“Should’ve known.” I took a massive drink and it burned on the way down, but then a kernel of warmth spread throughout my belly. I took a seat on the arm of the couch, not sure of my place.
“He told you,” Colt stated knowingly.
I nodded.
“Okay then. You should know we had church and discussed it,” Colt said. “We all voted and agreed we were going to tell you.”
“What’s church?” I asked.
“It’s how we discuss club matters,” Zip explained. “It’s all orderly and shit.”
“Orderly and shit, right.” I took another swallow, trying to scorch the horrors of what might have happened to the women and children from my imagination. “He had South Paw drive him to my place the night you found the kids.”
Reap sucked in a breath, as if he was wishing for another cigarette.
“He didn’t tell me anything,” I hastened to say. “But he was drunk as a skunk, and he looked…haunted. Now I know why.”
“You didn’t press him, did you?” Colt asked. “About why he came to you in that state?”
I shook my head. “No.”
“Why not?” Zip demanded.
“Because getting an answer from him wasn’t the most important thing at that moment. He just needed me to be there for him.”
The room fell silent for a moment and then Reap said, “Wow. You really get him.”
I gave him a watery smile. “I think we get each other. I need some air, and then I’ll hit the sack. Is the room next to Boxer’s free?” There wasn’t enough space to put a mattress on the floor and sleep near him, and I wouldn’t share his bed. I wanted him to have as much room as possible.
“Yeah. It was cleaned after the Idaho boys left,” Zip said.
“Thanks.”
“If you’re not going to keep drinking that moonshine, you mind giving it back?” Colt asked with a smile.
“Like hell I’m giving this back. I earned it,” I said, causing the guys to chuckle. I got up and headed down the hallway to the back door. I pushed open the screen and stepped out into the night.
It was chillier than I expected, and I was just about to head inside to get my jacket, when the door opened. Ramsey strode outside, carrying my coat.
“Thanks,” I said, letting him help me into it.
Blue and green camp chairs surrounded the fire ring where there had been a bonfire. I took a seat and leaned my head back to stare at the starry sky.
By unspoken invitation, Ramsey took the chair next to me.
We drank in silence for a while as the night wrapped around us.
“So, you’re Linden,” he said quietly, his Scottish burr husky and low pitched. “Nice to finally put a face to the name.”
“So, you’re Ramsey. You do more than just manage The Dallas Rex, don’t you?”
He looked at me but said nothing.
“Right,” I muttered. “Mysteries upon mysteries with you guys.” I deduced he had been involved in rescuing the women, otherwise why would he be here?
“I’m impressed,” he said.
I frowned. “With?”