Page 70 of Bully's Darkness
We arrive at the clubhouse, and I instantly relax. Staying with Liv was my priority, but, fuck, I missed this place. The prospects take her bags and look to me for direction. I don’t want to read too much into this. For all I know, it could be temporary until she feels able to get another place. “Have the room on my floor made up,” I direct. I want to keep my eye on her, especially with her recurring nightmares, so having her on a different floor wouldn’t work. But keeping her out of my bed,our bed, makes things less messy.
Bria follows them. “I’ll grab a spare room on any floor,” she calls back over her shoulder.
Taz pops his head out the office door. “We got church in two, Pres,” he reminds me. Another thing I’ve missed.
I feel Liv’s hand slip into mine. It’s gentle, barely there, but as our fingers interlace, I realise she’s not ready to be apart. So, I keep hold of her hand and lead her towards the room where some of the brothers have already settled down. Misty barks in greeting, jumping down from my chair and wagging her tail as she sniffs around my feet. I tickle her behind the ear, still keeping hold of Liv’s hand. I scoop Misty up and sit on my chair, pulling Liv into my lap and passing Misty to her. The brothers watch through curious eyes. A non-patched member has neverbeen in this room, especially during church and especially not an old lady.
Taz enters, frowning slightly when he spots us, but choosing wisely to remain quiet as he closes the door and sits.
“I know this is . . . unusual,” I begin, “but I need updating on the Scorpions and, unfortunately, that involves Liv too.” Maybe hearing everything might help her to heal.
Taz gives a shrug before standing. “Okay. I spoke to the chief of police. The cops are done with it. They’re calling it a robbery gone sideways, like maybe some rival crew tried to hit them and things got messy. No one’s digging further. Far as they’re concerned, it’s over.”
“And what about Dagger?” I ask, feeling Liv tense. She needs to hear this. She needs to know she’s not gonna be pulled up, that this won’t come back on her.
“It was a mission,” says Smiler, grinning over at Taz.
“But we managed to get him a few feet away from the site. He was found the next day, and they just assumed he’d somehow got away and was chased down and killed. It’s good having people on the inside,” says Taz.
“So, the investigation is being wrapped up,” I confirm.
“Pretty much,” says Taz. “Either way, it’s not coming back on us.”
I nod with satisfaction, gently squeezing Liv’s thigh. “You wanna go find Bria?” I ask her. She nods, keeping hold of Misty and heading out.
I wait for the door to close again before exhaling heavily. “Now, tell me everything.”
“Not as clean-cut as that,” says Taz. “A few questions were raised, including how they missed Dagger’s body on the first sweep. Our man on the inside deflected, mentioned the lighting being a problem. Our name was raised as possible suspects, but the chief shut that down. Said he’d personally seen a few of theguys on a ride out at the exact time. It’s all tied up in a pretty little bow. The chief said himself, Scorpions were poison. Every week, something new—stabbings, girls gone missing, dealers popping up like weeds. Now? Quiet. Streets are breathing again.”
“He did tell us we gotta lay low for a while. Maybe step up on charity work, and keep our noses clean until this shitstorm dies a death,” adds Smiler.
I relax back in my chair. “Without the Scorpions hanging over us, that shouldn’t be an issue.” I turn to Boss. “Plan another ride-out. Find a kid who’s being bullied or some shit. We’ll do an escort run or even a damn prom. We need the community on side again.” Then, I take my attention to Tally. “How are the figures looking?”
He nods. “Pretty damn good, Pres, considering. Things are starting to look up since those fuckers got put down.”
“That’s good news,” I mutter. “Anything else I should know?”
Taz shakes his head. “Go and look after your old lady,” he says. “We got everything under control.”
“Right now, she ain’t my old lady,” I say, suddenly feeling exhausted. “I don’t know if I’ll ever get her back.”
“She’s here, isn’t she,” says Mad Dog. “That tells you all you need to know.”
I push to stand. “Let’s hope you’re right, brother.”
Chapter Twenty
Olivia
I’ve been in and out of this club for years. I know its rhythm like muscle memory—the way the floor creaks near the back stairs, the whir of the old beer fridge behind the bar, the late-night laughs that drift in through the bedroom windows from the guys staying up late to work on their bikes.
But this time, everything feels different. Hollow.
I walk into the main room in one of Bully’s oversized shirts and a pair of shorts. The place is busy, with guys at the bar, music on low, and a few brothers playing pool. Yet the second I enter, I feel a shift in mood.
No one looks my way. Not like before. There are a few half-glances, quick nods like reflexes, but there’s no banter. No ‘hey Liv’ from Taz. No sarcastic ‘you lost, princess?’ from Boss. It’s like I’m invisible. Like I’m radioactive and everyone knows but me.
I spot Stretch behind the bar and head over. He’s one of the more reserved bikers, someone I can usually chat to without all the banter. He picks up a glass and wipes it with his cloth, turning away slightly.
