Page 13 of Mad Max

“Which brings up to the next part of business. Boys, what did you learn from Mad Max’s impromptu welcome back shindig?”

Casper answers Law’s question while regarding each of us in the room. “As you all know, the party was a ploy to see if anyone was talking. Before it happened, we put out feelers that the club was looking to get into the skin trade.” We all know this, but still a few grumbles go up about it. No one in the club is interested in that shit. We actually respect women—when they deserve it. When they don’t, well, fuck them.

“Settle,” Law growls as he bangs the hammer. We all know this is a necessary evil to get to the endgame.

“We also set up the party to get Gideon to come,” Casper continues. “He doesn’t show much and tries to stay out of shit where he can, but it was a ploy on all fronts. With Gideon present, it showed that the Hounds are serious about moving to this avenue.”

I watch as the brothers who grumbled all reluctantly nod in agreement. Gideon is like a ghost for the club. Some have seen him, others only heard about him. He likes to float in and then move out. Rumor is he helped the club get out of a jam even before Law was here, but no one talks about it. All anyone knows is that Gideon always knows more than he says. He has connections to both sides and only plays along with one side when he wants something. Not sure what he wants from the Hounds, but I bet it’ll come at a hefty price once he tells Law.

“While I didn’t make contact with Gideon last night, he did call me today.”

We all look to Law at that. Even Casper looks a bit taken back, as if hearing the news for the first time. Which he might be, since Law is never known to blabber one-on-one if he can just say it to the group once.

“He didn’t make the party, but he had another there in his place. His man on the ground did make contact with someone who might have connections to a person in the operation. Actually, he said he saw two people with the same connection.” Law turns and looks at me, and I just raise an eyebrow.

“Jimmy Travis seems to be a name people are circling around.”

I feel the other brothers’ eyes on me, but I keep mine locked with my prez’s as I tilt my head. I know he ain’t saying I’m involved. We all know I don’t do the skin trade. Got locked away after fucking up some asshole I didn’t even know for roughing up a girl I knew even less. If that doesn’t prove I’m against that shit, I don’t know what does. But I know who he’s thinking is the other connection: Jimmy’s niece, the fairy.

“Tomorrow, we’ll make a trip out there and see what he knows. Till then, you all know your job, so get to it.”

Bulldog coughs a second before the prez can hit the gavel to end Church. He glances at me and then back to the prez, who only looks mildly miffed at being interrupted. But if he wasn’t going to say shit, I was going to. My knee bounces, the only indication that I’m itching for what’s to come next.

“Oh, right. Flint, you got something to welcome back our brother?” Law says it so casually, as if it means nothing, when getting my colors back means the world to me.

“Fuck yeah I do.” I didn’t even notice Flint carrying anything in till he stands and walks over to me, handing me the same cut I gave to him the day before I got locked up. “Welcome home, brother.”

I swallow hard as I stand and put the leather on. It feels like the closest thing to a home a guy like me can get. My brothers shout their welcomes as Flint pulls me in for a hug and a smack on my back, below the club’s logo.

“Church dismissed.” Law bangs the gavel, but I stay, as does he, the VP, and a few of the others at the table. The door closes on the six of us remaining.

Takes a minute before someone talks, long enough for me to sit back down, and I ain’t surprised when it’s Bulldog. “Lady said you went to the niece’s place last night.”

I nod.

“You also had Casper set up a new lock system for her this morning.”

Both I and the man who did the labor nod.

“Any reason?”

I shrug, not feeling any hostility from my brothers, knowing they just want the story behind it. Damn coincidental that the same two people who have a name floating around with the skin trade were together last night. “She came with a date to the party. She caught him fucking the vamp Shelia, and I kicked them both out. Didn’t think she needed to see that, and Shelia’s just fucking annoying.” The boys grunt in agreement. “When she left, I gave her a ride, since she didn’t have one anymore. When I dropped her off, the date had broken into her place. Kicked him out, stuck around till morning, then had Casper install the locks.”

No one questions why. They all get it. No one at the table, or in the club, would have done anything different. They might not have fucked her like I did, but they would have done the same otherwise. No woman should feel like her place isn’t safe.

“Think she’s involved?” Bulldog continues.

I shrug again. I might know what causes her breath to hitch when I do a certain hip move, and I like her at face value, but I don’t know her more than that. She intrigues me, but I’m not dumb enough to let that make me look past the possibility that she could be a potential threat. Pretty faces are only that and don’t get special treatment in my book.

“Nothing in her place screamed threat. Not sure if she would have that lying around even if she was involved, though.”

I nod at Casper’s assessment.

The boys mull it over while I replay every single fucking thing we did in my head. The way Izzy brought her over to meet us. Whose idea was it? No way could she have planned for me to follow her and catch her date fucking around on her. I didn’t even know I’d followed her till she backed up into me. I don’t make a habit of looking down, and she’s fucking small as hell.

The sex, both times, was my idea, mostly. The first one was because I wanted it, and the second I didn’t even know I was doing it. Both had her being the willing partner, not the instigator. Sure, she basically ordered me the second time, but my dick was already molesting her. She really didn’t have a choice but to hop on the train or get run over by one.

The only one throughout the night who seemed off to me was Benny. But I tend not to like cheating assholes who break into a girl’s place. Not that either would have known that about me.

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