Page 85 of Pulse

“But they’re still men,” Harper concluded. “Very often, their little brain makes it hard for them to use their big brain.” She pointed to her crotch and then her head with flair, as though in some strange one-woman show.

“That is the damn truth,” Jo added. “I love Tracker, but the man can be a Neanderthal.”

“This is not making me feel better about how things are going for Pulse right now.”

Kelsie put her arm around Talia’s shoulder and pulled her in for a side hug.

She had the craziest urge to bawl all over the woman’s shoulder, but she shoved it down and tried for a smile that probably looked like she had gas.

Was Pulse okay?

“I don’t want to speak for everyone…” Kelsie said, “… but I trust Pulse. The guy rescued me after a very bad… experience.”

Harper reached across the table and squeezed Kelsie’s hand. The women exchanged a sad smile.

“Anyway, I was in rough shape… injured, traumatized, scared, and in pain. Pulse checked me out before I went to the hospital, and he was incredible. His patients rave about how he’s the best nurse they’ve ever had. That man is a healer, and there is no way to convince me otherwise. I don’t believe for a second he has anything but the club’s best interest at heart.”

“We all love Pulse,” Brooked added. “Most of us have wondered about his past because he keeps to himself more than the others. He’s part of the group but stays on the outskirts. Now, I understand why. What a huge burden it must have been to carry this secret.”

Jo nodded. “Not that I’m condoning secrets, but I understand why he kept quiet. They wouldn’t have let him patchin if they knew.” She shrugged. “As a former police officer, I understand the complexity of straddling both worlds, though it sounds like he’s left that life completely behind.”

Could it be this easy to have the women’s support?

“Yeah, when he quit five years ago, he cut all ties. And they don’t actually want him back. He made his feelings about them known. This is all part of a chess game orchestrated by the rebuilding cartel.”

“Okay,” Brenna spoke up for the first time. “This means they’ll be getting serious about safety, and things might get sticky for a while. We’re ready. We can handle whatever this cartel throws our way.”

Jo polished off her mimosa. “Fuck yes, we can.”

“You’re assuming they won’t vote to strip Pulse of his patch.”

Or kill him.

“Nah.” Jo waved away the statement as though it wasn’t a concern. “They might be Neanderthals, but they won’t turn their back on family. Pulse is family.”

If only she had Jo’s confidence.

“But Spec…”

“Look…” Liv sighed. “Like most of us here, Spec came to the club broken. He’s been through things that would make most of us lose our minds. This club put him back together.”

“And you, girl,” Brooke said, smiling at Liv. “Most of it was you.”

Shrugging, Liv nodded. “I do love that man, but some pieces are held together with chewing gum and a wish.”

“I know how that goes,” Kelsie muttered.

One day, Talia hoped she’d hear Kelsie’s full story.

“I’m not excusing what he did the other day. And I never will. What he did wasn’t right. But he has his reasons. He’ll come around. It might take some time, but he’ll see that Pulse belongs in this club.”

“I understand, Liv. I really do. And thank you all. I’m used to going it alone, so your support is incredible and new for me.”

“Ha, you’ll never be alone again now that you have us. We’re all up in each other’s business all day long. It’s what we call co-dependent in my professional world,” Harper sing-songed. The mimosas were clearly going to her head.

“Hey, don’t make our love for each other sound unhealthy,” Jo called.

They really were a tight unit.

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