Page 77 of Hell & Back

“I’ll text him on the way and tell him I wasn’t feeling good and had you take me home when I couldn’t find him.” Of course, he was going to ask why she didn’t text him. Oh well, she’d deal with it later. Right now, she had a tub of Cherry Chocolate Chunk ice cream calling her name.

16

TUCK

Tuck was in the kitchen looking for something to eat when Trick and Jackson found him and gave him the news that on their way to the clubhouse they saw Darren taking a woman into a room at the Red Oak Inn. Apparently, that’s where he’d gone after givingtheirroom to Chance.

He just couldn’t wrap his head around how far off the reservation Darren had gotten. They’d all thought it best to give him space to sort through everything that had happened to him on his own. It looked like they’d fucked up and maybe Kylie’s approach might have been a better idea. She’d wanted to confront him with the video and get everything out in the open. If they had, maybe Darren wouldn’t have felt the need to seek out other women to work the drug out of his system. He understood that his friend was worried he’d hurt her, but Tuck would be there to pull him back if he got too aggressive.

“You really think it’s a good idea to keep this news from Kylie?” Jackson asked.

“Probably not, but damn.” Tuck ran a hand through his hair in agitation. “She’s had to deal with Taylor and her shit. Then I got shot. Then Darren got kidnapped and drugged. Those are all huge problems she’s dealt with. I can’t help but wonder how much more she can take. All this stress can’t be good for her or the baby.”

“Do you think we should have cornered Darren and made him hash it out when he first got back?” Trick asked.

“I don’t know, but letting him go off on his own isn’t working.” Tuck felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and pulled it out. It was a text from Cutter.Wonder what he wants?

Not supposed to be contacting you. Made me promise. Went with her to talk to Darren. Keeping her safe. Will text when we leave.

“What it is it?” Trick asked.

“Cutter. Telling me he took Kylie somewhere. He’ll let me know when they’re leaving and heading back.”

“Did he say where they went?” Jackson asked.

“She needed more ink for her printer,” he lied smoothly. If Kylie didn’t want anyone, including him, to know what she was doing, he’d help keep her secret. She was probably worried that he’d be mad at her for doing this without talking to him first. He was just glad she remembered to bring someone with her. Who knows, maybe she’d get lucky and talk the son of a bitch into coming home.

He shoved his phone back in his pocket and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Have you talked to Bacon lately? Any new news about the drug?” Trick asked.

“No, but Darren told me that Bacon discovered that Crockett added something into the Euphoria. Some drug neither of uscan pronounce. It’s got a history of increasing someone’s libido causing him to want to fuck all the time. That on top of the constant pain he’s in, it’s a wonder he hasn’t lost his mind already.”

They heard a loud sound coming from the common room. It sounded like Race and Chance and the rest of the brothers were done taking a tour of the rec building. The music was turned on and the sound of balls breaking as someone started a game of pool could be heard all the way to the kitchen.

“When do you think Preacher is going to have the information we need so we can end the fucking Phantoms and the Black Horsemen can go back to their own clubhouse?” Jackson asked.

“You don’t care for the Horsemen?” Trick asked.

“I like ’em well enough. I would just prefer to be able to bring Calliope around without one of those fuckers flirting with her.”

“Are you jealous?” Trick teased.

“No. There’s nothing to be jealous about. She’s got everything she needs right here.” Jackson crudely grabbed his junk.

“Fucking idiot,” Trick laughed as he followed him out the door, presumably to see what everyone was up to.

Tuck waited a few more minutes debating on whether he wanted to go to Kylie’s office and pace or sit at the bar and nurse a beer while he waited for the message that Cutter was bringing her back. He opted for the beer. He was mentally crossing his fingers that she could talk Darren into coming home. If anyone could do it, she could. He missed having his friend around and he missed sharing Kylie with him.

Twenty minutes had passed with his beer relatively untouched, when he got the message he’d been waiting for.She wants to go home. Leaving now.

A second later, he received a message from Kylie.Not feeling well. Cutter taking me home.

He shot off a quick response.Meet you there.

“Hey, Miles!” he shouted to where the prospect was passing out beers at the other end of the bar. He waited for the man to reach him, then said, “I need you to follow me to my house so you can pick up Cutter. Grab the keys to the Tahoe. I’ll let Race know what you’re doing.”

Miles hurried off to do as he’d been told and like he promised, Tuck told Race the prospect was going with him for a little bit.

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