Page 38 of The Enforcer

Hopping out of the van when Reaper parks, I walk over to the presidents, clapping hands with them. “Sorry, Prez and Christian couldn’t make it,” I tell them after I’ve greeted everyone. “Both of them are in Cuba, taking care of business. The others are taking over the duties for them while they’re gone, so you got me.”

Joker grins. “Damn. The worst of you Devil’s Mayhem fuckers.” I flip him the bird. “So, what you got for us?”

I nod over to the cargo van, opening the back. There are several duffle bags, all packed to the brim with the kilos of cocaine we have for each territory.

The prospects each president brought with them takes the bags from the back of the van, loading them up into the respective vehicles of those assembled.

As they unload, I pull Joker off to the side. “Can I ask you something?”

He must see the seriousness on my face because he doesn’t crack a joke. “Of course.”

“You’ve been with your man for ten years. He’s a square. How do you balance that?”

Joker grins, looking down at the titanium band on the third finger of his left hand. “We both work at it. We both want it, so we do what we need to be together. When I introduced the MC to him, they weren’t too thrilled about me being gay. I had to exile a few of the people I called my brothers, but we stuck it out. He was there for me, even willing to give me up so I could keep my club intact. But I ain’t wanna give him up. He was mine, so I kept him, the club be damned. Those who needed to came around, most of ‘em didn’t. In short, we loved each other and knew that we were supposed to be together.” He tilts his head and looks at me. “This about your lawyer?” I give him a clipped nod. “Yeah, I figured you were head over ass for him.” I snicker, once again giving him the finger. “I think he’s all in with you too.”

“He is, but his boss doesn’t like that he’s so close to the club. He warned him about keeping us on as clients. Shane is mine and he isn’t going anywhere. But I don’t want to fuck up his job just because I want him.”

Joker claps me on the shoulder. “The men we tend to attract are much like us. They won’t give us up so easily. He’s a lawyer, so I know he’s smart. He’ll make the choice and I’m willing to bet my life it’ll be you.”

I’m not sure why, but that makes me feel better. Joker has experience with being in a situation like this. His husband is a schoolteacher and got shit for dating an outlaw biker. He had to choose between teaching and Joker and he chose Joker. Luckily, it worked out in the end because his husband was hired at a charter school and has been working there for over five years.

Will I have that to look forward to? Shane having to choose between me and his career? I would really fucking hate that. He wants to make partner so bad. I’m selfish enough to want him to quit to be with me, but he would probably resent me because of it. I would rather Shane not be with me and be happy than be with me and hate me because us being together derailed his dreams. Either way, I’ll lose him if I try to make him choose. He has to make the decision himself.

If he wants to keep his career and decides to leave me, I would probably lose my shit. If he left his job and hated me, I would lose my shit. Hopefully this isn’t a lose-lose situation for the both of us, our friendship going away too.

I thank Joker and go back over to Reaper. I’m ready to get home and in my bed. I probably won’t see Shane tonight, since he’ll be working long hours. That means I won’t get much sleep again.

Pulling out my phone, I shoot him a text.

Me: How’s work?

His reply is immediate.

Shane: I hate it here. Come rescue me. :)

I grin, thinking about Shane with this hair tousled from running his fingers through it, tugging at the ends when he’s thinking and how his bottom lip is probably red from him biting into it in frustration.

Me: I wish I could, baby. I miss you.

Shane: Miss you too.

Me: I know. *winking emoji*

Shane: *eye roll emoji* How’s everything going? Are you on the way back?

Me: Yeah. A few more hours to go. Working late?

Shane: Unfortunately. I actually have to get back to it. You caught me at the tail end of my break.

I sigh, wishing I could be with Shane. It sounds needy, but now my day isn’t complete unless I see him. I can’t function right if we don’t talk. Shane working so hard on this case is annoying as fuck. Yeah, it’s his job, but fuck that. I want him to blow it off for a little while so we can hang out and I can help him relieve his stress by running my fingers along his scalp.

But like Joker said, I need to have his back just like he has mine and that means not jeopardizing his job by asking him not to go back to work. Instead, I send him a perfectly reasonable response.

Me: Okay, baby. I’ll let you know when I get home. Love you.

Shane: Is it weird that I get butterflies every time you say that to me? *smiling emoji* Love you too.

I grin stupidly down at my phone, rereading the words Shane just sent. It’s funny, I get butterflies too.

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