Page 41 of Diablo

“You mean the club didn’t—?”

He snorted and shook his head.

“Let’s just say that if it was up to us, we would be breaking a few laws to get you out of here.”

After I was wearing my own clothes again, I savored the feel of sliding my kut back on. The weight of the leather against my back felt heavier somehow from the knowledge that I finally belonged. I had a home. A family. A club. Brothers.

Brewer placed his hands on my shoulders and steered me out the door of the Merry Field Police Department. When we reached the parking lot, the Alpha Riders were all waiting, lined up next to their motorcycles. They applauded, cheered, and howled as they greeted me with open arms.

Chapter Twelve

Stevie

Judge’s ancient Ford pickup didn’t have air conditioning. My shirt stuck to my back with sweat as heat radiated off the pavement.

“Do you want to go in?” Judge ventured, breaking the silence.

I shook my head, never taking my gaze off the door. After warning the Alpha Riders that Diablo was in trouble, there was nothing more I could do. Then I found out he was going to prison if someone didn’t bail him out.

Judge shifted in his seat with a sigh. I’d promised to buy him a drink if he drove me to the Merry Field Police Department. He probably didn’t expect to be waiting this long though, especially in the heat.

Finally, the door opened and Diablo emerged. When the Alpha Riders swarmed around him, the smile on his face stretched from ear to ear. He was free. And he was with his club. That’s all I wanted for him.

Judge cleared his throat.

“It’s a bold move.”

“What is?” I asked, never looking away from Diablo.

Judge shrugged.

“Selling your bike to cover the bail money.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Judge,” I replied. “I totaled my bike in a crash. Sold it for scrap metal. That’s all.”

He huffed a faint laugh. “Sure.”

I watched Diablo for a few more minutes. Tank kept me updated through text messages—how Diablo was in an impossible position stuck under LeBlanc’s thumb, how he blew up the whole operation and got himself caught in the process on purpose.

Tarzan was right. Diablo had been protecting me.

The bittersweet reality I now faced was the fact that we could pretend none of this ever happened.

Diablo was patched in as an Alpha Rider. LeBlanc was going to jail for a long time—probably for life.

And if I never saw or spoke to Diablo again, I wouldn’t have to worry about losing my position as Vice President.

With a sigh, I tore my gaze away from Diablo and focused on the road ahead.

“Let’s go home, Judge.”

***

Over the next three days, voice messages from Diablo piled up on my phone. I didn’t return his calls. I wasn’t giving him the cold shoulder. I just…didn’t know what to say. I’d been so ready to hunt him down and sort everything out.

But now, I wasn’t so sure.

And if Diablo felt the same way, if he was thinking it was best that we didn’t see each other anymore, I didn’t want to hear those words leave his mouth.

---