Glancing around the clubhouse lot, I noticed Stone’s bike wasn’t here yet, which allowed me more time to figure out how I would handle things if he came after me again. His initial reaction to hearing about me and Riley was understandable, especially in the way he found out and what he had heard.
But if he came after me again, would I fight back? Would I continue to allow him to hit me without repercussion? It was hard to say since I wasn’t beneath his boot right now.
Seeing Tag busy in the garage when I arrived diverted my attention from my current situation.
“Hey, man,” he called out as I walked in. “What’s up?”
I wasn’t about to get into it with him, so all I said was, “Nuthin’. Just here for a meeting.”
“Did you ever figure out who started the fire?”
“No. Not yet, but we will.” Tag nodded, looking otherwise distracted. “Everything okay?”
He wiped his hands on a rag. “My mom was in the hospital yesterday. She’s back home now, but I just hate I can’t do anything for her.” His eyes became glassy and I felt bad for the guy. His sister would arrive soon but until then he was going through all this alone.
“Listen, if you need to take today and go home, go.”
“I’m good. I just checked on her and she yelled at me for worrying so much.” He cracked a smile, but it fell flat seconds later.
“Well, if you change your mind, don’t hesitate to leave.”
The roar of engines ended our back-and-forth and before I turned around to see who’d arrived, I took in a deep breath and closed my eyes, praying for the strength needed to stand my ground. Riley was mine again and I wasn’t going to let anyone, including Stone, fuck that up.
“You okay?” Tag asked, bumping my arm.
I flicked open my eyes and exhaled. “Just preparing.”
He didn’t have time to ask what I meant before Ace jogged up to us, slinging his arm around my shoulder and pulling me into him, goofing off.
“You really know how to liven things up.” He laughed, nudging my shoulder and jerking his chin toward the other side of the lot.
Stone backed his bike into his assigned spot and took off his helmet. Like a hunter, he zeroed in on me, dismounting his ride. He tossed his helmet onto his seat, craned his neck from side to side, and headed right for me, fury propelling his every stride.
“Stone!” Prez yelled from behind him, but Stone didn’t stop. “I’m not gonna tell you again,” he shouted even louder. Our VP stopped walking, looked at me like he wanted to kill me, which wasn’t surprising, and turned back around. He brushed past his friend and stalked inside the clubhouse. The rest of the guys all filed in after him.
“We better get in there,” I said, trying to calm the erratic beat of my heart.
“I’m not sure I wanna be in there,” Ace said, walking ahead of me despite his sentiment.
“How do you think I feel?”
I could barely concentrate on anything Prez said because I was too busy dodging Stone’s glares. His grip on the edge of the table was so tight, his hands had lost most of their color. I kept my head down for most of the meeting, but when our leader asked me a question, I had to look at him, and since Stone sat right next to him it was hard not to at least glance over at him. Sure enough, he looked like he wanted to hop on top of the table and lunge at me.
“Well?” Prez said. “Can I count on you to handle things there?”
Ace kicked me under the table. “Wh… What did you want me to take care of?”
“I need you to oversee the renovations at Indulge. We have a contractor going out there today at noon. Meet him there.”
“Sure.” I lowered my eyes from his and didn’t look at Stone again for fear he’d erupt without warning.
A few minor topics were discussed, and just when I thought Marek was gonna slam down his gavel, his tone when he spoke again indicated we were anything but finished.
“Listen, I know there’s some tension because of yesterday.” Against my better judgment, I looked over at Stone, but instead of finding a fiery glare directed back at me, his eyes were closed. He hands continued to grip the table, his chest rising and falling in barely restrained anger. I had no doubt if we were outside Chambers right now, I’d either be running from him or deflecting his blows.
“We got enough goin’ on right now; we don’t need to add to it,” Prez continued. “What’s done is done.” Stone’s eyes popped open.
“It’s not done,” he growled, looking right at me.
“It is while you’re here. Nothing happens at the clubhouse.”
A tiny smirk lifted the corners of Stone’s mouth. “Fair enough.”
A chill shot through me and right then the only thing I could do to abate this feeling was to seek out the one man who might be able to give me some insight as to what I was in for with Stone.
I was one of the first guys to leave the room, impatiently waiting for Trigger to exit. The second he stepped foot outside Chambers, I appeared in front of him, startling him. “I need to talk to you.”
“Fuck, Kaden. Not a good idea to be scarin’ an ol’ man.” He walked away from me and straight toward the bar. “Come get a drink. You look like you need one,” he shouted over his shoulder.
“It’s not even ten o’clock,” I responded but quickly followed and took a corner seat so I could see when Stone emerged from the room.
Trigger poured me a beer and slid it across the top of the bar, ignoring my reminder of the time of day.
“What’s on your mind?” He took a sip from his water while he waited for me to answer, running a hand over the top of his head. Many years back, before I even remember Trigger, his hair was long enough he kept it pulled back in a ponytail. But as he got older, his hair thinned out and only when some of the guys kept giving him shit about his ponytail looking like a rat’s tail, did he finally cut it off. Now, he wore his hair short and close to his head.
Trigger was a cool guy in my book. He didn’t care what anyone thought and always said what was on his mind. I supposed age gave him that luxury.
“How long did it take you to stop being mad at Stone for getting with Addy?”
“I’m still mad at him.”
That wasn’t the answer I hoped for.
“It’s been over twenty years,” I scoffed. “Are you serious?”
“Yes and no.” Trigger wiped down the bar even though I doubted anyone else was gonna join us.
“That’s as clear as mud.”
“If you wait, I’ll explain myself.” He came around the bar and took the seat next to me, angling his body so that our conversation would be kept private. “Addy is more like a daughter to me than a niece. When my sister died, her mom, I promised her dad, Brian, I would look out for her whenever she came around. He didn’t want her to be a part of this life and I agreed. So, even though I warned everyone to stay away from her whenever she did swing by to help us out, Stone went behind my back and pursued her, essentially bringing her into the life I wanted to protect her from.
“Things in the club were much different back then. A lot more dangerous. Life and death sometimes. Stone never understood why I was so angry with him, not until he had Riley. Then he got it. And when you have a daughter of your own, you’ll get it, too.” He took another swig of his water before continuing. “Only when I saw that Stone could take care of Addy in all the ways necessary, and of his family, did I truly stop being angry with him for defying me. But don’t you dare tell him I said that. I still give him shit from time to time to keep him on his toes.”
“But what if he wants to shoot me like you shot him?”
“Then you’ll have to endure it like he did.” His response was so matter of fact I thought maybe he was joking.
“He can’t feel any pain, so I doubt he cared much.” I swallowed half my beer, my unease for what might happen slowly starting to unravel me.
Trigger squeezed my shoulder. “Stone is not gonna shoot you.”
“How do you know?”
“Because despite how he feels right now, he loves you. He’s known you since you were a baby. Besides, do you really think Marek is gonna let him shoot you? He’d have to deal with Sully, and he doesn’t want that.” He laughed, slapping me on the back. “Give it time, but until then, stay out of his way.” Trigger disappeared into the kitchen, leaving me to wonder if what he said was the truth.
I sighed, loud enough to catch the attention of Ryder, who stood close by. He meandered over and took the seat Trigger had vacated.
“You okay?” he asked, folding his arms over his chest.
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“It’s kinda fucked up, Kaden. Stone trusted you to look out for Riley all these years, not sleep with her.” Nothin’ like divin’ right in. Ryder’s tone was calm, but his loyalty to his friend oozed out of him.
“It wasn’t like that… ever.” I hung my head, already drained. “I’ve loved Riley since I was a kid. I would never do anything to hurt her.”
“You already did. It’s why she stopped talkin’ to you.” I looked over at him, surprised with his bluntness, although I shouldn’t have been. Ryder shared Trigger’s trait in that he would say whatever he wanted to, whenever he wanted to.
“It’s all good now. We worked it out.”
“What does that mean?” he asked.
“We’re together. And this time I’m not gonna let her get away. I don’t care who has a problem with it.”
He unfolded his arms and stood, and because I wasn’t sure what he was gonna do, I kept my eyes glued to him. But then he did something that truly surprised me.
He winked at me before slapping me on the back, much like Trigger had just done.
“Good luck, then,” he said, right before he walked away.