“You back for good, man?”

“Yeah,” I answer. “Got back in town last night.”

“Was beginning to think you were going to move down there with Beast,” Fury cracks.

“Aww. Did you miss me?” I crack.

“Like a case of the fucking shits,” he responds.

“How is Beast?”

“Finally happy.”

“Damn, really? Did he go back to his club?” Fury asks.

“Nah. Not yet. I think he and Hayden are going down that way in a couple of months. It will be hard for him, but I think with Hayden by his side he’ll be okay. She’s encouraging him to reconnect with his old life and his friends.”

“That’s good. Diesel said she was a good woman.”

“One of the best,” I agree and for the briefest second a picture of Torrent floats through my brain. I’ve done a good job of putting her behind me the last couple of months. I’ve had to. It’s stupid to miss a woman who was never yours. I do, but I’m learning to live my life. I’m not going to grieve over a woman who didn’t choose me—who walked away from me without a thought. It’d be stupid. Besides Diesel, Fury and the rest of them are right. Torrent already had her life planned out and her choices made. There was no room for me.

There never was.

That’s a hard pill to swallow, but it’s the truth.

“Good. Now all we need to do is to get you back in the saddle with women—”

“Already done, compadre,” I answer, cutting him off. I recline back and take a long pull off my drink. I think back to my little rendezvous with DD and Jenn. It wasn’t bad for what it was, even if DD was too damn clingy.

“No shit? Who is it?”

“No one important. Just a couple of ladies that are friends with Hayden.”

“Damn. Good for you. Sure as hell nice to have you back, old man.”

“Good to be back.”

“I’m headed out to Sal’s tonight. You want to go?”

Sal’s is a local strip club the boys hang out at a lot. I don’t really have the urge to go, but I shrug it off. I don’t really want to stay here either.

“Sure. Why not?” I ask.

I walk out with Fury toward our bikes.

I’m not going to lie. I think I did better away from Tennessee. Being back here makes me think of Torrent again, which fucks with my head. I ignore it though. Torrent is in the past. The one thing life has shown me lately is I want someone in my life that feeds my soul. I’ve seen what a difference it makes with Beast and that’s what I want. I doubt I’m going to find it at Sal’s, but I figure that’s better than waiting for her to fall in my lap here at the club.

“Where you guys headed?” Diesel asks as we make it to the garage.

“We’re going to head down to Sal’s and check out the new talent he has. Want to join us?” Fury asks. Diesel’s looking at me strangely. He’s been doing that since I rode back in today. I see questions in his eyes, but I ignore them.

“Why not? Ryan’s out for the night. Let me get Dani to check in on him,” he says.

We watch as he walks away and there’s something different about him. He’s been that way since the last kidnapping attempt. His constant worry over his son is slowly getting to him. Crusher mentioned he’s even talking about leaving the club and disappearing with Ryan. I’m hoping that doesn’t happen—but, it’s not like I could blame him if he does. Ryan needs to be his first priority.

“Diesel seem different to you lately?” Fury asks and I scratch my neck, wondering exactly how to answer that.

“He’s got a lot on his plate,” I finally say with a shrug and leave it at that.

“Yeah a night out at Sal’s might be what the doctor ordered for all of us,” Fury says.

Personally I think he’s expecting too much from a night at a strip club. I’m tempted to grab a bottle of Jack and go back to my room, but I don’t. I’ve made a decision to move on with my life and I’m damn well going to do it. I’m not getting any younger and I’m starting to feel way too old.