Michael

 

Leaving Lauren in the hands of Johnny and a few other guys at the clubhouse, I hopped onto my bike. Mick had my leathers out on his desk when I arrived earlier with her in tow. Johnny appeared happy about the news of my return, but seemed more than a little skeptical about Mick’s promise to step down as president when it was all said and done.

 

“What’s to stop him from reneging?”

 

“I’ll walk if he does, and the newer members will walk with me. Like you said, there’s a lot of mistrust between the members and Mick. He reneges on this, that trust will be completely broken. They’ll walk out with me, and maybe even go over to the Fallen.”

 

“As much as I hate the fucking Fallen, I’m not sure they are all tangled up with this mess. Seems too personal for them, and they don’t get personal—even with their members.”

 

“I don’t think it’s the club. I think it’s just this Dean. Not sure how he got picked, but he seems to have some connection to the Leonard group. I asked Bixby to do some digging on him, he’s trying to find the connection. Lauren said she didn’t see the driver of the car when she got hit, he came at her too fast, but I’m willing to bet it was Dean. Probably acted too fast, though; Matthew hadn’t gotten to her yet.”

 

“Seems like a lot of bullshit for a little shortage in product,” Johnny argued.

 

“Tanner cut him off that night. Sent him to some other dealer who didn’t have the quality. Spent more for shittier supply—Leonard blames Lauren for that. You know these types. Think the world revolves around them and no one should get in their way.”

 

“Yeah, I get that. I’ll watch your girl for you, but you better be fucking careful today. She won’t be taking it too well if you get yourself dead. Understand?” His fierce gaze could crumble a brick wall, but I saw it for what it was. Concern. “I’m happy to see those leathers on you again, but if it comes at a price, I don’t want it. Got it?”

 

“Don’t worry about it.” I adjusted my kutte, getting used to the feel of the leather on me again. The weight of it on me reminded me of how much I missed the brotherhood that came with it. Leaving it behind had been the hardest thing for me to do, aside from leaving Lauren behind. At the time, I left to protect myself and my future, and now I put it back on to do the same thing.

 

Only this time I had Lauren to think about, too. That woman turned my life upside down the moment her car had been dragged into my garage. I wouldn’t change it for anything. I had her back. I had my girl back, and she would be mine forever if I had anything to say about it. Thinking about a future with her didn’t turn my stomach the way it did when I had tried picturing it with other girls. The hair on my neck stood at attention when the thought of losing her again crossed my mind. That wouldn’t happen. Couldn’t happen. I’d die before I let it.

 

After I set Lauren up in one of the spare bedrooms with her laptop and a full cup of coffee, I headed out. I was sure to remind her of what would happen if she tried leaving the clubhouse, and her blush made me hard for her again. Tonight. I had told her when we got home that night I’d have her tied down and at my mercy. I just needed to get through the afternoon.

 

Riding out of the courtyard and heading toward her apartment with Tony riding at my side, I wondered again about Dean’s connection to Daniel Leonard. From what I could piece together, the guy was just a regular asshole. Worked in the garage for the Fallen, never been in any real trouble, so what was his angle? Did he get close to Lauren through Asya for Leonard or was he picked because he knew her? Too many questions without enough answers.

 

Bixby was digging, but some things couldn’t wait. Asya was expecting Lauren any minute to show up at the apartment. She’d be surprised to find me, but I wouldn’t be surprised to find Dean there, too. She’d been adamant that I not go with Lauren to meet her. She wanted girl time, and promised they’d just hang at the apartment, nothing for me to worry about. The more she stressed that I stay away, the more I knew I’d be the one going.

 

My hope still remained that she was trying to warn Lauren of what was coming. I didn’t like the idea of having to tell Lauren the only friend she’d had for the past few years had betrayed her in the worst way someone could betray another person.

 

Tony signaled me to turn down an alley, and I let him take the lead. He knew the back roads around Lauren’s apartment a bit better than me, so he took point. As he came to a stop several houses from her building, we cut our engines.

 

I pulled out my phone to check my message. The damn thing had been vibrating my ass more than my bike. Seven messages from Bixby.

 

One charge of drug possession with intent to sell for Dean was dropped six months ago.

 

His attorney was Jacob Masters.

 

Same attorney that helped Leonard out of a DUI years back.

 

Dean named Tanner Hunt as his supplier. Nothing came of it.

 

No investigation into Tanner.

 

Tanner’s priors long list—all drug related.

 

All charges dropped each time- same attorney. Jacob Masters

 

 

 

Fuck. If Tanner had something to do with all of this, he played Lauren and me real fucking good. It was he who caused Leonard to be so damn pissed in the first place, his mistake, his error.

 

“What’s up?” Tony asked, walking over to me. I gave him my phone to let him read the messages. “Fuck. You think he’s organizing all this shit?”

 

“If he is, there’s a good chance we’ll find him up there with Dean.” I felt the Glock I had stuffed in my waistband. It had been a few years since I last pulled out my gun from its hiding spot, but I had no doubt it would come in handy now. “Let’s get up there and get this over with.”

 

We walked through the gangway from the alley to the front door of her building, keeping an eye out for anything that didn’t seem right. The heat of the summer kept a lot of people indoors with their air running on high, which meant less people to see us entering the building.