They arrived back at the club in the dead of night. The spotlights highlighted the large gates. Dog set one foot down and revved his engine. The gates began to open.
She noticed something white in the darkness, and she pointed.
Dog rode to the right side of the gate and plucked the envelope pinned on the outer gate. He opened it as she watched over his shoulder. It was a photoshopped picture of a gravestone with her name etched on the rock. It had the words club whore for life written under her name. Her heart dropped.
He turned his head. “This means nothing.”
Dog parked the bike then stormed over to the gate with the letter in his hand. “Who the fuck was on the gate the past few hours?”
The boys kept pointing fingers. Redneck showed up when the arguing got loud.
“This was on our gates. That prick cop was able to get that close with not one of you assholes noticing?”
They passed around the letter.
She didn’t get too close, but when Dog punched Ghost in the face, she knew he must have been on guard duty.
Even within the safety of the club, a new fear trickled through her system. They couldn’t hide her forever. Dog couldn’t be by her side twenty-four seven. Hank had gotten right to their gates, sending her a calling card, a warning of what was to come.
She’d only just found happiness, and she wasn’t sure how long she’d be able to keep it.
Chapter Ten
There was no sign of Grass but that didn’t mean he wasn’t around somewhere. Dog knew he had to keep on looking for him. Hank was still serving on the force, but he’d taken to helping children across the road or visiting the local hospice. He was doing everything he could to appear the law-abiding citizen.
At the moment, they were staying out of his way, but as he straddled his bike and glanced over at the police station, he wanted to do nothing more than burn the place and watch it go up in flames.
With his glasses on, he caught sight of Hank leaving the station, a frown on his face as he climbed into his car.
Forge came out as Dog started up his bike.
“You don’t need to go,” Forge said. “I’ve got a couple of my men tailing him.”
“You think it’s going to be enough?”
“I’ve got the men we need. You’ve got to start learning to trust them.”
He turned to his prez. “Would you trust them with Beth?”
“I trust the entire club with Beth, Dog. You need to learn to do the same.”
He snorted. “It’s not the same when half of the club doesn’t even want to be around her.” He ran a hand down his face. “I’m going to claim her. I want the club to know she belongs to me.” The ring he’d bought her still burned in his pocket.
Forge slapped him on the back. “I’ll be right there with you. You don’t have to wait to claim her. Not anymore.”
“Why not?” he asked.
“If word gets out that you’ve claimed Sable, it might actually bring an end to this bullshit.”
“I’m not going to use her as bait.”
“You don’t have to. She’s been bait from the very beginning.”
Dog clenched his teeth. “I want to talk about Honey and Sweetheart. You’ve heard the shit they’re saying.”
“I’ve already talked to the men. Every man has turned them down. No one wants rotten pussy and that’s what they’ve become. They don’t want to believe they were in the wrong for doing what they did. I know Sable. She’s been part of this club her whole life. Her loyalty lies with us. She doesn’t need her parents to help her. She’s got us and that’s all that matters. We can take care of her. Beth’s told me about what her mother and sister are saying. I hear all and I see all. I’m going to take care of it. What she needs now is for you to be by her side. Don’t wait around until this mess with Hank and Grass is over. Do it now. I nearly lost Beth. My biggest regret was not letting her know how I felt sooner.”
“I’m not the kind of guy who shares his feelings.”
“You think I am? I can share my anger, show my fury, but when it comes to love, I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing. It’s all a messed-up blur.” He shook his head. “The truth is we only get one life and I don’t want to hear of or see you wasting it. It’s not right. Take what you want. Love that woman, and in the end, she’ll be coming back to you, always.”
Forge climbed onto his bike and he turned over his ignition.
He had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to ask Sable to marry him, to show the whole club who she belonged to.