I wrapped my arms around my body and rubbed my arms. It was far from cold, but a chill had fallen over me. “Can you please take me home?”
Without another word, he got on his bike and I joined him when he was ready for me. As we sped off in the direction of my house, I wondered what the hell had just happened. We’d been having a great time, and then it was as if the Griff I knew disappeared, and a harder version of him appeared. A version I wasn’t sure of. And yet, this new version had my complete attention because he looked at me through eyes of pain, and pain was something I knew well. Pain was what I lived and breathed for years, and my life had only really begun when I finally freed myself from it. And more than anything, I now wanted to help Griff escape his pain.
10
Griff
“I’m no closer to figuring this riddle out, but I’m needed back home,” King said the next afternoon when Scott and I met with him and Kick at the clubhouse bar to fill each other in on where we were at with investigating the club members, the fire, and everything else we had going on.
“You’re leaving?” Scott asked.
King nodded. “Yeah, but I want you to keep looking. At least one of your boys has been talking and spreading lies, and that shit doesn’t sit well with me. I want him identified and dealt with. Soon. I’d stay but my club’s got some trouble to deal with. Fuck, it’s never-ending.”
“I’ll put Nash onto it,” Scott promised.
“Good. Tell him not to drag it out. My members are calling for retaliation over this, and I’d like to avoid it. We’ve got too much other shit going on with the Silver Hell boys, and we don’t need any distractions while dealing with that.”
“Anything we can help with?” Scott asked.
“I think you’ve got your hands full, but if we need you, I’ll let you know,” King said as he started to make his way out. He and Kick said their goodbyes, and a few moments later, Scott and I were alone in the bar. Boxing Day at the clubhouse was quiet with most members spending the day with their families.
“Did you hear from Wilder?” I asked.
He scowled. “Yeah, he asked me for another twenty-four hours.”
Frowning, I said, “This chick has to be someone he’s close to, but I’ve never heard him talk about anyone for as long as I’ve known him. You?”
“No. I’ve given him until tomorrow morning to bring me the information so we’ll know everything then.”
“And if he doesn’t?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “It won’t be pretty, Griff. Not with the mood I’m in.”
“I’m behind you one hundred percent, brother. Whatever you need from me, you have.”
He eyed me. “I always said the day you joined Storm was a good day. If there’s one member whose loyalty has never been questioned, it’s you.”
I fought to hold his gaze as a sense of unease slid through me. All I could hope was that my loyalty never would be questioned. Storm was my chosen family now and I would fight till my death for family, regardless of what they might think if my past was exposed.
* * *
I arrived at my usual drinking spot around eight that night, and chose a quiet table in the corner instead of my seat at the bar. The waitress came to take my order and I ensured she would just keep the drinks coming. I’d need them tonight.
Leaning back in my seat, my thoughts drifted to Sophia. She’d been upset with me when I’d dropped her back at her house yesterday afternoon, and I didn’t blame her, but it didn’t mean my stance had changed. And I’d been more than okay with her being upset with me; it made it easier to keep my distance.
Who the hell are you kidding?
I took a long swallow of my drink. Fuck, I wanted her in a way I’d never wanted a woman. Not even Charlene. Sophia was the kind of woman who gave a man hope he could do better and be better. Her lightness shone all over my darkness, and sometimes, even if only for a sliver of time, she made me feel like a good man. And I hadn’t felt like a good man in far too long.
My phone rang, distracting me from my thoughts.
Danny.
“Evening,” I greeted him.
“Fuck, Michael, what the hell are you doing?”
Time to tread carefully – one never knew when someone was recording a conversation. “Sitting in a bar minding my own business.”
“Don’t give me that shit. You know what the hell I’m talking about.”
“Get to the point, Danny.”
“My point is that this changes nothing except for the fact it has stirred up the Bond family. They’re calling for retribution and that’s gonna cause me and my buddies more headaches that we don’t have time for.”
“I gave you an alternative suggestion the other night.”
“There’s no way Bond is walking out of prison. I’ve worked too damn hard for that to be an option. As far as I’m concerned, he’ll rot in there for all the crimes he has committed.”
“I’d say this conversation is done then.”