Page 24 of Exile & Lula
Clint’s concerns were more club-based than related to me. Exile was our ally. The Black Rainbow had come through for the Crimson Guard when our people were blind. Now, their VP was in Little Memphis, leaving his safety in Clint’s hands.
Though my cousin might have been relaxed in a way Exile wasn’t, I knew he feared the ramifications of a member of the Black Rainbow riding unsupervised around Little Memphis.
The president of the LM Jokers had a bug up his butt about the other club. Tricky Curran grew up with us kids. His dad and mom—Joker and Amanda—had been to my house for dinner. We were tight with the whole Curran family. But that hadn’t stopped Tricky from making threats regarding the Crimson Guard’s alliance with the Black Rainbow.
Clint claimed the sons of the men Zodiac and Exile pushed aside had gravitated to Little Memphis. Many of them joined the LM Jokers and filled Tricky’s head with paranoia about the Black Rainbow.
Normally, I enjoyed thinking about club politics. However, with Exile in my family room, looking like my every sexy fantasy wrapped up in a tightly muscled package, I found myself blind to everything else.
“We have a free room at our place,” Clint said and rested his hand on Ivy’s shoulder.
My lusty brain switched off. Concern sent me off the couch and onto my battered feet. Wincing, I gained the attention of Clint, Exile, and Ivy.
“Are you okay?” Ivy asked, looking ready to run to my aid.
“I forgot I banged up my feet. But let’s circle back to the sleeping arrangements.”
Clint leveled his steely blue-eyed gaze on me and stated, “He shouldn’t stay here.”
“I wouldn’t suggest such a thing,” I snapped back, startled by my temper. Shrugging, I explained, “It wouldn’t be appropriate to have a strange man in the house with Dillon.”
Exile immediately glared at me since he believed he was a great guy incapable of doing anything wrong with a child. Sure, he might be right, but I didn’t know him yet, and I couldn’t risk Dillon’s safety.
“Where do you suggest he stay?” Clint asked with an edge to his voice.
“How about with Rowdy?”
Clint immediately relaxed. Exile was still irritated over how I questioned his honor. He took a bit longer to ease into the Rowdy idea.
“I’ll ask him,” I said and shuffled over to my phone to text Rowdy. “Exile will be safe at the Five Points Lofts.”
“But Tricky lives in the same building,” Ivy mumbled, unsure if she should speak up.
The tiny blonde was still learning to find her voice. I smiled at her question, so she wouldn’t worry about voicing her opinion in the future. Reed women were mouthy, and she was one of us now.
“Tricky needs to understand how the Black Rainbow club is our ally,” Clint said and looked at Exile. “They got Lula back when we couldn’t find her, and Tricky’s guys were wasting time riding around town chasing ghosts.”
“Consider it my honor,” Rowdy announced even before entering the house through the still-open front door, “to let this cowboy stink up my guest room.”
My brother’s long brown hair gave him a hippie vibe, but his icy blue eyes never hid what kind of man he was down deep. Like Pax, Rowdy loved to joke around. He was quick to taunt his friends. Rock and Rowdy were constantly wrestling and trying to break each other. But under his smiling exterior, my brother would burn the world to the ground to protect those he loved.
I knew he would keep Exile safe from Tricky and the LM Jokers. Those Louisiana transplants had started shit with my club sisters on several occasions. There was already bad blood between the Crimson Guard and Tricky’s boys. I could imagine them targeting Exile to claim revenge for their fathers getting pushed out of the Black Rainbow leadership.
I glanced at Exile, finding him tense. The man was clearly more comfortable with his back up than his guard down. I shuffled over to Exile. My hand casually grazed the sexy biker’s lower back. Exile’s demeanor shifted immediately, and he lost interest in eyeing my brother.
I smiled once his gaze found me. “Rowdy will keep you entertained at his place.”
Rowdy instantly smiled. “I’ve got video games, pot, and a popcorn maker. Do you like kung fu movies?”
“Sure.”
“While we chill, you can regale me with the story of how you saved my sister.”
Exile’s gaze became hyper-focused on me. I felt him reconsidering how this situation had played out. He rode to Little Memphis with a singular plan to see me again. I sensed once he actually found himself sharing space with me that Exile wasn’t sure what ought to happen next. Now, he was stuck spending the night at my brother’s place.
“There’s a small chance I might become reluctant to travel around town after what happened,” I told Exile. “I could get skittish without my family at my side. It’ll be healthy for me to go out with you to lunch tomorrow. I’ll protect you from Tricky while you can keep me safe from the Void.”
A slow, sly grin warmed Exile’s exquisite face. He understood how I knew we were both walking through unfamiliar territory. There was a deep attraction brewing between us. Like him, I wanted to see what would happen if we gave in to these feelings. Unfortunately, we hadn’t even finished our beers before the world interrupted us.
