12. Sin
SIN
I want to stay here, with Sapphire in my arms, but duty calls. Duty as in, her MC.
Diamond just heard about the surveyor—around the same time I did—and the shit has hit the fan.
“Probably best you stay put,” Sapphire tells me. “Diamond is in a mood.”
“Scared of introducin’ me?”
“They all know you already,” she replies.
I meet her gaze. “Haha. I meant as a couple, or are you already gettin’ cold feet?”
“No, I’m not getting cold feet, but we’ve only just established this”—she waves a hand between us—“one second ago. We don’t even know how this is all gonna work.”
“We’ll make it work between the two places, maybe a week on, a week off. I could see myself spendin’ more time in Saddle,” I say, meaning every word.
“The Bandits won’t like that.”
“The Bandits come second to you.”
She stares at me, unblinking. “You don’t really mean that.”
I admit, those are big words. My club is everything.
“I do. I love my club, they’re all I have.
They’re my family, but you’re my family, too, Saph.
They’ll understand or they won’t. I’m not gonna ask you to give up your position here to be my ol’ lady full-time.
I know you. You’d end up resenting me, not to mention you wouldn’t do it because we both love what we do. ”
“Where the hell have you been all my life?” She sighs, wrapping her arms around my neck.
I kiss her hard. “Right here, waitin’.”
She narrows her eyes. “When you said you knew every time I came to Blackstone unannounced, did you also come to Saddle?”
I purse my lips. Bingo. She’s caught me, like any good club Enforcer. “Maybe.”
“So I was right, you did snoop!”
“You were stalkin’ me first.”
She laughs out loud. “Stalking? Wow, you really have dibs on yourself, don’t you?”
“Someone has to check up on you. Fuck knows what mayhem you’ll stir up or what trouble you’ll get yourself into.”
“I’ve come this far in life, and I’ve only been arrested a handful of times,” she says proudly.
I scoff. “Well, I might have a solution to your little problem with Lanzetti.”
Her eyes widen. “Do tell.”
I tap my nose. “Fill you in on the way, best not keep Diamond waitin’.”
“I’m sure she’s gonna have plenty to say when she sees you,” Sapphire mutters, kissing me chastely. “We’d better get going.”
I reluctantly pull back. “Ladies first.”
“Such a gentleman.” She strides off toward the door. Before reaching it, she turns back to look over her shoulder at me. “But I’m taking my own bike.”
“Got you on my ride once before, I’ll do it again.”
“I was fleeing for my life.”
I laugh, my eyes on her ass as I follow her out the door. “You liked it, admit it!” I call after her.
She gives me the middle finger, and I laugh even harder.
“A mole?” Diamond says in surprise.
I shrug. “Why not? Lanzetti is advertisin’ for security. He must be worried about retaliation.”
“How the fuck do you know any of this?” Sapphire demands, making my lips twitch.
I tap my nose. “I have my resources.”
“Seen it on the Salle Wire,” Ruby announces, referring to the local online newspaper. “It’s true. Maybe he figures we’re gonna get handsy on his property after we caught the surveyor this afternoon. Plus, we’ve upped our security and the cameras around Rustic Grove. Maybe he’s doin’ the same?”
“Who would we place in his employ?” Jade asks. “They already know Dusty, so he can’t go.”
“Of course not, you wouldn’t want your favorite stable hand out of your sight for five minutes, would you?” Onyx cajoles.
Jade shoots her a glare, her cheeks reddening. “Stable Manager, and I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Okay,” Onyx singsongs with a wink.
“It’s a way in,” Pearl agrees. “What about Leroy?”
“Nah, they probably already know he works for Saddle Up. Won’t take long before they realize the business is owned by the Stilettos,” Sapphire says. “It’s too risky.”
“What about someone from my club? A prospect?” I shrug. “It could work.”
Diamond’s gaze flicks to mine. “That’s not a bad idea.”
“Plus, if he’s from out of town, it’ll be less suspicious,” Ruby puts in. “Nobody would be any the wiser.”
Diamond shoots Ruby a look. “Guessing we don’t need to vote on it?”
“Long as Wrath is gonna be okay with it.” Ruby looks my way. “Which I’m guessin’ he will be?”
I nod. “Of course, anythin’ to help out our favorite southern Texan ladies.”
Diamond’s eyes are on me. “Why are you here?”
I’m ready for the interrogation. “To see Sapphire.”
“What for?” Diamond throws back. “Suddenly you’re here to help out of the blue?”
“We’re together,” Sapphire blurts out before I can say anymore.
A couple of gasps ring around the table, as well as a snicker from Ruby.
Diamond, of course, has no reaction. She’s a master of guarding her feelings, and it’s no wonder that new sheriff of hers chiseled his way through the iceberg surrounding her heart.
Diamond is a good woman, I know that, but she’s cautious, and as a good MC prez, I respect that.
“Since when?”
“A couple days ago,” I reply.
“It happened fast,” Sapphire explains. “Neither of us planned it. After the brawl I got into at Blackstone, Sin hauled me out of the bar, and one thing kinda led to another.”
I turn to grin at her. “She can’t get enough of me.”
“Ugh, save it. We still have to tell my brother,” Sapphire reminds me ever so eloquently.
“Leave Reap to me,” I say. “He’ll be good.”
“You planning on leaving?” Diamond asks Sapphire.
Sapphire frowns, her face affronted. “Of course not. I love it here. I’m not moving to Blackstone, not permanently. We’ll work out a resolution, but I’m still here. I’ll always be in Saddle, one way or another.”
I interlace my fingers and raise my arms over my head. “So, it looks like you’ll be seein’ a whole lot more of me.”
Diamond points at me. “Can’t exactly stop that, but you won’t be sitting in on any more meetings,” she warns. “I only let you into this one because Sapphire said you had a brain wave.”
“I’m just full of good ideas.” I smile. “What can I say?”
“I’ll set up a meeting with Wrath after you talk to him,” Ruby says to me. “Then we’ll work out the fine details.”
“Fine by me,” I reply.
“This asshole surveyor, is he a threat?” Diamond asks.
It takes a second, but Ruby, Jade, and Sapphire burst into fits of laughter.
“Definitely not,” I reply eventually. “He’s not gonna be coming back here in a real hurry, that I can say for sure.”
“Nash is gonna talk to Lanzetti about trespassing,” Diamond goes on. “It won’t hurt to throw a little law enforcement in his face, especially now me and Nash have gone public.”
“It’s gonna be a hoot when we finally get to meet Lanzetti,” Ruby retorts.
“The skunk keeps skippin’ out. Somethin’ tells me his balls are tied up in his briefcase, and he’s too chickenshit for a face-to-face.
Sendin’ his minions in here to spy on us, instead of acting like a real man, that tells you a lot. ”
“Sounds about right,” Sapphire agrees. “The only way to get intel on what he’s planning next is to drop a spy inside ground zero. It makes sense to utilize the Bandits. Plus, if shit goes sideways, Lanzetti will have a whole other problem on his hands with Wrath and his boys.”
I rub my hands together. “I kinda like the sound of this. Haven’t had a good fight in a while.”
Sapphire rolls her eyes. I cover her hand with mine on the table.
She doesn’t flinch, nor does she pull away.
I may be staking my claim, but I’m into public displays of affection, even if she isn’t.
I want the Stilettos to know I’m serious, that I’m her guy.
I’m here for the long haul, no matter what.
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come down to that,” Jade replies. “But we’ll be ready. The snakes are not gonna give up. This is just another tactic to try to intimidate us, and it backfired.”
“It’d be a huge disappointment if they did,” Diamond agrees. “I can’t fucking wait to give that asshole a piece of my mind. He’d better come to the next meeting, or I’m gonna show him what the Stiletto Riders are made of.”
“Hey, shouldn’t we vote on the Bandits and the Stilettos joining forces?” Onyx wiggles her eyebrows.
“I thought we said it was unanimous?” Ruby asks, confused.
“I meant Sapphire and Sin being together. Two different clubs. Two different towns. Wrath may have an issue.”
Sapphire shoots a look at Onyx. “Wrath can suck my balls. He won’t have an issue, and why would he? I’m part of the furniture in Blackstone. I’ve been visiting my brother for years.”
“No issue with Wrath,” I confirm. “It’ll be Reaper we need to keep on our side. He’ll probably punch me in the face for not tellin’ him sooner, and I’ll take it because Sapphire is the woman I wanna be with.”
All eyes land on me.
After a pause, Diamond glares down the table at me. “You’d better believe it’ll be your balls swimmin’ in the Gulf if you hurt her. Don’t think we aren’t packing and can’t make people disappear, just because we’re women.”
I bring Sapphire’s hand to my mouth and kiss her knuckles. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
Her eyes find mine, and she smiles. “Spoken like a damn Bandit.”