Road Tripped (Satan's Devils MC Utah #1) - Manda Mellett Page 0,73

lead him to ask how you do make the dollars you earn. I don’t want to lie.” If I do, eventually it will come out, it’s hard to keep anything from Drummer. If I stay in Utah, I won’t want to feel exiled from Tucson. I’ll want to go back to visit my brothers, their old ladies, and hell, I’ll even miss Grunt the dog, Allie’s fuckin’ cat, and, goddamn it, the kids.

Snatcher looks at me, then moves his eyes to Pip. “Seems we’re at an impasse. Road can’t stay, and he can’t go.”

Pip grimaces, then a sad expression comes over his face. “Why the hell did you have to come here, Road? Why the fuck didn’t you head a different way?”

Silence sounds loud after those final words, the ramifications hanging in the air. I’m no fool. If they want to keep what they’re doing secret, then I’m a liability they can’t afford to leave alive.

Is this it? I’m unarmed, and even if I were, it’s two against one. Is this the point where Pip takes out his gun and shoots me?

Do I plead? Beg for my life? Tell them I’ll stay then go behind their backs and speak to Drummer? But I won’t be reduced to falling onto my knees and pleading with them to keep me alive. And I won’t live a lie. While inside there’s a myriad of questions going through my brain, Will it hurt, will Pip choose my head or my heart, and will that first shot take me out? I force myself to remain outwardly calm. Challenging the man with my eyes. If you’re going to do it, do it now.

Instead, I’m offered a reprieve. “Would more time help you change your mind?”

I could say yes. At least have a chance to say a proper goodbye to Swift. If I’m honest, she’s the one piece of unfinished business I’m going to regret most. Though I doubt I’d have gotten anywhere with her, I was never able to give it a try. I could say it would, but… “I can’t change my mind, Pip. Whether I transfer or return to Tucson, I need to speak to Drummer, and I won’t be part of a lie.”

He sighs heavily, exchanges a glance with Snatcher, then his hand moves toward his cut. I try to brace myself, but how does a man prepare for his imminent death?

He’s not going to string this out. I’m about to meet my maker. But then, why prolong the torture any longer than necessary? It would be crueller to make me wait.

I take a deep breath, wondering if it’s the last I’ll ever take, or whether I’ll have time to fill my lungs again. In slow motion, Pip’s hand disappears, then reappears and I fight to keep my eyes open.

It’s a battle I win, thankfully. It’s not a gun Pip’s taken out, not even a knife. It’s my phone.

I try not to collapse back into my seat as relief floods through me, then I grow tense again when I realise this could simply be a stay of execution and not an acquittal. When Pip slides the phone closer to me, I view it like a snake.

The corners of Pip’s mouth turn up fractionally. He dips his chin toward the device. “Call Drummer.”

“And say what?” That instruction, I didn’t expect.

“The VP and I have been talking. Your coming here has set things in motion, and we’ve got to see how this plays out. Thing is Road, we really do want you here. Your answers today have showed you’re a man of integrity, and you’re a man we’d be proud to have on our team. If you want to return to Tucson, I won’t stand in your way, but I’m not going to have you tattling to Drummer. If he’s going to find out, I want it to be my way.”

My gaze is going between him and the phone. I shake my head. “I’m not certain what you want me to say.”

“At some point, he’s going to need to come here. I want him to see our operation, and to understand what we do, and why. I want to face him man-to-man, prez-to-prez. Up to you whether that time has come.”

“And if things don’t play out how you want them to?”

Pip looks at Snatcher. “Then we’ll rebrand ourselves. Every man and woman in this club, Road, is fully committed to what we do. Sure, not being Devils will hurt, but it will hurt the Devils