Chapter 23
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Jigsaw
Riding normally helps clear my head. Wind in my face, concentrating on the road. Always outrunning my past, though. Never moving toward something. The way I like it.
Or I used to.
Today, I'm riding to the upstate clubhouse. Their garages are bigger than what we have downstate. Stocked with more tools too. It's a better place to work on my bike, that's all. Nothing to do with its closer proximity to Pine Hollow.
First, I gotta pay my respects to the first Upstate brother I find in the clubhouse. I stomp up the steps and open the screen door. It's quiet. Not a soul in sight. Still feels like more of a home than Downstate has lately. That probably has something to do with the fuzzy blanket, carefully folded over the back of the leather sectional that takes up one entire corner of the large living room. Or the cozy, cutesy throw pillows tossed into the corners. Downstate, we have a jizz-covered pool table, buckets of condoms on the end tables, and our "art" consists of "humorous" signs reminding you to "wrap your banana" nailed to the wall.
Low voices murmur from one of the closed doors on my right. I step up to the first one and cock my head, concentrating on the voices. Murphy?
I tap my knuckles against the wood.
A second later the door swings open. Murphy grins at me.
"What's up, brother?" He holds out his hand. I clasp it and he pulls me toward him. "Good to see you."
He steps aside. Rock and Teller are also in the office. Rock nods at me. Teller reaches out for a handshake but neither of them get up. The office is big but not big enough for the four of us to be throwing our arms around each other.
"What brings you by?" Rock asks.
"Uh, I was hoping you wouldn't mind if I borrowed the garage to do a little work."
Rock pulls a face like it's an absurd request. "Of course you can. You don't have to ask."
"Thanks."
"You need help with anything?" Murphy asks.
"You miss being road captain that much?" I ask.
He throws a quick glance at Rock. "I'm gonna plead the fifth on that one."
"Yeah, yeah." Rock flicks his gaze to the ceiling. "I'm so hard on them." He circles one finger in Teller and Murphy's general direction. "Yet, somehow they always come find me."
It's said with more affection than annoyance. Still, Teller groans and shakes his head.
"It's all right, Rock." My lips curl into a smirk. "You're just like the big lion that all the other cubs want to frolic around."
Murphy pats his chest. "Who are you calling a cub?"
"Speaking of lions." Teller sits up, his chair creaking from the sudden movement. "Did you ever talk to Eraser and find out why Quill's been out at Zips so much lately?"
Fuck. No, I haven't. I've been too busy pining over Margot and taking care of my Downstate responsibilities.
"No, I didn't have a chance yet. But I can head out there now."
"Maybe Quill just needs friends." Murphy shrugs. "I don't see the big deal."
"It's not a problem unless he's gambling with fake cash there," Teller says. "The kids don't need that kind of attention on them."
Inside, I'm laughing at Teller referring to Griff, Remy, and Eraser as "kids." He really does sound like Rock's mini-me. Outside, I keep my face blank.
Rock tilts his head to look at me. "Sit. Take Wrath's chair." He points to the desk opposite his.
"Uh—"
"He's at Furious, he'll never know your butt cheeks touched the leather," Murphy jokes, correctly reading my hesitation.
"Touch this." I flip him off and drop into the seat, stretching out my legs.
Murphy throws himself into his chair and spins it in a half circle like he's five.
Rock pins me with a hard stare. "Don't worry about Quill now. Let's focus on getting everyone to Digger's memorial and home, then we'll worry about whatever fuckery is going on out there."
"Club first," I say.
A savage smile crosses Rock's face. "Right."
Teller slides his gaze to Murphy. "Don't get your briefs in a knot?—"
"I'm not wearing briefs." Murphy rubs his hand over his crotch. "Heidi says it could inhibit sperm production."
I burst out laughing. Rock groans. Teller just glares at Murphy.
"What?" Murphy's eyes widen like he's the poster boy for innocence. "She wants to try for a boy next."
"Christ, don't you have enough kids, yet?" I ask.
Murphy side-eyes me. "No."
Ignoring the spermicidal detour, Rock focuses on Teller. "What were you going to say?"
"What if Eraser is working with Quill? Griff and Remy said there haven't been any issues but what if it's because they all know what Quill's up to."
"No. Griff wouldn't have lied right to my face about it." Murphy shakes his head. "Remy wouldn't either."
"Griff said Quill's out there to race, that's it," I say. "Doesn't party with them or anything. Remy says Quill always wins his races." I flick my gaze to Teller. "So if he's trying to wash his fake cash through Zips, it's a shitty way to do it. The couple of bucks he pays for the entrance fees isn't going to move the amount of paper his family's operation is known for."
Rock stares at me for so long, I wonder if I should've kept my mouth shut.
"Good point," he finally says. "You think he's looking to earn their respect."
"Yes." I nod quickly. "But why?"
"Yeah, I don't see a city boy like Quill caring about the opinions of a bunch of hillbilly fighters racing cars in the backwoods of New York," Murphy says.
"Who are you calling a hillbilly?" I ask.
Murphy touches both hands to his chest. "Myself too. I'm just sayin', that's how he probably sees all of us up here."
"You might be right. But he thought enough of us to give up one of his crew to set things right with Grinder," Rock says. "And to ask permission to go through our territory."
"Well, Chaser made him do that ," Teller says. "But he was supposed to be running his product into Montreal. Johnsonville's a bit of a detour."
"Not if he's running out to visit Chaser," I point out. "Doing some brotherly bonding and getting some racing in on the way home?"
"That's possible." Rock glances at Teller, then Murphy, but I don't think he's looking for them to add to the conversation. "Let's circle back to this after the Deadbranch run."
Great, can't wait to go stick my nose in some wannabe cartel kingpin's business.
The phone on Teller's desk buzzes. Teller grabs it, glancing at the screen then relaxing. "It's Cedarwood."
My skin prickles.
"Take it," Rock says.
"Hello?" Teller answers. "Hey, Margot."
My heart thunders. Fuck . Staying away from her hasn't made me want her any less. My entire body's strung tight just knowing she's on the other end of that phone call.
"Not a problem, darlin'."
The urge to punch Teller for calling her darlin' like he's talking to a random club whore takes control of my fist. I sit forward, straining to hear her voice through the phone.
"Bro, you good?" Murphy frowns at me.
"Huh? Yeah." I force myself to relax.
"Give me two hours," Teller says. "Yeah, okay. See you in a bit."
"What's wrong?" I ask with way too much eagerness in my voice.
Rock and Teller share a look. Christ, could I be more obvious?
"Nothing. She said they need some help moving stuff. Her dad hurt his back. Needs it done today?—"
"I'll go with you," I offer.
Murphy snickers into his fist.
"Yeaaah..." Teller draws out the word like he's not sure if he wants me to tag along. "Okay."
His phone goes off again. This time it plays the notes of "You Are My Sunshine." Christ, he's a sappy bastard. "It's Charlotte," Teller says as he answers the call.
"Hey, Sunshine, what's?—"
The three of us stare at Teller. Still listening to whatever Charlotte's saying on the other end, he jumps out of his chair.
"Okay. I'm on my way home now. Yup. Did you call your doctor's office?"
Rock and Murphy both stand too, crowding Teller, trying to listen in on the conversation.
Teller ends the call, stuffing his phone in his pocket. "I gotta go."
"What's wrong?" Rock asks.
"She's not…feeling right." Teller shakes his head. "It's too early for her to be in labor." He glances at me. "Can you take care of whatever Margot needs?"
Already taken care of quite a few of her needs, mini-Rock.
"Yeah. No problem." My humor won't be appreciated here, and I don't want to risk Rock asking someone else to go. "I'll see if Dex can come with me."
Teller blows out a breath. "Thanks."
"Go take care of your family." I slap his back. "I got this."
The three of them take off together. Poor Charlotte, she's not just getting her husband, she'll have two other bossy bikers hovering around her too.
And I'm going to see Margot.
Hopefully she won't kick me in the balls for keeping my distance.