I went to the stocked pantry and grabbed a bag of tortilla chips and a jar of salsa while these two went back and forth. Joining into their debate didn’t interest me. My head felt a little fuzzy, and I wished I could hear Brynne’s voice. Feel her lips and glide my hands over her curves.
Thank you, tequila!
“Ryder, man, you’re too young to understand the complexities of the mission and cause.” Espada grabbed a handful of chips. “This assignment is four years in the making. Do you hear me,ese? Four years. Forty-eight months. Over fourteen hundred days. Oh, this is happening whether Brynne is confused or terrified.”
Espada didn’t help ease my mind.
A door slammed behind me. Bone, Deacon, and Deacon’s prospect, Archer, entered the kitchen. Deacon and Archer had arrived two hours ago. They were part of the Fallen Soldiers MC in Iowa and came to help us. Bone had been giving them the grand tour.
“How’d it go?” I asked, wanting to end Espada and Ryder’s irritating exchange.
Everything seemed to get on my nerves. I needed to recharge. Get out of this place. Ted’s Peep Club had been on my mind a lot today. If I could go and let loose, I’d be in a better place for when I was alone with Brynne in her bedroom. Of course, I wondered if I might bump into her.
“Good,” Deacon said. “This place is incredible. Right, Archer? Maybe we should relocate the Fallen Soldiers MC to Montana.”
“I’d love to have you all here,” Bone said. “Let me show you to your rooms.” He jerked his chin toward me on his way out. He and I had already had a conference call with Storm. I liked Bone. He was a no-nonsense guy, like his cousin.
“I’m gonna duck out for a while. Let’s go, brother.” I glanced at Espada.
“We going where I think?” The corner of his mouth curled into a smirk.
“Yes.” I pointed at Ryder. “Don’t fuck with Cash when he gets here. He’ll bash your head in, and there won’t be a damn thing any of us can do to save you.”
“None of you are any fun.” The young prospect took a chip and dipped it into the salsa. “When’s Copper getting back? He’ll at least play poker with me.”
“In an hour. Stay out of trouble,” I told him on my way out. Copper was out plotting an escape route if we had to abandon the compound and head for the woods.
I didn’t feel bad for Ryder. He wanted to prospect for the Knight’s Legion MC. Hero should’ve made sure he knew it wasn’t all fun and games.
As for Cash, he was dealing with his pregnant baby momma. He helped her as much as possible but was having a hard time. He didn’t love her, but he owned his mistakes and was doing the honorable thing by being with her.
To make matters worse, it was the baby momma’s sister Cash was in love with. The idiot had dipped his dick in the wrong pussy and was now paying the price… For the next eighteen years.
“Sure, you want to go to Ted’s?” Espada eyed me as we got into the cage. “You might see her there.”
The thought had crossed my mind. “I need to get my head straight.”
“That all you need?” He chuckled as he started the engine. “I’m telling you. You need a good fucking. Then you’ll feel like shit, and guilt will consume you. You won’t be able to think of anything else,ese.”
“Guilt already consumes me.” I stared out the window. Bone’s compound was three miles outside of Three Forks and an hour from Ted’s. The drive would do me some good.
I expected to hear from my dad anytime to ensure I was ready. I was, although I didn’t want to do this.
“Let me give you a little brotherly advice.”
I groaned, sinking into the chair, and leaned my head against the back of the seat.
“I know you’re worried about the whole step-sibling thing. But the fact of the matter is, you’re both cool to be together if that’s what you want. And from the looks of it, you do. Just tell your old man you’ve fallen for her, and she’s fallen for you. What’s the worse that can happen?”
“I don’t know.” I’d asked myself that very question dozens of times. What could happen if I told my dad I was in love with Brynne? Each time I had come up with no answer.
“You’re a grown man. She’s a grown woman. You’re two consenting adults, free to do as you please.”
“Nuh-uh, you know there is no doing as you please in an MC. We follow orders.” If I should tell anyone what was going on with Brynne and me, it should be Storm. He was my best friend. I should trust him, but I was too fucking afraid. Pussy! I was a damn pussy.
“Eh, there are all kinds of shades of gray.”
“You know you’re advice could get me thrown out of the club.”