Page 85 of Redemption

You’re back. If Victoria had heard it once, she’d heard it a thousand times as their group made their way through town. The mayor had made a power move, and Victoria should have seen it coming. But she didn’t. He parked nearly two blocks away from where he announced he wanted to eat, then walked her down Main Street like she was a circus animal.

But Ryder was brilliant and clued in by halfway through the first block. The first person who stopped them and gushed over her arrival home was virtually an unknown to her, and it was obviously uncomfortable. By the third time, Ryder had his arm over Victoria’s shoulder and was dropping the thickest, sexiest accent she’d ever heard him work.

By the time the bells jangled on the diner’s door, the talk of the town was the hot Aussie on her arm, not that she had been missing.Point, Ryder.He knew what was up in the mayor’s gamesmanship.

The waitress sat them immediately at the mayor’s favorite table as the windows rumbled from passing motorcycles. Mayhem was in town and rolling down with throttles set on levelSend a Message.

She eyed the mayor and he stared at a menu which he likely had memorized.

“Afternoon,” their waitress said. “Mayor, your usual, sir?”

“Sure,” the mayor agreed. “Marjorie too.”

His wife rolled her eyes and agreed then proceeded to change everything the mayor ordered for her.

Guess studying that menu didn’t matter much when ordering the usual.Victoria glanced at Ryder who was in some kind of Delta team assessment mode. He wasn’t his usual relaxed casualness. Cool eyes kept the mayor under watch. Ryder wasn’t missing a beat.

They ordered, Ryder letting her order on her own, anything she wanted, thank you very much, and it took the mayor all of two minutes to jump to the Russian gunrunners and for Marjorie to offer prayers and clutch her pearls.Great. Gang activity leading to her sex slavery—not what paired well with a cheeseburger and a shake.

“Well…” Victoria searched for a generic answer that changed the topic.

“Lenora.” The mayor’s attention caught on the attorney in the power suit ignoring his call. He pushed out of the booth. “If you would excuse me, I have a Mayhem discussion to have.”

“Mayhem?” Ryder tracked the man in hot pursuit of the motorcycle club’s legal representation.

“All those motorcycles that just rolled through town? She’s their attorney.” Victoria shrugged. “Guess the mayor would like the window rattling drive-bys to stop.”

The waitress arrived with their drinks. “I see the mayor is off politicking.”

“Or something,” Victoria muttered. “Always interesting, I suppose.”

“Oh, honey. You’re the most interesting thing in here.” Their waitress winked. “The topic of every table.”

Marjorie nodded in agreement.

“Nothing’s a secret,” Victoria said with a fake smile a country mile wide. “Tell them all I say hello.”

“Me too.” Ryder gave a quick wink back that wiped their waitress’ just-in-fun, not-quite-crossing-the-line smirk away as Marjorie seemed unsure how to respond.

The mayor came back annoyed, huffing as their waitress did something similar, maybe unnerved by Ryder’s unsaid order to shutdown the town gossip. Lunch was off to a great start.Excellent…

Victoria’s phone buzzed with a text message, and she ignored it.

“Don’t let us keep you from working, love,” Ryder offered.

As it stood, the mayor and Marjorie were both face first in their phones, though the mayor’s grumbles made it seem like his email reading might be similar to his menu reading.

RYDER: How long do we have to stay?

Victoria almost choked on a laugh. Wasn’t that the question?

RYDER: Also, holy shit, that was good earlier. As the locals would say.

Marjorie put her phone down, and the mayor did as well. Still grumbling, he shot daggers back where the attorney sat down and leaned toward the table. “Mayhem and the Russians are making deals.”

“The Russians have to sell to someone,” Victoria pointed out then raised her eyebrow. “And if the law plays favors, ignoring what the MC does...”

“You’re too young to know Mayhem’s history.”

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