T-Bone - L. Wilder Page 0,33
is.” I waited for him to sit down, then said, “Things just got really fucking complicated, and I’ve got no one to blame but myself.”
“You want to tell me what the hell you mean by that?”
I sat down and sighed. “I let myself get too close ... Crossed a line that shouldn’t have been crossed.”
“All right, so what are you gonna do about it?”
“That’s just it. I don’t have a fucking clue.”
Gus leaned back in his chair and studied me for a moment. We’d been friends for a long time. He knew me better than anyone, so I had no doubt that I could trust him to lead me in the right direction—even if it was a direction I didn’t want to go. I took a deep breath and tried to prepare myself for a reprimand, but instead he said, “You’re a good man, Bone. I trust you to do the right thing by her and the club.”
“But what if I—”
“I trust you.” Gus leaned forward, resting his elbows on his desk, and looked me dead in the eye. “Now it’s time for you to do the same.”
“Damn, brother. As much as I appreciate you saying that, you’re not giving me anything here,” I complained. “I came to you for advice on what to do.”
“You didn’t need my advice before you crossed that line you said you shouldn’t have,” he scoffed. “But if I had any advice to give you, it would be to take things slow. Keep it as simple as you can for as long as you can.”
“And Hyde?”
“He’ll come around when the time is right. Like the rest of us, he knows you’re a good man.” His expression grew hard as he warned, “Just don’t give him a reason to think otherwise.”
“I won’t. You have my word on that.”
“Best be getting to work. I’m sure Darcy is already there waiting on you now.”
“No doubt.” As I started to leave, I said, “Thanks, Prez.”
After I left his office, I headed out to the parking lot. Once I’d made it to my bike, I stowed the papers that Riggs had given me into my saddlebags and headed to the garage. As much as I wanted to stop and look through everything, it would have to wait. I had to finish breaking down the 1969 Camaro I’d been working on for the past couple of days. Darcy had already started painting and was waiting on me to finish sandblasting the rear end. She wasn’t exactly patient, so I wasn’t surprised to find her waiting for me when I pulled up to the garage. She was standing at the front door in her paint suit with her hand planted on her hip. “Well, look who finally decided to show up.”
“What the hell, Darc? It’s not even eight o’clock yet.”
“You know I have to finish priming today.”
“I’m well aware of that.” I lumbered past her as I started inside. “That’s why I got here early.”
“Well, clearly your idea of early and mine are very different.”
I could’ve shot back at her. Hell, under any other circumstance, I would have, but I knew she was just eager to get the job finished and finished right. Darcy might’ve been a chick, but damn—she worked as hard as any man I’d ever met, and I respected her for it. We all did. She followed close behind while I walked over to my station and picked up the sandblaster. “I’m on it. It’ll be ready for you in thirty.”
“Okay.” Her expression softened as she said, “Thanks, Bone. I knew I could count on you.”
“Um-hmm. Sure, ya did,” I scoffed. “That’s why you were waiting at the door to bust my balls.”
“Well, they’re still intact, aren’t they?”
I reached down, cupped my balls in my hand, and held them for a minute. “Yeah, they’re just fine. Thank you very much.”
“Such an asshat.”
“Yeah, but you love me. You know you do.”
“Shut up and get to work, Bone.” Darcy turned and started to walk away. “The clock’s a ticking.”
I shook my head as I watched her go back into her paint room. As promised, I finished the rear end in less than a half hour, and after Gauge and I carried it to her room, we got busy on the engine. The entire time we were working, I was thinking about Brant and all the intel on him that was waiting for me in my saddlebag. Sensing that something was bugging me, Gauge nudged me and asked, “What’s with you today?”
“Just