Page 21 of Rider

“I’ve got the guys on high alert. They know when they’re going in and out of the yard to make sure they’re closing the gate and they know to always pop in and check on Rayleighn. She’s covered when she’s with me and anywhere she goes with the club you know we’ve all got your back.”

I shook my head, thinking. We sat across from each other in silence, both of us pondering our thoughts. Finally, Hammer spoke up. “I don’t know what he’s got planned but just watch your back. Mark my words, we haven’t seen the last of him, but I wish that wasn’t the case.” Hammer stood up and made his way to the door. “I’ve got to get back. We’re doing a job right now and I have a lot of things to teach Rayleighn.” His mischievous smile told me he was hinting at something else.

I smiled back at him. “Yeah, well try not to teach her anything that should be my job.”He barked out a laugh and strolled out the door.

Later that day, after I had abandoned paperwork and was elbow deep in the engine of a vintage hemi, I felt my phone vibrate. I pulled a rag out and wiped my hands down. Nowadays I was always checking my phone. I wasn’t about to miss a call or text from Mrs. Lopez, Rayleighn, or even any of my brothers from the MC. I never knew if it was going to be something important. When I pulled out my phone, I had a text from Rayleighn. I quickly replied.

Ladybug: Thank you for the flowers! You didn’t need to do that but I love them. You’re the best boyfriend a girl could ever have. See you in a few hours :)

I was beginning to wonder if the flowers I had ordered had been delivered. I sent her back a smiley face and told them I’d meet her at home in time for dinner. I was just going to finish up the engine and then I needed to run by the clubhouse to see Griz. He had taken today off and since he was living at the clubhouse, I knew that’s where I’d find him. I had a lot of questions and it was time to call in the favors that people owed me from over the years.

The wind was like a knife to my skin as I rode the two miles over to the clubhouse from the garage. I gripped the handlebars tighter and ground my teeth. As I pulled into the lot of the clubhouse, I parked and took my helmet off. I left it on the handlebars and quickly got inside. I didn’t have much time before I told Rayleighn I’d be home and I didn’t want her to worry or ask any questions that I couldn’t give her an answer to because of it being club business.

When I got inside my eyes had to adjust to the darker lighting. The guys who lived at the clubhouse lit it like a bar during the week. Half the time they were getting into illegal shit and the other half they were hungover. I walked around the couches and tables till I got over to the bar and found Detroit sitting on one of the stools looking at his phone. “Hey man. Have you seen Griz?”

He looked up from his phone and took me in. “Yeah… why?”

“I need to talk to him about this week’s Bachelor episode.” He raised one eyebrow in question. “What the fuck do you think I need to talk to him about? That bitch ass Grayson. Come on.”

“Testy today, aren’t we? You know I spent my weekend staring at your girl’s fucking house. You could show a little appreciation.” He looked back to his phone and kept scrolling.

I liked Detroit, but sometimes he was a lazy ass—like right now. “Get him! Go find him and have him come down, prospect.”

“Fuck. It’s gonna be like that. Ok. Fine.” He got up from the stool and started making his way over to the stairs that led to the member’s rooms. “And by the way, the siding is coming loose on the right side of the porch.”

I shook my head at his asshole tendencies but made a mental note to check the siding. I sat down at the bar, reached across, and poured myself a drink. By the time I had almost finished it, Griz strolled up to me and sat down on the stool beside me.

“What couldn’t wait till tomorrow or be a phone call?” Griz asked.

I looked over and his appearance was something I hadn’t seen in years. He looked haggard. He had dark bags under his eyes and smelled like a distillery. It was five-thirty and the way he looked and smelled I’d have to say he had been sleeping off a bender. I figured I’d start with the obvious. “You look like shit. You smell like it too.”

If looks could kill, I’d be a dead man. I laughed out loud. He leaned across the bar and poured himself a drink. “I’m waiting, here.”

“Ok. So, you know that Hammer rode dipshit out of town. He and I both think we haven’t seen the last of him.”

He sipped his drink and nodded. “Clearly.”

“I need you to back-channel and find out if he’s had any new contact with that MC in Oregon. When he left here that’s the way he headed.”

Griz slowly nodded. “Yeah, I can do that. I’ll reach out and find out if he’s somehow got back into their good graces after his massive fuck up.”

“How quickly do you think you can find out?”

Griz stood up from his stool. “I can call my source and find out in the next few hours. Once I find out I’ll let you know. It shouldn’t be a problem.”

I stood from the stool and patted him on the back. “Thank you, I appreciate it.”

Griz looked me in the eye. “You know I’d do it for you but I’m also doing it for that cool ass kid. I met him last night and he might be the coolest two-year-old I’ve ever met. Not that I’ve met that many.”

I smiled. “Yeah, he’s wicked smart and is into everything at the house.”

Griz nodded, looking somber all of the sudden. “Maybe one day I’ll have one of those little rugrats running around.”

“You looking to settle down, Griz?” I was caught off guard by his somber attitude. Griz was all about the club, partying when he wasn’t working, living at the clubhouse, and being an integral part of the club as the enforcer.

He teeters his head back and forth. “Yeah, maybe man. I’m getting tired of living upstairs, that’s for sure. I think I’ll start looking for an apartment soon. Start fresh and maybe meet some new girls. Not the ones that hang out here all the time.”

I smiled, knowing this would cheer him up. “Rayleighn has her friend Carmen you’ve met before…” I trailed off letting him think about it.

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