Page 73 of May 11

"Th-the package I made up for Jeff is in the van at your house." She inhaled deeply. "He'll need it."

"We'll get it to him later. Right now, just talk to him."

She nodded. "Can you take me to him?"

"I will, but I'm not leaving your side." He led her to the shop's back door and stepped into the clubhouse.

She blinked, letting her eyes adjust to the dimmer lights that came from having no windows on the back side of the building.

"He's at the table, knocking the dust off from the ride." Wire's hand stayed on her lower back.

She peered across the room and spotted Jeff. He looked different than in the picture she had of him as a teenager. He also looked different than he had in the Havlin photo. She could've passed him on the sidewalk without knowing who he was.

His hair was gray like her father's hair had been. He wasn't built like her dad, though. He carried extra weight on him like their mother's side. Not that he was overweight, but he was stocky. She couldn't tell how tall he was because he sat in a chair, but he was a big man. Heavily bearded and had long hair tied back.

She tried to see her father in him and then her mother, but she couldn't. Then, she tried to see herself in his face.

Because she couldn't recognize him, a heaviness settled in her stomach.

She'd expected to know him.

But he was a stranger to her.

A stranger with the same blood flowing in his veins.

Chapter Thirty Three

WIRE'S FIRST IMPRESSION of Jeff Albright was that he was a cold-hearted motherfucker. Cora's brother had strode into the clubhouse and demanded to see Wire's bitch. It was a good thing he wasn't here when that happened because brother or no brother, he would've laid the fucker out.

Two beers seemed to have cooled Albright off. He sat content to wait for the burger that Brett went to pick up for him.

"If he moves from that chair, we leave. I don't care if you haven't told him what you need to say. The meeting is over." He guided Cora forward.

"Honey. Be patient."

Today had nothing to do with patience. It had everything to do with safety.

Albright wore the patch, but Wire had never worked a day beside him. When it came to Cora, he trusted no man around her.

He stopped at the table and pulled out the chair across from Albright. Cora sat as if relieved to get off her feet. He sat between the two of them.

Cora unashamedly studied Jeff. Wire kept his hands on the table.

He looked away from Cora and said, "Jeff, this is—"

"The name's Ruger," interrupted Cora's brother. "Use it."

Beside him, Cora flinched. Wire hardened. The guy had two seconds to calm his ass down and listen, or he was going to fucking kill him.

"My girl, Cora, wants to talk to you. As a brother of the patch, I expect you to listen."

Cora sat straight on her chair with her hands clasped under the table. She moistened her lips, obviously nervous.

"I'm Cora." She grimaced. "Of course, you know that. Wire told you my name."

Wire reached over and squeezed her hands. She needed to take a deep breath and relax. Nothing was going to happen to her with him there. The other Havlin members milling around wouldn't allow Ruger to come in and cause trouble. Everyone had Cora's back, and he hoped she understood that no matter what happened, she was safe.

"Spit it out," said Ruger.

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