“Well, if you go, I’ll go. We’ve been together for years. I can’t see letting you go alone.”
“Thanks.”
“What about the girl? She’s got roots here. The bar and all…”
“I know. It’s a lot to consider.”
“Think she’d pull up roots and follow you?”
“I can’t ask that of her.”
“You’d leave her behind?”
I can’t imagine leaving Maggie, but do I want her to be pulled into this life? I stare at the horizon. “Things have been good between us. I never expected to see her again, but since the moment I laid eyes on her, something’s changed for me, ya know?”
“Yeah. I’ve seen it. It’s obvious to every man in there. Especially after last night. You decking that Iron Death member pretty much made it clear how you feel about this girl.”
I grind my cigarette under my boot. “I think she’s the one.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Maggie—
A tall Bloody Mary is set before me.
Evelyn, Lola, Isabella, and I are at a table on an outdoor patio.
Evelyn drags a fry through a blob of ketchup. “So, tell us how you know Keno.”
Right away, I’m wondering if he’ll have a problem with me telling them about his past, even though there’s nothing to hide. So, I keep it simple. “Like I told Lola last night, he was best friends with my two older brothers.”
“Guess where?” Lola elbows Evelyn.
“Where?”
“New Orleans.” Lola grins.
My gaze moves between them. “What’s the significance of that?”
Evelyn huffs a laugh. “Nothing really. Lola and Memphis just have some history with that city. It’s where they first met.”
“Sounds like a story,” I muse, taking a sip of my drink.
“Oh, it is,” Isabella says. “Lola ran off after her brother—”
“Who’d stolen my money,” Lola interrupts.
“Right. Anyway, Rock was pissed when he found out and called the nearest patch to bring her back. That happened to be Memphis.”
“Lucky him,” I say with a grin.
“Turned out that way, yeah.” Lola chuckles. “But I gave him a run for his money. He had to chase me down.”
“Sounds exciting.”
“It was… until my brother robbed a bank.”
My mouth drops open. “What?”
