“I do have to work, but I could get out of it, if I need to.” I curled my hand into a fist, crinkling the crisp five-dollar bill. “But why would your boss want me there?”
“He wants proof that you’re real and that this isn’t just a ruse. Lucas caused a shit-ton of trouble when he swooped in and rode away with you on a white horse.” He tapped my hand. “Tate wants to know it was worth it. He wants to see the two of you, hand in hand, madly in love with one another. And if he doesn’t . . .”
“Lucas gets in trouble.” I swallowed hard, my chest aching. “Why didn’t he tell me?”
“He’s still protecting you. Like always.” Chris shrugged. “Even if it gets him killed, which it might, he’ll refuse to bring you along.”
No. No. I couldn’t let that happen. “But—”
“Now that you got your beer, can you go back to the corner to watch the door?” Lucas sat down directly next to Chris, anger seething from him. “I need to talk to Heidi. Alone.”
Chris grinned. “Sure, man.”
As he walked away, Lucas turned back to me. “What was he saying to you?”
“Nothing.” I cleaned the spot on the bar I’d cleaned ten times already, not meeting his eyes. I couldn’t right now, because he would see the truth in my eyes. “What’s his story, anyway? He an orphan like you?”
“Nah, his pa’s in the gang, and he followed in his footsteps. I did, too.” He tapped his fingers on his untouched glass of scotch. “Well, I followed Chris. Not my pa.”
“So no one from your family was ever in it?”
“No. We needed the money, Ma was already sick, though we didn’t know it yet, and she couldn’t work as many shifts at the restaurant. I knew from hanging out with Chris that you could make a decent living as a Son, but I also knew that you had to be a legacy to get in. Tate’s way of weeding out rats and undercover cops.” He shifted in his seat but kept talking. “So I found a way to meet with Tate and convinced him to let me in the Sons of Steel Row. Trial basis at first, petty-ass shit, but soon enough I was climbing up the ladder, faster than any other new recruit.”
Shaking my head, I finally turned to him. He watched me intently, those green eyes of his locked onto me without fail. “What about him?” I glanced at Chris again. He watched us way too closely. “How did he feel about you finagling your way in?”
“He didn’t give a damn.” The smirk faded away. “Why are you asking so many questions about Chris?”
“Curiosity.”
His jaw flexed. “You lookin’ to move on from me already, darlin’?”
“Because I need another man like you bossing me around, thinking he owns me?” I asked, snorting. “Thanks, but no thanks. I was just curious. That’s all.”
“He’s not—” His phone buzzed, and he glanced down at it. His brows lowered, and he pushed off the stool, grabbing his glass. “Speaking of Chris, I gotta go talk to him.” He walked away without giving me another glance, his attention fixed on his phone.
I knew, then, in that moment, that he would do the same thing when this was all said and done. That he’d walk away from me . . .
And never look back.
CHAPTER 23
LUCAS
A few hours later, the bar was empty, minus me, Chris, and Heidi. She kept eyeing me up like she was planning on hauling me outside before ensuring I met a gruesome end. I’d annoyed her earlier, apparently.
Not a huge shocker.
I never had been good at understanding women, which was why I generally avoided them unless we were naked and not speaking at all. But there was no avoiding Heidi. I’d tried. It was like trying not to breathe or blink. If she was near me, it was inevitable I’d seek her out.
But I’d been trying my damn best not to.
I’d even tried to be a dick to her for a few hours, but the thing was—it wasn’t working. And I didn’t really want it to. I liked her. I didn’t want to be a dick. For some reason, it mattered to me that she liked me, too, and that only made me even more of a selfish prick than I already was. I should be pushing her away so she’d run.
Instead, I was too busy making sure she liked me.
Asshole.
Besides, I must have misjudged Heidi when I’d decided she’d run if I was a dick. She wouldn’t.
Chris came over to me. “I’m going to head out. You two good to make it across the street alive?”
“I think I can manage,” I said dryly. “Thanks for doing me a solid, man. I appreciate it.”
“Yeah, I know. I rock.” He clapped me on the back harder than necessary. “I’ll see you tomorrow night for the ride to Tate’s.”
I glanced at the kitchen door. Heidi hadn’t come back out yet. “I didn’t tell Heidi about the party, or Tate’s request that she come, so don’t bring it up in front of her. If she knows he wants her there, she’ll insist on coming, and I don’t want her within ten miles of that house—or Scotty.”