Page 88 of Pulse

He almost laughed. Spec didn’t know Talia at all if he thought she wouldn’t kick his ass worse than any outlaw biker if he did what Spec proposed.

“No,” he said.

“Bullshit.”

Fuck this. He’d taken Spec’s anger and hatred for the past three days because he felt he deserved it, and it would keep the peace in the club. Everyone knew now, and the peace shattered. “I wouldn’t have to.” He leaned toward Spec, allowing his anger and frustration to flood his veins. “I’d turn to my club for help. The fucking club I pledged my life to. The club I’ve goddamn bled for. Same as you.” He shouted the words in Spec’s face.

They squared off across the table like two snorting bulls ready to lock horns.

Spec’s eyes were wild in a way he’d only seen a few times from his enforcer. The time Liv’s ex attacked her came to mind. He curled his fists as his nostrils flared.

One of those fists would no doubt be flying his way in seconds.

Pulse rolled his shoulders. Taking a hit was always worse if he tensed. He wouldn’t fight Spec, but his brother probably hada punch that would send him flying across the room, and he wouldn’t hesitate to throw it.

“Enough!” Jinx hollered. The man had a bullhorn voice without shouting. When he put force behind it, he could shatter eardrums. He put his hand on Spec’s shoulder and shoved the man back into his chair.

“Sit your ass down,” he barked as he pointed Pulse’s way. “Both of you.”

He dropped his ass into the seat as commanded.

“Ji—”

“No! You’ve said your piece, Spec, and we all get it. You’re fucking pissed. Now we’re gonna vote like the prez said. Then we’re gonna put this shit behind us. I’ll go first.”

Pulse held his breath as Jinx turned his way. “You’re my brother. You kept me fucking sane when Harper was in the hospital. I trust you, and I vote you keep your patch.”

Spec scoffed while Pulse swallowed a lump of emotion.

“Same for me,” Ty said. “After the way you helped Kelsie, I couldn’t vote against you. I trust you too.”

Pulse blinked. Christ, this was embarrassing as hell.

Tracker was next. He played with the new lip ring he’d gotten a few weeks ago, nodding. “I vote to keep you. We all got a fucking past. Your actions speak for themselves.”

And around the table they went, each man stating their vote. So far, every single man had voiced their desire to have Pulse as a brother.

It was more than he could have hoped for and probably more than he deserved. When it was finally Spec’s turn, the man looked Pulse dead in the eye. “I think you’re an expert at going undercover to infiltrate an organization. I want you gone.”

It hurt. A sharp ache stabbed through his chest even though he’d known which way Spec would vote.

No one said anything for a few seconds. Not even Jinx had an obnoxious quip to break the tension. After a few heavy moments, Curly stood. “My vote goes with Pulse, and that means the majority vote is that he keeps his patch. This is over. Fucking dead and buried. Now, we move on to the best way to keep this club safe and get off the cartel’s radar.” He swung his gaze Spec’s way. “That means I need my enforcer on board. You gonna be able to make peace with this, Spec?”

For a moment, one of the worst of Pulse’s life, he was certain Spec would flip off the room and storm out. Exhaustion swamped him. This one morning felt like it lasted an entire week. As Spec finally spoke, Pulse stared at a small nick on the wooden table.

“You can count on me, Prez.” Spec said the right words, but his sarcastic tone did little to bolster Pulse’s confidence.

“All right.” Curly nodded, running a hand through his loose curls. “We got more to discuss, but I think we can all use a break.”

“And a fucking drink,” Jinx muttered.

“Everyone, take the day. I want you all here for breakfast tomorrow.” He glanced at Spec. “No exceptions.”

After agreeing, Pulse shot out of his chair and nearly sprinted from the clubhouse. The place that had been his refuge for the past few years suddenly felt like a cage whose walls shrank every few minutes.

He burst out on the gorgeous sunny day. It didn’t seem fair to have dark storm clouds swirling inside him while the outdoors was picture-perfect. The day called for darkness and thunder. Mother Nature had decided to fuck with him.

He jogged down the steps and turned toward the renovated barn. He needed Talia in his arms, and he needed it now—the one good thing in his day.

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