Chapter 21
Chapter
Twenty-One
INK
R apping my knuckles on Cain’s office door, I wait for his ‘come in’ before entering.
I left Sutton with Evan to hopefully figure out a temporary living arrangement. Putting the word temporary in front of it was the only way I could get Sutton to agree to take Evan up on the offer.
I don’t think I’ve ever met someone so god damn stubborn in my life. She has a ton of people that don’t know her from Adam holding their hand out to help her, but she doesn’t want to be a charity case. Shit’s whack.
“You rang, Your Majesty?” I call as I enter the office.
“Oh, fuck off,” Cain grunts, slamming his fist on top of a stapler. “Stupid fucking thing. Never fucking works.”
“It might you if you weren’t beating the fuck out of it.”
“Funny,” Cain mocks as I snicker.
“What’s up?” I ask as I take a seat.
“You good for a run?”
“Now?”
I won’t ever tell him no and usually I don’t give a fuck about staying in rotation for this type of shit, but I’ve never had something personal to take care of before. Anything personal died with my mom.
“I know you got shit goin’ on, but it’s the same guys as before and I want another read on them.”
“Who’s ridin’ with me?”
“I’m gonna send Hash, so they see another familiar face.
I figure he knows ‘em as much as you do. I was thinking about sending Scotch too, but I don’t want to throw them off by sending a third now.
They don’t need to know we think somethin’ is up.
As soon as you two feel it’s safe, I want you to count that money, though. Every single fucking dollar.”
I rest my ankle on my thigh as I lean on the armrest, rubbing my fingers over the corners of my mouth as I think. “You think they shorted us on purpose?”
I’m not gonna lie. I was thinking about that being a possibility after our conversation the other week.
I’d lay my life down for my brothers. I can’t see any of them stealing from the club. Not even Levi. Kid is fresh but also way too eager to please. He wouldn’t jeopardize getting patched in over a few grand.
Someone like Sutton would notice a few grand missing, but an MC? That little amount of money is like twenty bucks, especially if you aren’t keeping track of shit.
“Yup. I think those pieces of shit are testing to see how far they can push us.”
I grunt in agreement as Hash enters the office and sits down next to me.
“This about what I think it is?” Hash asks. Cain shoots him a look as he slams the stapler down again. “It’s about what I think it is,” he mumbles.
“Why would the Black Diamonds want to mess around with somethin’ this fuckin’ stupid?” I ask.
Cain rubs his hand across his out and down the sides of his beard. “Don’t know, but it’s pissing me off. The only thing I can think of is they’re trying to prove themselves inside their own organization. No one likes to look like a pussy in front of their club, even if it is deserved.”
“I can’t fucking stand them,” Hash grumbles.
“What do you want us to do if it’s short?”
“Come back. I’m not going to let you two go after them without someone at your back. They’re probably banking on that happening. Easier to take two out when they have more waiting. I just want to know what we’re dealing with.”
Hash and I both nod our heads.
God, I fucking hope it’s all there, plus what’s owed. The last thing I want to do is deal with these fuck heads again. They’re a giant pain in the ass.
“You’ll be good going?” Cain asks again.
“Yeah. She’s not my girl. Let me get her situated with Evan and I’ll be ready to ride out.”
Cain snorts, a knowing smirk taking over his face. “Not your girl, but you need to get her situated. Right?”
“You’re so fucked, brother.” Hash laughs as he slaps me on the back.
I can’t say shit back because I’m starting to think he’s right.
I’m fucked.
After the meeting with Cain and Hash, I find Sutton in my room with her bags spread out on the bed with her rearranging and packing up the few things she had taken out.
Standing in the doorway, I lean against the frame. “Goin’ somewhere?”
Sutton jumps and turns around quickly, bringing a hand to rest over her racing heart. She looks like a scared kitten.
I don’t like the sight of her packing her bags .
“You scared the crap out of me,” she exclaims, blowing out air as she looks up at the ceiling.
I scared the crap out of her.
Not shit.
Crap.
She’s too fucking cute.
“Goin’ somewhere?” I ask again, this time stepping into the room.
Sutton turns back to her packing before she answers. “Evan is letting me stay at her place until I can get back on my feet and find a place.”
“You two got it all worked out, then?”
“Yeah. Evan is super nice. Honestly, I was a little scared to talk to her on my own. She’s kind of… intimidating. I’m excited to see her house and get out of your hair.”
“You’re not in the way of anything. I told you that you can stay here for as long as you want.”
I’d prefer it actually, but she’s not ready to hear that.
“I’m not getting into the couch conversation again and I’m not taking over your bed. Evan said she can take me to work, too.”
“Speaking of getting to work, I had your car towed here. I’m going to have it looked at and see if we can get it runnin’ for ya.”
Sutton stops what she’s doing and looks at me. “What?”
“I’m goin’ to get it runnin’. Are you okay?”
Shit, why does she look mad?
“Am I okay?” she asks, her hands going straight to her hips.
“No, I’m not okay! I remember telling you specifically that I would take care of it after I found a place.
Are you forgetting that?” Her face is flushed, and her eyes are wild.
“Gosh, I don’t have the money right now.
In fact, I don’t have any freaking money! ”
“I told you not to worry about the money.”
Sutton’s eyes widen in disbelief. “Do you even hear yourself right now? Because you telling me to not worry about it doesn’t work.
In fact, everything is a million times worse on top of me wanting to smother you with a pillow.
” A squeak escapes her mouth before she quickly slaps her hand over it.
“I’m so sorry. That was completely out of line,” she says through her hand, sounding muffled.
“Don’t apologize. Say what you feel and don’t hold back. Life’s too short to live in a world where you can’t live in the moment.”
Sutton’s head tilts to the side as she thinks about what I just said. “You’re right. I do want to smother you sometimes. Most of the time, I want to do it at work.”
A loud laugh booms out of me. Fuck, I can’t remember the last time I laughed so much. “Go for it, bunny. I like a little bit of pain when I tap that ass.”
The blush I love so much ignites all over her face. “That’s hardly professional in the workplace.”
“What about me says ‘professional?’”
Sutton’s mouth opens and closes as she looks me up and down at a loss for words. “Is there something I can help you with? I’m trying to pack and you’re distracting me,” she says, changing the subject.
I’ll give her that.
I feel better knowing I affect her just as much as she affects me. No one likes being in a one sided… whatever the fuck this is.
“I need to talk to you about somethin’.”
She pauses halfway through zipping a bag and turns back to me with her hand still on the zipper. All traces of being flustered are gone from her face and concern is in its place. “What’s up?”
“It’s nothin’ bad, so stop lookin’ at me like that.”
I hate that her immediate reaction to talking about something is dread.
“Well, spit it out. My anxiety can’t take anymore.”
“Once we get you settled at Evan’s, I’m going to be gone for a couple days at most. If you need anything, tell Evan or text me and I’ll have one of the guys help until I get back. I’m going to have Gage pick you up for work, so you don’t have to worry about that.”
She looks around my room, almost seeming a little lost.
“Where are you going?” she asks after a moment .
“I have some club business I need to take care of.”
The wheels are turning behind her bright hazel eyes. I know she wants to ask what business I’ll be doing that is taking me away for a couple of days, but she doesn’t.
“So you won’t be at the shop? Do you need me to reschedule your appointments?”
The corner of my lip turns up. Always so selfless. “Already did, bunny, but thanks for lookin’ out.”
“I mean, that is what you pay me for.” She rolls her eyes. “I know I kind of freaked out about my car… but have the guys had a chance to look at it?”
I don’t want to tell her that they haven’t yet, but it’s obvious to every single one of us that the only place her old ass Pontiac is going to is the junkyard. That thing is a pile of shit. I’m shocked she was still driving that thing around.
“Not yet,” I lie. “I’ll have Hash get on it today.”
Sutton looks like she wants to say something but thinks better of it, instead turning back to her bags and zipping the rest of them up.
“What?”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“That look on your face says differently, bunny. If you have somethin’ to say fuckin’ say it.”
“I don’t want to be any more of a burden than I already am,” she admits, her voice barely above a whisper.
“I just met all of these people. I’m so thankful for all the help I’ve received, but I don’t want to keep adding to that.
It’s not who I am. I don’t want their view of me to be ‘Sutton: the girl who always needs help.’ It’s embarrassing. ”
I sigh as I move to sit on my bed, grabbing her soft hand and tugging her toward me until she’s close enough I can maneuver her, so she’s sitting in my lap. I was expecting resistance, but she comes willingly, needing the comfort. She tucks her head right under my chin.
It’s the perfect fit.
“Every single one of my brothers, including me, has needed help along the way, even Evan. That’s life, bunny.
It’s up to you to decide if you want to continue to suffer in silence or let someone in to help ease the pain.
I can tell you one thing that’s for damn sure, though.
Not a single one of us thinks you’re a charity case. ”
Her arms slowly wrap around my waist as she hugs me. “Thank you.”
“You don’t need to thank me.” I press my lips to her forehead, giving her a gentle kiss.
Her soft sigh settles in my chest, making it feel tighter, but not in a bad way.
No. This tightness is a feeling I haven’t experienced.
It’s a tightness I don’t want to ever let up because if it does, I know she’ll be gone. “Let’s get you over to Evan’s.”
“Okay,” Sutton replies softly, neither of us moving.
Maybe we both need this.