Page 20 of Tempt Me

Noble grins at my anger while Zoot eyeballs the stapler bouncing in his hand.

“The pigs were all over us last night,” Noble explains. “You bailed on the scene, and Knutsen security wouldn’t say anything more than to call the family’s lawyers. But the pigs are still expecting to talk to Hunter and you. They want the weapon you used to off the assholes.”

“What the fuck for?”

Noble frowns at my question. “You know exactly what’s happening between the club and the cops. They’ve smelled blood in the water ever since the Kovak family was attacked. So, they’re applying pressure on the club to see how we react.”

“And your solution is to bow to them?”

“No, dickhead,” Zoot growls. “We’ve got nothing to hide here, so we’re playing ball. That way, when we do have something to hide, we’ll have created some goodwill.”

Assuming he got that idea from his more rational sister-in-law Aunt Fred, I ask, “Goodwill with the pigs?”

“Life must be so easy for you,” Zoot snarls while still bouncing the stapler in his hand. “Do you think we can pick and choose our allies? This city has a million moving parts, but you just see what you want and ignore the rest.”

“Yeah, because I’m not running the club.”

“And do you want it to stay that way?” Noble asks as he rubs his dark beard and judges me. “Zoot, Elvis, and I aren’t young men.”

“We’re fine,” Zoot sneers at his brother.

Ignoring Zoot’s interruption, Noble continues, “If we’re out of the picture, who do you see running the club?”

“The same person who runs it now,” I reply.

“Funny,” Noble says, though his smile doesn’t reach his eyes. “Do you think you can keep Aunt Fred safe if we’re gone? Or will you be too busy playing lover boy to stop our enemies from ending her?”

Exhaling deeply, I know Aunt Fred’s death would kill me. She’s always treated me right, even when I acted like a fool. I wouldn’t be the man I am now if it wasn’t for her patience. No way would I have a shot with Hunter, either.

“Fine. I’ll behave. Talk to the cops. Give you whatever details you want. Hand over my weapon. You know how I’d normally put the club first, but last night was different.”

Settling down slightly, Zoot rests the stapler on his desk and drops into his seat.

“Hunter is the woman I want,” I continue just to fill the silence. “That’s been obvious for a while.”

“It’s true,” Noble tells Zoot. “We were just talking the other day about how Tack is a lovesick dummy.”

Zoot smirks at his brother’s comment. “Yeah, but he’s fucking with the club by putting this chick first.”

Irritated by their dismissive tone, I point out, “If Natasha was in danger, would Bear have to stand down for the club’s sake? No. Pork Chop wouldn’t sit on his hands if Carys needed protecting. Why am I the one who has to kneel?”

“Because those fuckers know what their women’s pussies feel like,” Zoot sneers at me. “You’ve got a fucking crush. It’s not the same.”

“I love Hunter.”

The mood in the room shifts. Zoot stands up and joins Noble. The brothers face me as if I’m a threat. Before I can ask what the fuck their problem is, Noble glances down at my hands.

“Chill, Tack.”

Only then do I realize I’ve balled my hands into fists. My temper is known to break loose from its leash from time to time. Zoot and Noble aren’t crazy to worry.

“They were going to take Hunter last night,” I mutter and force my hands to relax. “I don’t know who wants her or why, but I nearly lost her. So, spare me the ‘lovesick loser’ bullshit, okay?”

“Love makes a man weak,” Noble says in a relaxed voice.

Zoot only shrugs at his brother’s comment and returns to his seat. Noble gets how love can break a man. His girlfriend was killed in a drive-by shooting back when he was barely a man. I’ve seen him charm women around the clubhouse. His bed is rarely empty, yet there are moments when I notice him nursing those old wounds.

I sometimes worry that’ll be me. If I can’t get Hunter to give us a real shot, will I end up as a forty-year-old man swimming in regrets?

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