Page 27 of Trident: Mayhem Makers

Before any of them could say a thing in response, I was out the door and stomping down the hallway in a helluva mood.

Should have known better than to believe I could get Jacie pinned down and fully on board with being my old lady so soon. My woman had one hell of a temper, even for a redhead. While I took a slither of joy that it meant, with how jealous she got over such a small thing, she cared. Her reaction to it was way over the top. No way was I gonna stand for that sort of bullshit drama from her going forward.

Tomorrow I’d be finding a way to be alone with her to straighten out some rules. She was fucking mine. I wasn’t ever going to want another woman. She needed to get that clear.

Entering the lobby, I spotted Stone and headed his way. He raised an eyebrow as I approached.

“What the fuck happened, brother?”

With a glare, I didn’t bother answering his query.

“I’m riding out. Catch you later.”

“Whoa.” He reached to grip my bicep, then moved us away from the ladies he’d been chatting with. “Seriously, Trident. Tell me what the fuck happened? Figured shit was all good with how long you were gone.”

I shook my head. “Nothing I wanna talk about. I’m out. Catch you later, brother.”

Pulling free from his grip, I stormed outside and quickly got on my bike and left the parking lot. Needing to vent, to calm the fuck down, I took the more scenic route to Cutler. Skipping the clubhouse, I instead went to my place. I cut the engine as Ipulled up and was about to unlock the door when my phone rung with the tone I’d set for Viper.

“Yeah Prez?”

“You still in Dallas?”

“Nah, just got to my place. What’s up?”

“Need you in my office ASAP.”

The line went dead before I could say another word. But that wasn’t unusual for Viper. With a sigh, I turned back toward my ride. Looked like I wasn’t getting anything I fucking wanted tonight: not sleeping beside my old lady, or having time to work out my frustrations on my latest project in the shed before enjoying a beer or two.

Arriving at the clubhouse, I gave the prospect manning the gate a nod. Parking my bike in the line up, I jogged up the stairs, passed the prospect on the entrance with a chin dip, then headed inside. Going straight for the rear hallway, I didn’t stop until I came to the open doorway of Viper’s office, where I paused before entering.

“You wanted to see me, Prez?”

He looked up from his laptop. “Yeah, come in and shut the fucking door.”

I did as I was told, then sat in the chair in front of his desk. Resisted the urge to ask what the fuck was going on. Viper would tell me when he was good and ready.

“Any truth to the rumors I’m hearing about you and Taz’s baby sister.”

I clenched my fists behind the desk as I tried to not growl at my president. Suddenly I had a better understanding of my woman’s issue with how everyone viewed her. If everyone did what Viper had just done when they spoke about her, or to her, it made sense. I’d be mad as hell over it if I were in her place, that’s for sure.

“Jacie’s twenty-six fucking years old, Viper. Not exactly a kid, yeah?”

With a shake of his head, he chuckled. “I’ll just take that as a yes then.”

I scrubbed a hand over my face before giving my beard a tug. Viper was a hard-ass, but he wasn’t a monster, he’d not meant any harm with what he’d said. Forcing myself to calm the fuck down, I gave Viper the answer he’d wanted.

“Yeah, Prez. I’ve claimed her. Well, been trying to. She keeps agreeing to be mine, then losing her damn mind and trying to kick me to the curb.”

That got me another chuckle from my president. “You always did like a challenge. But I’m not sure you’re ready for the kind you’ll get from a red head, brother. Especially a fiery Australian one. Let me know when you’re ready to make it public and I’ll order her property patch.”

“Order it now. I’ll get her in it even if I have to wrestle her into the thing. I’ll declare it next time we have church, assuming you’re good with that?”

His gaze went glacial, putting me on alert. “You need to have her total agreement, Trident. You can’t force a woman to be your old lady. That’s not how that works. Not under my watch.”

And that was one of the reasons Viper was an excellent President. We might be a one percenter club and run drugs, guns and do various other illegal things, but human trafficking, coercing women into doing something they didn’t want, was a hard line he wouldn’t allow the club to cross.

“Yeah, I know. And you know I wouldn’t want a woman if I had to force her. Jacie’s just taking some convincing to agree to the life of being a biker’s old lady.”

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