CHAPTER NINETEEN CONSEQUENCES

Brayden—

We pull up at the clubhouse just as the sun sinks beyond the horizon. The roofers are finishing up in the dimming dusk. The smell of asphalt shingles mixes with the scent of freshly cut wood that still permeates the neighborhood from all the fallen limbs and trees that have had to be cut up.

The back gate is open, and I roll inside, Rebel clinging to me.

Shades stands with his arms folded, his VP at his side. The only other men I see are Blood and my brother, TJ. Shit, what’s he doing here?

The expression on TJ’s face reminds me of all the times he had to come bail me out of trouble in high school. Goddamn it. His being here can’t mean anything good.

The roofing foreman comes over and speaks with Shades, then shakes his hand and returns to his pickup truck.

Rebel and I climb off the bike as the vehicles containing the crew drive out.

The look on the face of Shades is stone cold.

I can sense Rebel tensing, her mouth going into a flat line and her chin coming out as if she’s preparing for a fight.

“This is between me and him, Rebel,” I whisper, but she’s not having it.

“Bullshit,” she snaps. “This is all about me.”

We walk toward her father, and his eyes shift from me to her and back again. I can’t tell which one of us he’s more pissed at, but it’s clear he holds no feelings for me, other than I’m a brother in his club. That doesn’t hold a candle to what he feels for his daughter.

“I take all responsibility and blame for this,” I say, but he cuts me off with a hand.

“Oh, I’ll get to you in a minute.” His gaze pierces Rebel’s. “You were warned to stay away from the California Chapter, yet you didn’t listen to a word I said, did you?”

“I’m a grown woman. Why are these men good enough to be your brothers, but you think they’re not good enough for me?”

“I’ve got my reasons. I told you they were off limits. Yet, you take off with one and leave the goddamn state. What the hell were you thinking?”

“I was thinking I wanted to show him Lookout Mountain—a place that holds special memories for me. A place you and Mom took me to as a child. What’s so wrong with that?”

“And look what trouble you got into. Thank God he had the good sense to call the club for help. If the Devil Kings hadn’t been close, things could have gone drastically different.”

Rebel rolls her eyes, and I cringe inside. No man—especially not an MC president in front of his club—wants a woman to roll her eyes at him. “We’re fine, Daddy. Brayden made sure I was safe.”

“And he’s lucky he got you home in one piece, goddamn it.”

“Daddy, he did nothing wrong. We did nothing wrong.”

“Oh, the hell he didn’t.” He jerks his head toward Blood. “Take her home.”

“I’m not twelve, for God’s sake.”

“Come on, Lil’ Bit. Let them talk,” Blood says, holding his arm out and wrapping it around her.

Everything inside me surges, wanting to keep her from going off with my club brother, but I can’t do a thing. I have to stand here and take whatever her father plans to dish out. My jaw tightens when Rebel climbs on the back of Blood’s bike. He glances back at her and pats her thigh. I know in my head he’s like an uncle to her, but he’s still a man touching Rebel, and somewhere in my brain I’ve already claimed her as mine.

“So, that’s how it is?” Shades growls, and I snap my attention to him. “Yeah, I see the way you’re lookin’ at her. She’s off-limits to you. Your chapter was told to stay the fuck away from my daughter, and yet you disrespect me like this.”

The punch to my face happens so fast, I don’t even see it coming. I stagger back, pain exploding in my jaw. Out of the corner of my eye, I see TJ surge forward toward Shades, but his VP slams him backward with two fists in his chest.

“Don’t even think it, son. I know he’s your brother, but this is between them,” Ghost barks out.

TJ shrugs out of Ghost’s hold, but he looks ready to jump in and defend me if Shades takes another swing.

I make no move to defend myself, letting Rebel’s father have that one.

He points his finger at me and then at TJ. “You and your chapter head back to California first thing in the morning. You’re done here. We don’t need your help any longer.”

With that, he stalks inside the clubhouse.

That leaves me, TJ, and Ghost.

Ghost tries to find some humor in the situation. “Well, look on the bright side, boys. No more hard labor like the rest of us. You’re off the hook. I’d take it and run.”

I don’t find it funny and wipe the trickle of blood from my mouth. “I’ve got no intention of hurting Rebel, and she doesn’t deserve this.”

“I get that, but that’s a father for you. Maybe one day you’ll understand, kid.” He offers me his hand, then does the same to TJ. “I want you boys to know we appreciate all you’ve done to help us out. Really. It was great having you boys here. And if there’s anything we can do to repay the favor, we owe you one. I’m sure Shades feels the same way. He just needs time to cool off.”

“You think he’ll come around to the idea of Rebel seeing me?” I ask, staring toward the clubhouse.

“Rebel and you? No.” Ghost shakes his head, emphatically. “That’s a hard line for him. Don’t take it personally. It’d be the same for any brother who tried to date his daughter.”

“I guess we’ll head out tomorrow morning, then. Good to meet you, Ghost.” TJ lifts his chin and turns me toward our bikes. I don’t fight it, because right now all I want to do is get to Rebel.

We mount up and ride off without another word. When we get to the stop light down the street, he looks over at me. “You’re going to see her tonight, aren’t you?”

“Damn fucking straight.”

TJ shakes his head. “You best say your goodbyes and be done with her, Brayden. There’s no future with this girl. You get that, right?”

The light changes, and I look over at TJ but don’t reply. Instead, I twist my throttle and head toward Pelham.

The entire ride, all I can think about is the fact that in the morning I’m going to have to ride away from Rebel—the love of my life. I have nothing to leave her with, no gift and not much money to buy her anything… at least not something worth anything, not something that would mean something.

When I get closer to the garage, I get stopped at another light, and I stare at my hand, idling on the throttle. This girl means everything to me, and somehow, I have to let her know that. A thought comes to me, and my attention is drawn to a small shopping center to my right, locking in on the jewelry store.

It’s worth a shot.

I change plans and pull into the parking lot.

Bells jingle when I yank open the front door. The place is small, with glass cases running along each side. A guy in a suit, looks up and his gaze sweeps over me. He immediately stiffens, and I know I’m his worst nightmare. I get that a lot walking into stores with my cut on my back.

Another sales clerk waits on a woman farther into the store. She glances up at me, and I see her hand reaching for what I can only assume is a panic button that will notify the local cop shop.

I lift my hands, trying to ease their fears.

“Just lookin’ to buy something for my girl,” I say with a smile.

The closest man stands on the other side of the glass case. “I’ve got this, Polly.”

The woman nods, dropping her hand but still watches me like a hawk.

“I’m Benjamin. What can I help you with, sir?”

I glance around, trying to find the item I have in mind.