Page 10 of Ghost

Since I stood no chance of sidestepping them, I whispered, “Yes.”

“Then what is the problem? I saw how he was with you when we left. Moon, that man lovesyou,and no one can convince me otherwise. Plus, I know he has been calling you since we’ve been back,” Harmony crossed her arms over her chest and cocked her brow as if she waited for me to argue her point.

“Yeah, because we are friends. I told you he married my friend because she was pregnant—” Istarted,and Shady interrupted.

“Asshole is fucking married? Yeah, he needs to come here so I can kick his ass,” Shady said and picked up the wet cloth on the counter and threw it. The splat sounded, and we each turned and watched the wet cloth slide to the floor.

“Wow, I thought my hormones were in overdrive,” Harmonychuckled,and Shady glared at her.

“No, he’s a widower. Brax lost his wife and son in a car accident. I’ve loved him since I was five. He was my best friend, and when... You know the story. I don’t want him to think I expect marriage or anything from him. It was as much my fault as his for forgetting the condom,” I looked at the women and they stared back at me for a minute without a word. Then Shady, Harmony, and Boo burst out laughing. I hadn’t expected that response. “I don’t think any of this is funny,” I said, which only made the women laugh harder.

“Oh, Moon, do you really think you will have a choice when you tell him? Have you learned nothing being a Lady Rider? We may make the men’s lives a living hell, but in the end, they always get what they want.” Shady was the first to compose herself enough to speak.

“Ops has been a big part of my life. I can’t imagine him giving up his club, so to be with him, I would have to leave.”

Shady nodded, then said, “Let’s worry about that if Black Hawk comes to help. If they do, we will stand behind any decision you make, Moon. But it has to be yours.”

We straightened the bathroom up and started to walk out when it hit me,andI stopped in my tracks. “We don’t even know iftheywill come or if Creed will even call them.”

“Uh...yeah...about that. You were already headed out of the room when it was agreed upon.They’re calling them,” Harmony said, smiled, and placed her arm over my shoulders.

“You know,” Shady said as we walked out of the bathroom, “we need to have a serious discussion with the new Lady Riders, first Bob and now you. I mean, we have got to talk about protection, ladies. You know I love scaring the shit out of men, but damn.”

Chapter Five

Ghost

Most of the members were already at Soft Tails when I walked in. The place had been closed for the impromptu club meeting. This was my first official one as a full member. Myheart feltlight in my chest, instead of the heaviness that had weighed on me for so long. I knew who was to thank for the change, the men in the room. They’d accepted me into their fold and it had started my healing without me even knowing, but the one who sealed the final crack in my heart had been Luna. She might be Moon to the Ops, but she’d never be to me. It would always be Luna.

I adjusted the crotch of my pants as I sat down in the back. The thought of being with Luna again had the same effect on me it had when I’d turned sixteen. But the difference was before, it was just in my imagination. Now, with the night we’d spent together runningrapidlythrough my mind, I closed my eyes. I could almost feel the softness of her wrapped around me. Every phone call I made to her, which was almost every night since we’d parted that morning, only sealed our fate more. It was time to figure out how we were going to make a long distance relationship work because to me, there was no other option. I’d lost track of her before over my own stupid actions, but I wouldn’t allow it to happen again.

Tank and Bull sat down beside me, and we waited for Crusher and the rest of the leadership to inform everyone why he’d called Church. No one had to wait long for the club’s president to get down to business once the remaining few members had arrived.

“Going to lay it all out and then if anyone has questions you can ask them. Creed, the president of the Ops Warriors, called yesterday and they have a situation brewing in their territory. Their intel tells them the Black Hearts MC is gearing up to make a hit on their club. Most of you are familiar with the storyaboutJas and why she was sent here and put under our protection. Not only was she taken at an early age from her mother,but her life has alsobeen under constant threat since. They know it’s coming from Jas’s grandmother, they just don’t know why the woman wants to hurt not only her daughter, Shady, who’s theleaderof the LadyRiders,but her own grandchild, too. Well, other than she isbatshitcrazy by what Creed told me. Considering some of our backgrounds with our own relatives, we can relate.

“They think the Black Hearts not only want to take themoutbut have been promised if they do, the mining property the Ops had in Riverton, Nevada would be handed over to them. Not even going to get into the fact the Ops sold it to the Acciai family from Vegas. I’m going with the Black Hearts are a little short on brains if they think they can go up against the Costa Nostra and win. With that said, they do have the numbers, though, to give the Warriors a run. So even with the help from the Furies, the Ops are going to be outnumbered. They would like to even that up—with our support.

“We’ve talked,” Crusher waved his arm to Jag, Devil, and Flirt, who sat at the table withhimand then pointed to Speed and Coast, who stood against opposite walls since they were club’s Enforcers and needed to see everything and everyone in the room. “We six are going. Stoker and the rest of the dads will fill in while we’re gone. Keep in mind that enough need to stay here to protect our interests. Lending a hand is one thing, but I won’t leave this club vulnerable in theprocess.Threatto us or not.

“Brothers, we won’t know what we are walking into until we get there so take that into account when you make your decision. Creed and his men from the Ops, along with Fling and his men from the Furies, anduswould allow them the advantage with the Black Hearts. We would essentially bring the war to them.”

Crusher went on the explain about the president of the Black Hearts, Sledge, and how he came to be in that position. When he finished, Stoker stood.

“Why would the six of you need to go? Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem filling in, and I’m sure the rest don’t either, but not seeing the reason for all the officers to go.” Stoker addressed his son,andCrusher nodded.

“We understand the concerns for us going, but we can make use of this to also forge an alliance of sorts. The Ops still push guns, but other than that they are much like us, ex-military, and working to clean up their club for the future generations. Besides, when has any club tolerated threats on women and children? I can’t think of one.” Crusher let that question hang and looked around the room at all the members.

I knew what my response was going to be. I’d been there when the call had come in.

“Count me in, Prez,” I said and then saw the smile on Flirt’s face.Bastardknew the deal between Luna and me.

“I’m in, too. I don’t care what those fuckers think they’re going to accomplish, and normally, I wouldn’t give two shits. But Jas deserves to live without fear, and if wiping out some dumbasses with nothing but greed driving them, then they won’t be missed,” Dare said.

“Thanks, Dare. I was asked by Creed to tell you Trey’s out. He’s there, too,” Crusher said, and Dare smiled.

Trey was Ops’ way to pay back Black Hawk for watching over Jas. The club didn’t know the whole story behind Trey other than he was the son of Dare’s youngest brother. The man diedon a run,andthe clubwhorehe’d knocked up wouldn’t let Dare and Shakes have any involvement with the boy.

Dare had kept track of them and new the bitch had jumped clubs. When Trey had been just shy of his eighteenth birthday, the club used him as ascapegoatfor a drug deal gone bad thinking they’d go easy on him for his age and his first offense. Instead, the kidwas tried as an adult and sent to prison for five years. But recently he was released on early parole after serving a little over three. However, he had to stay in the area as part of his parole.

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