Chapter 4

Savior

“What are you doing here, man?”

Lasso’s smile was wide and friendly when I stepped into GET INK’D, his arms draped over two hot sorority girls.

“Too many Bitches at the clubhouse, a man can’t even get a fucking drink in peace.”

There were nearly a dozen lounging around in their tightest, lowest cut outfits to attract attention. The Reckless Bitches served their purpose but sometimes a man just needed to be.

“What’s up around here?”

His smile spread even wider if that was possible. “I’m going to give Katie and Becca tattoos. On their hipbones.” He emphasized the words, flashing me his best horndog grin over their heads. The man had as much charm as the state he came from, and the chicks ate that shit up. The sorority girls looked up at him like he couldn’t possibly be real. Too bad they’d be disappointed that he was only there for a few nights.

“You here for ink?”

“Nope, just here.” I was bored, restless and in search of something to do. Lasso disappeared with the sorority girls and I found Jag bent over a big ass biker who had ‘weekend warrior’ written all over him. He was big and bald, and had no visible tats, like someone who had a nine to five to go to every week. They were easy to spot, but they were good people, and most importantly, they kept guys like us, the real deal, flush with business. They came to us for tats, grass, ass and guns.

“Hey Jag.”

“Sup, Savior,” he said without looking up. His concentration had always been one of his most admirable traits. “Golden Boy is in with a customer, but she’s decent.”

I nodded at the biker doing his best to look cool as I walked by. “Thanks man.” I hoped Golden Boy was able to get away for a few hours, maybe go for a ride to clear the fucking cobwebs from my head. I knocked and waited, feeling agitated and impatient.

“Come in,” his gruff voice called, but it was less gruff now that he’d gone and fallen in love with a former model with a sharp tongue and long legs.

I pushed the door open and the smile on my face died when I spotted Mandy sitting in his chair.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

I ignored the sharp look Golden Boy sent me, waiting for Mandy to answer.

She stared up at me, her expression blank and emotionless.

“I would think that’s obvious.” She turned back to him, dismissing me. “Privacy would be nice,” she said tersely.

Golden Boy flashed an apologetic grin at me and pushed the door closed in my face.

“Dammit!” I smacked the door, letting my anger get the better of me. Why the fuck was I so angry, anyway? Mandy was just my friend’s little sister and a chick I fucked. Once. I couldn’t let her get to me like this. Shit, I refused to. But I knew what was bothering me. Her anger and refusal to talk to me, combined with Cross’s words. She’s like family. Under our protection. Both of those things were true no matter how either of us felt about it, which made this the perfect chance to make her listen to my apology.

Twenty minutes later, Golden Boy and Mandy exited the room, all smiles and laughter.

“I’m not sure if I’ll be able to make it, Tate. But you can let Teddy know I did get the details. And not to worry that she didn’t hire me to do the cake. No way I could have transported a five-tier beauty down to San Diego.”

“Yeah, well she felt bad after promising you the gig,” Tate said, flashing a warm smile that spoke of familiarity.

“Listen, we’re good. She’s gonna love the pastry chef I recommended.”

She rolled her eyes affectionately, like they had some kind of friendship I didn’t know about.

“As long as you show up,” he warned,

“I’ll do what I can, but my boss hates me so I can’t guarantee he’ll give me the time off. I need a tube of that ointment,” she pointed to the aftercare ointment on the shelf behind him, paid and waved him off like they were old friends. “Catch you later, Tate.” She walked right past me, exiting the shop without a glance, or even the fucking evil eye, aimed at me.

I stood, feeling wound up. Anxious. Hell, I didn’t know, but I knew the source and I followed her out of the shop and caught up with her halfway up the block.

“You’re avoiding me.”

She didn’t answer and I took another step closer.

“And now you’re ignoring me.”

She sighed, frustrated and barely hanging on to her rage.

“You are not a part of my life, Savior. I don’t need to avoid or ignore you because we’re nothing to each other. Two people who once fucked, that’s it. There’s no reason to pretend it was anything else, which means I don’t need you checking up on me.”

“I’ve known you since you were a little girl, Mandy. That’s more than two people who once fucked,” I told her, throwing her words back at her.

“No. You knew me, back when I was a kid. A lot of time and a lot of life has happened since then. You don’t know shit about me or my life.”

The way she said it told me there was shit in her life. I asked myself, should I have known about it? I’d promised Ammo that me and the club would look after her when we could. My last tour with Ammo was my last tour before I left the Army, but I’d come home and gotten caught up in the club. “So, tell me.”

She laughed and it was filled with bitterness and anger. “I don’t think so.”

I leaned on her car, staring across the hood. “So, this is how it’s gonna be? You pretending we don’t know each other.”

She shrugged. “It won’t be hard because we don’t know each other. Just forget we used to know each other, all right?”

“I can’t.”

“Try harder.” She yanked her door open and jumped inside, rolling her eyes.

I stepped back when she started the engine, feeling even more frustrated than ever, and curious as hell about what had happened to her in the years since we’d known each other.

Guilt was weighing me down as she disappeared from my view, so I hopped on my bike and rode until my hands tensed with pain. I still didn’t feel any fucking better.

***

“You want to do what?” I couldn’t believe my ears. Max Ellison had called Church to discuss his fucking destination wedding. In California.

“You heard me. Jana wants to get married at some fancy ass hotel in San Diego, so that’s what we’re doing. All of us. You got a problem with that?” His frown was fierce but I didn’t back down from a fight. Not even from one of my brothers.

I was the first one to speak up. “You want to go out of town for a full goddamn week when someone is targeting our business?” I was all for a man finding a woman he wanted to fuck forever but business was business. And right now, someone was fucking with businesses that belonged to the Reckless Bastards.

“The old timers and the prospects will be here. But if that’s your biggest concern, stay here Savior.” The way he said it, like a threat, made my hackles rise but I kept my mouth shut because he was right. We were friends and brothers, and I wasn’t going to miss his wedding.

“Fine, I’ll be there to watch you get hitched to the old ball and chain. Just make sure we’re covered.”

“We’re covered,” Cross assured me and I knew he’d tell me more later.

“The Bitches aren’t invited,” Max said, narrowing his gaze around the table to make sure everyone understood. They hadn’t made Jana feel very welcome and I didn’t blame her for keeping them away from her special day.

Cross nodded again.

Lasso smacked the table. “Woo-eee! San Diego has plenty of sweet ass to go around.” He grinned. “I’ll even bring a Stetson or two. Ladies love a cowboy.”

Jag laughed and punched his arm. “They love those tight ass pants you wear, that’s all.”

“Try it sometime, you might get some action from someone other than your hand.” Lasso laughed, cracking himself up.

“All right, any new business?” Cross looked around the room, his expression serious as fuck. “No? Then we’re done.”

Thank fuck. I was on my feet and walking away when Max caught up to me. “What’s your beef with Mandy?”

“I have no beef with her, or anyone,” I said a little too innocently based on his skeptical expression.

“Cut the shit. Tate said you acted like a real asshole to her at his shop. He also said she gave you the cold shoulder.”

True. “Why is she even invited to your wedding?”

“Not that I owe you an explanation, but Teddy likes her and so does Jana. They’re trying to become her friends so whatever your problem with her is, get over it. Or keep your distance.”

“Fine,” I told him with a little more anger than I really felt and a whole lot more than he deserved. Then I walked away. Max was right. I had no excuse for my behavior. Hell, even I didn’t know what was wrong with me.

Maybe I should just keep my distance.