They are not.
“That makes no sense,” I mutter under my breath.
She scoffs while letting me lead her out of my office and back toward the bays. I’m impatient when she ducks into the bathroom to freshen up, but I try not to make it too obvious. The moment we step through the door, Sidewinder glances up and smirks.
“I hope you took care of him because he’s been a real asshole the last few days,” there’s a teasing note in his voice, but there’s also a truth there.
Graycie’s cheeks turn pink and I swear my brother’s grin grows. “You can consider the thorn removed,” she jokes.
Sidewinder’s eyes widen for a moment like he wasn’t expecting her to say anything and just blush. I chuckle under my breath because I’m not surprised.
I’ve gotten to know my Graycie-girl, really gotten to know her, and she’s downright fucking bawdy. I love it. Especially because I know it’s part of her that dead man walking tried to destroy.
He didn’t.
I have loved every second of watching her come alive and find herself. It’s been beautiful, and it’s a damn gift being able to witness it.
“Well, shit, Graycie,” Sidewinder looks impressed, “I was not expecting that.” The nod he gives her is full of acceptance and pride. “If I haven’t said it, yet, I’m glad you’re family. I think you’ll be good for Snake, and I know he’ll be good for you. Goodtoyou.”
She leans into me and gives one of my best friends a soft smile. “He is good to me and good for me.” Her voice drops to a conspiratorial whisper, “He doesn’t want people to know he’s a softie, but I’m figuring out you’re one too. So, it’ll be our,” she makes a motion between the three of us, “little secret.”
“Well,” I start to lead my woman toward the door, “that’s our cue. I’m taking Graycie to Dolly’s for lunch. You want your regular?”
“Thanks brother,” he calls out, but I just wave over my shoulder without looking back.
“I should spank your ass,” I faux threaten her out of the side of my mouth, “for telling him about me being a softie.”
“Oh no,” she gasps, the outrage completely fake.
The moment she slides into place behind me on my bike, I curse at how short the ride is going to be. I’ll have to take her back to the outlook, or maybe farther, soon. I love the feeling of her wrapped around me. There’s nothing quite like it.
Except maybe being buried inside her tight heat.
I’m looking forward to having lunch with my woman. It’s something so fucking normal, and I could do with some normal. She could too.
The moment I notice Sheriff Lyon’s vehicle in the parking lot I let out a low groan of annoyance. He barely tolerates the club,while keeping his eyes open for any reason to come down on us. Honestly, he hates the club.
The feeling is fucking mutual.
You’d think that he would be glad when we take certain matters into our own hands. It’s not like there’s a drug problem in town. Because we make sure of it.
And we deal with problems when the law isn’t going to, or can’t, handle them.
Which is why we’ve been keeping a lookout for any information on the dog fighting ring operating out of our county, and a few surrounding ones from what we can tell. We’ve allowed Lyons to do his investigation. We’ve just done our own as well.
And we’re not going to stop until we find who is behind it.
I’m fucking pissed that they were able to operate in our backyard and we had no idea.
It’s just a matter of time before we find something out, or they slip up.
I shake off those thoughts as I open the door to Dolly’s Place for my woman. Her sweet smile, and the way she ducks her head slightly when she steps inside, makes me feel like a fucking superhero.
It’s nice.
And not a feeling I’m used to.
“Graycie,” Sheriff Raymond Lyons is standing a few feet away from us, clearly on the way out, his face a mask of disappointment. “I heard rumors about you taking up with Snake,” he sneers my road name, “but I didn’t want to believe it.”
