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“Pretty much.”

“Are you in danger?”

“No more than usual.”

His answer held little emotion. It felt certain and determined, and I wanted to believe him. But I didn’t. Sensing my unease, he stepped closer. “This isn’t something you have to worry about. We’ve got it covered.”

“I’ve heard that before.”

“It was true then, and it’s true now.”

“Okay.”

“I best get going.”

I nodded, but he didn’t move. He just stood there holding my gaze, but then he turned and started toward the back corner. I wasn’t sure what he was doing until I saw him take my picture off the wall. He stared at it for a moment, then, without asking permission, he took it.

He folded it, tucked it under his arm, and started for the door. As he walked out, he said, “Bye, Emery.”

I stared at the closed door, letting my mind try to catch up with the fact that Ravage had just walked out of my studio with my drawing. I had no idea what he wanted with it, but I couldn't help but smile.

Maybe I wasn’t the only one imagining things that we’d both agreed weren’t supposed to happen.

Maybe, just maybe, Ravage had been imagining a future with me, too.

11

RAVAGE

Ihadn’t even made it back out to my bike before I was glancing back at Emery’s office. The front door was closed, Poppy was gone, but I could still picture the two of them together. Emery moving around, putting her art supplies away, and Poppy telling her how to do it. That kid would say something outrageous, and Emery would immediately smile.

I’d seen Emery in a lot of different situations over the years. I’d seen her cut up and laugh with the brothers. I’d seen her get pissed off at Knox or at some injustice someone was facing. I’d seen her stand her ground when most would’ve backed down or walked away. Those moments had made an impression on me, but nothing like seeing her with Poppy.

It wasn’t just that Emery was good with her. It was the ease of it. The patience and understanding. It was the way she made the kid feel seen without even trying, but that was Emery. She had a way of making you feel like you mattered.

I lowered my head and chuckled when I thought about Poppy asking about the color of my seat. I reached into the front pocket of my cut and pulled out the sketch, smiling even wider when I remembered the look on Poppy’s face when she pointed to it on the wall. She knew exactly what she was doing.

I stared at it longer than I should have. It wasn’t like there was much to it. It was just a pencil drawing of a house with a swing in the tree and a pool in the back. I don’t know why I took it. Maybe I just wanted something that was hers. Or maybe I liked that her picture showed a version of her life that didn’t include fear, violence, or any of the shit that tended to follow a man like me.

I knew that was a life I couldn’t have, but when I looked at that bike parked in the driveway, I found myself thinking about things I had no business thinking about. A future with someone at my side. And for a brief moment, that gave me a twinge of hope. For a man who’d spent the better part of his life expecting the worst, it was a strange feeling, but I felt it all the same.

I shook my head, then folded the picture again and tucked it back into the pocket of my cut. This wasn’t the time for this shit. I needed to be focused on the club, not some damn picture. I started my engine, and as I drove back to the clubhouse, I thought back to the night when Knox and Coop had their altercation at the bar.

Reap and I were at the dungeon, watching Vicious as he started questioning the man they’d brought in, and he hadn’t been at it long when he realized something was up. He stopped long enough to call in Stone and Ace, and that’s when things got interesting.

As soon as they walked up, Vicious stepped out of the room, leaving our guest still sitting in the chair with his hands chained over his head. Stone immediately asked, “What the hell is going on?”

“That guy isn’t a Viper,” Vicious answered. “Knew it the second I took off that damn cut.”

“You sure?”

“Oh, hell yeah. I’ve seen enough Vipers to know this asshole isn’t one of them.” He motioned his hand toward the two-way mirror. “Just look at him… He doesn’t have any ink. Not anywhere. Hell, I don’t know a Viper around these parts without at least one fucking viper plastered across their damn chest, and even more on their arms and even face.”

“Maybe he’s a prospect.”

“Nah, this guy doesn’t know shit about anything.” Vicious shook his head. “Managed to tell me that Tank was the president, but he didn’t know nothing else. Couldn’t tell me the name of the VP or even where they hold meetings or who Tank’s ol’ lady is. And when I asked him about their territory, he gave me directions that would take me three counties in the wrong direction.”

“Yeah, he’s trying to pull a fast one.”