by Winters, KB
“Thanks for having us. All of us,” Curt said, raising his own drink high in the air. “Welcome to life in the MC kid!”
“Thanks,” Ford said, his gaze already sizing up the half dozen or so Ladies of Buckthorn mingling with the girls.
“And welcome to The Counsel,” Brick added with an eyeroll. “Name obviously pending.”
That pulled a laugh out of everyone, but I was hardly paying attention. Seeing Curt and Brick meant there was a good shot Chance was here.
I scanned the crowd until I found that long, dark brown hair failing down her back. shielding her Lords of Buckthorn patches from view. Couldn’t fool me, though. The red and white threads gave her away. Chance. She was here. Alone and off to the side, observing but not really interacting with anyone. An island.
A beautiful fucking island if I ever saw one. She turned so I could see her. All of her, and my breath caught. Damn, she was beautiful, and today she wasn’t even trying. Honey-brown eyes lined with black, giving them an eerie glow, but her lips were bare, and her skin was smooth. Clean. Her expression didn’t belong at a party or a celebration; it was vacant and forlorn.
It was time. My legs carried me across the grass, my heart racing with every step I took, because I knew with the same certainty I felt joining the Marine Corps. Joining this MC. I loved Chance.
Goddammit, I was in love with her, and it scared the shit out of me.
I had to tell her.
Now.
“Hey.” I stopped in front of her, well behind her since she was scanning the tables once again.
“Looking for someone in particular?”
Chance turned her sad eyes my way and gave me a half smile.
“Hey you. Nope, just…looking.”
More like avoiding, but I didn’t say that.
“How about a tequila and lime to warm you up?” I offered, hoping she’d loosen up.
“Already had one. Thanks.”
Okay. Was that a brush-off?
“Are you all right? I mean, I know that’s a dumb fucking question with everything hanging over your head right now, but are you?”
Shit, I was fucking this up and Chance was looking at me like I was an idiot.
“I’m as okay as I can be, considering. How are you?”
“Worried about my girl.” Because no matter what the hell we both were trying to tell ourselves about this being just about sex and gettin’ off, we were both full of shit. She was mine and I was hers. Period.
“Is that what I am, Slayer?”
“Fuck yeah. Unless you don’t want to be?”
Holy shit. How had that not occurred to me? Chance was a woman, but she wasn’t a typical woman. Hell, maybe she didn’t want a relationship, and especially not after all the shit Leon put her through.
When she took her time answering, I started to worry. When her gaze shifted down, my stomach dropped.
“Of course I want to be.”
I could hear the ‘but,’ even though she didn’t say it, and I couldn’t bear it. What if she didn’t want me?
My lips started moving and words spilled out faster than I could regulate them.
“I love you Chance. Hell, I don’t even know when it happened. It probably took me too fucking long to even realize what the feeling was, but I did figure it out, and I’m here now, telling you. I’m in love with you.”
Her smile was kind of snarky. It was a familiar look on her, but I realized she looked uncomfortable.
“I love you, too, Slayer. It’s all fucked up, but I do.”
The words came out barely above a whisper, and they didn’t fill me with hope or happiness or anything.
“Are you sure? Because it doesn’t sound like it.”
That teased a reluctant smile from her.
“Fuck you, Slayer, I know I love you. I can’t even believe it, meeting you while Leon was making my life a living hell. The hot fuck in the alley doesn’t do anything for my reputation, but I fucking love you. And here you are, big and sexy and charming as fuck. And I fell. Hard.”
That sounded good, too, and I realized that maybe I’d spent too much time just banging women because I could. Arms folded, I looked her in the eyes.
“I love to hear those words, Chance, but I feel a big fat ‘but’ coming.”
Her smile held no amusement, and when she nodded, my whole heart stopped. One beat, another, and then a flutter while I waited.
“But we can’t be together. Not now, anyway.”
“Bullshit!”
The word came out easily. Automatically, and Chance reared back as if I’d hit her.
“Okay.” That was it, one word. One fucking word, and she wrapped her arms around herself, deflated and on the verge of tears. Like a beaten woman.
“That’s it? Okay? Are you even for real right now, Chance?”
It didn’t seem like just a few seconds ago I was professing my love for a woman I currently wanted to strangle.
“Why, Chance? Why can’t we be together? Because you still love Leon?”
“You know I don’t.”
“Do I?” I’d had my suspicions for a while now, and with his funeral scheduled for the day after tomorrow, those doubts crept back in.
“Right. Well, then that’s why we can’t be together.” She let out a bitter laugh and swiped at a tear that slid down her cheek.
“Stupid me, I thought it was because I might spend a good chunk of my life in prison, and that’s why we shouldn’t be together. Turns out you don’t even fuckin’ trust me.”
She turned and walked away. A feat that was made difficult from the soft ground that had grown softer with the wetter than average weather.
I grabbed her arm before she could get too far away.
“Don’t walk away from me, Chance.”
She yanked away from my grasp with fire in her eyes.
“Don’t put this on me, Slayer. I love you, and I want to be with you, but I won’t ask you to wait for me.”
“That’s the point, Chance, you didn’t ask. I’m telling you I want to be with you, just you and you’re telling me why we can’t. I know what happened Chance, I was there. I know what’s at stake, and I don’t give a damn. It’s too bad you don’t feel the same.”
If she could walk away from us so easily, so could I.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Ella Mae
After spending so much time at Slayer’s place on Hardtail Ranch, I felt like a visitor in my own home. My own damn home, and now I felt like I didn’t belong here, and it was all because of a man. Again.
Apparently getting shot by my ex wasn’t enough of a lesson, because I’d already fallen in love and gotten my heart broken again. By a different man completely! Talk about a dumbass. I guess I was one of those people who never learned the lesson no matter how many times I’d repeat it. Falling for Slayer was beyond stupid. Beyond idiotic when you think about the fact that our MCs are now connected and will be for the foreseeable future.
Typical Chance. Do things first and then think about the consequences later.
No, that wasn’t true. I walked around my apartment in my fuzzy slippers, shaking my head. I spent my time cleaning and getting things in order, just in case these were my last few days of freedom. I might have jumped Slayer’s bones before I realized he was in another club, but that was my only mistake.
I did the right thing at Ford’s patch party. I knew it, and in time Slayer would know it too. There was no fucking way in hell I’d let him waste his life waiting for me while I rotted in prison for who knew how long. That was some shit I’d never be down for.
Ever.
It just sucked that he couldn’t see it too. That we wouldn’t spend these last however many days we had together enjoying each other. Being together. Loving each other.
Instead, I slept in my own bed last night, all alone, and spent most of the day trying to get my affairs in order as much as I could. Should I get the utilities preemptively turned off or wait until a guilty verd
ict came down? I had no idea, but every thought about every little thing just made the burden seem heavier.
Harder to bear.
But it had to be done. With me locked up, Curt would need someone to act as number two, which meant I couldn’t put the burden of maintaining my property on him. Or any of the guys. “Now I need to think about selling,” I growled and went to the fridge, yanking a brown ale and slamming the door harder than I needed to just because it made me feel better.
I’d barely gotten one good sip in when a knock sounded at the door. It was too early for any of the guys to show up since I was pretty sure they’d all be sleeping until the sun set on today. I’d acted as the designated driver last night, and though a few of the guys crashed at the mostly empty bunkhouse on the ranch, most made their way home with me around three in the morning. So who was it?
I had an insane thought that it might be Leon, but that was ridiculous, and I laughed at myself just for thinking about him. Then, another thought occurred. It might not be Leon, but it could be an angry family member out for revenge. Shit. I reached for the gun I kept under the front table and looked through the peephole.
“Shit Peaches, you scared the hell out of me.”
I opened the door to her smiling face.
“Damn, girl. If knocking makes you that jumpy, I’m not sure you’re cut out for prison.”
I snorted and took a step back, waving her inside.
“That’s why I’m paying a small fortune to that lady lawyer to keep me out of jail.”
It would be worth rebuilding that nest egg if this all went away. “What brings you by?”
Her lips twitched at my attempt to change the subject.
“I came because I heard you did something really stupid. You broke up with Slayer.”
I folded my arms defensively, unsure if she was here to threaten me or sympathize. Did I even want Peaches to intervene?
“Well your sources are wrong because I didn’t break up with him. He walked away from me.”
He’d done it easily, too, and me, lovesick idiot that I was, I was still shocked that he had.
“Is that all?”
“No, actually.” Peaches looked surprised, but I didn’t care either way. It was better to know now that I’d chosen the wrong man again. My man-picker was broken.
“I’m here for a different reason, but I wanted to get the goods on you and Slayer first. I’ve got some dirt.”
I frowned. “I’m not in the market for dirt, Peaches. I don’t have a garden or a green thumb.”
“Not that kind of dirt, weirdo. Got something to eat? I’m starved.”
The woman must have had too much coffee this morning because I was having a hard time keeping up with her hairpin conversational turns.
“Sure. Come on.” She followed me into the kitchen and without shame, I pulled a half eaten pizza from the oven, still in its box.
“What kind of dirt are we talking?”
I piled the pizza on two plates and arranged buffalo nuggets on a third. I brought them to the table and rushed back to the kitchen for a beer for Peaches since mine was still half full.
“You have soda or water?” she asked, her gaze firmly focused on the black laptop she’d taken out of a badass looking metal case.
“Feeling weird lately, and I don’t know if it’s a bug or a baby yet.”
“Well, you’re in luck, because one of my favorite things about Texas is sweet tea.”
I poured her a tall glass and waited for her to tell me why she was at my house.
“That’s damn good,” she said and smacked her lips before killing off one slice of pizza and half of another.
“Congratulations,” I said instead of anything sarcastic or snarky.
Still, she narrowed her gaze at me. “Thanks. Smartass.”
Her greasy fingers flew over the keyboard, and then she turned back to me.
“The dirt is on McAllister and it’s good.”
“But?”
Peaches sighed and pulled the flash drive out and held it out to me.
“But I need you not to look at it. Just give it to your lawyer.”
I reached for the little pink drive, but Peaches held it back.
“Seriously,” she said, narrowing her eyes to show she meant business. “Promise.”
I threw up my hands. “Fine, I promise. Why?”
“I know how guys like him operate. He’ll say you planted it, or created it, or manipulated it somehow. Trust me that this is concrete evidence to keep you out of prison. Just let the high-priced lawyer do her thing. In court.”
I felt like I was missing a part of the puzzle, but Peaches didn’t have to help me, yet here she was.
“Okay thanks.”
I was desperate for anything that would maintain my freedom, so I agreed like a kid greedy for an ice cream in exchange for clearing the table.
“But, why?”
“You don’t trust me?”
I laughed. “I don’t not trust you, but I am curious why you’re going above and beyond.”
“Besides the fact that I’m addicted to watching Slayer fall in love and to be in love? And, I like you. I think you’re good people.”
“You don’t even know me.”
“Not really, but I do. You’re a strong chick like me. Like Annabelle. The other girls are strong but in a different way. I think you and me could be friends.”
I accepted that answer because I could use more friends who weren’t just interested in fucking the guys in my MC. “Okay.”
She laughed. “Damn, and I had a whole speech ready about how you helped me keep my baby girl and how that makes you family.”
I frowned. “What?”
“Maisie’s so called father? Rocco?”
“Oh, that? Screw that dick, I was happy to do it.”
“Exactly. My family means everything to me, Chance, and now you’re part of that, whether you want it or not. I got your back.”
She dropped the pink drive on the table and scooped up her plate and headed for the kitchen.
I picked up the flash drive and weighed in my hand. Was this my ticket out of jail? “Thanks,” I said quietly.
“Anytime,” she said with a warm smile as she washed her plate and dried her hands. Then she turned to me. “Now that this shit show is off your plate, maybe you can pull your head out of your ass and fix things with Slayer.”
I laughed and walked her to the door.
“Is this what it’s like to have real girlfriends? Because I gotta say, I’m not a fan.”
Peaches’ laugh came out deep and throaty, full-bodied.
“Hell, yeah. We’re loud and crazy and chaos follows us wherever we go. We get all up in each other’s business, and sometimes we come to blows over it. But we’re always there for each other when the shit hits the fan, which it inevitably does. Always.”
She rolled her eyes playfully and pulled me in for a hug.
“Besides, this whole Counsel thing was your idea.”
Damn, she was right. “What was I thinking?”
Peaches laughed and shook her head, wild copper curls twisting on the breeze.
“You were thinking about that dick,” she laughed. “See you soon.”
I didn’t know if things could be fixed with Slayer, but I knew that if there was a chance, I’d take it.
After tomorrow’s hearing.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Slayer
I showed up at the courthouse early, hoping I might be able to get a few moments alone with Chance before the official proceedings began. According to Peaches, this was just a hearing to determine if there was enough evidence to go to trial, not the start of her trial. No matter what, Chance was coming home today.
She just wasn’t coming home with me.
And that pissed me off.
But I owed her an apology for walking away, for not being a man and explaining myself better. That pissed-off, immature prick from the party wasn’t me.
&n
bsp; Judging by the size of the crowd that had gathered today, I might have a hard time prying her away from her supporters. That’s if she was even willing to talk to me. Something I doubted, especially today. All the wives and girlfriends of the Reckless Bastards came to support Chance, along with the Ladies of Buckthorn. The Bastards and the Lords had also gathered on the courthouse steps.
But where was Chance?
Finally, less than five minutes before the hearing began, she stepped from the passenger side of a sleek red sedan and joined her lawyer on the sidewalk. Together, they walked up the steps looking competent and badass. Who’d want to fuck with those two women? Chance had her game face on, but not even the sharp black suit could hide the fear and worry in her eyes.
I wanted to wrap my arms around her, tell her it would all turn out okay in the end. But I honestly didn’t know. I didn’t know if she’d even welcome my arms around her, and I wasn’t sure it would turn out okay. One thing for sure, I wouldn’t lie to her.
It took some time for everyone to find a seat in the courtroom since the MCs and their women took up all the rows behind Chance and her lawyer. That left Leon’s brother and the few members of the press that had shown up to play musical chairs behind the prosecutor. It was a small courtroom with just eight benches, just enough to let the judge see Chance wasn’t alone.
The gray-haired judge shuffled out and took his seat, banging the gavel and bringing the room to complete silence.
“All right let’s get this show on the road. Anything new?”
His blue gaze bounced from McAllister to Monica, who stood and addressed the court.
“Yes, Your Honor. Some new evidence has recently come to light that will make us all rethink the prosecution of Ella Mae Ambrose.”
“Objection, Your Honor! This is not the time or the place to present new evidence.” McAllister was red in the face, but more than that, he looked worried. Maybe even a little scared.
Monica’s perfectly sculpted eyebrows arched in amusement.
“If not now, during the preliminary hearing, when should we present evidence that will clear my client?”
He sputtered, choking on his words before turning back to the judge. “This is highly inappropriate, Your Honor.”