“It’s the life I have,” I replied with a shrug. “There’s not much I can do about it now. But I just wanted to come here and say, as far as I’m concerned, there’s no animosity. And it’s a shame you’re not around, Beth.”
“Me? Why?”
“I told you that day they were all arrested… I’d like to be friends. The old ladies have a club—we call it Sin. And it’s a shame you’re not attending our meetings. You have as much right to be there as the rest of us.”
“She’s not attending sin,” Greg hissed, rolling his eyes and stepping in front of Beth as though to protect her from my depravity.
“Well, hang on now,” Beth protested, trying to look at me over his shoulder. “What happens at sin?”
“They’re nothing but fucking trouble when they get together. They’re all drunk, they’re all annoying, and they do anything possible to piss us all off.”
“Well, now I have to go,” she laughed, pushing at Greg’s arms. “I’ll be at the next one, Rachel. Just tell me where and when.”
“Good,” I grinned. “We’ll make it extra special for your initiation.”
Greg groaned loudly, making us both smirk at his discomfort.
“I mean it though,” I said. “I want you both to be comfortable at the clubhouse. Please don’t avoid your home on my account. I won’t so much as look in your direction, Greg, if that’s what you’d prefer.”
He shot me a hard look, his eyes narrowing at me before eventually sighing. “Fine,” he breathed, throwing his arms up in surrender, making Beth squeal with excitement.
“But let me just say one thing,” he said, making us both freeze. “Rachel… The club is my life. And it’s because I love the club so much that I’ve ignored your return—for the most part!” he snapped when I opened my mouth to protest. “But I know what it’s like to hate you. To truly, seriously, hate you. I’d never have acted on it because there’s nothing worse than being a traitorous rat. But you should be careful, as there will be others who hate you as much as I once did. And they won’t hesitate. If the offer is right, they will take it, and they will try to destroy you.”
“I’m not worried,” I shrugged. “I’ve successfully dodged all attempts so far.”
“No. You got lucky so far. I’m not saying you’re not tough, because we all know you are. And I’m not saying you don’t know how to defend yourself. You do.”
“Aw, Greg, don’t be getting soft on me now.”
“I’m not complimenting you. You haven’t managed to charm me like all my other brothers. But I can recognise the truth, and the truth is that you’re as strong as they come. Maybe a little psychotic,” he smiled. “But you should look at more protection. Look at right now as an example. You don’t know what reception you were going to get here. Do you have a gun?”
I shook my head.
“Do you have anything?”
I paused, and then shook my head again.
“This is what I’m talking about. Do you know how easy it would have been to shoot you and frame it as a Rider’s attack? You need to be more careful, because you’ve not only adopted the club, you’ve adopted everything it entails. The brothersandthe enemies. Protect yourself, Rachel. Because when push comes to shove, you’re the only one that can.”
Chapter 68
Dante
Dante: Where are you?
Rachel: Are you just going to track me if I don’t tell you?
Dante: I’m contractually not allowed, remember?
Rachel: Oh, bless your heart. There’s a lot we’re contractually not allowed to do, but it hasn’t stopped us. But it’s probably for the best that we don’t open that can of worms.
I frowned at my phone, paying no attention to the conversation that was going off around me.
For a second, I thought Rachel was talking about the shit we got up to at night. But her “can of worms” statement had me second guessing myself.
I knew I had been a bit lax when it came to following the contract, but I thought she hadn’t minded. Especially as she wasn’t following it to the letter either. I had kind of hoped that we would break enough rules that we would both sort of forget the contract existed, and would continue pretty much as we always had.
And now I doubted my judgement.
