?”
