“Oh, Memphis in town or something?” Yep, that line that I wasn’t supposed to go past was getting closer.
He rolled his eyes, pushing off the wall, striding closer to me. “I’m going to blame your lack of humor due to nerves.”
I exhaled slowly. “And if it was the club and Melody on the line, you’d feel the same way.”
He nodded. “Yeah. But I’ve been there and got rid it and have the heat rash to prove it.”
“Tell me something.”
“You want me to tell you that you’re pretty? ‘Cause I don’t roll that way, and I’m very much taken.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
I huffed out a laugh. “The man gets himself a woman and he starts cracking jokes now.” I rested on the edge of the ring.
“You’re one to talk.” He sat next to me.
“I got pretty lucky,” I said earnestly.
“You didn’t have to do this. We could have gotten someone else.” His expression changed from ease to worrisome.
I shook my head. “You and I both know that wasn’t going to happen. They involved her, and I felt like it’s my responsibility. No, this had to happen.”
He clasped his hand on my shoulder. “You’re not alone.”
“Everyone in place?”
Hound nodded, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Prepared for anything. I just need my enforcer to focus on the job at hand.”
“Trying to.”
“You talk to your woman yet?”
I shook my head, turning my attention to him. “What’re you talking about? Am I missing something?”
“Nah. But knowing you, a man in love, sometimes hearing your woman’s voice has a certain effect.”
I shrugged, “I don’t need her to worry about me.”
“And yet, I bet she’s more nervous than you.”
“She’s ready to be done with the bullshit.”
Hound Dog sighed with a hint of anger. “So are we. I know the club is ready to have things somewhat back to normal. And Jesus, the fucking mafia. We never saw this coming, at least not in Memphis.”
“And let’s hope we don’t need it.”
He clasped his hand on my shoulder again, giving it a tight squeeze. “Listen, I only came in to check on you. We got you. Just go out there and fight like hell.”
I gave him a nod. Before he left out the door, he glanced back over his shoulder. “And Shooter, in the end, I give you fucking permission to unleash the beast, and kill. If you have to.”
I had hoped it would never get to that. One last fight. One last night before everything could change. I fought hard my entirelife, proving that I was worth something, that I wasn’t broken. I showed that I wasn’t weak. The club needed me to be who I always was, the stone cold fighter and killer.
One phone call, that’s all I was going to do. There was a plan in place, and everything would be going smoothly. I grabbed my phone and checked the cameras at her house. No one was home, no car in the driveway.
I glanced at the clock, maybe she had to work a little later. I would understand. And as if the fates allowed it, my phone rang in my head.
“You must have been hearing my thoughts.” I smiled.
Her soft voice rattled through me. “Hey, sugar.”
