Page 32 of Keys

“We have history,” she challenged.

“What you have is a tumultuous history at best. One that we all know is bound to inflame the situation between our two clubs should things go south between the two of you. If you don’t think we’re all working on a plan to deal with the fallout, you’d be wrong.”

“Seriously? You all think this thing between Sweet and me will fall apart and you’ll have to pick up the pieces?”

“I’m not the best person to ask. I see all relationships as doomed from the beginning. It’s just a question of how long until they self-destruct. In this case, I think you might want to be a little more understanding if one of the women here falls for one of the Aces High men. You are literally setting the example with the relationship you have with Sweet. Then there’s Tash and whatever she has going on with Spike.”

“Then there was you and my brother.” Her tone came off a bit snide, but I let it go.

“Yeah, and that was over before we ever admitted to it being started. The point is, you can’t go there and then tell your crew that the same is off limits for them. You will lose any respect they had for you before. I think everyone here can understand the rule about not getting involved with them when they posed a possible security risk. What they won’t understand is their leader taking liberties that they aren’t allowed.”

She nodded her head. “I know. I just don’t want a bunch of messy entanglements with their club.”

“If that’s how you feel, then you should have never started a messy entanglement of your own. Now, the best we can do is try to come up with ways to make sure those relationships don’t harm our club and what we stand for.”

Angel stood and moved toward the door. “You’re right, but Keys, are you sure you’re not allowing your past to paint the present for you?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Quickshot.” All she had to do was mention his name and chills ran down my spine. “He’s a good guy.”

“I heard what he had to say to his men.”

“Come on. It’s not like you’ve never popped off and thought shit out loud that might be misconstrued by someone else. Hell, I know you’ve said things you wished you could take back before.”

“Sure, but honest words are sometimes regretful things. I had lines drawn. He stepped on and over them, then kicked dirt around to hide them completely. The things he said, they were like plucking lines from the past and having a different man say them. I can’t help the way that makes me feel.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry. I promise, I will try to make this as painless tonight as possible.”

~*~

My stomach rolled as we pulled into the parking area out front of the Aces High MC Clubhouse. Unlike the other women, I pulled my bike in at the furthest spot from the club, closest to the road. There was almost no doubt in my mind that I might need a quick getaway and having to navigate other idiots and their bikes wasn’t going to help with that.

“Why are you parking in Siberia?” JoJo asked as she pulled in beside me.

“You didn’t have to park back here too.”

“Right, so again, I’m asking why this was necessary?”

I chuckled. Jo was the best of friends. The one who would park in Siberia with me, but still call me out on my bullshit. “Figured it would be easier to get back out is all.”

“Yeah, quick getaway plans are supposed to be my thing.” She winked at me, popped her hand on my ass, and sauntered her tiny little butt into the clubhouse with me. The others had already gone in, so we were the last two to arrive. I took a cursory glance of the place, noting the important people from their club. Sweet had his arms around Angel Girl’s waist, Quickshot was sitting in the corner speaking quietly to Spike. Tash headed over to join them along with Legs.

“The good news is, we didn’t walk in to find him fucking a club whore in the open,” JoJo whispered. I turned to her in horror. The thought hadn’t even crossed my mind, but now that it had settled there, I worried. What if that happened before we left? Could I stomach seeing him like that with another woman? Sure, I talked a good game about leaving feelings out of shit, but I had been ready to try to commit to the man, which was a huge step for me to take. It meant something, even if I hadn’t really meant anything to him in the end.

A younger man, around 20-years-old if I had to guess, took a step closer to me with a wide grin plastered on his face. The prospect, Walker, stopped him before he could take two more steps. “Off limits, man.”

“Nah, he has a new woman. Saw them out together last night. He can’t mark all the beautiful women in this town as off limits until he wants to toy with them.” The other man, who I hadn’t been introduced to yet told Walker.

“Your funeral then,” Walker told him as he left his friend behind and strode to the bar.

“Snake,” the man stated as he offered me his hand. JoJo not-so-quietly snickered from my left.

“This should be interesting. I’m just going to head on over there and grab a drink with my entertainment.” I could have killed JoJo when she walked away and left me with the guy.

“Keys,” I finally responded to him with my road name.

“Oh, I know who you are.” I quirked an eyebrow up as if to ask the question, and he obliged with an answer immediately. “The sexiest woman in all of North Georgia.”

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