Page 64 of Whiskey Shivers

“Hex and a few of the boys ended up in jail,” La Croix called back simply.

“What?” I cried.

“I’m starving, can we talk over somethin’ to eat?” Hex asked, taking me into his arms as soon as his boots hit the barge deck.

I held myself to him and looked up. I didn’t bother to disguise the worry in my eyes. He leaned down and kissed me and it was wonderful. I melted, and I couldn’t help myself. Hex had become my haven and I felt so many things it could get confusing sometimes.

“Come inside,” I murmured and so we went in.

Alina and I had decided on easy for dinner and had a family sized lasagna in the oven and were in the midst of preparing a salad to go with it when the boys had come home. They took seats at the dining table. Alina pulled a couple beers from the fridge and popped the top, handing me one for Hex. I brought it to him and he took a drink, pulling me into his lap.

“So, what happened?” I asked.

“Cypress had a run-in out in the swamps with some poachers. A few of us went on up to Swamp Daddy’s for a drink and the poachers were there. A fight broke out over it, and we all ended up in the clink for the weekend,” he said and I bit my bottom lip.

“You can go on and say the rest,” La Croix said.

Hex raised an eyebrow, and Alina and I traded a look.

“What’s the rest?” Alina asked.

“The poachers belong to an MC outside the city, the Bayou Brethren. They’re harmless for the most part, but they been takin’ up more and more of their leisure time inside the city limits. Just keep a watchful eye out for now. We don’t think there’ll be more problems but could be a little bit of a turf spat in our future.”

“How bad is this?” I asked Hex, searching his face. He smiled up at me, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes when he said, “It’s fine. We’ve encountered this type of shit before. I’m sure we will again, but we’ll get through it.”

I nodded slowly and murmured, “Thank you for telling us. I know this falls under the purview of ‘club business’ and that it could be bad for you for saying.”

La Croix lowered his beer and shook his head. “We took it to a vote to disclose. We don’t trust these fools to have any honor among thieves so to speak. They’ve already proven they don’t by poaching lines. We don’t think they’re a threat, but you girls can’t watch for a danger you know nothing about. The club decided better safe than sorry.”

I took my time to process the information and finally nodded and said, “But you think it will be okay?”

“I know things’ll be alright,” Hex said, and he turned his mouth up for a kiss, one that I gave him gratefully.

“I’m so sorry your weekend was ruined,” I murmured, and he smiled.

“Can’t win ‘em all, and besides – jail wasn’t all that bad. I got to share a cell with Axe. It was like bein’ back at summer camp when I was a kid.”

Alina snorted and I had to laugh too. “Now Iknowyou’re telling tall tales.”

We had dinner, and I could tell that Hex was tired. Even though I just wanted to go home with him, when he quietly asked me, as we lounged together on the couch, if we could crash here and head back in the morning tomorrow morning? I couldn’t say no. I was just happy to be with him.

I told him about all the emails which I had spent the weekend combing through and responding to, and he told me a little bit about what jail had been like, saying it was mostly boring more than anything.

“Do-do you think it will make you lose your job?” I asked and he chuckled.

“I’m not worried about it,” he said. “I don’t think they’ll shitcan me for the arrest, but a conviction? Yeah, I’d lose it for sure, then. But I’m not going to get convicted. I doubt it will even see the inside of a courtroom.”

“How come?” I asked.

“Cops played dirty. Took us in but didn’t arrest a single one of the poachers from the other club. Security footage is gonna show they threw the first punch, and we were just defending ourselves.”

I reached up and touched the bruise at his cheekbone that climbed around the outside of his eye, but somehow didn’t give him a whole shiner.

“It’ll get thrown out,” La Croix said with a yawn. Alina shifted on his chest slightly and snuggled in.

I smiled, happy for them, and for myself.

“I hope it does,” I murmured. “School wouldn’t be the same without you either,” I said to Hex. I was referencing some of the things the students had said about me in their emails, begging me to come back soon. Some were lamenting how boring the substitute was, and that had made me smile.

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