11. Saint

Chapter 11

Saint

I t was hard leaving Cat. I feel like I’ve already put in a full day. I may have slept most of the day and woke up with the hangovers of all hangovers, but everything with Cat has made it better. I can’t get the image of her out of my mind. With clothes on, she’s breathtaking. Without them, I’m like a young Saint again, unable to keep it in my pants. I wasn’t lying when I told her she deserved more than sex in a stockroom at the back of the bar. And before this day is over with, I’m going to make that happen.

I feel like there was so much left unsaid, but when the club president wants to talk to you, you do what he says. I walk across the parking lot and go walk into the Heartlands Garage. It’s changed a lot since I was here last. Chain, Killian and Ranger are all inspecting a newly built engine when Troy calls me over.

He watches the other guys for a minute before getting down to business. “I know you used to be good with your hands and had some mechanical skills. How about helping out in the shop and repairing bikes?”

I agree with him because honestly, with the way the club has changed, I didn’t know how I would be fitting in now. Everything is different—well, the business side of the club is different. But my brothers, my family is still the same. Thank God that hasn’t changed.

We start talking about the garage and what’s expected of me. I’m not talking legitimate work with him for more than fifteen minutes before Sheriff Ramsey pulls up. He gets out of his car, giving all of us the once-over. Killian waves at him, and I guess he has to be nice to the fucker since he’s with the sheriff’s daughter now. It still blows my mind all my brothers settling down. Even Chain has an ol’ lady.

The sheriff stops in front of me, pulling me from my thoughts. “So, Saint, there was a delivery guy visiting the ER this morning and I’m wondering if you know anything about it?”

I just shrug my shoulders. “I can’t say that I do.”

He rubs his chin. “He was beat up pretty bad, but wouldn’t say who did it to him. You don’t know anything about it?” He gives me a once-over and stops on my hands. “Your knuckles are pretty red, son.”

Does this fuck really think I’m going to admit to it? That stupid as fuck delivery guy should be happy I didn’t kill him. I just smile at the sheriff. “Knocking the punching bag around without gloves will do that.”

The sheriff gives me a look that tells me he knows I’m lying. Normally, I wouldn’t give a fuck, but now, there’s no way I’m going back to jail. Not when I just found Cat.

He looks around the bay again, as if he’s thinking we’re doing something illegal and we’re just going to leave that shit out for him to find. When he seems okay with everything, he gives me another warning before he leaves, telling us all that he has his eyes on us. I guess everyone is on board with the changes the club has made except for the sheriff. It seems he’s got nothing else to do now.

We don’t even wait for the sheriff to get into his car before we’re all back to business.

“Anything else?” I ask Troy.

“Yeah. I see you’ve taken notice of Cat.”

I eye him, wondering where this is going. Does the boss man have something for Cat?

He gets a ding on his phone and picks it up, reading the text before pocketing it again. “I’m surprised she danced with you the other night. She’s had an unspoken hands-off rule since she was taken in by the club.”

I just smirk at him. “Yeah, but I guess I’m different.”

I meant it as a joke, but Troy doesn’t crack a smile. He gets a look on his face that tells me he has seen things I hope I never do. “You didn’t see her when Ranger found her. Don’t mess with the girl unless you’re ready to claim her.”

I nod at the pres’ warning. I know that Cat didn’t take things with me as far as we did just for the hell of it. She’s not that kind of girl and I know that should scare the shit out of me. Instead, I feel like the luckiest fucker under the sun.

“All right, let’s finish the tour.” Troy turns then, leading me through the bay into the back room. I spend the next hour catching up with all the guys.

When we hear a lone motorcycle in the distance, I walk to the open bay doors and lean against it. Roxanne pulls in, spitting gravel everywhere as she pulls into a spot. My body becomes alert when I realize that Cat is on the back of the bike. She looks at me briefly and I raise my hand at her. She gives me a quick wave and takes off into the bar with Roxanne on her tail. They sure are in a hurry.

I pull my phone out of my pocket and look at the time. The bar should be filling up soon; maybe they are running late. I never asked her about her schedule.

I turn back to the guys and decide to bust Killian’s balls for falling for the sheriff’s daughter. “Of all the women, you had to fall for the one girl you shouldn’t.”

Maddox pops his head out from working on a bike. “You haven’t seen her, though, Saint.”

Killian looks at him menacingly. “What the fuck, Maddox? You looking at my girl?”

Maddox just grins and hides his head again. Killian turns to me and says, “Trust me, you’ll figure it out soon enough when you find the right one. Fuck, you may already know by the way I see you looking at Cat.”

I just nod my head at him. I think I get it.

I tell the guys bye and start walking to the bar. “Hey, Saint.”

Roxanne stops me outside the door. I always liked Roxanne and I like seeing her with Cat. Roxanne is like a mama bear, always looking out for everyone, and I think Cat needs that.

“Hey, Roxanne.”

I start to walk past her, but she stops me. “Hey, so your girl’s a little upset. We seen a few of the Outlaws in town and –”

“Did they mess with her?”

She shakes her head. “No, they didn’t even see her.”

Confused, I ask her, “So why was she upset?”

She doesn’t sugarcoat it. “Duh! Her ex is with the Outlaws. They’re the ones that beat her and left her—”

But I don’t wait to hear the rest of it. I rush inside the bar, needing to see her, needing to know she’s all right. She wouldn’t tell me who hurt her. And all this time I’ve thought she may be scared about nothing. Well, the Outlaws aren’t nothing. They’re the biggest badasses around, and everything they do is illegal. I’ve heard about how they treat the woman there and my hands clench at my sides thinking that they hurt Cat.

I run into the building, needing to see her, to put my eyes on her and my arms around her.