Page 38 of Clear Your Mind

This is a side of Buddy I haven’t seen in full view. I caught a glimpse of it earlier, but this is a little scary.

“You’ve got ten seconds to convince me not to end you.”

“I came anyway so I could manage the situation if my gut was right. If I bowed out, it would’ve been Gravel, and he’s basically Badger 2.0. This situation”—he looks around—“would’ve been a whole hell of a lot different.”

“I’m supposed to believe that when you came in here, guns out and let your boy shoot me, is how you manage a situation?” Buddy scoffed.

“Yeah,” Ripper growls.

It’s the first I saw him lose his cool since Buddy had been questioning him.

“If I would’ve even twitched my trigger finger before your piece was steady, I would’ve wound up like Caddy. But when I saw the look in his eye, I knew it had to be then.”

Buddy is still. Eerily still. I wonder if he’s going to put a bullet in the man. I can’t let that happen. I can’t. Club business be damned. He can be angry all he wants, but I’ll not stand by and be little more than arm candy for a biker, no matter how sexy he is. If that’s what he wants in an ol’ lady, then he doesn’t want me. Best to establish that now rather than try to make him accept it later.

I step up and place my hand on the small of his back. I ignore the rest of the activity in the room. Although I know as much as Kilt and Cowboy seem to not be paying attention, they haven’t missed a single thing.

“It’s true, Buddy. His aura holds no deception. For what it’s worth, I believe him. Even if you don’t, I can’t let you kill him in cold blood. I don’t want you to carry that on your soul.”

Buddy seems to mull over my words for a few minutes, but it feels like a lifetime. Not sure if he plans to listen, laugh, or tell me to know my place. I hate this feeling of uncertainty. Buddy’s aura pulses with something I’m not sure how to interpret.

“It’s your lucky day, Ripper. My woman just vouched for your life.”

He turns to Cowboy and Kilt. “Load him up with his ex-brother. We’ll put him in the hole and let prez decide what’s next for him.”

Buddy turns back to Ripper and speaks in the most menacing voice I’ve heard. “Don’t make me regret not ending you now. You pose any danger to anyone I care about, my prez won’t get the chance to decide your fate.”

Ripper nods as Kilt and Cowboy lead him out.

Before they get too far, he hollers to Cowboy. “I need you to take my ride and my woman back for me.”

To say Cowboy looks stunned is an understatement. His shock mirrors my own. I was taught that women didn’t play backpack for anyone else, period.

“Seriously?”

“Yeah, not sure if I’ll ride for a few days.” He shrugs his bandaged arm. “And I’m damn sure not asking her to ride in the cage with the cargo we’re transporting. I’ll go with Kilt and handle things. You get my ol’ lady there in one piece and keep your hands to yourself.”

Cowboy’s eyes bug out and, in my mind, which admittedly is coming off the adrenaline and shock of the day, I hear the cartoon sound that goes with comically bulging eyes.

Cowboy tries to speak, but Buddy waves him off. “Save it. You can give me shit later after everything’s handled and Dude’s brought up to speed.”

Buddy no sooner finishes his statement to Cowboy than his lips are on mine. When he ends the kiss, I’m breathless. “Go back to our room and wait for me there.” He adds a quick peck. “I’ll be a few hours.” He smirks. “We have a lot to talk about.”

“You think?” Well, my smart-ass is back. What does that say about me?

“Yeah. Give me the keys and I’ll lock up.”

Obedience has never been my strong suit, but I obey as if it’s my norm.

Cowboy gives a bow. “Your steel horse awaits, ma’am.”

The ride to the clubhouse is a total blur. We could’ve run into the Lollipop Guild singing and dancing and I would’ve missed it.

However, when I make my way upstairs and into the shower, the whole entire day hits me at once and I sit under the pounding waterfall and weep.

10

BUDDY

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