Page 18 of Ride or Dies

A burst of laughter from the table drew my attention and, without me really thinking about it, my eyes went right to Evie. Right to that sunshine smile.

“I’m checking outside.” I practically barked the words and left before anyone could say anything.

As I stomped outside, I actually hoped I’d see someone trying to sneak onto the property. I had a shitload of anger I needed to get out, and the idea of punching a weasel like Randall or some reporter who decided to trespass was a tempting one.

This damn wedding couldn’t come fast enough. Because as soon as it was done, I’d be telling her to get out of Bedford and take all this shit with her. The faster Evelyn Hayes got away from me and my family, the better.

Chapter Ten

Evie

After a long day of working on Jenna and Isabel’s wedding, all three of us decided we needed to unwind before the guys took me back to the clubhouse, so we headed to Rocky’s with a grumbling Levi in tow.

As I followed Jenna and Isabel from the parking lot, I looked over at Levi. He was at my side, his entire body on edge, like he’d take out anyone who got too close.

“Why do you guys call it a clubhouse?” I asked. “I mean, isn’t that more of a kid kinda word? You know, like when little boys are playing and don’t want to let the girls play with them, so they make a little fort thing and say ‘no girls allowed.’”

Levi shot me a dirty look. “We’re a motorcycle club. It’s a house where we meet. Clubhouse.”

“Oh.” I shrugged. “Yeah, I guess that makes sense.”

“Hey, Levi.” Mason’s familiar voice had me flushing. “I’ve got it from here.”

“Thank fuck,” Levi muttered. “See you back at the house.”

He hurried away before I could even say good-bye, and I really didn’t like the way my stomach sank as I watched him go.

Or the way it flipped when Mason grinned at me.

“Evie, you coming?” Jenna called from the entrance.

“Yeah, sorry.” I rushed to join them. “Levi was just passing me off to Mason. I feel like they’re sharing custody or something.”

Jenna linked her arm with mine and pulled me into the bar. “This is a girls’ night out. I have custody of you.”

“I’d never unleash you on Randall,” I said. “You’d kick him in the balls and try to scratch out his eyes.”

“That is exactly what I would do,” Jenna agreed as she led me to an empty booth near the bar. “I doubt being a publicist keeps him in fighting shape.”

Jenna and I sat down across from each other, and Isabel asked what we wanted to drink. I was a little surprised when Mason took a seat at the bar where he could watch us, rather than staying plastered to my side. I wasn’t entirely sure how I felt about that, but I supposed that wasn’t a surprise since I had no fucking idea how I felt about him.

“Okay, I’ve been meaning to ask—” Jenna’s voice brought my attention back to her. “What exactly does a publicist do?”

“Basically, he builds and maintains my brand, fosters relationships with media and influencers, that sort of thing,” I said. “You wouldn’t believe how much of being a musician is publicity and marketing, and a whole lotta stuff that has nothing to do with writing and performing actual music.”

“That’s gotta be frustrating,” Jenna said, reaching across the table to squeeze my hand. “I know it was never about being famous for you.”

I shrugged. “I’m not gonna lie, it’s nice to hear my songs on the radio and have little girls telling me how they want to be just like me when they grow up. Not having to worry about money is nice too. But sometimes I do miss how simple it was when it was just me and my guitar.”

“You mean like that?” She nodded toward the stage as the talking around us quieted and people turned in that same direction.

Walking over to the microphone was a tall, tanned man in his late twenties with sandy brown hair, hazel eyes, and perfectly straight white teeth. He held a guitar in one hand and a stool in the other.

“Is that Clayton Pierce?” I asked.

“He plays here every few days or so,” Jenna said, smiling up at her fiancée as Isabel handed me my drink and then took a seat. “Still mostly covers, but he does try an original every now and then.”

As he began to play a Reba McEntire song, I turned to Isabel. “Jenna mentioned that you started a consulting business. How’s that going?”

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