He gritted his teeth.
It would be so easy to take her into his arms, to drag her back to his home, to show her that he was a fucking liar and he loved her more than anything, but instead, he took a step back.
For her own safety. It grieved him to do this. But do it, he must. He would protect her at all costs.
Walking back toward the main diner, he entered the back kitchen. Beatrice and Carl were embracing. When they caught sight of him, they immediately broke apart, and Carl glanced at his knives.
“I wouldn’t recommend it,” Bull said.
“Get the hell out,” Carl said.
“No.” He reached into his jacket pocket and put the envelope of money on the table.
“What is this?” Beatrice asked.
“For my brother and Maddie.”
Beatrice picked up the envelope and threw it at him. “We don’t need your guilt money.”
Bull looked at the two. “You two should remember who you’re dealing with.” He picked the envelope up. “Not all is what it seems. This is for Grant and Maddie. I suggest if you want to still be breathing come the festive season, you take the money, and you have this opportunity with your daughter.”
With that, he turned on his heel and left.
His bike was parked a few blocks down, near the first housing estate.
It was so fucking cold. His balls were like blocks of ice. He had to go and see Maddie, to touch her.
As he got to his bike, he wasn’t surprised to see Pat parked close to him. “Don’t you have family to go and see?” he asked.
“Nope, but I find it fascinating when my Prez goes to see his little brother. The one that got kicked out by himself. Did you have to kick him in the balls or was that just for fun?” Pat asked.
“It was for fun. You knew?”
“Grant is a lot of things, but going to the cartel is the last thing he’d do. He’s an asshole, a womanizer, a piece of work, and he’s fucking loyal to you, even if he is a hothead.”
“Why didn’t you call me out at the club meeting?” Bull asked.
“I know you, Prez. You’ve got a game plan in the works. and I’m not the kind of man to screw it up just to make you look bad.”
Bull nodded.
“What is the game plan?” Pat asked.
“I’d rather not. Do you have any location on two of the Vito Crew?” He was tired of this. It hadn’t even been a month, but he wanted his woman back.
Julio was taking too long to make his move.
William had called him that morning. The guy was pissed. They had sent him another part of Craig that morning, the guy’s dick. Even Bull knew that was fucking wrong. Julio was trying to goad William, but why?
“It’s time for us to go see Dylan,” Bull said.
He hated to bring the sheriff into any of his problems, or for them to even share details. The less they knew about each other’s lives, the better. He hated to admit, even to himself, that he was getting desperate when it came to Maddie’s safety, and his own personal need to have her back in his life was strong.
“This will be a personal call. I don’t think he’d appreciate us appearing on our bikes.”
“Do I look like I give a fuck?” Bull asked.
“Normally, you’re a little more considerate.”
Normally, he was a very happy man, but that ship had sailed with the fucking dog ring, the cartel, William Ranford, and every other motherfucker who was meddling with his life. They were keeping him apart from Maddie.
He was breaking all of his own rules.
Straddling his bike, he turned over the ignition, and he didn’t give himself the gratification of the purr of his machine. He was on a mission to get the woman of his dreams back to him. He rode straight to Dylan’s place.
It was Thanksgiving, but the place was already made up for Christmas. Dylan was the family man.
Parking his bike outside, he had only just stepped on the man’s land when the door opened.
Dylan shut his door behind him, and he looked less than pleased to see him.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Dylan asked.
“We had to stop by. We’ve got some business to deal with,” Bull said. “Believe me, it’s for the sake of the town more than anything.”
Dylan loved Carnage, as did Bull. They both had an understanding in keeping it safe. Dylan knew when to look the other way, just as Bull knew when to step the fuck back.
Today, he wasn’t doing that.
“Come by my office Saturday.”
“Not happening,” Bull said.
“Damn it, Bull. My family—”
“Can wait. This cannot. Do you think I’d be here if I had any other option?”
Dylan ran his fingers through his hair and nodded. “Fine. I’ll be back in a moment.”