Eventually, he became aware that someone was sitting next to him – ordinarily, he would have been horrified by his lapse – and a quick glance proved that it was Becca, Emmie’s working student and undermanager. Belatedly, he remembered that Becca was dating Shane, who was another of Tenny’s half-brothers. Sometimes it seemed like Tenny was related to everyone, in that respect.
But it was Reese he’d asked to come along with him today. Reese who he ran with each morning, and with whom he entrusted the raw glimpses of passion and fury in the bedroom – though there’d been none of that lately.
“Wow, he’s pretty good,” Becca said. “Walsh helps out sometimes, but he mostly just likes to take the young ones out for a gallop in the upper pasture.He’sgot some dressage skills, though. I’m jealous of how long his legs are.”
Reese didn’t respond, because he’d learned enough about Becca to know that she liked to talk, whether or not anyone talked back.
But then she said, “Hey.”
He turned his head a fraction, still trying to keep one eye on the arena. Tenny had his horse cantering, and the animal lengthened and then shortened his stride in turns; Tenny’s doing, Reese knew.
“You’re the boyfriend, right?”
Thatgot his attention. He faced her fully. “I’m –what?”
She winced, and lowered her voice. “Sorry, is that like a biker no-no?”
“I…”
“Becca,” Emmie called. “Don’t torture poor Reese.”
“I’m not!” Becca called back. Then she stood and went to stand at the rail.
Reese touched his own cheek, and felt the heat in it. Frowned to himself, because he didn’t get flustered. And he didn’t let people sneak up on him, especially not loud civilians – she was even chewing gum, and he’d totally missed her.
He sighed…but he sat there on the bench and kept watching, because no amount of self-recrimination could dampen the pleasure of watching Tenny achieve something like happiness, even if only for a brief span of time.
Thirty-Nine
The club spent a week in a strange sort of limbo.
Mayor Cunningham’s unethical strategy for taking down the Dogs made the national news – but the stories, while sordid and frothy with journalistic rabidity over a good scandal – left out all mention of the consulting firm Abacus. The company’s commercials continued to air, and no one in any sort of position of authority spoke about Cunningham’s affiliation with organized crime. His motives were offered as personal, and local, and Ghost spent a lot of time glaring at Ratchet’s laptop over his shoulder, grinding his teeth and muttering about idiots.
Eden continued to search for Allie Henderson and Nicole Myer without cease. Carter passed her one afternoon in the clubhouse and noted, with shock, the sleepless dark smudges beneath her eyes, and the tense set of her jaw.She’s fine, Fox said, but Carter hoped he was a little more sympathetic when he was alone with her, because she wasanythingbut fine.
They combed the city, east to west, north to south, for Luis. For even a sign of him. They talked to their dealers, and their contacts; shook hands and made inquiries with local business owners. A real estate agent recognized his description – he’d approached her about looking at property – but she’d turned him away.He was cute, she said,and charming…but, I dunno, he kinda gave me the creeps.
Smart girl, Ghost said of her, after.
But Luis himself was nowhere to be found.
Everybody’s just worried about finals, now, Elijah told Carter one evening, while they drank Gatorade and cooled off from a training session that was no longer necessary, but which felt – mutually, he thought – like hanging out and talking shop with a friend.That and the mayor. Dude. What the fuck?
We have bad luck with mayors.
Several church meetings were devoted to plans for the future: of the club’s businesses, and the club’s strategy on dealing with Luis when he inevitably reappeared. They all knew they would see him again, and everyone was dreading it; Mercy proposed they go on the offense: track him down, kill him, and be done with him.
But finding him was the problem.
They talked about Abacus, but had no real idea how to go about dealing with it.
Let’s concentrate on what we can control for now, Ghost finally said.
Things settled, in the way that they always did, and after a week of paranoia and fruitless searching, Ghost finally allowed that they deserved to celebrate the successful toppling of yet another mayor.
It was party time.
Friday afternoon, the clubhouse bustled with preparations.
