As he pulled up outside of the front, the entrance was busy with people coming and going, but he spotted Sable. She leaned against the wall, sunglasses in place, and he spotted the cop. She looked pale, scared, and so damn small compared to the man.
The instant the cop heard the bikes, he took a step back and Sable rushed toward them.
“Mine,” Dog said, pointing behind him. Old Dog was the rider she’d been going to.
“It’s fine. I can stay here.”
“Does it look like I’m giving you a fucking choice?” he asked. “Climb on, now!” He glared at the police officer, recognizing him. Hank Little or some shit like that. He wrote up a couple of the boys on their bikes back in town, and even gave out a speeding ticket to Forge once, not that the Prez ever paid it.
Hank had been after them for years. The way the cop looked at Sable, he wasn’t just going to try to use her, no, there was intention there for something else.
Sable didn’t argue with him as she climbed on the back of his bike. To drive the point home of who she belonged to, he gripped her ass, pulling her tighter against his back, making her hold on to him.
The cop needed to know who he was dealing with. No one touched a club woman, no one. He was pissed off.
He revved his bike, turned, and headed back to the clubhouse. Sable’s grip tightened around him and he wanted to tell her that she was safe, that she didn’t need to worry and he’d keep her safe.
Instead, he got inside the clubhouse parking lot and she climbed off as the other boys arrived.
“Thank you,” she said, not meeting his gaze.
“You okay, darlin’?” Old Dog asked.
“Yeah, I am now.”
Beth chose that moment to come running out to her friend. He watched as she pulled Sable into her arms, holding her. “Old Dog told me what happened. Are you okay? Are you scared? Did he hurt you?”
Sable touched her hand and he noticed the finger marks on her wrists. He reached out, holding them up. He would be paying the cop a special kind of visit.
She pulled her hand away from him. “I’m fine. Really, it was … he was … he wanted me to put some kind of tracking device on Forge’s bike. He said that he could give me protection and that all I needed to do was rat out the club.” She nibbled her lip when Forge came out to join them as she explained, holding his son against his chest. “I swear I would never do that, Forge. I’m loyal to the club and I would never turn rat.”
“He knows that. Don’t you?” Beth said.
“I know that.”
Sweetheart and Honey came rushing out of the clubhouse. Sable’s mom and sister were there, pulling her into a hug. Both women looked like they had just gotten out of bed. Neither wore makeup or much in the way of clothing.
“Oh, baby girl, you cannot go out with no one like that again,” Sweetheart said. “I’ve told you about the cops.” She turned to Forge. “She’s fine, isn’t she? You’re not going to kick her out?”
“She’s fine,” Forge said. “I need you to come with me, Sable. I need to know everything.”
Sable nodded and Dog followed.
Honey caught his hand. “You know, I could show you a good time, Dog. All you got to do is say the word.” Honey was always propositioning him. Sweetheart had stopped a long time ago. He hadn’t fucked either woman.
Glancing at Sable, he saw that she was watching him, and she quickly averted her gaze when he caught her. He’d fucked up there, no doubt about it.
Pulling out of Honey’s grip, he followed into Forge’s office. Sable sat down and Beth returned to bring her a cup of coffee.
“Babe, I can’t have you stay,” Forge said.
“She’s my friend. She took a bullet for the club.”
“This is club business. You can do what you need to do afterward. She’ll be all yours.”
Beth nodded but looked like she wanted to argue. He couldn’t blame her.
Standing in the corner of the office, he waited for the door to close. Any love that was in Forge’s eyes for his woman disappeared.