Ash was fixing his plate when Charlie stepped up next to him. “Where’s Mack?” He looked around and then back at his sister.

“I don’t know. I thought you and her were off somewhere talking.”

“Nope. I took Mason back to Sabrina and talked to her for a bit. She’s going to hire me for real to babysit him when she goes back to school. The judge will love that, me having a real job and all.”

Ash chuckled. “Charlie, you do own a multi-million-dollar company.”

“I know, but you and I both know I don’t know shit about running it.”

“Watch your mouth.” She rolled her eyes and said:

“Anyway, that’s what I want to talk to Mack about.”

He raised his eyebrows. “You want Mack to run Dad’s company?”

“Why not? Dad trusted her. You know she’s smart and qualified. I think, better her than someone I don’t trust.”

“You trust her?”

“Seriously? You think Mack would do what? Steal from me? Come on, Ash...whatever happened between you and Mack, that was personal, not business.”

Ash didn’t acknowledge or deny that, although he knew his sister was right. There was some reason his dad had trusted her, and he did know Mack was smart. He looked around again, beginning to worry about where she might be or who she might be with. He saw Gracie, rubbing her big tits on one of the guys from San Gabriel. “Hey, what are you doing hanging around Gracie?”

“What?” Charlie looked surprised at the abrupt change of topic.

“Gracie. She’s trash. You need to stay away from her.”

“Wow, you have some nerve, you know?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You guys are the ones that use these girls and then you have the nerve to call them names. Why are they the whores and not you?”

“Charlie!”

“It’s a fair question. If you guys will sleep with a different woman every day, then why can’t they do the same thing with men and not be called ugly names?”

“I don’t know,” he said, exasperated again...because she was right, again. “It’s just looked at as different, and right or wrong, that’s how people view it. I want you to know that it’s not okay. I don’t want you thinking that lifestyle is right in any way.”

“I don’t. But I also don’t think it’s right for you, either. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I want to get some of that fruit salad before it’s gone. If you see Mack, tell her I’m looking for her.”

Ash put his plate down right where he stood and decided he was going to find out where Mack was. He walked around outside for a few minutes and when he didn’t see her, he went inside. He stood in the doorway letting his eyes adjust to the dim light. He was scanning the room when he heard Tex say, “I let my brother have her, but just because I’m not up to par yet. When I get well, he’s in for it.”

Ash looked down as Tex rolled his chair up next to him. “Have who?” Ash asked, hoping he wasn’t talking about the one he knew he was talking about.

“Your friend, Mack. Tensee came in here with her and even though I saw her first, I let it go.”

Again, Ash looked around, this time with his heart pounding in his chest. “Where are they?”

“Not sure. They were up at the bar, but I don’t see them there now. My pain meds make me fall asleep sometimes out of the fucking blue. I must have missed them leaving.” Tex was still talking when Ash headed for the stairs. He took them two and three at a time, stopping in front of the first door and pushing it open, without bothering to knock. That one was empty. He went down the hallway doing the same thing, once catching one of the affiliates getting his knob polished by one of the club girls, but otherwise finding them all empty. He cursed and ran back down the stairs. Just as he made it back to the great room, Mack and Tensee were coming in the front door. They were both smiling from ear to ear and Mack’s cheeks were flushed with color. Her hair was disheveled too...and so was the fighter’s. Ash saw red and he cleared the six feet between them in three long strides before doubling his fist and slamming the unsuspecting fighter dead between the eyes.

“Ash! What the hell are you doing?” Mack screamed. Tensee didn’t fall, but he looked a little dazed for a few seconds. As soon as he recovered, or maybe even before, he threw out a right hook that knocked Ash backwards and almost on his ass. Sledge appeared from somewhere and caught him. Ash tried to wrench himself free of the big man’s grasp as Tensee stood poised and ready to strike again. But Sledge wasn’t letting him go.

“What the fuck are you doing?”

“Stay out of it. Let me go...”

“Fuck that. These guys get paid to fight...a lot of fucking money. You really want to get your ass kicked by one of them here in front of all your brothers? This is about her, isn’t it? She’s nothing but fucking trouble...” Ash pulled hard and slipped from Sledge’s grasp. He went back toward Tensee, who was ready for him. The two men hooked it up and the sounds of Mack screaming and everyone else yelling was like fuzzy background noise. It wasn’t until he heard Wolf’s voice...nearly shaking the walls of the club...that he froze.

“What the fuck is going on here?” Wolf didn’t yell it, he bellowed, and Tensee froze as well. They were both on the floor by then and reluctantly, Ash looked up at Wolf. His president didn’t seem to have any interest in Tensee. That “I’m going to kick your ass” glare was locked onto Ash’s face. “You going to explain yourself?” Ash looked around at the crowd that must have gathered as they were fighting. All eyes, including Mack’s horrified ones, were on him.

“Sorry, Boss,” he mumbled. How the fuck was he going to explain this?

“Office. Now.” Ash nodded and stumbled to his feet. The crowd made a path for him, but he could still feel their eyes burning into him as he made his way to the office. He went inside, closed the door behind him, and began to berate himself for his own stupidity. Seriously, how the hell was he going to explain this? He paced back and forth with the thoughts racing in his head, trying to think of an excuse that wasn’t going to make him look or sound like a giant, jealous pussy. Nothing came to him and the longer Wolf kept him waiting, the more the anxiety took over his brain and no rational thought could get in. Wolf was waiting to come in on purpose, Ash was sure of it. It was a trick his father used to use, because sometimes waiting for your punishment was actually worse than the punishment itself.

When the doorknob finally turned, Ash dropped into the closest seat to him and wiped the blood off his lip with the back of his hand. He heard Wolf slam the door behind him and then listened to his boots slam against the tile floor before he finally came into view. Wolf stood and glared at him for a long time before finally taking his seat at the head of the table. He didn’t say a word, but he didn’t have to. Ash knew his boss well and he knew that Wolf’s dragging his hand through his beard was worse than if he put into words what he was actually thinking.

“I’m sorry, Boss.”

Wolf shook his head. “I don’t want to hear you’re sorry. I want to know what the fuck that was about. They said you started it. That boy and Mackenzie went out for a ride in his new car...”

“Oh fuck, is it a convertible?”

Wolf frowned. “What the fuck does that have to do with anything?”

“She was...her hair was...I thought they...fuck...”

“Oh, fuck me!” Wolf said, “You thought they’d gone outside and he’d fucked her, and they were sneaking back in?” Ash nodded. Wolf looked even more pissed. “Well, what if they had? You got any claims on that woman?” Ash shook his head, more ashamed of himself than ever. “Then what the fuck is going through your brain?”

“I don’t know, Boss. Mack and I have history...fucked-up history. I went five years without seeing her and I was fine, and then as soon as she turned back up...I lost my damned head. I saw them. I thought he fucked her and I just saw red.”

“I have a business relationship with these boys...hell, we have a business relationship with them. They don’t work for me. They work for Jacob Wright, who we have a contract with. If Jacob chooses to break that contract because his fighters are getting the shit beat out of them by bikers...”

“Oh damn! Oh shit, Boss, Tex. Fuck, I’m sorry.”

“You’re gonna have to tell Tensee that, and Jacob...and you’d better hope they don’t pull out of our contract because if they do, it could mean total financial ruin for this club.” Ash nodded and continued to sit there until Wolf said, “Go do it now! And then figure out how the hell you feel about that woman. I don’t want no more shit around this club because you can’t get yours together.”

Ash nodded. He had already jumped to his feet and was headed for the door. Just before he grabbed the knob Wolf said, “Gate duty, all week...night shift.” Ash groaned, but inwardly and silently. He hated working the gate when they were locked down, especially with all the visitors right now. It was going to be a nightmare, and night shift was going to make it even worse. He knew he deserved it, though, so he sucked it up, nodded at his boss, and went to find out if he’d be able to salvage what he’d screwed up, with an apology or two. If not, he’d be in for a hell of a lot worse than gate duty.