Page 78 of The Devil's Weakness

We belong together. I’ve never been so sure of anything else in my life. I know she feels the same pull that I do when we’re near one another. She just needs time to realize that it’s inevitable.

Heading south on Route 30, I pull my truck over in front of Carroll’s Hardware. I want to get a new doorknob for her front door, to replace the one that I broke. I feel the eyes of the people in town on me as I walk from my truck into the store. Anyone who’s anyone in Whispering Valley knows who we are. Sometimes that’s a good thing. Other times, it’s not. It all depends on who gets in our way. It’s nothing new, but I hate it.

I hate people watching me.

I don’t take my time in the store, grabbing exactly what I need and getting back out again. As I grip the handle of my truck, I hear the roar of choppers coming down the main drag. Wondering which of my brothers it is, I peer north and wait for them to come up over the hill.

As soon as I see the first helmet rise over the crest, I have to fight my instinct to pull my truck out and run them all down.

Death’s Road.

Not my brothers at all. Two of them. I hurry to the front of my truck before they pass by. One of them flips me the bird as they go, but that’s the least of my worries. The only thing that concerns me is why they’re parking in front of Ellie’s.

I’ve never seen them in there before. On our turf. They have a lot of balls coming here.

As much as I want to approach them, I back off and get in my truck. Hightailing it out of there, I need to get back to the clubhouse ASAP and let Stone know what I saw. Sasha will always be my top priority, and Stone and I still have a lot to discuss where she’s concerned, but that will have to wait. This isn’t something we can ignore.

* * *

When I arriveat the clubhouse, I park my truck and seek out Stone. Our large garage is empty, including his office in the back corner. Walking into the house, I see Bon-Bon making food in the kitchen. Before I have a chance to ask her where Stone is, I see him exiting the infirmary.

“We’ve got a problem,” I say loudly across the large space. Bon-Bon stops what she’s doing and turns her attention to me. “I was just in town and saw two members of Death’s Road entering Ellie’s Diner.”

“What were they doing there?” Stone asks, appearing only slightly concerned.

It pisses me off more than it normally would. It’s more than just the fact that they’re on our turf. Now, it’s personal.

“I don’t know, but that’s where Sasha works. It’s lucky she’s not working right now, or else I would have been in there right after them. There’s no reason for them to be in there. I think we need to treat this as a threat.”

Shit.

I just remembered Sasha planned to go there today to talk to Ellie. I need to get back there soon to make sure they’re gone before she goes inside.

“Let’s not jump to conclusions. There could be any number of reasons they were there.”

“No. There’s not. And you know it,” I pierce him with a stare. “They’ve been coming after us for years, ever since—”

“Let itgo, Blade. I’m warning you.”

“I can’t let it go anymore. Not when it comes to her.”

Stone pierces me with a dangerous warning before continuing in the direction he was headed before I stopped him. It takes everything I have to keep myself from going after him.

Fucking Stone.

When my eyes lock on the door to the infirmary, I decide to get a second opinion. I shouldn’t bother Iron with this, but I need someone to talk to. It’s not something I feel comfortable bringing up to any of my other brothers yet. They’re also of the mindset that what’s done is done, and we should leave it at that.

I enter the infirmary, ready to dismiss Hawk. Thankfully, he’s not here right now.

“I’m getting all sorts of visitors today. I hope you all aren’t on a rotating schedule. I don’t need babysitters in here looking after me,” Iron says from a chair in the corner.

“Hey, are you supposed to be out of bed, old man?” I joke.

“Yes. Hawk wants me up and moving a little each day, fuck you very much,” he throws back at me. “I was just headed back to bed, though. My old ass is tired.”

He tries standing, struggling to get up. Prepared to assist, I walk to him and hold my arm out.

“I’ve got it, I’ve got it,” he insists.

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