Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

DIABLO

Six Months Later . . .

"Mr. Rios, your mother is asking that you speak with her," Soloman Bell says through the other end of the phone.

"Like I said, more than just a handful of times, I don't give a fuck what she wants," I tell the lawyer, more annoyed than pissed.

Every damn week, he contacts me regarding my mother's wishes. I don't even want to know how she could afford a lawyer like Soloman Bell unless he's doing it pro bono. That woman doesn't have enough money.

"Mr. Rios, please, if you'll just give her five minutes of your time to?—"

"Look, Soloman, I'm not gonna tell you again. I've been playing nice. Giving you the time, but you call me again, I ain't answering. I'm done listening. You can tell that bitch I want nothing to do with her. Contact me again, and you'll regret it." Hanging up, I shove the phone in my pocket and glance around the shop, making sure no one has heard my conversation.

I haven't shared with my brothers about what's going on, and I don't intend for them to hear about it now. Hell, I hadn't even asked Scythe to do me the favor of looking into London for me. I'd gone to his cousin, Finnegan, before he left to go with Gianna, a woman we'd kept an eye on for the Toxic Warriors MC. Not that we needed to. She was already protected by Finnegan and his men. We just needed to reassure the other club that she had our protection as well.

Before Finnegan left, though, I had him give me the file he put together. I found out that London was a teacher at the middle school. I didn't read much of the rest of the file. I just skimmed it to get the jest of it. She pretty much lived a good and normal life.

A couple of times, I found myself sitting on my bike, watching her from a distance as she came out of the school. In the light of day, she was more beautiful, and I knew not calling her was the right decision.

After school ended for the year, though, she vanished. I could've called or asked Finnegan to look into it, but I didn't. I needed to leave it be. I knew she was happy, and that was that.

I left it alone and moved on.

Shaking off the thoughts, I get back to work. I need to finish this car so I can get out of here. I told Daemon I'd help with something for Hendrik over at the school for some fair thing they were having that Everleigh volunteered us for. Daemon said it was some type of school function they were putting on, and the sets needed to be put together. Why I agreed, I wasn't certain, but it was definitely something I would prefer not to be doing.

But it's for Hendrik, and my brothers and I would do anything for that kid. He's been through enough, having lost his mom the way he did. The club, including his dad and Everleigh, have all done what we could to make it easy on him

I finish up with the car I'm working on and wash up.

Hands clean, I head to the office to find Ghost but I see Ivy sitting behind a desk.

"Didn't expect to see you here?" I say, stepping over the threshold.

Ivy lifts her head and smiles. "Hey, Diablo, what's up?"

"Nothing. Was just gonna tell Ghost I was headin' out."

"Yeah, he left already," Ivy murmurs. "I'm just catching up on some things before heading home."

"I'll leave you to it."

Leaving the office, I pull out my cell to text Daemon letting him know I was on the way.

Outside, I straddle my bike, lift the kickstand, and kickstart her. The bike comes to life with a thundering roar that soothes me every time I hear it.

I pull out of the parking lot into traffic, and hit the throttle, speeding out of there.

"You're shittin' me, right?" Looking at my brother like he's grown two heads. "You had me come here for this?"

"Come on, brother, it won't be that bad." Daemon smirks, jerking his head in the direction of the booth we'd just set up. "Think of it as you're doin' it for Hendrik."

"Him and his teammates." Beast snorts, shaking his head.

Daemon hadn't been entirely truthful about what he needed help with. It seems Everleigh decided to sign the club up to help out at the school fair. Our booth is for tickets to take a ride around the block on the back of our bikes. The ones with ol' ladies were going to take the kids while those of us that are single take the women.

"And if it's a dude that wants to get a ride?" I throw the question out there.

"Guess it'll be rock, paper, scissors time." Daemon chuckles.

"Fuck that. Leave it to the prospects," Ghost grunts, crossing his arms. "Got nothing against a guy wanting to ride a bike, but I don't wanna feel a hairy-chested man against my back. I much prefer the feel of tits pressing up against me."

I ignore Ghost and meet Daemon's gaze. "You know I'm not one for putting a woman on the back of my bike." It's a rule I've always lived by, and I didn't want to have to break it now.

"I know, but we need the help. Everleigh told me there was a lot of excitement about this being a part of the fair. The money we raise will go toward Hendrik's football team."

"What if I help man the booth," I suggest. "If it's going to be nuts, then you need manpower at the booth as well."

Daemon cocks his head in Beast's direction. "He ain't gonna budge, is he?"

"On putting a bitch on the back of his bike? I told you he wouldn't," Beast answers, shaking his head.

In the six months since his and Bristol's lives settled somewhat, he's seemed to mellow out a bit. That is, unless his little brother came by to piss him off.

Daemon sighs and nods. "Fine, you man the booth with me and Everleigh."

"Great," I mutter, not wanting to do that either, but I'll do it. It's reasonable.

Two hours into the fair, and I was ready to get the hell out of there. Mainly because I've had enough of the loud screaming and squealing.

I don't have anything against kids, but damnit, there's only so much of it I can take. It wouldn't be so bad if they knew how to keep the volume down a bit.

"How long is this thing supposed to go on?" I ask, scanning the area and taking in the different booths and those walking around.

"Another three hours," Everleigh answers. "If you want to head out, I think we've got it from here."

I glance toward Daemon to see him staring at his woman like she's grown two heads. So, this was his way of making it through the damn thing without losing it himself.

Go figure.

"I'm good," I tell her, going back to scanning the crowd.

That is, I scanned until I spotted her.

There stood London in all her beauty, and she wasn't alone. A man was with her, arm wrapped around her shoulder, keeping her at his side. The air was somewhat cool, and she was wearing a pair of jeans with a fitted, ribbed, long-sleeve shirt with the sleeves pushed up just a bit. Her man was wearing similar to what I had on—jeans and a black tee, whereas mine was a gray tee.

Something about the guy rubbed me the wrong way, and I didn't like the feeling I got. Especially with the way he was holding her next to him.

Daemon nudges me, and I look at him.

"You good?"

"Yeah, just thought I saw someone I recognized," I tell him. "Can't put a name to his face, though."

"Show me who. Maybe I'll know," he states, furrowing his brow.

"You see the woman with the curls over by the cotton candy booth? It's the guy with his arm around her," I tell him, keeping my back to the couple. I don't need to see them together again. Not that I didn't want to look at London, but I didn't like seeing her out with some guy.

"You talking about Hendrik's science teacher, Miss Weaver?" Daemon asks, cocking a brow.

"I guess." I shrug, "She got massive curly hair?" I haven't seen her since school let out, and I stopped checking in on her.

"Brother, you ain't foolin' me. I saw the moment you locked eyes on her," he says, cocking a brow. "The guy, though, you're right, he's familiar. See if you can't get a picture of him and send it to Scythe. See if he can't get an ID on him."

I nod, pull out my phone, lift it, and snap a picture of the couple. I crop London out of it and send the image to Scythe. Hopefully, it won't take him long to get information on who the guy is.

Throughout the rest of the afternoon, I find myself looking for her, finding her, and wanting to get her away from the guy. By the time the fair is over, I couldn't be more relieved. Daemon told me to go ahead and head out. The prospects could help break everything down.

Works for me. I need to get the hell out of there and as far away from London as possible. Seeing her again, it's making me think things I don't need to be thinking about.

Once at my bike, I am about to throw my leg over the back when I spot her once more on the sidewalk in front of her car. This time, though, she didn't look happy. From the looks of it she and the asshat are arguing.

I debated with myself if I should intervene or not. I should ignore it and let her be, but I can't help thinking of the promise I made her when she was thirteen about watching her back.

I let out a harsh breath as I make up my mind.