Page 88 of A New Era

Kissing her, I drag myself away before my dick takes over.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Leo

Jamie Boy and Ben are waiting in the lobby. I feel naked without my cut. I can’t remember the last time I went around without my leather and patches. The scene at the pub never would’ve happened back home if I were wearing my cut. Every fucker would’ve known who I was and what I was about if they wanted to step on me.

“Ready?” Jamie Boy asks, leading the way out to their car. “I hope you’re enjoying your time in our city so far, apart from the last hour or so?”

Sliding into the back seat, Ritchie is sat up front and Ben takes the wheel.

“Holly’s having the best time, but it’s too much walking for me.”

He laughs and I arch my brow. I’ve not heard Jamie Boy laugh before. Perhaps he’s more relaxed in his own territory.

“Lucky for you, we don’t tend to walk anywhere.”

The glamour of the city darkens to the back streets. Ben drives for a while before we stop at an old warehouse. Two more cars are parked.

They said I’ll be shown the future while in their city. Is this what we’re doing here tonight?

I brace myself for anything only to find Austin and Cody inside with a woman I haven’t met before and two other men I haven’t met either.

“Leo, this is Kendell and Wesley,” Jamie Boy introduces, and I tip my chin. “And this is our cousin, Eva.”

Ben walks over to her and kisses her before standing behind her, holding her at the waist. I notice their rings.

“And Ben’s wife,” Ritchie chimes in as if he can read my mind.

“Nice to meet you,” I say to her.

“I’ve heard a lot about you. You’re the one who gets shot a lot.”

I bark out a laugh and say, “Yeah, that’ll be me.”

We walk through a door, leading to the main floor and two men are strung up in chains. Both are bleeding and bruised.

Violence isn’t new to me, but I wasn’t expecting this tonight. I keep myself straight and look between the brothers.

It’s obvious I’ve been brought here for a reason.

“Leo, meet two of our employees. They’ve been helping themselves to our stock and money,” Ritchie explains.

“As you know examples have to be made and we thought while you’re in town, you’d like a show,” Cody says.

Eva extracts herself from Ben and gives him a nod. He walks over to the two jerry cans. He undoes both caps and places them in front of each man. Ritchie moves beside me, and excitement radiates from him.

Ben dowses the men in gasoline, them both trying to shake the liquid off of them.

“Please, Ritchie, you gotta believe us, we won’t do it again… we’ll pay back every penny.”

“It’s not only me you stole from,” Ritchie says. “You know Eva is my partner in the West Quarter.”

They both look to Eva and before they see it coming, Ben throws a right hook to one and then smashes his left fist into the other’s jaw.

“Don’t fucking look at her!” he orders. His voice echoes around the warehouse.

Eva steps up and places her hand on Ben’s arm. It calms him in the only way a woman’s touch can and she slides her hand in his pants pocket. She pulls out a lighter and leans up in her heels and kisses him.

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