Page 78 of On The Rocks

Huntley cocked his head. “Like that, is it?”

Pagan shrugged. “Your boy set the precedence. He came into my home and disrespected a friend of my club and his wife. I told you to drop it, but you didn’t. Instead, you turned it into something it didn’t need to be. Now there’s a whole lotta bad feeling flying around the place when we should all be celebrating the Kings’ arrival. Not a good start, is it, Huntley?”

The sheriff let out a humorless laugh and stood to lean across the table. “You’ll learn who’s in charge around here, asshole. Even if you do it the hard way.”

Pagan’s face hardened. “Is that a threat?”

The sheriff puffed his chest out, full of bravado. “What if it is?”

Multiple clicks sounded through the room as every MC member released their safeties while simultaneously pointing their guns at the sheriff.

Cash stepped in front of Kennedy while Callum shielded me, but weirdly, I wasn’t scared. I knew Pagan wouldn’t hurt me, quite the opposite, in fact.

“You’re an ally of this club,” Pagan grated out. “That’s why we’re gonna get a few things clear before we start shooting.” In a flash, he leaped from his chair, pulled his fist back, and punched Huntley hard in the stomach.

I flinched and burrowed closer to Callum, watching, almost fascinated, as the sheriff doubled over with a pained moan.

Pagan grabbed his hair and pulled his head back with a hard tug. Then, with his expression contorting with rage, he leaned into the sheriff’s face. “You being an ally to my club is why you haven’t got a bullet in your head right now. I could have youdead and a brother handing himself in with a confession within thirty fucking minutes. I know your type, Huntley. Dealt with men like you all my life. Little men who think they’re big ‘cause they’ve somehow convinced the powers that be that they deserve a sliver of authority.” Pagan released the sheriff and patted his chest, gesturing for him to sit.

With a hard cough and a glare, Huntley slid back onto his chair.

I stared, open-mouthed, as Pagan followed suit and slouched in his seat as if nothing had happened. “Now, let’s try this bullshit again. Tonight, your boy and his fucknut minions came into my home and disrespected my guests. Do you fuckin’ get me?”

The sheriff jerked a nod.

Callum looked down at me, rolling his lips together to stop himself from laughing.

I gave him a hard nudge and big eyes.

“Then you came into my home, and instead of apologizing for his bullshit, you doubled down and threatened the same people your boy disrespected. Are you keeping the fuck up?”

Huntley’s chin jolted upward, indicating he understood.

Pagan leaned threateningly toward the other man. “So, what have you gotta say for yourself?”

Huntley stared at Callum, hate radiating from every pore, and spat, “I apologize.”

Kennedy’s lips twitched while Cash choked back a laugh.

Callum squeezed my fingers. “What do you wanna do, Maeve?”

My eyes caught on Pagan, who stared at me with a small smile playing around his mouth.

“We accept your apology,” I whispered.

Pagan jumped from his chair, letting out a loudwhoop, and slapped the sheriff’s shoulder playfully.“Look at that. We gotthere in the end. Halle-fuckin’-lujah.” He clapped hard three times, and his men crowded the sheriff, hauled him up, and pushed him toward the door. Before they led him out, Pagan held up his hand to stop them and called, “Huntley?”

The sheriff’s feet faltered, and he craned his neck to look directly at Pagan.

The hairs on my arms stood up when I noticed the Kings’ prez’s eyes turned ice cold and steely. “You’ll do well to remember thatnobodyfucks with the Kings. Remind your boy of the same, and we’ll all live a long, happy, and prosperous life together. You feel me?”

Huntley gave a terse nod, and then his stare passed over Callum and me before he was ushered from the room.

Pagan sat back in his seat, staring thoughtfully after the sheriff. His men laughed and chatted among themselves, but nobody approached their prez.

My heart went out to him. He seemed so alone amongst a room full of people. I knew he had a clubhouse full of brothers, but it dawned on me that it had to be lonely at the top. Cash had Cara, but from what I’d seen of Pagan, he didn’t have an ol’ lady, and in that moment, I wished it for him more than anything.

Everybody needed somebody, even a tough MC president.

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