The crazy old bastard still had it even after all this time. Ned had a way of making a woman feel special.
“Back off, old man. This one is ours,” Leo said, taking her hand. She didn’t fight either of them.
“You found one. Tell me, dear, do you really want to be taken by these two clowns?”
She giggled. “I totally do. I adore them, and I own them just as much as they own me.”
Ned nodded. “I like her, boys, you did good. Didn’t think you would.”
“We wanted to show her around, you know. Let her get used to the place.”
Ned glanced toward the back of the office, and then at their leather jackets. “Butch is here. He’s still part of The Skulls.”
“We’re not here to create a war, and last time I checked, Ned, you didn’t put yourself between clubs either,” Leo said.
“I don’t. I’m just making sure.”
“What the fuck is Butch doing here?” Paul asked. He looked toward the back, seeing a man with The Skulls leather cut.
“That is none of your business. This was your home once, and only Butch is here. No fighting, or The Skulls will declare war on you,” Ned said. “This is a fighting club. You do war with your opponents, remember that.” Ned moved away, and then paused, looking back. “It’s good to see that you two got out, and made something of yourself. You were wasted here.”
“We were damn good fighters,” Leo said.
“I know, but this is a city that takes your free will and squashes it. It makes you thirsty for something else, makes deals with the devil, and all that kind of crap. You got out. Don’t think for a second of coming back.”
“Does that mean you’ve made your devil deals?” Paul asked. Several people looked toward them, but he ignored it.
Ned burst out laughing. “I thought you learned long ago. I am the devil.”
Left alone, Paul shrugged. “I knew it.”
Skylar squeezed his arm. “So this is where you trained.”
“Yep. This is the gym, and you can see all the sweaty guys, and the groupies there pretty much drooling. Nothing’s changed,” Leo said. “Whose bright idea was it for us to bring our woman to a place that is completely filled with testosterone and, like, seriously buff guys?”
Skylar laughed and Paul just glared at him. “We’re buff guys, too.”
“But we’re not sweaty right now. I mean look at this guy here,” Leo said, pointing straight in front of him. The man was holding onto a bar, and lifting himself up. “He’s making it look easy.”
“You’re a little old to be here, man,” the guy said, not even showing he was out of breath.
“Who are you calling old?” Leo asked, stepping up to the cheeky fucker.
The guy on the bars dropped down, wiping his face on a towel. “Just saying, you guys have come to the wrong place.” His gaze landed on Skylar. “Hey, little lady.”
“Yeah, that’s not going to happen,” Skylar said.
Paul didn’t recognize any of the men here. It had been over ten years since he had last fought for Ned, and looking around the gym, everything was the same, just a little different. “I’ll be back, baby,” he said.
Paul left Skylar with Leo, who had just jumped up to the bar and was showing the little twerp exactly how it was done.
He found Ned sitting in his office chair, rubbing his temples.
“I can’t believe you’re still here,” Paul said, leaning against the doorframe.
“There are always young kids trying to prove something.”
“I don’t recognize anyone out there.”