Page 37 of Saving Blood

We enter the office, and Smoke slams the door behind me, then silently rounds his desk. I’m flipping back and forth between pissed off about his attitude and curious about what the hell this is about.

I take the chair facing his desk, and he leans his elbows on the worn wooden desktop. “You know what day it is?”

Is this a trick question? “Monday.”

“Right, and what else?”

Okay, so now I’m more pissed off than curious. If the fucker has something to say, just spit it out.

“I don’t know. The gym is closed, and it’s usually my day off, so what the fuck is the problem?”

“Anything else happen on Mondays?” Smoke challenges.

“The Tropics doesn’t open till five and—Ohhh fuck.”

“And every Monday before we open, we have our weekly church meeting.” Smoke slams his hand down on the desk. “A meeting you missed.”

I rub the back of my neck. “Shit.”

“Where the fuck were you that was more important than your club?”

Just maybe I could spin this and save myself from an ass kicking. “I went to see Maxine. You know, trying to get some dirt on Hector.”

“And that made you forget your responsibilities?”

“I wanted to make sure I won her confidence over. Make her trust me so she’d spill some info.”

Rolling around in bed with her for hours wasn’t bad either.

“And did she?” Smoke cocks his head like he already knows the answer.

“No, but I can tell I’m getting close.”

Yeah right, the woman is like a steel trap. The only thing I got close to was tasting her sweet pussy and wanting to fuck her again.

“I see.”

Smoke’s low rumble amps me up. I expected yelling, cursing me out and maybe even a punch in the face, not this scary cool composure.

“Here’s what I think.” Smoke leans back in his chair. “I think you went over to Maxine’s, and after some back and forth, you threw her over your shoulder, headed for the bedroom and tore up the sheets for the better part of the day and night.”

Accurate description.

“I also think, instead of using her in a way that would help the Bastards, you took a little breather and geared up for round two. Then, by the time you were done fuckin’ and suckin’, you didn’t know your own goddamn name, no less be able to get intel outta her for the club.”

Shit, it was like Smoke was watching through a peephole.

“You got anything to add?”

I focus on the wood floor of the office. “No.”

“And would you say my version is accurate?”

I draw in a deep breath and nod. “You’re right about the fuckin’ part, but it was good for her too, which means I’ll be back there again. She’s too savvy to give anything up right away, but, guaranteed, I’ll get to her and break her down.”

“Ohhh, I see, so you fucking her is the answer to our problems with Rodriquez.”

“It just might be.” I shrug. “I’ve never had trouble getting what I want from a woman.”

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