Page 107 of Clint & Ivy

CLINT

The drive to Rawlinsleft me half frozen despite my hoodie sweatshirt, club vest, and leather jacket. I even wore a helmet to protect myself from the drizzle. In the past, this cold weather wouldn’t faze me. Of course, back then, I wasn’t leaving behind a sexy blonde.

With dawn a few hours away, I struggled to remain mentally sharp. The dark roads and roar of the motorcycles were notorious for making minds wander.

To remain alert, I imagined my life in a year. I wanted to believe the Void was a nonfactor. They had the entire world to destroy. Why bring their trouble to Arkansas?

If I shoved aside my worries about the Void, my future was clearer. Ivy and I would be married by next year. We’d still live in the condo. She’d know how to drive. A kid might be in the works. My chest unclenched when I imagined Ivy viewing Little Memphis as her home rather than just mine.

But where would the club stand by then? That question kept coming back to me. A month ago, I thought my biggest issue was keeping Tricky from growing his club to an unsustainable size. My meeting with Zodiac left me seeing threats everywhere.

Eventually, I guided my people past the police barriers. We parked as a group on the side of the road behind a fire truck. Up ahead, the drug house still smoldered. Pieces of the building were spread out across the road and nearby fields.

A meth house blowing up wasn’t startling news, but Oz claimed gunshots were heard and security footage showed an attack. Four people were dead. I didn’t know the men, but their deaths might be a message to the club.

Climbing off my motorcycle, I couldn’t stop shivering. The ride had dug past my clothes and gotten into my joints. My mind flashed to my warm bed with Ivy cuddled against me. Nothing could compare to that comfort.

When Rock noticed me trying to warm up, he muttered, “People are looking. Pull yourself together.”

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t hear you over your chattering teeth.”

Rock smirked at my comment and then glanced back at our people climbing off their motorcycles. The cops stood nearby, drinking coffee and ignoring us.

Rock inherited his six-foot-five height and wide shoulders from his dad. Oz Savo currently stood outside a black SUV parked nearby. His dark, wavy hair was hidden under a knit cap. He shivered despite his heavy jacket.

Hiding from the cold inside the SUV was Rock’s mom, Ginger Jones. I only saw her face and a bit of her blonde hair since she was so bundled up.

As Rock walked over to his parents, I scanned the rural road. Former croplands spread out in every direction. A few homes were visible in the distance.

I considered whether anyone could be hiding nearby, watching our reaction to the attack. An ambush situation wasn’t impossible.

I imagined my people in an assassin’s rifle scope. The hardest part of my job was knowing my friends and family were at risk. That was the life we chose. Most days, everything went so smoothly that I didn’t need to face how I could lose someone close to me.

Today wasn’t most days, and the burden sat heavy on my shoulders. I checked my phone to find Stevie had sent a picture of Ivy sleeping in Vanessa’s bed. I didn’t dare smile when I wasn’t sure who was watching. Yet, knowing Ivy was safe centered me. Just in time, too.

I heard the motorcycles before I saw them. Soon, Tricky, Jagger, and half a dozen of their boys rode past the police barriers.

“Were they following us?” I asked Rock.

My VP glanced at his dad. “Did you call Joker?”

“Sure.”

“Why?” I asked, forgetting to hide my irritation.

“To soothe my frightened heart,” Oz sneered at me before shrugging and smiling at Rock. “Out of habit, mostly.”

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