Page 105 of Break Out

“I’m meeting with a contractor tomorrow to see what can be done. Code enforcement was called out and we’ll be lucky if the damn buildings aren’t condemned.”

Tie shook his head. “There’s more than one building?”

I nodded. “Yeah. It’s a cluster. I’ll fill you in later since we’ll need to pay some fines.”

Tie twisted a hand out. “All the more reason to shut that chapter down and be done with it.”

I shook my head. “Corrupt Chrome has already struck an allegiance with a local street gang down there. We leave, they take that business. If I’m Knuckles, I’m using all of that to make matters worse for other Devil Lancer chapters.”

Tie bowed his head. “Hadn’t thought of that. Dammit.”

I nodded. “Yeah. I’ll be back here on weekends. I’m gonna hit up two or three of you to ride down to Jacksonville and help find new recruits and get that chapter in order.”

Never one for formalities like a gavel, I banged my fist on the table to end the meeting and stood.

Greco grinned at me. “Hey, Prez, are the women down there as gorgeous as your woman? If they are, I’m in.”

Torque glared at him. “Just for that, you’re out.”

I smiled. “Damn straight. If you’re concerned about the women, you won’t be focused on the club.”

“Hey, Steel. You here by yourself?” Tessa asked as I entered the common room.

She had auburn hair that she usually wore piled on her head, but today she’d left it down. Her green eyes were wide with anticipation. She moved closer, but I held a hand out.

“Sorry, Tessa, I’m headed out.”

I ignored the disappointment stealing across her face and pushed out the front door to my bike.

“Doesn’t she ride?” she called out, following after me.

I stopped and turned around. This was the part of being President that I hated. Club bunnies twisted shit and watched me like a hawk. It had been tolerable ten years ago, but now… no.

“She rides, but—”

“Her bun in the oven is too precious?” she said, her tone dripping with catty attitude.

I stared at her, and unlike Simone, Tessa squirmed. Finally, I said, “It is, and so is she.”

A conniving expression fell over her like a shroud. “You’ll get tired of her, too. Especially since she lives in Florida.”

“How do you know that?” I asked.

She couldn’t hide her satisfaction at catching me off guard. “She knows Rafferty and he’s from Florida, so…”

“You just assumed.”

“Yeah, but she knows Rafferty awfully well.”

“Why do you say that?”

She shrugged. “Why else would she give him such a hard time about being with me? Unless she has a thing for him. I’d hate to see you get hurt, Steel.”

“No need to worry about me,” I muttered.

The front door opened and Greco stalked out, looking for someone. “There you are, Tessa! Get your ass in here.”

I turned and mounted my bike. Seemed I needed to have a word with Simone. Rafferty might be like a brother, but she couldn’t go butting into his business like that no matter which club he joined.

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