Page 8 of Hardy

“Who’s that?”sheasked.

“It’s Fighter.I’m going to headout.”He kissed her forehead.“Take care, Rose.I’ll be back tokeep an eye on you.”

“You don’t have to go,Hardy.”

“I do.I have to go right now.”He smiled at her.“Don’t worry.I’ll be back.We’re still gettingthrough a divorce, and I’m not going to try and push my luck.”Thelast thing he wanted to do was leave, but he wasn’t going to risklosing her by becoming overbearing.He’d fucked up so many times,and he wouldn’t risk messing up again.

Fighter knocked at the door, and Hardywent to open it.

“I’m here because shewanted me here,” he said, holding his hands up insurrender.

“I know.Congratulations,man.Tiny let us know that you were expecting.”

“Take care of her.”Heshook Fighter’s hand then made his way out to his car.Climbinginside, he watched Fighter close the door.

It should be you inthere.

Hardy hated the fact another man wastaking care of his woman, but there wasn’t anything he could do tochange what happened.The only thing he could do was make sure itwas him that Rose wanted at the end of the day.

Driving back toward the clubhouse heparked the car, and found Lash standing outside, alone, andsmoking.

“I didn’t know you smoked,”Hardy said.

In the last couple of weeks, Lash had beenvoted in as the club president after Tiny handed over the gavel tohim.Lash was the best choice out of all of the men, even though hewas younger than Hardy.Hardy wouldn’t ever want to have control ofthe club.He couldn’t even control his life right now, and the lastthing he needed was the club looking toward him.

“I didn’t untilnow.”

“Angel know yousmoke?”

“Yes, she doesn’t like it.Won’tlet me kiss her after I’ve had one.”Lash dropped the cigarette onthe floor and stomped on it to put it out.

Hardy chuckled as Lash pulled out somegum, sticking three pieces into his mouth.Next came the bodyspray.“Why bother smoking if you’ve got a little routine likethat?”

“It eases thetension.”

“Yeah, how did the meet-and-greetgo with the other MC presidents?”Hardy asked.He’d not gone alongfor the ride with Lash.Instead, Lash, Tiny, Killer, and Nash hadall taken the trip.With Lash now the president of The Skulls,Killer had become the enforcer, the club protector.The man waslike a fucking giant, and Hardy wouldn’t willingly go up againstKiller in a fight.Anyone who did was insane.Hardy had seen howhe’d thrown Zero and Butch around like rag dolls.Speaking ofButch, Hardy had not seen or heard from the brother since he’d beensent to Vegas.

“It was fine.There wasn’t anyreal conflict, and Tiny was there.”Lash rubbed at his temples.“I findit hard, you know?Tiny was the best damn thing that ever happenedto the whole of Fort Wills, and now he has handed it over to me.Idon’t know what to do about that.”

Fort Wills wasn’t always a good, clean,happy town.For the longest time it had been overrun by anotherclub, The Darkness.They terrorized the locals, killed and rapedmen and women, without a care for the destruction they werecausing.This was the place where Devil, the president of the ChaosBleeds crew, once lived.Tiny, along with Alex, and several othermen, had fought their way to claim back the town.

The Skulls had its good and bad days,but for the most part, it was all good.

“You’re going to do good,Lash,” Hardy said, slapping him on the back.“You’re not alone.You’ve got the whole club at your back, supporting you.”

“Really?Tiny didn’t exactlyallow for a vote.How do I know you’re not looking for a reason tooff me?”

Hardy laughed.“I’ve got too manyproblems of my own.I’m not going to kill you, and no brother hasany plans to kill you.You’re the best candidate for the club.There’s no one who’ll give a shit as much as you.”

“I heard about Rose.Congratulations.”

“Yeah, I know.I’m shittingmy fucking pants right now.”

Lash burst out laughing.“Why?”

“I’ve got a kid on the way.Do Ineed any other reason?”Hardy rested against the side of theclubhouse.“I don’t know.Everything right now is so totally fuckedbetween Rose and me.I mean, how the fuck are we supposed to raisea kid?I signed the bastard divorce papers, and for all I knowthey’ve gone through.We’re expecting a kid, and I don’t have aclue how to win her back.”Running fingers through his hair, Hardyhad never felt so fucking hopeless in all of his life.“This has tobe the most fucked up moment of my life.”

“Having a kid will help,Hardy.”

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