26. Steel

26

Steel

Tempe holds Austin’s ice cream in one hand while she unbuckles him with the other, and I watch them through the windshield as I circle the truck to open her door.

She says something that makes him laugh, and the giggle that bursts out of him has his whole body shaking. The scene is so domestic—sweet even. Something I’m terrified to get a glimpse of when I shouldn’t entertain it.

But as I pop the car door open and Tempe takes my hand and climbs out, I consider going back to the emptiness I felt before them, and it has my stomach in knots.

Austin climbs out of the truck next. He jumps into my arms, and I fly him around in a circle before setting him down. He’s still giggling, and his innocent laughter is something that’s not usually heard at the clubhouse.

Slamming the car door shut, I think about the handful of times I’ve spent on four wheels in the past few years, when I’d rather be on two. But for them, I don’t care .

“You coming to the party, Prez?” Soul puts out his joint, walking down the clubhouse steps.

Music is already echoing through the desert, while screams and hollers come from around back.

“In a minute.”

“Can we go?” Austin jumps up and down.

I plant my hand on his head. “Not this time, big man. Adults only tonight.”

Austin frowns, crossing his arms over his chest.

Tempe rests her hands on his shoulders. “Don’t worry, we’ll have our own fun.”

“Why don’t you go with Jameson, dear?” Grandma walks up with Sonny. “I’ll watch Austin.”

She went on our ice cream adventure today and rode with the prospects when I refused to let Tempe and Austin leave my side.

“I can’t put that on you.” Tempe frowns.

“It’s fine, go. You’re a twenty-two-year-old girl who deserves to live a little. Enjoy your night.”

Grandma means well, but her words sink like lead. Tempe is only twenty-two. She has her whole life ahead of her, and she’s holding herself back by getting involved with me.

Once she’s safe, I should let her live the life she deserves. That was the plan from the beginning. But when I look at Tempe standing with her hands on Austin’s shoulder, I have no idea how I’m supposed to do that.

“You promise you’re okay watching him?” Tempe asks.

“Pearl has plans for us.” Austin stands up tall, and I swear this kid is getting bigger by the day .

“Oh yeah? And what are those?”

Grandma leans down and whispers something in Austin’s ear, and he smiles so big his whole face glows.

“It’s a secret.” Austin crosses his arms over his chest.

I pull Tempe to my side. “Ten bucks says it involves root beer floats.”

My grandma winks at me because I know all her secrets, given she’d pull the same stuff with me when I was Austin’s age and Dad was staying late at the clubhouse.

“Okay.” Tempe relaxes. “But bedtime is eight.”

“Of course.” Pearl smiles, holding out her hand.

Austin takes it, and they hurry away, climbing in the truck so Sonny can drive them back to the house.

“There’s no way he’s going to be in bed by eight, is there?”

“Probably not.” I shake my head. “But don’t worry, she’s good with routines, so if not then, soon after.”

Tempe smiles, nudging me on the arm. “It’s adorable how close you are with your grandma.”

“Adorable?”

“That’s what she said.” Havoc walks past, smacking me on the back as he does. “You’re adorable, Prez.”

“Fuck off.” I shake my head as he heads into the clubhouse, laughing.

Ghost hops off his bike next but doesn’t look nearly as happy as Havoc.

“What’s wrong?” I ask when he stops in front of me.

“No movement on the perimeter.”

“They probably decided to cut their losses there. What about the bar? ”

“Still no sight of him.”

I tighten my hold around Tempe’s shoulders. “Let me know if that changes.”

“Will do, Prez.” He heads into the clubhouse after Havoc.

“Who was he talking about?” Tempe spins in my arms to face me. “Dimitri?”

I tilt her chin up. “First off, I don’t like hearing his fucking name from your pretty mouth.”

She wets her lips, nodding.

“Second, that’s club business; nothing for you to worry about.”

“He’s after me , Jameson. So don’t use your supersecret club business excuse. I’m the one putting you in danger.”

I smirk at her confidence because I’m going to have so much fun taming this girl’s mouth if she continues to talk back to me in front of my men.

“That’s fine, wildfire. He can come after me all he wants.” I drag my thumb over her lower lip. “So long as he’s not aiming for you or Austin, I can handle it.”

Tempe opens her mouth to argue when Ghost pops back out of the clubhouse.

“Got something I need you to check out, Prez.” His tone already has me on edge.

“Be right there.”

Turning to Tempe, I brush her hair off her face. “You good to head out back yourself? I’ll meet up with you as soon as I can. ”

“I’ll be fine.” She brushes her fingers over my cut, straightening it in the front. “Go take care of what you need to, President.”

Every time she calls me that, I want to shove my cock inside her and never come out again. I’ve never wanted an old lady because I’ve got too many responsibilities that inevitably split my time, and no matter how understanding a person is, I’m well aware everyone has their limits.

But when Tempe runs her fingers over my patch, I let myself think for a minute that she could be strong enough to deal with a man like me. The same way she’s been strong enough to step up for her brother.

I’d like to think she could handle it because she sees past the glamor of having the president’s name on her back. She understands the downside. The pain. The disappointment. The hard parts of life that are bound to happen when you’re with a biker.

But maybe she’d be willing to risk that if I was worth it to her.

Not that I am. And for the first time since I slipped on my cut, I’m disappointed I’ll never be enough for someone.

“I’ll be out there soon.” I tip her chin up and kiss her, not missing that Soul is walking past me, chuckling as he walks over to Ghost.

I’m never publicly affectionate with women at the club. It gives a certain impression, and it sets expectations I’m not going to live up to. But with Tempe standing right in front of me, I can’t help getting a taste of the comfort only she offers .

Tempe pulls back, planting her heels back on the ground. Her cheeks warm a shade, and I can’t wait to do something about that later.

“Don’t worry, Prez. I’ve got her.” Luna pops up beside us and snakes her arm through Tempe’s.

The purple in her hair is fading, showing off more of the blonde in the sun. She looks from me to the clubhouse doorway, and Ghost immediately stops staring.

“Come on, girl.” Luna pulls Tempe away. “Looks like we have things to catch up on.”

Luna winks at me over her shoulder, but it’s not flirty. She’s a sweet girl who had a rough go of it, so I took her in. And even if I know she’s messed around with a couple of the guys, only one of my men really has her attention.

Walking up the steps to the clubhouse, I meet up with Ghost and don’t miss that he’s watching Luna and Tempe disappear down the hallway.

“You know she’s gonna move on the second she’s done with her classes if you don’t fucking man up,” I tell him.

“It’s not like that, and you know it.” Ghost shakes his head, turning his back on Luna.

“Lie to the guys all you want, but you can’t lie to me, Marcus.” I cross my arms over my chest. “It is like that, and I get what holds you back from doing anything about it, but it’s a damn shame when she could be good for you.”

“Doesn’t matter what’s good for me, Prez. I’m not good for her.”

I shake my head, knowing arguing with him won’t do any good. There’s a reason Ghost is the way he is. Dark secrets only a couple of us know about. So while the patch bunnies treat it like a game, vying to be the one who breaks Ghost’s celibacy streak, I know it’s not going to happen until he works his shit out.

“All right. What do you have for me?” I change the subject, and Ghost pulls out his phone.

“Movement at your girl’s house a few minutes ago.”

“Dimitri?”

Ghost shakes his head. “Nah, a woman. Tempe’s mom.”

“What?” I snatch the phone from his hand and look at the screen.

It’s an angle from the front porch, and it catches Tempe’s mom climbing out the passenger side of a car idling at the curb. She hurries up the walkway, her eyes darting around like she’s checking for anyone watching.

“How’s she alive? That was a lot of fucking blood.”

“No idea, but she is.”

I wipe my hand down my face, trying to process what this means.

She’s alive, and this is the first time she’s showing her face. She hasn’t tried to contact Tempe, and now she’s acting suspiciously. It doesn’t look good.

“What’d she do at the house?”

Ghost grabs his phone and changes cameras to one in the kitchen. “She went straight to this drawer and grabbed an envelope out of it.”

“Any idea what was in there?”

“Silverware.” Ghost shakes his head. “Looks like whatever she was after was hidden under the tray, but I have no idea what it is. You think she’s in on all this? ”

“I think it doesn’t look good.” I pat my pocket, itching for a cigarette but resisting when I know Tempe doesn’t like me smoking.

Even if she’ll eventually be smart and leave me, I can’t help trying to be a better man while she’s still around.

“That all?”

“Yeah. I’ll let you know if she comes back.”

“I’ll talk to Tempe. She needs to know her mom’s alive, but not tonight. She needs a break. We all do.”

“Understood.”

I follow Ghost into the clubhouse, wishing this weight wasn’t sitting on my shoulders. Worse, wishing I didn’t have to lay it on a girl already carrying so much around.

But Tempe needs to know for Austin’s sake. If her mom is involved with the men who sent her to my clubhouse, the two of them are in more danger than I thought, and it’s my job to protect them from whatever shit is about to rain down.