I grabbed my leather jacket and pulled my boots back on. I knew I needed a little bit of fresh air and the quiet road to clear my head. I unlocked the front door and nearly jumped out of my skin when the living room lightflickedon.
“Goingsomewhere,son?”
Holt was sitting in his recliner with a fifth of whiskey in one hand and his revolver in theother.
I dug my keys out of my pocket. “Just for a ride to clearmyhead.”
My dad pursed his lips. “It really ain’t safe to be riding alone right now,Ryder.”
I shook my head. “I’ll take my chances. I need out of this damn house forabit.”
“Just be alert and bringyourgun.”
I pulled up my jacket and cut so he could see my Kimber tucked safely in the back of my jeans. “Locked andloaded.”
“That a boy.Ridesafe.”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “Any newsonTre?”
My old man shook his head. “We’ll hear something in themorning.”
“Yeah.Okay.”
Holt took a swig from the bottle. “Everything is going to work out. Abel will make sureofit.”
“I fucking hope you’re right.” I pulled open the front door, waving goodbye tomydad.
The cool night air stung my nostrils as I tried to just ignore all of the thoughts rattling around in my brain. I had no idea what was going on with my club, I wasn’t allowed to be with my girl, and my life just felt completely out of whack. I rode for what felt like an hour; my forearms were even starting to get a little bit of arm pump. Before I knew it, I was pulling up to the Hellock’sdriveway.
I shot off a text to Raine, hoping she would still beuptoo.
Me: Hey babe,youup?
Raine: Yeah, can’t sleepeither?
Me: Nah. I went for a ride to clearmyhead.
Raine: It’s a beautifulnightout.
Me: It pales in comparisontoyou.
Raine: hahaha. Yeahright.
Me: You have no idea how breathtakingly gorgeous you are,doyou?
Raine: There are prettier people in this world, I've seen it, it's athing…
Me: Your beauty radiates from inside and makes your outsideblinding.
Raine: How are you such a tough guy and then say thingslikethat?
Me: Because every king has a queen that makes him see the softer sideinlife.
Raine: I’m yourqueen?
Me: That’s how I see it, anyway. It’s late,beautiful.831.
Raine: what does831mean?
