Steel nodded. “Hawk’s gonna keep monitoring the grapevine chatter, and we’ll monitor stuff on our end. Chains, you’re the IT guy, so you’re in charge of monitoring as well. Give Hawk a call and coordinate with him.”
I gotta focus on the club and keep Fallon in the back of my mind. Some serious shit’s going on here.Diablo looked up when he heard the gavel hit the wooden block. The brothers left the room, but he hung back.
“Something on your mind?” Steel asked as he put some papers in a folder.
“I just want to let you know I’m on top of this. I’m gonna find out who tipped off the Pistons that our brothers would be at the warehouse. There’s no way a group of these fuckers is gonna come into Alina in full colors and attack us. They know that would be suicide. We gotta keep our eyes open for anyone who acts like he doesn’t belong. Do you think Jimmy Delarosa would be the Pistons’ lackey?”
“No. Jimmy’s a slime bag, but he’s too much of a coward to get on our bad side. He’s into scamming the vulnerable. This isn’t his scene. But you’re probably right about having someone else do their dirty work, just like they had the punk gang put their name on the strip bar. Let me know if you find out anything at the warehouse.”
“Sure thing.” He turned to leave.
“Diablo? I know how a blinding rage can consume you when someone talks shit about your woman. I used to see red every time one of the brothers ribbed me about Breanna. I’m just saying, Goldie had it coming.” Steel laughed.
Diablo nodded. “Later, brother.” He bumped fists with his prez and left the room.
When he walked into the main room, Goldie came up to him and extended his hand. Diablo grasped and shook it. “Did I break your fuckin’ nose?”
Goldie shook his head. “Just busted a blood vessel. You got a fuckin’ hard punch.”
“What’re you drinking?”
“Double shot of tequila sounds damn good.”
The two men went over to the bar and Diablo told Patches to bring them their drinks. Goldie picked his up and clinked it against Diablo’s beer bottle. “I didn’t know the chick meant something to you, bro.”
His jaw jutted out and he raised the bottle to his lips. “Now you do.” He took a long pull on his beer.
“How about a game of pool?” Brutus asked as he and Army came over to join Diablo and Goldie.
“I’m in,” said Goldie.
“Me too, but first I gotta check on Fallon.”
“Cool. We’ll meet you at the pool table in thirty. I gotta get some chow,” Army said.
Diablo finished his beer and made his way upstairs. When he went into his room, he saw Fallon dressed in the clothes she’d worn the previous day, sitting on the edge of the bed, her cell phone in her hand.
Looking over her shoulder, she smiled at him. “How’d your meeting go?”
“Good.”
“Why’s your bottom lip swollen?”
“Just roughhousing with another brother. It’s no big deal. You wanna come down and get something to eat?”
“Not really. My stomach is sorta in knots. I have to get going. The downpour’s over. I even saw a rainbow arching over the mountain peaks. It was so pretty. Let’s see if it’s still there.” Diablo followed her over to the window and stood behind her. “There it is. See?”
Through the mist a brilliant band of color hung in the sky over the San Juan Mountains. The trees that dotted the mountains were a patchwork of vibrant greens while the desert ground in the forefront was dark brown from all the moisture.
“Isn’t it awesome? I love the way the air smells after a rainstorm.” He saw her shoulders rise as she breathed in deeply.
Grasping her shoulders, he pulled her back, crushing her against him. “You’re awesome.” He bent down and nuzzled his face against her neck, her sweet sugary-lemon scent swimming around him.
She twisted and threw her arms around his waist. “Thank you for everything.” Light shimmered in her eyes as she looked up at him, her lips parted.
Bowing his head, he pressed his mouth to hers and kissed her gently while his hands moved down to her hips. Instead of pushing him away as he suspected she’d do, she squeezed him tighter and moaned. The small sound was his undoing and he hungrily thrust his tongue deep into her mouth, all the while gripping her nicely rounded hips. His lips left hers to nibble at her earlobe, and she cocked her head to the side to give him better access to her soft and delectable neck. He traced the elegant curve of her neck with his tongue, licking a path to her shoulder.
“You’re so beautiful and sexy,” he rasped against her skin as he nipped and kissed her tender flesh. He nipped his way back up, his lips recapturing hers, more demanding that time. As they kissed, his cock punched against his zipper, desperate to get out. He wanted her so bad. His fingers tugged at the hem of her top, slipping underneath it, inching their way up her satiny skin. When they reached her bra, he felt her stiffen under his touch.
