Page 25 of Between Brothers

Actually, what it’d led to was one of the deepest, most perfect moments of sharing I’d ever experienced. It’d led to us laying in her bed, the blankets up around us, getting warm again and being close; talking into the night. It’d led to her fingertips tracing over my skin in these light, torturous touches. Picking out the scar along my ribs that I’d earned in a fight with a couple of the Suicide Kings, this rival club that’d caused trouble for this chapter and one of the reasons Cell and I had relocated here.

It’d needed stitches, and Cell had done a pretty decent job of ‘em. We’d taken care of ourselves back then. Still new to this chapter, our old chapter gone to hell and gone. Wiped out by their own greed and dirty dealings. Crossing the mob was a bad idea, but they’d done it, hell, we’d done it. It was why we we’d barely survived being on the inside. Our colors having made us a target.

There was no such thing as a small crime family, we’d all learned the hard way that small meant doubly or triply as ruthless. We’d been the lucky ones locked up. By the time we got out, the rest of our chapter and the next furthest one north had been wiped out. Facing that reality it was clear that we sure as fuck couldn’t stick around the area.

We’d reached out to the next nearest chapter and had been told the call had gone out for aide from the mother chapter, that they needed guys. So, we’d gotten our bikes out of storage, got them back up and running, and had ridden out here. Right into the middle of another kind of war… but one we had a distinct advantage in. The Suicide Kings hadn’t required near the level of skill surviving the mob, had.

I still couldn’t be sure we were totally free and clear on that front, but these guys out here… they had it on lock. We’d left the Bianchi family’s territory; had effectively disappeared, and hadn’t looked back. I think it had been enough. We hadn’t heard or had to deal with anything since, and honestly, didn’t want to have anything to do with it either. Enough time had passed to make us feel secure. That was part of what had taken so long for me to make a move with Hayley.

“So you mean to tell me after all of that you barely edged down the line towards second base? Jesus fucking Christ, you didn’t give me shit to work with did you?” he complained.

“Sorry, but getting your dick wet on the first date doesn’t exactly scream longevity to a woman.”

“Yeah, fuck you and your logic,” he said grumpily.

“So, you decided where you’re going to take her, or what you’re going to do for your date?”

“I have some ideas,” he said honestly.

“Like what?”

“That’s for me to know and you to find out you closed mouthed bastard.” He grinned. “Two can play at this game.”

I smiled and shook my head, “She’s the one, Cell. I know it.”

“Yeah, yeah, we’ll see.”

I wasn’t a praying man, but I sent one up right then that Cell wouldn’t blow this for us. I guess in the long run it was up to Hayley not to blow it with Cell but there was no way to tell her. I sighed and settled back, focusing on the TV screen.

“Just don’t fuck this up, please?”

I didn’t make it a habit of asking Cell of anything, so I think I got his attention. He searched my profile even though I kept my eyes riveted to the TV screen. His went cold and his jaw clenched, like mine was.

“I fuck this up and you’re gonna make my life hell, ain’t yah?”

I turned and looked him in the eye and nodded once. He sighed and shook his head and that was the end of the conversation. We both turned our attention back to the TV and dropped the subject for now.

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