“There were some hang-ups with the deal,” Jim said. “So I don’t know how far along it actually is.”
“You don’t even know what’s going on with your own land and money?” Trent asked. “That’s not good, man.”
“I’m in a tough position,” Jim said.
“We all are,” Trev said. He sipped his coffee and read the papers.
The backdoor opened and Duke entered the kitchen.
His body shined with sweat. He looked at me. Then he looked at the kitchen table.
“No shirt,” Trent said. “She pay you extra to do that?”
“Fuck yourself,” Duke said. “What the hell is going on here?”
“We decided to take a ride this morning,” Trev said. “See all this for ourselves. Talk to your buddy Jim here.”
“I fucking called you to let you know what was happening,” Duke said.
“You called them?” I asked.
“Yeah,” he said. “Trev is our Prez. Trent is the enforcer. We need to figure out what to do next with this situation.”
I was almost in shock. I felt like Duke had ratted Jim out. There was a sense of betrayal in the air.
Duke got a glass of water and pounded it down. Then he grabbed himself a cup of coffee. He pointed it right at Jim. “Think you can chop that up into firewood?”
“Yeah, sure,” Jim said. “Nobody told you to do that.”
“That’s okay,” Duke said. “It needed to be done. Your old man wouldn’t have let it sit that long.”
“My old man had two functioning legs,” Jim said.
“You’re standing,” Trev said. “What’s the problem?”
Jim lifted his jean leg to show the President of Back Down Devil MC his prosthetic leg.
“Nice,” Trev said. “I bet you get a lot of pussy with that. A good war story. A bum leg. Fuck… to be single again…”
“Fuck you,” Jim spat.
Trent stepped toward the table. Duke quickly put a hand out and stopped him.
“Everyone take a breath,” Duke said. “This is about the Hell Five and their intentions with that land and the implications it has for the club.”
“And to protect your pussy,” Trent said.
I gasped, realizing I was the pussy.
“Trent,” Trev said. “Why don’t you escort Jimbo here to pack his shit up.”
“Pack his shit up?” I asked.
“I gave him a choice,” Duke said to me. “Something to think about. He’s got to face the club and the table. We’ve got to find a way to make all of this right…”
“You can’t take my brother,” I said, looking at Trev.
“I’m not taking anyone. He’s coming with us. Driving himself.”
“Belle,” Jim said.
“No!” I yelled.
Duke touched my arm and I tried to swat him away.
“Sweetie,” Duke said. “You don’t understand…”
I hurried to the back door and left the house. I walked out to the deck and stared at the cut tree. Duke had done all the work without me asking. And the yard looked better already.
That didn’t change what was happening on the inside of my house though.
I heard the door open behind me and knew it was Duke.
“Don’t,” I said.
But he touched my back anyway. He turned and leaned against the railing. It was damn impossible to not look at his beautiful muscles. His eyes were as evil as I could ever remember, but that was always Duke.
“I didn’t do anything wrong,” he said. “Jim needs to come to the clubhouse to explain everything and to be protected. If he’s innocent, there’s nothing to worry about.”
“I don’t understand this.”
“Sweetie, I can’t explain all of it. The guys that are buying that land aren’t good. And neither are the other guys that think we had something to do with it. I could have sold Jim out but I’m putting my ass on the line for him.”
“Trev said you put up a fight about me,” I said.
Duke grinned. “Of course I did, Belle. I… you’ve always been special to me. You know that. I’m trying to do what’s best for everyone. That includes you.”
“Meaning what?”
“Meaning you’re coming to the clubhouse too. It’s not safe here, sweetie.”
“I’m not safe in my childhood home?”
“No,” Duke said. “It hurts me to say that to you. I know what this means. I was watched the last time I came up here. Okay? So we have to move.”
Duke slipped his arm around me and pulled at me. I touched his sweaty body and flinched. I made a sick face and rolled my eyes.
“Please, sweetie,” he said. “You like my sweat.”
“You didn’t have to cut that tree.”
“Yes I did. It matters to you. I was awake and my head was spinning like crazy. So I came out to burn off some steam. That’s all.”
I felt the emotion creep up inside me. “I can’t believe all this is happening.”
“Neither can I, but it’s the way we live. You never know when the reaper is going to call your number. Until then, you just keep fighting. It’s all we can do. Fight with me, sweetie. Just like we used to do.”
“Should I call you a gross pig?” I asked. “And run away from you?”