I tossed and turned all night on the fucking couch as I tried to get comfortable. But even I knew damn good and well that my comfort level wasn’t what kept me up. Every time I heard the clubhouse crack or pop, I wondered if Raven was venturing out of her room. Every time I heard someone lumbering around, I wondered if Raven was coming out to get herself something to eat. I hadn’t expected her to fall asleep without dinner, so I set aside a plate for her of Porter’s infamous chicken alfredo. I mean the man could fucking throw down in a kitchen.
But she didn’t come out of the room all night.
As I stared at the ceiling in the middle of the night, I had half a mind to go in there and curl up with Raven. Maybe if I made the first move, she’d melt into me like I knew she wanted to do all those years ago. Why I was stupid enough to let Gage slip in there before I did was beyond me. I honestly didn’t think she was the kind of girl to go for the overt flirtatious advances and the wild smiles of my best friend.
Then again, people always did surprise me.
This is your late best friend’s wife, dude. Chill the fuck out.
I swallowed back the guilt wafting up the back of my throat and turned onto my side. I stared at the couch cushions, wondering if Raven hated me for dragging her back into a world she left of her own accord. She made it plain and clear to all of us that she wanted nothing to do with this lifestyle any longer. And yet, here she was, being dragged back here by me and those asshat Black Dildos.
Why would they come after me, though?
It wasn’t as if I’d struck down one of their members. And I wasn’t spreading any sort of shit about them on the streets. Hell, I’d been locked up for just shy of five years until yesterday, so why the hell were they so concerned about the fact that I was back on the streets?
They know something about that night.
My conversation with Raven came rushing back and I pushed myself upright. Someone in that bullshit club knew about that night. I always knew there were way too many unanswered questions, especially with Hyde’s death hanging over all of us. There were too many coincidences and too many slip-ups for this to have been a naturally occurring event.
“And those dickheads know something,” I growled.
I stood to my feet and made my way into the kitchen. If I couldn’t sleep, then I’d eat. I ripped open the fridge and pulled out the leftovers from dinner before tossing them into the microwave. And as I heated them up, I grabbed a couple of beers. I toasted some toast before slapping some butter on it and pouring garlic powder on top. Then, with the last of the salad drenched in Italian dressing, I sat down to have myself another miniature feast.
While I turned over everything I knew about that night in my head.
I knew that Hyde called me to help him on a job I knew nothing about that night. I knew it had something to do with a car Gage had been modifying for a client, but I didn’t even know Gage was involved with the trade-off until Hyde said something to me in the car. That went against every single solitary protocol we had when it came to our chop-shop jobs. We had an explicit rule that stated that the people who worked on the car were not the people who showed up on the job to then exchange the car. It was our little way of ducking police, should one of us start getting tracked. That way, while the police were occupied with some chop-shop employee sleeping in the middle of the night, other guys in the club were making the sale and putting money in all of our pockets.
“Why the fuck did he go against all of our rules?” I whispered to myself.
“Ah, don’t mind if I join you,” Porter said.
He ripped open the fridge and I had to brace myself so I didn’t jump. I didn’t want him to know that he had caught me off-guard. I didn’t want him to know that I’d been so lost in my own thoughts that I hadn’t heard him come in.
Because the last thing I needed was someone criticizing my mental capacity to come back.
“Oh, hell yeah. It’s a damn party out here,” Archer said.
Porter fell into a seat in front of me and chugged back a beer before Archer placed an entire twelve-pack on the table. I looked up at them both as I slurped a sauced noodle through my lips before reaching for my beer.
“Not gonna eat?” I asked.
Porter patted his gut. “I ate enough. It’s time to drown my heartburn out, though.”
Archer kicked his bare feet up onto the table. “You and me both. I love your cooking, but damn it, it’s terrible for me.”
Porter chuckled. “Butter is my main ingredient.”
“Obviously,” I said flatly.
Porter leaned forward. “So, uh, you gonna talk about that girl currently sleeping in your room?”
Archer snickered. “Or do we need to drag it out of you?”
My eyes slowly panned over to him. “I’d love to see you try.”
Porter polished off his first beer and reached for another. “You have to admit, it’s weird.”
Archer nodded. “Very weird, since none of us have seen her in years now.”
Porter cracked open his second can. “Then, you show up with her unannounced, kick Finn out of his—”
I pointed at him. “That’s my room, and you fucking know it. It’s always been my room. Just like that parking space out there has always been mine despite the fact that someone spray-painted over it. I don’t know whose idea it was to get rid of me here, but I’m back, so start acting like it.”
The two guys looked at each other and I wanted to know what they were thinking. I felt like there were secrets being hid away from me and that only made me angrier.
“If you’re gonna think together, then speak together,” I growled.
Porter’s eyes came back to mine. “Then why don’t you start by telling us why Raven is here.”
I polished off my food before I leaned back. I stretched my legs out and sipped my beer, putting them on edge the way this entire place had me on edge ever since I’d ridden away from that damn prison. I saw them getting anxious and pissed off, though, so I decided to put them out of their misery.
After I cleaned up my place at the table.
“Come on, spit it out,” Archer said.
I flopped back down into my seat. “Remember that feeling the next time the two of you want to keep something from me. Got it?”
Porter sighed. “We get it, damn. Now, come on. Spill.”
I told them everything Raven told me. I told them about how I saw the Black Flags on the road heading for her place. I told them how I didn’t have my gun, but I had my throwing knives. I told them about how they busted into Raven’s place and how they mocked Gage’s death before asking for me.
I even told them about the question Raven had for that man as well as his answer.
And that stopped the two men in their tracks.
“He said what?” Porter asked.
I nodded. “Yep. He said, ‘Is that what you really believe?’”
Archer furrowed his brow. “Well, that’s what she claims he said.”
I gnashed my teeth together. “You callin’ her a liar? Because I’ve known her for years.”
He held up his hands. “All I’m saying is that it’s been years since you’ve seen anyone, and a lot changes in that kind of time.”
I looked around the clubhouse. “Yeah, tell me about it.”
Porter reached for a third beer. “Why do you think the Black Flags would be looking for you?”
I shook my head slowly. “No fucking clue. I didn’t get into one ounce of trouble while I was in prison. I didn’t mess with any of their former members that I came into contact with and I sure as hell didn’t attempt to fuck with them while I was on the inside.”
Archer narrowed his eyes. “Why go see her?”
I paused. “What?”
He reached for another beer, too. “After all these years, why go see her?”
I shrugged. “I made a promise to Gage when they first got married that I’d look after her if anything happened to him. I was robbed of being able to fulfill that promise for almost five years. I won’t be robbed of it a second more.”
Archer didn’t look as if he was satisfied, though.
“What?” I asked curtly.
Porter interjected hastily. “Do you think the Black Flags were involved in landing you in jail that night?”
My eyes whipped back over to his face. “I think this proves they were involved somehow, and they’re wanting to shut up anyone from that night who witnessed anything.”
Archer sighed. “That would give one explanation as to why Hyde is currently dead.”
I pointed at him. “They’re the ones who deal in drugs constantly. Including the drugs that were supposedly found in Hyde’s place when he was gunned down, right?”
They both nodded. “Right.”
I chugged back my beer. “That at least gives us a possible motive. Right now? That entire fucking club is suspect number one right now.”
Porter stretched his arms above his head. “You know, they’ve been a bit more active these last couple of years.”
Archer clicked his tongue. “They’ve been expanding their territory at a blinding pace, too.”
I held out my arms. “Only more proof and more evidence to the fact that they were involved somehow that night. We were set up by those assholes, and that’s why Gage is dead. That’s why Hyde is dead. And that’s why I ended up in prison. They wanted to disband the core group of this club so they could encroach upon our territory that they’ve been trying to take from us for damn near a decade now.”
Porter’s eyebrows rose. “Shit, we need to take this to Chops.”
I pointed at him. “I don’t want him involved in this. Not until we have hard proof as to what we’re dealing with.”
Archer balked. “You want us to withhold something this big from our fucking president? Why?”
I scoffed. “He’s not my president.”
Porter narrowed his eyes. “You think Chops is involved somehow, don’t you?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know. But I do know that something about this just doesn’t sit right. You guys might not see it that way because it’s been like this for you guys for a while now. Just now coming into it, though? With all of this information being tossed at me? And my presence essentially being erased from this place? Who do you think gave the command to have my room taken over? Who do you think gave the command to have my name spray-painted over?”
The two of them looked at each other before Porter sighed. “Fuck.”
Archer pinched the bridge of his nose. “God damn it.”
And just as the birds chirped outside, a door creaked open in the distance. The pitter patter of soft footsteps came down the hallway. I didn’t even need to turn around to see who it was. I knew damn good and well who it was.
“Can I go home now?” Raven asked softly.
I knew she wouldn’t like my answer, but it was the only one I had for her. “Not right now. It’s too dangerous.”
She snickered. “Am I at least allowed to leave? Or call work?”
I finally turned around to face her. “It probably isn’t for the best until you absolutely have to.”
Porter stood. “There are some leftovers that Brooks set aside for you last night if you’re hungry.”
Raven glared at him. “I want to leave. That’s what I want.”
I stood to my feet. “How about we go for a ride instead? Maybe get some coffee?”
Raven’s face softened as she looked up at me. “Sure, that’s a good start.”
I held out my arm toward the door. “Perfect. I’m pretty sure your coffee shop opens in a little bit. We can take the long way around. Guys?”
Archer waved his hand at me. “You two have fun.”
Porter chuckled. “Bring some coffee back for all of us, too. I think we’re out here.”
I nodded. “I’ll get a to-go jug or whatever and pick up some grounds at the shop.”
Then, I ushered Raven out the door as she ran her fingers through her hair. Trying to make herself look more presentable after a long night’s rest. She didn’t need any of that shit, though. Not the makeup, the fake nails, or the jewelry. She was just as beautiful now as the day I first laid eyes on her in that booth after Gage nudged me and pointed out his “conquest for the evening.”
What a tangled web we all wove together.
Thank fuck I didn’t change out of my clothes last night.
