Rider was entitled to his opinion. Getting physical wouldn’t change his mind, only time would. What had led him to losing his control was the fact Rider didn’t trust his judgment and calling Taylor a whore was showing disrespect not only to her but to him. As much as he hated Rider’s wife, he had always shown her the respect she deserved as Rider’s woman.
“Fuck you, Gavin.” Taking his money off the table, Rider pushed Gavin out of his way. “Find someone else to take you back to Treepoint. Take Memphis, you both can go to Hell, and I wouldn’t miss you.”
Feeling like a douche and irritated at himself, Gavin avoided Crash’s, Nickel’s, and Knox’s censuring expressions and walked to the back for the meeting with Viper. Then he needed to find Rider and make amends before going to Taylor’s. Why had he let Memphis get to him? Anytime the brother lost at cards he was a killjoy. He had known that before he sat down to join the card game, still Memphis seemed to enjoy baiting him and Rider.
“Fuck,” Gavin muttered to himself. Despite the friendship they had, it wasn’t the first time they hit each other. He was as close to Rider as Viper, in some ways closer. While he and Rider never hesitated partying together in sexual romps with women, he never had with Viper. Instead they argued about Viper’s control over him, whereas he and Rider argued over stupid shit, like which bar to go to or who had the better bike—until Delara and now Taylor. It wasn’t so much Memphis causing the fight as Gavin becoming increasingly frustrated that no one—especially Rider and Viper—respected his decisions. When he voiced concerns about Delara, Rider told him that he believed in their relationship; he stood beside Rider and never said another word, not even when they married. Was it too much to expect the same support in return? Fuck, at this point he’d just take everyone getting off his back about her.
Gavin came to a stop in the doorway of the office. Seeing what was going on inside, he almost left, but he wanted to get the conversation over with, since his evening had already gone to shit and he didn’t want to spend the rest of the night arguing with Taylor about being late.
“You have a few, Viper?”
The woman sitting on Viper’s lap wasn’t happy at the interruption.
“No, he doesn’t.” Evie’s eyes flared as bright as her hair at seeing him.
Viper leaned to the side to pick up her top, handing it back to her. “I need to talk to him. We can do this later.”
Taking her top, she got off his lap. “Maybe I’ll be busy.”
Viper caught her hand before she could stomp off. “Give me thirty.”
Evie’s displeasure at him vanished.
Gavin came farther into the office so that Evie would have room to pass him.
“Thirty minutes,” she warned.
Gavin solemnly held his hand up before taking the chair by Viper’s desk as Evie closed the door.
“You’re late.”
“Sorry,” he said shortly, not wanting to explain the argument he had with Rider.
Viper folded his hands over his waist. “What was so important you wanted to talk to me about?”
“I’ve decided to go to Treepoint earlier than I expected. I’m leaving in the morning.”
“What’s the rush?”
“I’ve set up a meeting to secure another loan from the bank there, and I want to take another walk-through of the property.”
“Rider on board going early?”
“Rider won’t be going; it’ll only be me.”
“Then reschedule the meeting until he can. I can’t leave right now with the big order that just came in or I’d go with you. Give me a week, and we can take the trip together.”
Gavin gave him a disbelieving look. “You’re kidding, right? You think I can’t handle myself in Treepoint?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You might as well have. I’m not a fucking kid anymore. Was making me your vice president just to make the men respect me?”
Viper straightened in his chair. “Where in the fuck is this coming from?”
“I’m sick of being dissed.”
“No one is dissing you!”
“You are if you think I can’t handle myself in that one-horse town.”
“That one-horse town has a drug smuggling ring going right through it.”
“Lucky is there. If I need help changing a tire, I’m sure I can call him.”
“Watch it, Gavin. You’re the one who’s being disrespectful.”
“I’m fucking tired of everyone doubting my decisions!”
“I’m not doubting your decisions; I’m questioning why the change of plans and not taking Rider with you. Besides, I thought it would be a fun road trip we could do together. I could get a look around town so when the buyers ask, I can give directions and know what the fuck I’m talking about.”
“Rider doesn’t want to go anymore.”
“Since when is that his decision to make?”
“Since we got in an argument about Taylor.”