Page 31 of Always Mine

Pulling his bike to a stop, he turned off the light, and then he saw him.

Climbing off his bike, he reached into the back of his jeans, where he stored his knife just in case.

Luke put his hands up.“I didn’t come here to fight.This is not a trap.”

He didn’t trust him.“The text I got was from you?”

“I knew you wouldn’t come if you knew it was me.”

He wasn’t wrong.There was no fucking way he would have done anything for this son of a bitch.As far as Anthony was concerned, this guy and all the Monster Dogs MC needed to die.He knew Luke wasn’t like the rest of the club.The man had a sense of honor.He’d been the one to serve Ryan up.He had offered to kill the man himself.They had both figured what Ryan had done wouldn’t result in war.An eye for an eye and all that shit.

Only, that hadn’t happened, and now Luke looked like he had aged by ten years.

“What do you want?”Anthony asked.

“I know what you’re planning to do.”

He glared at him and was not going to bite.There was a chance he didn’t have a clue and was just baiting him.

Luke shrugged.“You can deny it all you want, but I knew this day would come, and this needs to happen.”

Anthony continued to stare at him.Usually, his silence unnerved those around him.It was why he stayed silent and allowed those closest to him to just leave him alone.People hated the silence, as it made them nervous.

The man opposite him laughed.“Do you really think you’re going to get into the Monster Dogs MC clubhouse and wipe out the whole club without help from the inside?It doesn’t matter how many weapons you have.It is not enough, unless you have my help.”

He waited, allowing the silence to fill the gap.This was too good of an offer, and he knew from experience that anything that sounded like it was too good to be true often was.

“Why?”Anthony asked.

“Why what?”

“Why are you doing this?You’re betraying your club.”

Luke laughed.“Do you think I’ve got much of a choice?After everything?”

Anthony waited for more and Luke shrugged.“You know, you were a hard man to like through high school and that hasn’t changed.”

“I never tried to be liked at high school and there is no way I’m starting now.”

“The club hates me,” Luke said.“Because I don’t agree with them.I don’t agree with their stance over what happened to Ryan, nor their view on Tabitha and Simon.I don’t agree with any of it.My dad is pretty much keeping me as a prospect because I handed Ryan to Simon.I tried to right the wrong of the club, and yet I’m the one being treated like a social leper.I’m not a rapist, and I will not support a rapist either.”

This was partly a surprise.

“What do you want?”Anthony asked.

“To pledge allegiance to the Skulls.I’ve watched you guys.I know what you do, and I’ve never seen you as cowards.I know you do what it takes to keep your family safe, and that is what I want to be part of.”

Now, that he could understand.

“You know what I’m doing is not sanctioned by my dad,” Anthony said.“He doesn’t know, and once all of this is done, there’s a chance I won’t ever earn my patch.”

Luke threw back his head and laughed.“Trust me, you’re going to earn your patch.You’re too good not to.”

“Trying to kiss my ass?”

“No, stating a fact.I don’t play fucking mind games.Not in high school and certainly not now.”

“Becoming a Skull will not get you any closer to Tabitha.If that is what your game plan is.”

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