Page 17 of When It Reins
I sit, my elbows falling to my knees, my eyes filling with tears I shouldn’t be spilling.
“I know this must be hard for you,” Thea says, resting in the chair next to me, her hand rubbing on my back. “He really didn’t say anything?”
“Thea,” I say, my voice tired. “There’s no way this is his doing. I know him.” Even as I say the words, I can’t help but wonder if I am sticking up for the right person.
But I do know him. Don’t I?
David couldn’t be this evil, sinister person they were making him out to be. He wouldn’t displace families just to get land…
“What’s your boyfriend do again?”
For whatever reason, Mitch’s words strike a chord, and I suddenly know who would have answers for me.
Why I know that is beyond me. It makes no real sense other than the fact that for the first time ever, he asked questions about David. It felt out of place in that moment, and I had no clue what he was getting at, but I have a feeling that if I want to find out the truth, someone in that clubhouse will be able to give me answers.
I stand abruptly, Thea standing with concern. “Are you okay?”
Turning to her, I give her my best smile and pull her into a hug. “I’m gonna be just fine.”
10
mitch
I fucking hated being herewhen parties were raging. It is a fucking Tuesday night, and the clubhouse is partying like they have no cares in the morning.
I suppose they likely don’t. A lot of guys will show up to their jobs tomorrow with hangovers and zero fucks given about how tired they will be.
I am too old for most of this.
And if one more club girl comes over to offer her services to me, I am going to lose my shit.
Desperately, I want to head down the hall to my little room I rarely use and lock the door behind me, blocking out all the sounds that are coming from the speakers, my brothers, and the people who party with us.
They are all over the place, drinking, smoking, dancing. Hell, there is a couple half undressed in the corner of the couch, uncaring they have an audience.
I am only here because I promised Mick I would make an appearance. We received word that due to our careful planting, things have gotten around about David and his company, thatwhat Loki had uncovered is mostly true, but I have a bad feeling there is something more to it.
I am mostly worried that that something involves Juniper, but I haven’t quite put my finger on why she is important to him.
“Having fun?” Mick slides up next to me, his hand wrapped around his beer of choice. Normally, he drank whiskey, but I suppose when the rest of the clubhouse was raging as hard as they were, he was trying to keep his wits about him.
“Loads,” I answer gruffly. I don’t have to bullshit with Mick. He knows exactly where I stand when it comes to this kind of stuff, but as a member of the club, I am required to show up for it. Whether I like it or not.
He whistles lowly and nods to the other side of the room. “Looks like your fun just got funner.”
I glance over to where he nodded, bored with the entire night, until my eyes land on her long brown hair. My chest freezes as she smiles kindly at another brother, and before I know what’s happening, my feet are eating the distance between us.
Juniper Weaver. What the fuck is she doing here?
She’s currently smiling at our road captain, and I have to rein it in, or I might punch him through a wall. I shoulder my way through the crowd, and suddenly I’m upon her.
“Starling.” I don’t mean to use the nickname I keep in my head, but it slips out before I can take it back.
“Hey, man.” I ignore our road captain, my eyes on Juniper’s surprised ones, and my teeth clench.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I want to grab her, to shake her, to make her realize that waltzing into a motorcycle club is not a good idea. I also wonder who’s on the door detail today and who the fuck let her in here.
“I need to speak with you.”
