“You ready for this?” Scott asked as his hog vibrated between his and Jessica’s legs. They had agreed to meet with Val, and Val alone, to try to work out a compromise.
“Let’s just do this,” she replied, her voice hard and full of determination.
He smiled as he eased the bike farther into the parking lot of the Farmers Restaurant before stopping and allowing her to dismount. As she removed her helmet he swung a leg over the bike and stood, scanning the area, his eyes narrow and hard, as he looked for signs of other Grim Angels.
“Look okay?” she asked, noticing how he became still except for his eyes.
“I don’t see anything.”
“If you get spooked, give the signal and we’re out of here.”
“No. We’re okay,” he said taking her by the waist and steering her toward the door. Not only did he want his hand on her for the pleasure of touching her, he wanted her close in case shit started going down. He opened the door and stepped in first, then held the door for her. He removed his sunglasses and scanned the dining room until he spotted Val and Jason, sitting in a booth, not far from the kitchen. He didn’t like being so far from the door, but the place was packed and there were no other tables. He gave his head a nod and started her walking toward the two men.
“I thought we were meeting alone,” Scott said as they stopped at the table.
“I brought Jason because he knows the rules of these parleys,” Val growled, like a dog protecting his turf.
Scott thought a moment then gave Jess a soft push toward the booth before sliding in beside her as she scooted across. “Say what you have to say.”
“I think we got off on the wrong foot,” Val began. “I know Jason told you Jess was off limits, but that didn’t come from me. He is in line to be president, but he’s not president yet. So, I’m willing to overlook it, this time. But it stops here, and it stops now.”
Jessica’s eyes narrowed. “It…what?”
“This…relationship, whatever you call it, with Scott.”
Before he could answer, Jess spoke. “You’re telling me who and I can and cannot date now?”
“I’m telling you that you are not part of the life anymore. After that, it’s your own business.”
“And if I don’t want to give up the life?”
“You don’t have any choice.”
“Val,” Scott began. “What’s your beef with me? What have I done that has pissed you off?”
Val dragged his eyes from Jessica and focused on him. “It not you, boy. It’s who you are. I want her out of the life. You willing to turn in your colors for her?”
“Maybe.”
“Bullshit,” Jason said. “You never gave two shits about a woman before. Why now?”
Scott pierced Jason with a glare. “That is none of your fucking business.” He turned his attention back to Val. “The Angels have been good to me, but the club doesn’t run my life. I’m not like Jason. I have a life outside the club. I do my job, and I do it well, but what I do on my own time is my business and mine alone. If you can’t accept that, then maybe it’s time for me to turn in my colors. But you didn’t answer the question. What is wrong with me? Is an Angel not good enough to date your niece? Do you think so little of the men you lead? If you do, that’s another reason it’s time for me to turn in my colors.”
Val sat blinking at Scott a moment. Nobody had ever questioned his authority before. “Listen, you little shit. I don’t know who you think you are, but what I say fucking goes!” he snarled quietly, driving a thick finger onto the tabletop. “I don’t have to justify a fucking thing to you, got it?”
Scott met Val’s eyes. “What I get is you think you run not only the club, but the brothers. But I got news for you: you don’t run me. You got that?”
“You’re not leaving here with her,” Val rumbled, his voice so low the cups on the table nearly vibrated.
“That’s up to her. If she wants to leave with me, then she will. If she wants to stay, she can. But it’s her choice, not yours.”
“Scott,” Jason began.
“Shut up!”
Val stared at Jess. “What’s it going to be? You going to make this easy or difficult?”
Jess chewed her bottom lip a moment. She looked at Scott and saw the same deadness in his eyes as he stared at Val that she saw the night of the party. He wouldn’t back down; she could see that. “If I choose to stay, will you let me?”
Scott felt his heart sink, knowing if she stayed he would never be able to touch her again. “If that is your choice, yes. But make sure you are staying for the right reason,” he replied. His eyes never left Val’s as he watched for signs of a double cross or impending violence.
Jess nodded. Scott would let her go if she chose to, unlike Luke, who had threatened her if she were ever to leave him. She nodded as she made up her mind. “I’m leaving with him.”
“Difficult it is, then,” Val said softly as he raised a hand over his shoulder and made a gesture as if calling someone forward.
Nine men in black leather stepped out of the kitchen, but before they made two steps, Scott’s weapon was pointed at Val’s forehead.
“Scott! What the fuck?” Jason yelped.
Jason’s soft shout of surprise was enough to make people look in their direction and then scramble for safety with much commotion and noise at the sight of the gun, but through it all, the gun never wavered. The nine men stopped in their tracks, unsure of what to do.
“You motherfucker,” Scott snarled at Val. “You can’t make anything simple, can you? Have you no honor? This was a parley; we could have worked this out. But instead of trying to do what is right, you had to play the heavy. So you tell me, Val, how difficult do you want to make this?”
“You can’t kill us all,” Val said. His voice never cracked, but he had gone pale.
“No, but I can kill you and your fucking sidekick. That’s two I owe you, you stupid Mick,” Scott said, his eyes never leaving Val. “Next time I see you, you and I will have a score to settle. Jess and I are leaving now. So the question is, are you going to make this easy or difficult?”
“You just signed your death warrant, Murphy,” Val said slowly.
“Then I have nothing to lose by killing you, do I?”
Jess sat, stunned into silent stillness. Here was a man who was willing to lay his life down for her, to give his life to rescue her from her prison without bars. “Scott…” she murmured, not sure what she wanted to say.
“What’s it going to be Val? You want to go out in a blaze of glory or are you going to let us walk out?”
Val raised his voice so everyone in the now silent restaurant could hear. “You can leave. But this isn’t over.”
“No. I’m sure it isn’t,” Scott said as he began to slide out, Jess scooting out right behind him. He nudged her behind him, his Glock still pointed at Val’s head, putting his body between her and danger. An Angel took a step forward and Scott’s gun popped up, pointed at him briefly, and then returned to Val, all in the space of two seconds.
“Don’t be stupid or your president is going to get a nine right between the eyes.”
“Let him go!” Val barked.
“Out the way we came in,” Scott said quietly. “Don’t run and stay close to me. Watch the crowd for a hero.” They began to move backwards. “We’re leaving. Nobody do anything stupid and nobody gets hurt,” he said loudly, backing away from the table, his weapon still trained on Val as he watched for another gun or other dangers.
When they reached the door, the silent, wide-eyed crowd watching them, he dropped his gun to low ready. “Run! To the bike. Can you start it?”
“Key,” she said holding her hand out.
“Right jacket pocket.”
She fished the keys out and banged out through the door. “This is almost over. Everyone just stay calm,” he said to the crowd. The moment he heard the Harley rumble to life he backed out of the door and sprinted toward the bike, tucking the gun into the holster in his back as he ran. Jess was standing at the bike, helmet on and ready to mount up the moment he stood the bike upright. With speed born from practice he mounted the bike, stood it up and kicked the side-stand up. He felt the bike settle as Jess climbed aboard just as he banged the bike into gear. With a firm twist of his right hand, he gassed the bike out of the parking lot, roaring away into traffic.