Chapter 4
Sloane
Besides a few texts from Vector and my family, Sunday is absolutely peaceful.
Monday’s a different story. From the moment I walk into work, Kathy at the front desk gives me her patented look for when it’s best that everyone keep their heads down. Unfortunately, my cube is directly across from the conference room and Graziano is already in there with our clients from the county and two men I don’t recognize—but the cut of their suits make me think they’re the lawyers my boss was dreading.
I pick up the phone, hoping to schedule a last-minute ride along to the area we surveyed the other day, but the trucks have already pulled out on other assignments. Looking around, I pray for inspiration when I see Kathy coming around the corner. She’s looking over her shoulder, asking someone if they want coffee when I see another man in a suit, then Vector.
Other than a polite nod in my direction, he doesn’t acknowledge knowing me.
Which is good.
What isn’t good, is that he’s attracted the attention of my male counterparts. Seeing him in his cut, jeans, and boots, they all sit a little straighter in their chairs like a bunch of freshmen boys hoping that the cool kid will give them a nod also.
Sighing, I open my laptop and get started on the report that needs to be submitted later today. My attention is shit though and I continuously try to convince myself that I can easily ignore the men in the conference room.
Benny, one of my co-workers, told me that the year before the pandemic, the cubes were updated from the traditional kinds, surrounded by five-foot partitions, to what we currently have. The modern aesthetic is meant to foster camaraderie and the exchange of ideas between employees.
I don’t know who comes up with that nonsense, because on a daily basis, all that really gets exchanged are Nerf bullets.
With the partition barely a foot higher than my desk, what it doesn’t do is provide cover. Not when anyone wants to make a personal call, not when we’re blowing our noses, and not when the sexiest man I’ve ever fucked decides to take a seat that directly faces me.
Although I’m pretending to ignore him, I can feel the look of annoyance that flashes across my face and refuse to let him get the better of me.
Then my phone pings, notifying me of a text.
Next time, I want your top off so I can play with your tits.
My face instantly feels like I’ve been set on fire. I narrow my eyes and flip my phone over, refusing to look in his direction.
When it pings two more times in quick succession, I studiously ignore it. At least I try to.
“Hey, Sloane,” Benny calls from a couple of cubes over. “Is that your phone? Um, are you alright? You’re really red.”
If I wasn’t red previously, I would be with five sets of male eyes now studying my complexion, two of whom look annoyed when my phone pings again.
“Is it your grandfather? Is he alright?” Benny adds on those questions after I give him the side eye.
“Sorry, I’ve been getting a lot of spam lately,” I reply before turning to confront the messages.
You look so hot, trying to ignore me.
Want to go to dinner tonight?
I shake my head, then start to type so he won’t think I’m blowing him off.
Pops and I go to the Elks Club every Monday night. I’m free the rest of the week.
Dinner Tuesday. Party at the clubhouse on Thursday night.
I sneak a look at him after reading his reply and just then, the man who walked in with him taps the table in front of Vector, pulling his focus back to the meeting.
Tapping on the ‘thumbs up’ emoji, I’m just about to put my phone back down when an idea pops to mind. I’ve never sent a nude to anyone and I’m not going to start now, but the next time he looks at his phone he’s going to get an eyeful of my cleavage.
Quickly snapping the picture in the restroom, I send it before I can talk myself out of it. Now I just have to ignore him on my way back to my desk.
Exiting the restroom, Benny’s heading out on a coffee run and instead of adding onto his list, I offer to go with him to help out. At least, that’s the excuse I give myself.
Vector
“Not that I don’t appreciate the billable hours,” Brian, my lawyer says once we hit the parking lot. “But what do you actually hope to achieve?”
I give him the side eye, Brian’s been working with me long enough that he doesn’t usually ask questions anymore.
“Okay, so you’re just buying time?” he continues, jumping to the correct answer. “They’re not going to delay it more than a week, maybe I can get you ten days.”
“Crasher or Oak will let you know by Friday,” I tell him, my mind more focused on my date with Sloane. “Hey! Actually, Brian. Where would you take your wife for a nice dinner? Not a crazy, it’s-our-ten-year anniversary type of place. But a solid date night restaurant somewhere with tablecloths.”
“Tonight? Most places are closed on Mondays,” he slowly responds, and I can see he’s considering options.
“No, tomorrow.”
“Oh, Testa Rossa! It opened about six months ago, over on Monroe,” he says with a snap of his fingers. “The food is great, and the staff is even better. I can call the manager for you if you want me to?”
“Italian?”
“Yes, but Sicilian Italian food,” he counters, like I should know what the difference is. “And their pizzas are really good, too. Joanna and I will split one of those in their bar area when we’re having a casual night out.”
“Appreciate it,” I tell him, giving him a nod before heading over to my bike. I shake my head, thinking the guy probably spends more on a casual night out than I have on a woman in years.
*
“Is there anything else?” I ask Piercer and Oak the next day as they report in on the month’s operations. They shrug when they share a look, then shake their heads in unison.
“This week’s party is open to outsiders, right?” Piercer confirms and I nod. “The guy I hired to work at the storage units, he’s been curious, might be a potential prospect so I’m going to mention it to him.”
“Isn’t he a fireman?” Oak questions him.
“No, an EMT. They don’t get paid shit so he’s moonlighting.”
“An EMT would come in handy around here, but make sure Crasher thoroughly checks him out,” I say, making a mental note to keep an eye on the guy.
“You got anything else for us?” Oak replies, leaning back like he’s getting dug into the chair when he should be heading out.
“No, but I got shit to do, so …” I say, motioning to the door.
Piercer gets the hint and swipes a hand across the back of Oak’s head to get him moving. “Come on, let’s rack some balls.”
The door has barely closed when my newest burner is ringing, and I pick it up to hear what sounds like a pterodactyl screeching.
“Gimme a minute,” Jasper barks out, but I don’t know if he’s talking to me or whichever of his kids is screaming their head off.
Just as I’m about to disconnect the line, he comes back on with the weariest sigh I’ve ever heard. “Fuck, sorry about that.”
“What’s happening?”
“Our friends in Arizona, they’re looking for a new home. I want to offer them one, so if you have any objection, I want to know about it by tomorrow.”
It’s a damn good thing I’m sitting down.
Jasper’s president of our national chapter, but my dad was there with Flint’s father when they formed the Northern Grizzlies. Jigsaw was always going to be the junior man on the totem pole, which is why he decided to strike out and form his own chapter.
There’s a California chapter, but they’ve been pulling away from us for a while now so I would have been less surprised if this call was about them offering a buyout, since Flint owns the property that they’re situated on.
“Tell me what’s going on,” I respond after a moment.
This part of the country isn’t as isolated as where Jasper is situated. If the club in Flagstaff is ditching their current colors, there’s a very real possibility that I’m the one who could pay for it. Granted there seems to be a bit of movement when it comes to those chapters, and it’s not like I’m without friends.
Fifteen minutes later, I’m pinching the bridge of my nose as I regret asking about the situation. As justified as they are for walking away from their national, I just hope it’ll be done without bloodshed. Or further bloodshed, I should say.
“How soon are we talking?”
“If you agree, immediately. Honestly, with their border connections this would be a good thing for us. I know Declan is abrasive but—”
“He’s solid. I ain’t got a problem with him, I’d just like the chance to make a couple of calls.” I pause before bringing up the subject he hasn’t mentioned. “About Bridget, when she goes out there to check their books, I want extra security on her for the time being. That or someone brings them here.”
“If this happens, I was going to tell you to bring her out for the patch over party,” he responds, before groaning when another scream comes over the line. “Christ. Call me tomorrow, I gotta make sure they don’t kill one another.”
I’ve always considered Jasper to be unflappable so I’m laughing when I hang up. Right up until the thought of Sloane having our child hits me, unexpectedly making me suck in my breath at how much I like the idea. Shaking my head, I put those thoughts aside and pick up my other phone to call a buddy of mine down in South Carolina.
“How ya doing, old man?” I greet him when Demo immediately answers.
“You gonna make me ride up there and kick your ass?” While he’s only been president of the Saint’s Outlaws, Hawk’s Landing chapter for a handful of years he was in the Army for nearly a decade and him, like the rest of his chapter, look more like a well-trained militia than a motorcycle club.
“Funny you think you ever could.”
“Been meaning to call you,” he says, chuckling but moving on from our bullshit. “We’re talking about heading up to that casino in Cherokee sometime in the next week or so, why don’t y’all meet us there?”
“Sounds good,” I respond, wondering what my chances are of getting Sloane to join me.
“Why don’t you bring Bridg? We’ll show her a good time.”
“Fuck off,” I growl, good-naturedly.
If I thought Bridget was interested in him, or any of the men I consider friends, I’d back off and let her navigate her own relationship—after threatening to cut off their dick if they ever hurt her or ran around on her, of course.
But Demo’s part of a smaller sub-set of men, those who flirt with her to yank my chain. I almost pissed myself laughing the day Bridget turned it back on him, scaring him to death that he’d have to let her down. The only time he makes comments now is when it’s just us.
“Ya know, I had an actual reason for calling you.” I change my tone, letting him know it’s time to get down to business.
Without talking about our club’s business, I start out asking him about his read on all the changes that have taken place in our region recently and if he thinks alliances will hold.
As Demo talks, I wonder when I’d be able to get him and Flint in a room together. I think watching the two of them playing chess would be life changing. Demo immediately seems to know which MC I’m fishing for information about and doesn’t disappoint; he does however reassure me that they have bigger fish to fry than me.
“So, I’ll let you know what weekend we lock in at the casino; you be sure to get your ass there!” Demo signs off.