Page 82 of Wild Bliss

Stef hurried across the road, coming from the city building.“We need to talk. A few of us are worried about how recent events couldpotentially have an effect on county business, and you’re at the heart of them.We knew you were coming in this morning to talk to the sheriff’s department sowe thought we could catch you for an informal chat.”

“No.” He wasn’t going to talk about codes or plans or shit.There was only so far he was willing to go to support Sabrina, and taking ameeting with council people was definitely a bridge way too fucking far. “Ihave tampons to buy.”

He started to cross the street with his friends, who weresnorting and proving themselves to be extremely juvenile.

“Then we’ll do it at the school board meeting, Sawyer,”Talbot said in a deep voice. “We can get this out of the way or we’ll do it inpublic.”

He stopped.

“You can’t kill him,” Lucy whispered.

Oh, he could. But then Sabrina would have lost the biggestdonor to her school, and she’d pretty much be pissed at him because he probablyshouldn’t murder people who annoyed him.

“Fine.” He turned. “See you two later. This better be good,Talbot. You just lost me my experts at what heavy flow means.”

Stef shook his head as though he wasn’t sure he’d heard whathe’d heard, and then he was jogging to keep up. “We’re in the main conferenceroom.”

Sawyer strode through the doors leading to the lobby. Itwasn’t half bad, though it could use a couple of tables. Maybe some nicely madechairs. This was Bliss. It wasn’t supposed to be some arty farty place. Itshould be homey.

What the hell were they going to complain about now? He’dknown the sheriff had handled things too well the night before. Now there wouldbe the actual reckoning. A flare of anger started up. Now they would tell himhe was threatening the whole town by having Wyatt around. Or maybe they wouldsimply lump them together. After all, they’d both been members of thatfucked-up MC at one point in time.

Sabrina. He forced himself to follow Talbot down the longhallway toward the big double doors dominating the end. Sabrina would be theleverage they used. They would point out all the ways he could hurt Sabrina andher reputation in the town.

And he was going to tell them to fuck right the hell off.

Or should he listen? Had things honestly changed beyond thefact that Sabrina was sexy and mean and could take him down when he needed it?

He still was nothing more than the owner of a seedy bar withquestionable connections.

Talbot opened the door and Sawyer wondered who was going tobe the town’s enforcer. Probably Wright and maybe the mayor, and definitelyMel, who would tell him not to touch his brand-new daughter.

Yep. He stood inside the doorway, and all three of those menwere there along with Max and Rye Harper, who sat next to Henry Flanders. Theex-CIA agent was sunny and smiling and had a baby on his chest.

And for a moment he’d thought he might fit in.

Mel stood, a serious expression on his face. “Welcome, son.”

Son? “What the hell is going on?”

Talbot closed the doors behind them. “Like I said, it’s timewe talked.”

“Welcome, Sawyer,” Mel intoned formally. “This is a Meetingof Men.”

Alarm bells went off. This was way worse than a dressingdown.

They were going to…fuck…they were going to give him advice.

He tested the doors but they were locked.

So much worse than buying feminine necessaries…

Wyatt was still at the station house. No one would save him.

“Shall we get started?” Mel asked.

Sawyer turned and faced what he was sure would be the mosthorrifying hours of his entire life.

ChapterFourteen

---