Did he put it together yet that I saved Rachel’s life?
“Need a drink?” Rael asked as I cleared my dry throat.
“Yeah. Maybe more than one.”
“That’s what I’m talking about,” he laughed, steering us toward the beer stand.
The dust from the ride seemed to be stuck and clogging my airways. I rode from Carson City to Vegas without a break, never stopping until I checked into the hotel.
Nodding, I walked beside Rael as he reached for my shoulder and squeezed it. This felt good. I never dreamed I’d be so welcomed into the Graven Bastards. I inhaled a shaky breath, trying to still the quake in my body. Acceptance was a dangerousemotion. It was the gateway to others like trust, devotion, and loyalty. It left you vulnerable.
But these men would never betray me. I knew instinctually because they cared about Lockjaw. He died defending the club and his president.
I turned to Grim. “I want to know everything I can about my father.”
He nodded. “Not now. Back at The Crossroads, Crypt.”
I dipped my chin with respect. A part of me wanted to call him my president, but I wasn’t sure how far this went yet and what would be expected of me. I’d learn in time.
For now, I would enjoy meeting these men who would become brothers in every sense of the word.
“Get out of my damn way!”
I blinked as a kid pushed his way through us, bumping into Rael, Mammoth, and Grim. Shocked, I watched as the little demon spawn kept running, and a man, who had to be his father, rushed to grab him.
Now, I knew the kid had been rude and deserved to be punished, but his reaction surprised me. Why wouldn’t the father notice and apologize for his son’s behavior? He didn’t. In fact, he didn’t spare us a glance as he grabbed his son’s elbow and started to walk away.
Grim looked pissed, but Mammoth reacted first. The mountain-sized man stood in front of the kid’s father, blocking his path. A growl rumbled up his chest that should have shocked the shit out of both of them. The kid began screeching and demanding his dad let go of him.
That was when I heard a stranger’s voice. A guy in a black leather vest, no patch, walked up to us with his hands in the air. “Excuse me, gentlemen, I don’t mean to sound like I’m eavesdropping, but it seems there’s a problem. May I assist?”
Who the hell was this guy? Did he know the father and son?
Grim turned toward him. “I don’t think this involves you, mister. We can handle it.”
Before the guy could answer, the kid began yelling again.
“You’re a bunch of smelly dirtbags! My dad says guys like you think you’re badasses, but he can take you any day.”
The fuck?
“I hate to ask, but can I see who just said that? I think we’ve met.”
Grim and Mammoth moved, exposing the father and his rude son. The dad looked ready to shit himself from fear.
“I see your son is causing trouble again and got you both in trouble. You probably know this already, but in case you don’t, messing with an MC is the fastest way to get your ass kicked or killed. I told you to discipline your demonic spawn, but you ignored me. I hope you have a decent insurance policy for your wife. With her next husband, maybe they can raise their kids to be respectful. Karma is a bitch, ain’t she?” The guy in the black leather snickered.
Wait. He met them before now.
“Nobody asked for your opinion,” the boy mouthed off.
The dad slapped his hand over his kid’s mouth. Despite him squirming and trying to rip it off, it stayed there.
Grim ticked his chin toward the guy in black leather. “How do you know these two? Are you friends?”
“Oh, hell, no. I’m not their friend. I met these two on the flight here. This little demon annoyed people, was rude, and kept kicking the back of an elderly man’s seat. When I made his parents take out their earbuds to deal with him, his dad basically said he wouldn’t take advice from someone like me, and then didn’t say a word to his son. So, I let him feel how it felt to be annoyed,” he explained.
The dad scowled at the reminder. His son glared at us all like we were garbage.
