He sighed heavily. “Okay, but this is the last time. When are you going to stop listening to the sob stories these runners are feeding you?”
“I guess when you get promoted out of here, I won’t have anyone to help me out.”
“You’re too kindhearted. The last one you tried to help was back in jail the next day.”
“She’s different.” Killyama gestured toward Sasha. “When she gets out of here, she won’t be back.” Viper would see to that.
“Fine. I’ll watch out for her.”
“I’d hug you, but I don’t want the other guards to get jealous,” she teased him good-naturedly.
“Better not. Deb gets mean when she thinks someone is flirting with me.”
“You think I can’t take her?” Killyama grinned.
“Hell no! You might be younger, but I married a tough cookie.”
“I guess we’re not fated to be together, then.”
Ron blushed. “I better get back to work.”
“Thanks, Ron.”
“We done?” Killyama asked as Hammer and Jonas took the paperwork from the officer at the desk.
“Yes. What were you talking to Ron about?” Hammer asked.
“Nothing. I was just asking him about his wife and kids.”
“Sure you did,” Jonas said, handing her the completed paperwork.
“I saw the hundred you slipped him.” Hammer pushed the button so the guard would open the door for them to leave.
“You need to get your eyes checked.” Killyama swiped the keys away from Hammer. “I’m driving.”
Getting behind the wheel, she started the SUV. “It’s getting late. How about we stay the night?”
“You never want to stay the night. What’s up?” Hammer took the gum she had been about to put in her mouth, throwing it out the window.
“Nothing. I had a long night, and we have a long drive. I’m tired.”
“That’s cool with us. We can get an early start in the morning.”
“I’m going to take a couple of days off. We can rent a car before we find a hotel room for me to use until I come home.”
Jonas nixed the idea. “We’re not going back home without you.”
“I need some space and rest. I’m not going to get that with you two here.”
“You believe this bullshit, Jonas?”
Jonas leaned forward, sniffing the air. “I smell the bullshit, too.”
“You’re going to stick your nose in it, aren’t you?” Hammer looked at her with disapproval.
She knew they weren’t going to believe whatever lie she came up with, so she admitted, “Yes.”
“Then I guess we’re all staying,” Jonas stated.
“What’s the plan?”
Killyama grinned at Hammer. “When you’re dealing with someone who has a lot of power and who can get a lot of strings pulled, you know what you have to do?”
“What?” Hammer and Jonas both asked.
“You have to call the puppet master.”
12
Train watched the SUV pull out onto the road. Then he started to go inside the clubhouse to get his wallet and keys.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“To Ohio.”
“You’re staying here. Shade, Moon, go. And take Rider.”
“I want to go,” Train protested.
“There isn’t anything you can do.”
The men went back inside the clubhouse as Viper took out his phone. Train waited impatiently as Viper called Knox then Diamond, listening as Viper recounted what had happened, not sparing the embarrassment of how Killyama had known Sasha was there.
Unable to listen anymore, Train went to the bar, getting a glass and the whiskey, pouring it to the brim.
“What did Diamond say?” Train asked when Viper walked up to him, putting his phone away.
Viper took the bottle away from him, pouring himself a glass. “She said, ‘I told you so’.”
Train downed his drink then turned to smash the glass against the wall. “It’s all my fault.”
“No, it’s mine. Diamond warned me two months ago this would happen, and she told me to hire a different lawyer in Ohio. I put it off, thinking I’d take care of it when I had the time. I’ve been so busy with the new contracts, Aisha, and making sure Winter’s cancer is gone that I let Sasha slip through the crack.”
“You’ve had your hands full. I’m the one who invited Killyama. We’ve been so careful not to let anyone see Sasha in town, and then last night Killyama saw her and asked who she was. Like a fool, I told her.” Train gave a harsh laugh. “She’s been playing me like a fiddle since we had the party at Rosie’s. I even believed I was making headway in getting her to join The Last Riders.”
Viper poured himself another drink at that confession.
Imagining all the brothers’ angry thoughts, Train stormed out of the clubroom, going to his room then coming back downstairs where he threw his leather on the floor at Viper’s feet.
“I don’t deserve to be a Last Rider.”