Page 203 of Savage Brothers MC: Tennessee Chapter

Agent Lodge left to crash in a hotel.I hate to admit it but I kind of like that asshole.He’s not like cops in suits I’ve met—especially the federal kind.He’s showing an unhealthy interest in Rory McDaniels and since I don’t know what that woman means—if anything—to Diesel, that could be a problem.I also have no fucking clue if I can trust her.I’d like to think I can, especially since Ryan is apparently with her, but I have no fucking clue.I rub the back of my neck.Feeling older than the fucking hills and missing Hellcat so bad it hurts.I should have brought her here with me, I just wasn’t sure what we’d find.She hates that I do it, but I still try everything I can to keep her out of harm’s way.

“Gun, you head back to the hotel.Get some shut eye now that Rebel is here.We’ll meet up for dinner and discuss what we’re doing,” I tell him.

“What about you?”

“I’m not leaving until I know if Diesel is out of the woods.”

“That might be a while, Crush,” Gunner responds and maybe it’s just me, but in my head, I hear him add…or not at all.

“Then, I’ll be here a while.I’ll grab a nap on this chair, but I need at least one of you assholes alert to have my back,” I joke—only half lying.

“I’ll stay,” Gunner says obstinately.

“Suit yourself,” I say with a shrug, leaning my head back on the seat.

“Will someone answer my question?What happened while I was gone?”Rebel grumbles.

“Visit from the FBI,” I tell him, without opening my eyes, refusing to talk about the other.

“Diesel’s kidneys quit working,” Gunner answers, and I want to punch him in his damn face.It’s not a normal reaction and Gunner isn’t doing anything other than repeating the God’s honest truth, but that’s still how I feel.

“Motherfucker.”

“They’re hooking him up to dialysis,” Gunner adds and I sit up, intent only on punching Gunner in the mouth to make him shut up.That’s when my phone rings.I pick it up without checking the caller ID, and hoping it’s Dani.I need something to take me away from this shit before I snap.

“Hello?”I growl, wincing because my frustration bleeds through the greeting.Dani will understand though.She gets me when no one else does.

“Uh… Mr.Dawson?”

“Ms.McDaniels?”I ask, clearing my throat.I stand up immediately.I look over at Gunner and motion with my hand.He immediately nods and takes out his phone.

“I wanted to follow up and make sure you contacted the hospital and Agent Lodge,” she says, her voice sounding nervous and borderline panicked.

I look over at Gunner and I can hear him talking to the boys at the club, running a trace on my phone.I just need to keep Rory on the phone long enough for it to stick.

“Are you there?”

“Yes.Sorry I was distracted for a moment.I’m at the hospital now, Ms.McDaniels.You didn’t tell me that Diesel was?—”

“If you knew he was dead you wouldn’t have come.I needed you to claim the body, to protect him so that Ryan has somewhere to say goodbye to his father.”

“You’re not disputing that Ryan belongs to Diesel?”

“Diesel is theonlyfather that Ryan will ever claim,” she says her voice almost angry and that makes me relax.Perhaps this Lodge was right about Rory.That bodes well for my brother if he just manages to hold on.

“I think you and I will get along just fine, Ms.McDaniels.”

“I doubt that, since we’ll never see each other,” she says surprising me.

“Rory—I can call you, Rory?”

“Whatever,” she mutters and for some reason that makes me grin.

“Rory, Diesel is going to want his boy back and from what I hear, he’s with you.”

“Diesel…” she gasps and goes silent.

“Rory?Are you okay?”I ask her, worrying that maybe King has gotten to her before I can.

---