Page 33 of Cole

“I get it. It’s just that…well, it’s starting to feel like we’re running out of safe ground,” Maddox said.

“There is no safe ground. Some ground is smarter, but nothing is safe. I’m not going to let someone in this club die because of someone else’s mistake. We don’t make deals with people who can’t keep their members under control. I’m not risking any of you for that bullshit.”

The front door swung open, and my hand instinctively slipped down to the Glock tucked in my waistband. Old habits died hard. But it was just MacKenna, Maddox’s sister, and I let my hand relax.

Kenna had a look on her face I hadn’t seen before—she was absolutely fuming. The dim light reflected off the mahogany tint in her hair, and her eyes were locked on Maddox as if she didn’t see anyone else in the bar. I was grateful that look wasn’t being directed at me.

“What are you doing here?” she snapped. “You’re supposed to be in bed resting.”

Maddox straightened up a little, sheepishly dropping his arm from the top of the booth. “The beer is way better here.”

Kenna rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips. “You dumbass! You just got shot. What part of you need to rest do you not understand? Also, why did I have to find out about it from Sally during work instead of from you?”

Both Kenna and Sally worked at HHU and were as close as their brothers were.

“This is resting. Look, I’ll even put my feet up,” he said, turning his body sideways and resting his legs across the other half of the booth.

She shifted her eyes to me. “Are you really going to let him be this stupid?”

I lifted my hands, giving in. “Don’t look at me. He’s a grown man. I can’t stop him from being an idiot if that’s what he wants to be.”

She sighed, but the edges of her eyes softened as she looked back at Maddox. “If you rip those stitches, don’t come crying to me.”

“Come on, Kenny, you don’t need to worry about me,” he said, dropping his feet back to the ground so Kenna could slide into the booth.

She sat down next to him and touched his arm gingerly, grimacing as she did.

“Someone has to care what happens to you,” she responded in a voice much softer than before.

“If I get shot, does that mean you’ll take care of me too?” Gage appeared behind Maddox and Kenna, hanging over the booth, his eyes locked on Kenna. Gage just couldn’t seem to stay away from forbidden fruit… much like Maddox when it came to Sally.

“Get shot and we’ll see,” Kenna snapped at him, rolling her eyes.

Gage chuckled and passed her a drink. “Here, got you your favorite.”

“Like you know my favorite anything,” Kenna snapped.

“Well, I got you a dark and stormy to match your personality… did I get close?” Gage grinned at her.

She took it from him. “I’ll allow it.”

Gage smirked and rounded the booth, sliding in beside me, and opposite the Brooks siblings.

“So, what are we talking about, gang?”

Maddox grunted and got up. “I’m going to go and take that advice to rest,” he said, before shooting Gage a dark look. “Don’t bother my sister.”

“I’m going too. Long day,” I muttered and followed Maddox. I didn’t have the energy to sit and watch Kenna and Gage tear chunks off each other.

I headed back into the shop. I glanced over at the office, the experience with Belle, my mystery woman, front and center in my mind. Fuck, that had been hot. I wondered if the room would still smell like her cunt. I hadn’t gotten to taste it. I’ll remedy that next time... Wait, there isn’t supposed to be a next time, I reminded myself, even while knowing that I wouldn’t be following that little self-imposed rule.

Forbidding myself from going to my office to see if I could get a hint of her scent, I turned to my project bike.

The chain hung limply, and oil dripped into a pan below. I’d just grabbed a rag and crouched beside the bike to work on the chain when I heard the distinctive click of heels echoing off the metal walls of the shop. The hair on the back of my neck stood up. I didn’t need to turn around to know exactly who was walking toward me.

Kiki.

Her perfume hit me before she even uttered a word. It was too floral. Just too damn much. Irritating. Just like her.