Chapter 19
Distracted Me
Ryan
“Aw, shit,” Lark muttered.
I stood next to him behind the bar and let my gaze follow to where he was staring across the room.
One of the rednecks had walked inside with his eyes fixed on me and Lark. This had to be Rusty.
On the one hand, it surprised me it took this long for him to come around, on the other hand, I couldn’t believe he wanted this to be public.
He stopped at the bar in front of us. “Both of you fucked up.”
Lark’s eyes were empty - he was a master of the dead-eyed stare. “We close in twenty minutes. If you aren’t ordering a beer, then leave.”
“You don’t deny it?” Rusty asked, his eyes darting between us.
“Are you Rusty?” I asked.
His eyes glittered at me. “You killed my cousins.”
Rusty stood at five foot, eight inches and probably weighed as much as I did which meant he was at least forty pounds overweight. He appeared to be in his mid-thirties, but he didn’t have the rough demeanor Boyd and Campbell had. No wonder he left the dirty work to his cousins.
I shook my head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Bullshit, but Corrupt Chrome MC is gonna take care of you assholes.”
Lark’s head twitched. “What do they have to do with it?”
He focused on Lark. “You fucked one of their women.” Rusty swung his gaze to me. “And you fucked with me when you killed Boyd.”
“I haven’t done shit to you,” I said.
Rusty chuckled. “More bullshit.”
“Corrupt Chrome doesn’t have a chapter here, and you don’t ride. What are you? A hang-around who can’t afford his own bike?” I asked.
Rusty narrowed his eyes. “I oughta shoot you right now, but Sig told me his club’s gonna take care of everything.”
It was taking everything I had to ignore him and stay calm.
“Why isn’t Sig here with you?” Lark asked.
“They don’t do things half-assed,” Rusty muttered.
Killian sidled up to Rusty. “We got a problem here?”
Tundra, who had been sitting at the far end of the bar, stood and lumbered over to Rusty’s other side. “Did I hear there’s a problem?”
Rusty’s expression betrayed his nervousness at being outnumbered by us. He fixed his gaze on Lark. “This bar’s days are numbered, asshole.”
Tundra turned outraged eyes to Lark. “You gonna let that shit slide?”
“Get him out of here,” Lark said, his eyes cold on Rusty.
Killian reached for Rusty, but he backed away. “I’m leaving.”
Tundra and Killian followed him.
“Where’s Ivy?” Lark asked.
“Clubhouse.”
His eyes rounded. “Really?”
I shrugged. “You said put her in a safe house, and I can’t think of anywhere safer than my room.”
“Boy… Don’t string her along,” Lark said.
I stiffened. “I’m not a boy, and I’d never string a woman along.”
“Fine. You wiped the steering wheel down the other night, right?”
It floored me that he’d talk about this when Rusty had just left.
I nodded.
“Passenger side?”
“No,” I said, angry at myself.
Lark nodded. “I’ll have Liar or Patch take care of it.”
“Why not Adam?” I asked.
Killian and Tundra came back inside. Tundra sat on a stool close to us. Killian came behind the bar.
“Call me paranoid, but I swear someone followed me here. Any one of us is probably being followed – especially now that Rusty decided to grow a pair and confront us,” Lark said.
“You should have told us about suspecting a tail,” Killian said.
Lark made a show of looking around the bar. “We’ve been a little busy. It’s not like I wouldn’t have warned you before you left since I suggest you two ride back to the clubhouse together.”
Killian skewered Lark with his gaze. “And what about our sister?”
“I’ll be following her,” Lark said.
My eyes widened. “She’s been here ten hours already, and you won’t be leaving for at least another two.”
“I can follow her tonight,” Tundra said.
Lark mulled it over, then nodded. “That works. Thanks, brother.”
I stared at Tundra for a beat. His willingness bugged me; then again, everything about this situation bugged me.
I glanced back at Lark. “Even before Rusty came in here, why do you think this threat is aimed at you? Ivy mentioned that, but didn’t give me specifics. Did you really hook up with a Corrupt Chrome ol’ lady?”
Lark scooped ice into a cup and filled it with soda.
“I figured the threat was aimed at me because there were plenty of people who pushed back at that zoning hearing last year. As for the Corrupt Chrome MC, I don’t go after ol’ ladies from any club…
but that don’t mean one of their women didn’t decide to fuck around on her man and leave her property cut at home. ”
“But why would Rusty take me for Corrupt Chrome? That’s whacked.”
After he set the soda on a serving tray, Lark turned to me. “Those boys aren’t the sharpest. And you said at church, Boyd thought they’d get paid no matter who they took.”
Killian caught Lark’s attention. “What precautions are you taking to stay safe?”
“Yeah,” I muttered.
Lark shot us an incredulous look. “I’ve been livin’ the MC life longer than you two have been alive. I know how to handle an asshole like Rusty.”
A customer across the room caught my attention and I went to their table.
“This blows. I hate wearing a fuckin’ helmet. To confirm: one flick is the signal,” my brother said, fastening his helmet.
I nodded. “It’s one flick. You’re right about the helmets, but if Rusty’s in a cage, my guess is he won’t hesitate to run us off the road.”
“Yeah. You really should have pulled your piece on those bastards.”
I put on my helmet. “Can’t change the past, man. If we’re followed, I’m going east, you take Chaffee to the interstate.”
We mounted our bikes and backed out of the parking lot.
A vehicle pulled out onto US 90 behind us before we’d even gone half a mile.
I forced myself to keep my eyes on the road.
My side mirrors posed too much of a distraction.
Halfway between the bar and Chaffee Road, the vehicle gained on us drastically.
I increased my speed and so did my brother.
We reached the turn off for Chaffee Road and Killian gave one flick along with a nod, put on his blinker, and veered into the right turn lane.
I twisted the throttle and sailed through the green light just as it tuned yellow.
The vehicle following us turned right, and I sent up a prayer that Killian was able to lose him. Deep down I knew that he could, but Rusty was unpredictable.
Now that nobody was following me, I took a direct route back to the clubhouse. I couldn’t wait to get back to Ivy.
Twenty minutes later, I pulled into the forecourt of the Riot MC compound and parked my bike. While I stowed my helmet, my brother pulled in and eased his Harley next to me.
“I take it you lost him,” I said after he shut down the engine.
He nodded and took off his helmet. “Yeah. Had to split lanes and piss off a truck driver, but I saw no sign of anyone following me once I got onto Wilson Boulevard.”
“Good. Do you think he was actually following you? Maybe we’re just being paranoid.”
Killian shook his head. “No. He was so damned close to me, I’m lucky he didn’t rear end me at the light. He tried to ride my ass getting on the Interstate, but he didn’t expect me to ride between vehicles like I did.”
I wiped a hand down my face. “Glad you lost him. Do you think Lark’s taste for younger women actually got us into this mess?”
Killian shrugged. “I know shit gets crazy at biker rallies, and that Lark rarely misses one because that’s his chance to seriously let loose.
It would not surprise me if a woman wanted to get even with her ol’ man and get herself some.
Either way, we’re in this shit now. We gotta deal with those assholes regardless. ”
“You’re right. Are you getting a strange vibe off Tundra?”
He narrowed his eyes at me. “What kind of strange vibe? I overheard him flirting with your girl, but that was to get under your skin.”
I hesitated. “Just between us, it seemed strange he was first to volunteer to patrol the lot. Then he was right there when Lark mentioned following Mickayla home.”
Killian shook his head. “You’re imagining shit, man. He’s been around us since we were kids.”
I slowly dipped my chin. “Yeah, and Mick always—”
He held up a hand. “She always ran to any of the Jax brothers because we only got to see them when they came to us. I’m not getting a strange vibe. I think you’re seeing things.”
I sighed. “You’re right. Thanks for hearing me out. If I mentioned it to anyone else, they’d think I’m crazy.”
He chuckled. “I still think you’re crazy, but I get it. You wouldn’t be able to air that shit out with another brother. It’s all good. I won’t say anything to anyone.”
“Cool. Have a good night.”
“I will, as long as you keep it down in your room,” he said, giving me a sidelong glance.
I chuckled. “Whatever. You’re the one going at it in the fuckin’ hallway.”
We started toward the clubhouse back door.
“How the fuck do you know that?” he asked.
“Ivy noticed the two of you. She didn’t know who she saw, but I sure as fuck did. Neither one of us needs to see each other getting busy.”
Killian laughed. “Sounds like that’s your problem, not mine.”
“Says the brother who just told me to keep it down in my own fuckin’ room.”
Killian opened the back door. “Damn right. Life’s too short not to needle you every chance I get.”
Upstairs, I opened the door to my room expecting to find Ivy asleep. Instead, she sat with her back to the headboard holding one of the paperbacks she picked out last night.
She set the book aside and I realized she was wearing my t-shirt.
“Did you shower already?” I asked.
“Um…” she hesitated.
“Fuck it, you’re gonna shower again, babe.”
“Ryan…” she started.
I shrugged out of my cut and hung it up.
Putting a knee to the mattress, I crawled toward her. “Babe, it’s not like we have to pay the water bill.”
Her expression softened and I watched her concern fade away. “This is true.”
I woke up when three deep thuds sounded from the door. A flashback to my teen years hit me because that was how Dad knocked on my door.
“Is someone at the door?” Ivy asked, her voice thick with sleep.
“Yeah, I hope it’s not who I think it is.”
“Who?” she asked, sitting up.
I tugged on my gym shorts. “My dad.”
Her eyes went huge. “I’m hitting the bathroom.”
“Don’t do that. It’s better to get this out of the way.”
“I’m in your shirt!” she hissed.
With a shrug, I went to the door. I opened it two inches.
Dad stood in the hall with his arms crossed. “Took you long enough.”
“What are you doing here? No way you just rode into town because you’d have had to leave at two in the morning.”
He shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “Got in yesterday and stayed with Blood and Abby. I’m here because rumor has it, you got a concussion and I had to learn about that from someone else.”
“It wasn’t a concussion,” I muttered.
Dad aimed his ‘you’re-full-of-it’ look at me. “Why are you keeping me out of your room?”
I opened the door wider, looked over my shoulder, and saw that Ivy had gone in the bathroom.
“I should have known,” Dad said.
“No, Dad. It’s not what you’re thinking.”
“There’s a stack of books and women’s hair shit on that nightstand. Club bunnies don’t stick around long enough to leave their hair bands. Pretty sure it’s exactly what I think it is,” he said, strolling into the room and closing the door behind him.
Even though the clubhouse walls were thin, he spoke low enough, I doubted Ivy heard him.
“Ivy, you can come out here,” I said.
She opened the door. “Really? That was—” She came out of the bathroom still wearing my shirt and stopped short.
For a second, she narrowed her eyes on me, which was cute as fuck.
Then she aimed a sheepish grin at Dad and held out her hand.
“Sorry, I’m Ivy Brummis. I didn’t expect to meet you first thing in the morning. ”
Dad shook her hand with a chuckle. “Nice to meet you, Ivy, I’m Gamble.”
“Did you bring Mom out too?” I asked.
Dad failed to hide his grunt. “No. If I had, we would have been at the bar last night causing all three of you problems.”
“Who told you I got hurt?” I asked.
Dad shook his head. “You can’t figure that out on your own?”
I shot him a dry look.
“Abby told Fiona, who let it slip to Cynic. He told me—”
“And you were able to keep it from Mom? That’s impressive,” I said.
Dad crossed his arms. “I try not to worry your mom if I don’t have to.”
“Right. Maybe Ivy and I can meet you downstairs.”
Dad nodded. “Sounds like a plan.” He looked to Ivy. “I promise I don’t bite.”
The moment Dad left, Ivy planted her hands on her hips. “Why would you make me meet your Dad in nothing but your shirt?”
I closed the distance between us. “You’ll have to meet him today one way or the other. He pegged me having a woman in here immediately.”
She sucked in a breath. “He thinks I’m one of—”
“No, he doesn’t. A club girl wouldn’t bring a pile of books with her.”
That seemed to appease her. I continued, “Get dressed. We should go downstairs. I’m guessing Dad needs to ride back this afternoon.”
“Mom’s gonna be fit to be tied when she hears I met your dad before you met her.” She locked eyes with me. “Is there any chance you can get tonight off? Mom’s expecting us for dinner this evening. I meant to tell you when you got here last night, but you distracted me.”
I grinned at the memory of how I distracted her.
“I’ll see what I can do,” I said, pulling on a t-shirt.
She grabbed her bag and went in the bathroom.