Page 60 of Desert Heat

I was a fool for thinking the Princess of my rival MC would choose to belong to me.

“She took my phone. Brandi was hurting bad… all fucked up from the ordeal. She let me hold her but tears streamed from her eyes if I touched her… ya know? So this morning when her big, sad eyes looked at me and she asked finally of they could have their coffees and scones I thought… doesn’t she know I’d do anything for her? We killed for them… she had taken my burner last night without me suspecting and used it call for help.”

“Cops?”

“Worse, Devil’s Glen. Hacker just called. He traced the number to Dean Smith himself. You wanna call?”

“Savvy must know him. Fuck. She ran to him? Too afraid to hash this out with me… the fuck!!!!”

“Where ya’ been anyway? I’ve been lighting up your cell.”

“I needed time to think. Savvy and I were a bomb about to detonate. We needed to cool off and I had to handle shit with . We made a fucking mess burning up that car but damned if I regret it. I also used the intel you got from Savvy to ask hacker and Attitash MC to get extra eyes on the area. He failed. She’s his target.”

“Or you. He could’ve been using her to get to you.”

“I’ve been so stupid, wrapped up in pretending to be someone else. I lost focus that I was the target of his own game. The damn thing is Tank?I liked being Hunter Northport. Just a normal guy, living a normal life. Not tis fucked up shit we signed up for.”

Tank exhales heavily head bowed as he spoke, “Brandi’s the first woman I’ve ever loved. Back home, I had every Club girl on me… wanting to be with me because of my status with the MC. None of them really wanted me. You know? Brandi’s the first girl I wanted really wanted to be in a relationship with and when she found out who I really am, the girl gone and took off. I guess I’m not worthy of love from anyone other than a Club skank. The kind that fuck all of us not the quality wife types that some of our brothers have. I won’t lie?it fucking hurts.”

I place a hand on his shoulder as he exhaled.

“…I never thought I could hurt this bad. This love shit really sucks. My fucking heart hurts like someone shoved a fist right through it. I was real with her… I did shit I never wanted to do for another woman, River. Cook pancakes from scratch? Run out to get her a six dollar coffee drink before she showers? Hell, I even did her laundry last month when she was studying for exams. I’ve become domesticated as shit. Not for an act but because I just wanted to take care of the girl. All that shit was real. The real me?and she just tricked me into escaping instead of being real with me and talking shit out.”

What could I say? There were no words I could offer when I also felt fucked up with my own heartache.

Tank’s burner broke the heavy silence. “It’s Hacker.”

I took the phone form his hand. “It’s River.”

“Prez… I got a location. I texted the number from a burner. The girls are ‘safe’. The Devil’s Glen are aligned with The Outlaws. Savannah called in the Prez herself to fetch her. He says they are both under the protection of his Club and not to intervene.”

“Like hell, I won’t.” I growled. “Send me the GPS location of their Clubhouse.”

“That’s not a good idea. It’s just you and Tank against a full MC?”

“I’ll handle it. Any leads on Linc? Savvy told Tank he’s the one who murdered Danny after he went Rogue.”

“The Outlaws are looking for him too. Shit s going bad over there with Savannah’s dad being missing and Linc on the lam. There’s a power vacuum. They might go to Church and vote in a new Prez since they can’t find theirs.”

“Fuck,” my free hand grabbed the back of my own neck. “This is bad. Stay alert; no more day drinking. Shut down the Clubhouse for anyone other than members. No more girls, either, I don’t need them in the way of gunfire. Fortify the perimeter and send word tot arak to get Mouse and his little ones to the safe house. Regan too, but doubt she’ll go. Keep Edge in the loop.” I disconnected the call. “You coming?”

“No, brother. I just can’t. I’m sorry. I ain’t gonna go chase a woman who left on her own. She made the choice not me.”

I sighed. “Savvy she grew up in Club life. Brandi is a babe in the woods. Literally. She’s soft and smells like candy and marshmallows all the time. Maybe she isn’t meant to be a ride and die kinda girl, Tank. She freaked the fuck out. She could become a liability…,”

“What are you sayin’? He growled rounding on me.

“Relax,” I held my palms up. “As your President and best friend I swear to you, your girl is safe. I trust she won’t talk and if she does go to the law someday we can say she’s crazy because you broke up and deny the whole thing. The bodies are gone anyway. You have to walk away now. We have to go back to New Mexico. There’s no point staying at Bradbury now. The plan has gone to shit. Go back to campus, clear our shit out. I’ll see you in Santa Fe… unless you change your mind?”

He look utterly defeated as he stared up into the grey, icy sky. “Nah, I’m good brother. I’ll see you at home. Watch your back. I don’t like leaving ya’ alone.”

“It’s an order. I fear nothing. Nothing but never holding her again,” I finished on a whisper as he turned to go. “Oh and Tank?”

“Yeah?”

“If something does happen to me… you are next in line.”

“Fuck,” he muttered as he trudged through the snow back to the house. “What do we do with the Pledge?”

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