Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 81285 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81285 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
The lever clanked. Lights spun, and then, nothing.
“Oh, man. Tough luck.”
She sighed, and she gave me the most adorable pout as she said, “I swear, these things hate me.”
“They sense fear.”
“I’m not afraid of it,” she scoffed.
“That machine just stole another twenty from you.”
“That’s because I’m jinxed. Not afraid.”
She laughed, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. And that got me right in the gut. I’d hoped a quick win would distract her, but clearly, luck wasn’t on her side tonight. After another loss, I reached over and gently placed my hand over hers.
She glanced over her shoulder and smiled, “You got some secret slot magic skills I don’t know about?”
“I have my moments.”
I pulled the lever, and the machine exploded with sounds and blinking lights. Coins clattered in the trough at the bottom of the machine as the screen flashed WINNER over and over. Presley’s mouth fell open as she gasped, “You’ve gotta be kidding me!”
“Look at that! You won two hundred bucks,” I replied proudly.
“Technically, you won it.”
“It was a joint effort.” I gave her a nudge. “I’d say drinks on you tonight.”
“Oh, most definitely,” she giggled, and just like that, her mood lifted a notch. “You thinking a glass of wine here or take a bottle back to my place?”
I opened my mouth to answer, but I was cut short when Memphis came up next to us and said, “I need a word.”
“Alright.” I took a few steps back, leaving Presley to collect the money on her own. “What’s up?”
“Rusty and Skid were with Smitty at Gin and Bailey’s, grabbing a cold one on the way home, and they got jumped.”
“Who?” I growled through clenched teeth.
“The Rebel Coyotes,” he answered, sounding as pissed as I felt. “They’re new around here. Still growing their numbers, but from what I hear, they’re pretty well-known up North.”
“How am I just hearing about these guys?”
“They’ve been playing smart. Moving in quiet. Under the radar, but they weren’t quiet tonight. Pretty sure one of them broke a few of Smitty’s ribs, and both Rusty and Skid are with Blade getting stitches.”
Rage washed over me. Rusty and Skid were both brothers, but they were young. And they weren’t exactly the biggest and strongest of our bunch. In fact, you couldn’t have picked three with less muscle power. Those assholes probably took one look at them and saw an easy take-down.
They were wrong.
“We going after them?”
“That’ll be up to Prez. He’s called church.”
And just like that, my plans for an easy, chill night with Presley went flying out the window. I let out a breath, then told him, “Let me wrap things up with Presley, and I’ll follow you over.”
He gave me a nod and waited as I made my way back over to Presley.
She’d just finished shoving all the coins into her purse and was completely unaware that my world had just tilted on its axis. The sight of her smiling made my chest ache in a way I didn’t have time for.
Not tonight.
Presley's smile faded when I announced, “Sorry, doll, but I gotta cut things short.”
“What?”
“I’ve gotta get to the clubhouse.”
“Oh, okay.” Disappointment marked her face as she muttered, “Is everything okay?”
“No, but it’s nothing we can’t handle.”
“Anything I can do?”
“Just get home safe and text me when you’re settled.”
“I can do that.”
I leaned in and kissed her on the forehead. “I’ll make this up to you.”
“I’m going to hold you to that.”
“I’d expect no less.”
I hesitated, and this was not the time for hesitation. My brothers had been through it, and I needed to get to them. But I felt torn in a way I never had before. I didn’t know what the hell to do with that.
Presley noticed my pause, and with a soft smile on her face, placed her hands on my chest and inched up on her tiptoes, kissing me. “It’s fine. Go do what you need to do, and I’ll text you when I get home.”
I nodded, then forced myself to turn and head back over to Memphis. He didn’t waste time with chitchat. He simply started for the door, and I followed.
The ride to the clubhouse was a blur of headlights and adrenaline. I kept my eyes trained on the road, but my mind was all over the place. I’d heard about the Coyotes. I knew I had, but I couldn’t place when or where or even what was said. That was fucked up.
I should’ve known when and exactly what was said.
It was my job to know. It was all over our jobs, and we’d slacked off. We’d let in too many distractions, and now, it had cost us. I eased the throttle back, and mile after mile, I was running through faces, territory lines, and every rumor we’d brushed off and shouldn’t have.
By the time we rolled through the gate, most of the brothers had started to file in. Bikes were lined up in their usual spots, and more were pulling in by the second. Like me, they were eager to find out what the hell had gone down.