I roll my eyes as I shift my weight off the bench. Nothing like talking to a guy like Edge, while lying flat on yourback so that you have to look up, to get the hangover headache churning.
“Doesn’t matter. We’re all going. I know she hates it because we take up two rows and embarrass the hell out of her, but fuck it. Those buttoned up locals might think we’re scum, but most of ‘em know we’ve done a hell of a lotta good for this place.”
“And the rest just figure we rape, pillage, and steal in our plentiful spare time.”
“Yeah. Still going. Anyone who wants to join is welcome.”
I brush past Edge, intending to cut our conversation short, but he dodges past me and stands in front of the door to the club’s gym. Normally it’s packed with guys working out, but at noon on a Saturday morning, it’s a ghost town.
Edge crosses his arms, a gesture that isn’t at all intimidating, but I can tell from the way he narrows his eyes that he means business. “So who is she?”
I shake my head slowly. “Gonna ask you again, you want to know as my friend or my VP?”
Edge’s lips thin out. “I don’t know. Should I be asking as a VP? I know who she is. She’s Donovan Harris’ daughter, which means she’s bad news. Her father wants to push us out of this town. We’re on the top of his shit list. He’s wanted to steamroll this clubhouse for years, slam up condos and shit. Then there’s—”
“That’s just his excuse. He wants us out. Never liked having a club in town. The high rise he wants to put here is bullshit. He could put that shit up anywhere he fucking wants to. Doesn’t have to be in Helena. We’re a small fucking town forfuck’s sake. He’s so damn transparent it’s laughable.” I cut Edge off because I can’t talk business hungover as fuck.
“Not transparent enough,” Edge corrects.
He’s been in the business for a long time, and it is one of the reasons he’s my VP. He’s always the voice of reason, and he’s got a good working brain, even if it is packed behind that pretty boy face.
“We still don’t know why he wants us out. Just because we’re bikers and he has money and wears a suit to work doesn’t have to make us enemies. He doesn’t have any long-standing grudge or personal issues that we’ve been able to dredge up. Doesn’t really make sense.”
“Yeah, well, we’ll keep trying.”
“So why is his daughter suddenly sniffing around The Canteen? She can’t be more than—”
“She’s twenty,” I snap before I shut my stupid mouth.
Edge gives me a strange look. Like he has no idea what the fuck is going on. I let out a hard sigh as my brain swells up in my head. No wonder I am here, saying stupid shit, talking about things I don’t want to discuss.
“She had no business being there.”
“That’s what I figured. I was going to gently guide her towards the door last night, but I didn’t get the chance before you went all caveman on me.”
“If I lost my shit, the guys would still have been digging you out of the wall.”
“Don’t doubt it.” That shit-eating grin is back, so blinding it hurts my fucking eyes. “But seriously. Why’d she come around? She spying for her daddy now?”
“Doubtful,” I admit. “Cipher’s been keeping track of her since she left town. Ever since her brother died.”
Edge’s quick blink betrays his surprise. “Why the hell would you do that?”
“I felt responsible…” I pause. I never told anyone what she was doing on the water tower that night. I decide to keep her secrets and tell a white lie to my VP. “If she’s spying for her dear old fucking dad, it’s better to keep tabs on her. No one notices a kid. She’s able to sneak around and get to places, see and hear things that other people wouldn’t. She’s been at college in Sarasota, guess she’s back in town.”
“Believe me, the guys noticed her last night, and she ain’t no kid anymore.”
I grind my teeth so hard my jaw doesn’t just crack; it makes a loudpoppingsound. “Yeah, well, she grew up. Her mom’s barely in the picture. She’s so doped up on pills that she isn’t around for her daughter. I reckon last night’s little stunt is her attempt at rebellion. She wants her parents to notice that she’s still alive and pay attention to her or some shit.”
“Right.” Edge’s brows knit together the way they do when he is trying hard to process something. “She was driving. The girl. It was a few years ago, right?”
“It was in the paper. Took her brother for a ride. Wasn’t paying attention or something and ran a stop sign over on Alexandria and First Ave, where the speed limit is higher. The truck that hit them had the right of way. Slammed into the passenger side of the car where her brother was. He waskilled almost instantly. She only had minor injuries. Scrapes. Whiplash.”
“For a guy who isn’t really interested in her, you seem to know a lot about her.”
“Like I said, I was suspicious of her. Because of who her father is and all. He’s not above having her get close to us in some way to try and bring us down. Especially when it comes to Harley. I don’t let anything slide where she’s concerned.”
Edge’s eyes change. His features tighten. That’s normal. A brother’s family members are viewed as part of the club. We would fight to the death to protect our men’s kids and old ladies. Harley is my daughter, she might have been away at college for the past year, but she’s still my little girl.
