Page 15 of Snared Rider

I feel it roll through me. One day, he’ll make a hell of a brother.

Tal’s brows knit together as he stares at the kid throwing down in front of him. I see the exact moment he realises he’s dealing with something more than an overprotective brother or friend. It gives me satisfaction to watch the colour drain from his face, and I wonder if he, like Gina, is so high he does not understand where he is. It’s not like the clubhouse is signposted and there isn’t a neon flashing sign outside declaring it the HQ of the Lost Saxons MC, but most people in Kingsley and the surrounding area know about the Club. This bloke is either stupid or his need for the money outweighed the risk.

When he turns, hissing at Gina, “This bitch is Club?” It becomes apparent he’s the former.

Gina shifts her shoulders. “She’s the only one I knew would give us money.”

I scoff at that and, feeling a little braver with Logan here, snap, “I wouldn’t give you shit.”

Not paying attention to mine and Gina’s throw down, Tal raises his hands defensively in Logan’s direction.

“I didn’t know this was Saxons territory and I didn’t know she was Club.”

Logan takes a menacing step toward Tal, who automatically moves back from him. “Seems to me,” Logan growls, “it doesn’t matter what you did or didn’t know. You put your hands on a girl—a teenage girl at that. You make a habit of hurting little girls? Because you’ve got to know I don’t look favourably on that—neither will her father or any of the Club, in fact.”

Tal shifts nervously and I don’t blame him; I would be scared out of my mind if I were him. Logan looks half-crazed and ready to leap off the deep end. He’ll probably go even if he isn’t pushed.

“I didn’t know, mate.”

Logan doesn’t seem to care about excuses. His fist lashes out and he punches Tal so viciously in the face he reels back on a foot and goes down.

“I’m not your fucking mate.” Logan puts a boot to Tal’s side and kicks him even harder than he punched him.

I wince, but I feel no sympathy for the guy. He brought this on himself.

“Stay the fuck away from Beth.”

Gina’s brain seems to take a couple of seconds to kick in as she watches the scene unfold before her, and then she wails, “Tal!”

Considering how inebriated or high she is, she reaches Tal’s side fast and drops down beside him with a sob that almost sounds genuine.

“Leave him alone!”

Logan cuts his gaze to her, anger flashing in his eyes. “Have you got a death wish, Gina? Do you have any idea what Jack’ll do to you when he finds out you brought this dirty cunt here to hurt his daughter?”

Gina clearly has an idea because she pales beneath her sallow skin, but old habits die hard; she can’t stop her mouth from running. “She’s my daughter too!”

Since when? Gina’s never cared a jot about me. I used to hate her for that, I used to seethe over her indifference. How could a mother care so little for her child? I never understood it. When I have kids, I’ll love them with everything I have, and I’ll make sure they know they’re loved. I’ll never make my babies feel the way Gina makes me feel: like a burden. It’s hard not to feel worthless because if your own mother can’t love you what hope is there?

“Jack owes me!”

My mother continues digging herself a hole; Logan looks like he’d like to beat her over the head with the shovel.

“He doesn’t owe you a thing. Now, get the fuck off our territory and get the fuck out of Kingsley.” He looks pointedly at Gina. “And I’d do it fast. The Club’s not going to like what you did here.”

Logan turns his back on them and walks to me. He does this without a hint of fear, despite the still looming threat. Then, he moves directly to me, takes my arm and gently, but firmly, pulls me back towards the gate. I go without argument. Mainly because I can feel the anger rolling off Logan and don’t think pushing him right now is wise, but also because I want to get out of Tal’s path. He might seem cowed by Logan, but he could decide taking him on is worth it if he can get the money he needs to buy his drugs. I’ve seen addicts do some pretty stupid things over the years.

To my surprise Tap is stood on the other side of the iron gates with Jeff, another patched brother. Both men are glaring at Gina in a way that would terrify me if I was her. Fortunately for her, she doesn’t notice because she’s too busy trying to scrape Tal off the pavement after Logan put him there.

I narrow my eyes at Tap and Jeff. Did they just watch that whole thing play out and not step in?

As we slip back through the gate, Tap’s gaze cuts from Gina to Logan. “Problems?”

Logan shakes his head, keeping his grip on my arm. “Not anymore.”

Logan may not be patched yet but already he sounds like he’s a Lost Saxons veteran. He’s got that whole ‘tough guy’ routine down pat. Coupled with his height (he’s a giant at six-four) and his growing bulk I’d say he will be a formidable brother when that kutte finally makes it onto his back.

Jeff is at the other end of the scale. He can’t be over five-six and he’s as lean as a rake, but he still exudes a ‘don’t fuck with me’ persona. This means that when he cracks his knuckles and glares at my mother and Tal, I feel the promise of retribution behind the gesture.

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