“That’s not info for everyone,” King said smoothly, shaking his head as he widened his eyes at Will in mild exasperation.
“Right.” Will nodded but his face flushed.
“It’s fine.” I slid against Will, figuring our club brothers wouldn’t give a shit if we hugged it out. He wrapped me up in a ginger embrace, his body flush to mine, and I wasn’t sure if it was because he was hurting or he was worried I would be. I wanted more, but I would settle for this.
“Aw, PD with the PDA.” Barber chuckled, the fucking idiot. “Smoochies!”
“Fuck you,” Will yelled back, without missing a beat. “Just because you gotta pay Quain to do it.”
“Hey!”
Grinning, I buried my face against the soft skin of Will’s neck behind his beard and inhaled his musk. For a little while there, I’d worried I’d never get this again.
“Leaving angry never works out the way we plan. Maybe we should stop doing that?” My heart stitched itself back together when he nodded.
Bikes rumbled behind us as engines started, a soothing sound that reminded me we had people at our back, ready to help us.
“I know I need to do better.”
“Fuck that. We’re both hotheads,” I muttered.
He chuckled and nodded.
When he leaned back to look at me, I couldn’t help myself. His perfect brown eyes were so full of love and worry. I couldn’t stand to hold on to any of the anger from earlier. I brushed my lips across his, and then we were just kissing. No one was drinking or dancing or distracted. We were the center of attention. I moaned when Will flicked his tongue against mineand leaned into the comfort of having him hot and alive and in my arms.
So, I guess this was entirely public knowledge now? It made me feel good that he didn’t care who saw us. I didn’t even realize that had been a worry until something inside me unclenched. And then, I remembered the text about the tattoo from Jake.
He hadn’t said as much, but Jake always told people not to getnamesinked on their body.
So, Will was really committed to this. To us. If I’d ever doubted him, the last of my worries were wiped away as he ignored the blood flaking on my chin to seal his lips firmly over mine.
“Let’s go home,” I whispered against his mouth.
He nodded. “Can you ride? Where’s your bike?”
Frowning, I glanced around as a few more of our guys set out, motors roaring. “In the city. You didn’t drive here, did you?” I didn’t want to restart the fight again so soon, but damn it all.
“No. I rode with Jester and Barber.” Will huffed. “The way I see it, I owe you cash. Lots of it. And we have more of a chance than anyone of finding that money because you caught a look at what happened, maybe remember those bikes if you think about it? And we’re among the first to know, so we have a head start. By tonight the info will have filtered out to everyone who has anything to do with the club. By the time the associate riders and everyone we fucking know hears about it, there could be a couple hundred people out there searching for this fucking money.”
There was fire in Rook’s eyes, and he seemed so much like his old self. I’d always known all we had was right now while living the club life, but the last couple of weeks had really driven that home. I couldn’t wait for Rook to be his old self, because that wasn’t coming back, and I couldn’t wait for him to be all better, because that wasn’t happening, either. All I could do was loveand support the manin front of me, the man I loved more than life.
I shook out my shoulders. “Fuck it. Fine. Let’s get out there. We’ll stop back for my bike. I should probably clean up a little, too, so I don’t scare the citizens.”
Rook scowled but gave my hip a squeeze. “Deal.”
I grabbed his hand and clung to it. We probably wouldn’t really talk about the fight we’d had, but fuck it. I’d rather be tearing up the world in the name of the Kings of Men with Rook than sitting somewhere eating my heart out over my feelings.
Besides, he loved me and I knew it. I loved him, and I fucking knew that, too. We just had to figure out how to stop pissing each other off. This life and each other were what we were made for.
“Let’s ride out!” King called. “Barber, if you take a whiz on Uhlig’s car, I’m letting him keep your dick.”
“Aw, Prez!”
I didn’t even bother glancing their way, but Will caught my eye, and we shared a laugh. Yeah, we would get through this, and fuck, maybe we’d even make a quick buck.
15
ROOK
