Page 61 of Devil's Marker

“It’s a plan.”

“Who’s calling Boss?” Catcher shrugged. “You want him to know R.C. was here?”

That was the sixty-four million dollar question. “I’m not gonna tell him. Roar and the other guys don’t know she’s here. If you don’t tell him…”

Catcher got that rare look of seriousness on his face. The one that revealed a potential stone-cold killer might be lurking somewhere inside. “That how you want to play it?”

That question brought Win up short. He’d planned to sneak into the Marauders Hill County Chapter, learn what he could to pay off the SSMC debt, and go. One week maybe. One month tops. He hadn’t considered the extremely unlikely chance that he might fall in love with the prez’s daughter. Or make a friend who’d be willing to jeopardize his standing in the club on his behalf.

“No. I don’t want her to take flack, but it’s not worth puttin’ you in that position. Yeah. I’ll tell him when I get back. From what I’ve seen, she can hold her own with Boss better than you and me put together.”

Catcher laughed, good humor firmly back in place. “If you’re sure. I’d give you that though. Heard what Boss said about you speakin’ for me.”

“Whoa. Hold on. Don’t make too much of that. Boss had already decided to patch you in before I said a word.”

“Yeah?” Catcher said. “Still, none of those other fuckers… you know, the ones who’ve been givin’ me shit for two years? None of them spoke up on my behalf.”

Win wasn’t sure what to say. “Well. Then they’re even dumber than I thought.”

Win put some bills on the bar that made Shawn’s eyes go wide. “Sweeeeeeet,” he said. “Hope ta see ya next week.”

Win smiled. “We’ll see. Maybe.”

He took R.C.’s elbow and walked with her to the door. “You valet park?”

“I didn’t park at all. We were in Robin’s car. I told her I’d Uber home.”

“All right then. You got yourself a ride.”

As they started walking she said, “Are you gonna tell me what’s goin’ on?”

“I shouldn’t. And I could get skinned alive for it ‘cause you gotta know families don’t share in club business. And there’s a reason for that. Buncha reasons actually. But through no fault of your own, so far as I can see, you’re caught up in this now. Maybe if your father knew you were gonna be spendin’ so much time here, he’d have told you. I don’t know.”

He waited to see if she would volunteer why she was in town. Again. She didn’t.

“You’re not gonna tell me why you were back here this weekend?”

She raised her chin. “Is that your business?”

He stopped on the sidewalk, turned toward her, crossed his arms over his chest and made it clear he was waiting for an answer. “Before the hour is over, I’m gonna walk into the clubhouse and tell your daddy three things he’s not gonna be happy about hearin’. You’re in town and didn’t let him know. You unwittingly put yourself in the middle of this cluster. Again, because he didn’t know. And because of the first two things, I’m tellin’ you more than he would want you to know. Which very well might mean my face bein’ mauled again before it’s even completely healed.”

She looked up at him with big green liquid eyes that shone in the combination street and neon lights. “Your face looks, um, good. I didn’t know you’re actually, you know…”

“No. I don’t’ know. Actually what?”

“Hot.”

His lips twitched. “If you think that will get you outta tellin’ me what you are doin’ here, you’re dead wrong, beautiful. Now, when this crisis is over, you and I are gonna have a talk about you bein’ out trollin’ bars. But right now I’m waitin’ for an answer about you being seen in Waco when you’re supposed to be in Austin.”

“I was just dancing!”

“R.C.” He said her name as two distinct initials, which she took to mean that he was more serious than usual. Much more.

“All right. All right. Keep your jockeys on.” She sounded exasperated, but then she added. “This is a good look on you. You could almost pass for somebody who…” She didn’t finish that sentence. “Nice boots.”

“Thanks. Do I need to start counting?” When there was no response, he said, “One.”

She looked down at the sidewalk like there was something fascinating there. “I worked all week. Woke up. It was Saturday morning and there was no place else I’d rather be.”

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