I say as I climb to my feet and make my way to the dresser where I’ve had it turned off for the last three days. “Don’t be long, okay?”
He holds out his hand, face still unreadable.
Damn.
I’m in trouble.
I know I am.
I place the cell phone in his palm and smile. “Food will be ready in five minutes.”
“Close the door on your way out.”
Ugh. My heart sinks. I fucked up.
Did I cross the line? Yeah. I broke the promise, but if he were in my position, he wouldn’t have listened to me, no matter how many times he’d have told me he would.
I pull on a T-shirt and shorts, glancing at him from underneath my eyelashes. He watches me, phone in his hand, unmoving. I walk toward the door, ready to leave before I cry like a little bitch because he’s crabby as fuck.
“Princess,” he calls out before my hand touches the doorknob.
“Yeah?”
Don’t turn around.
Don’t do it.
Don’t let him see you cry.
I’m not weak.
Not even for him.
“I’m sorry,” he replies softly. “I’m not used to this.”
“Me either,” I whisper, turning the knob and leaving, closing the door behind me without looking in his direction.
2
Mammoth
“You straight?” Morris asks, not even bothering with a hello.
“As straight as an arrow. It’s been hours since I’ve taken any meds.”
I wouldn’t have taken any for the pain at all, but Tamara was on my ass, losing her shit on the hour. I figured I’d let her play nurse for a few days, helping her to feel useful during a time when she felt lost and mostly afraid.
Hell, I’m not entirely fearless at this point either. I’d known I was going to live, but once again, I was faced with mortality and the possibility of death the moment the gun went off.
“Good. Now, what the fuck happened? Details are hard to come by.”
I lean over the bed, arm in a sling, holding the phone in the hand of my only functioning arm at the moment. “My bike took a shitter, so I pulled over at the Cherry Pit, figuring it was the safest place in the area. I parked around the back, staying out of sight. I called Tamara, had a short conversation with her as I waited for Pike and Jett to come and grab me and my bike. The back door opened, I saw the gun, and a second later, he shot me.”
“Fuckin’ hell. The Cherry Pit is supposed to be neutral.”
“Well, obviously, the agreement isn’t sticking. I didn’t recognize the guy or see his cut, but Pike said he was a Southern Warlord.”
“Fuck,” Morris hisses. “Why the hell are they even in this state? This isn’t their territory, and there’s no fuckin’ way I’m allowing them to get a foothold here.”
“Since I have a hole in my body, looks like they’re making their intentions known.”
“Over my dead body,” he replies quickly.
“You may get your wish.”
He grunts. “When will you be back here?”
“Tomorrow,” I tell him, knowing full well Tamara will lose her shit, but I have to be there.
I’m still a member of the club. My vote still counts; my words still have meaning. “But I can’t ride. I’ll probably have full movement back in a few weeks.”
The last thing I want is a war with the Southern Warlords, but I know there will be payback for what he did to me.
“We don’t need you on the road with us, but I want you at the table, helping figure this shit out. There needs to be a resolution, but the last thing we need right now is an all-out war with those fuckers.”
“Agreed.”
“Just keep your woman busy so she isn’t chewing my ear off. I have better shit to do than placate her. You got me?”
“Got the message, passed it along. But you know Tamara. I can’t watch her every second of the day, but I’ll do my best to keep her occupied.”
“Tie her ass up or some shit. Whatever it is you do with your woman to keep her in line. I need to concentrate on other things besides having her up my ass about letting you go out alone.”
“Noted, but I’m warning you now, she’s probably going to drive me back there tomorrow.”
“Whatever it takes to get you back here.”
“Mammoth.” Tamara’s voice carries through the small apartment. “Come eat.”
“Gotta go, brother. See you tomorrow.”
“Contain her,” he reminds me before disconnecting.
I try to pull on a pair of pants with one arm and fail. After thirty seconds, I yank the sling over