Page 146 of Dirty Salvation

Rider’s smile was wicked. Zara wasn’t to know he would have done it eventually for free, but he never said no to getting head.

Around the front main entrance, he sent Zara for her jacket and purse. His gaze reached across to see who was about. A few of his boys and his VP. He was tagging someone else in for that torture and taking the blowjob rewards. Perks of a president.

The man he trusted the most was Hawk. But not with his woman.

"Yo, Capone. Take my girl to the grocery store, that engine for Johnny will wait, it's fucked anyway."

"Gotcha, Prez, I could do with a break. I’ll wait at my ride for Zara. " Yelled back Capone as he downed tools and slid his overalls off leaving them piled on the shop floor. Dressed in simple dark jeans, patched whiter around the thighs and knees, his boots were thick and his t-shirt black clung to his wide chest, he pulled on his cut as he strode across the forecourt. Capone was a good man, perfect for keeping Zara safe. Rider knew Capone valued family whether blood or chosen, above anything else, what with the baggage he carried from his own past, he’d be a second skin for Rider’s woman the entire time.

Rider was busy kissing Zara a minute later, both hands cupped to her face, his voice low just for her ears. "You'll be fine with Capone, baby, get all your sugar crap for the movie, he won't let anything happen to you. Maybe look at the cars in the lot over the street from the store, see which one you wanna get, we'll take a drive there this week."

She nodded with a small unsure smile but otherwise didn't reply. He kissed her forehead, skimming lips down her jaw. As much as he wanted to keep her in her own bubble Rider knew this would be better for her to regain some of her independence and lessen the dependency on him, though fuck, he loved that a lot, he loved her wanting him, needing him, relying on him, with anything though it would wear thin over time, she'd come to resent that she needed him that way because she was afraid. One more kiss and he set her free, he didn't need to tell Capone he was to guard her like he was bone deep in love with her as well, Rider's upturned chin said it all and his man nodded. Rider watched her step over to Capone's Black Jeep, ever the gentleman, Capone jumped out and held the door open for Zara.

She glanced over to Rider, whittling teeth on her lower lip, he smiled and nodded his reassurance, though even he was jittery as fuck to let her leave the safety of his compound without him.

Once they were out of sight, only dust left on the road, he turned and walked back inside. He needed to reach out to some of the neighboring clubs, they all hated Hades as much as he did, having grudges a mile long with that guy. He’d talk to Jamie Steele from the Apollo Kings first.The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

******

TheShop N Goon South Logan Street was playing Christmas music in the background even though Thanksgiving wasn’t here yet, she liked their commitment to the holidays, truth be told she was thrilled to hear a Christmas song, a nice addition to the nerves running rampant through Zara's body. The twenty-minute journey to the store had gone relatively sedate. Capone played classic rock music, he liked to whistle along, and he kept up a steady stream of conversation that he didn't seem to mind when she barely gave any reply to. She'd watched the road grow further and further away from the clubhouse, fighting her own instincts to ask him to turn around, to take her back. This unnerved woman wasn't her, or it hadn’t used to be, she might have had a boring social life by anyone's standards, but she'd never been afraid to walk into a grocery store, for god sake.

Instead of wimping out, to lie and say she didn't need anything after all just so she could return quickly to the safety of Rider, her personal crutch, she rounded her shoulders and slid out of Capone's jeep, he waited at the hood for her and they walked into together. His eyes scanning left and right.

If Hades was still in the state, he could just go fuck himself. She was done being afraid of that monstrosity of a human being.

Capone grabbed a wire basket for her as she scanned the aisles deciding where she wanted to go first. It wasn't a very large store, nothing like Target, she preferred the personable feel of a mom and pop place, the fresh foods set around the edges and all the junk (aka the best part) in the middle. It was the junk she headed for, an apple a day didn't keep away what she had, so she went for the chocolate instead.

"I hate this Christmas music crap. It's November for fuck's sake."

The basket hooked over Zara's arm was half full already, she turned a surprised look on Capone. For more than fifteen minutes he'd walked silently at her side, not saying a word when she deliberated over whole nut chocolate or plain dark but the sound of Frosty the Snowman got him talking?

"You're not a fan of Christmas?"

"Not really. And not when I can still wear sunnies outside. Commercialism fucks with the seasons too early if you ask me." His shades were hooked into the collar of his shirt. Something on his tight face had her wondering if it was more than that, but she didn't question it. She liked Christmas, or she had once upon a time.

"You about done, Z-girl?" His voice pulled her from her thoughts, he kicked a glance from her to her basket. Zara was nibbling on her lip holding two candy bags in each hand, One of milk duds, the other 3 Musketeers bites.

"I wanted to take Rider something back, but. I'm unsure which he'd like. Do you know?"

Capone grinned at her, rubbed a hand over his short clipped dark hair, his Latino eyes even darker on the chocolate scale making them appear near black, he stepped closer to inspect both. His head came down, studying silently. He smelled of motor oil and rich sandalwood shampoo. "Can't say I've noticed Prez chowing down on candy. But you already bought the store, what's two more, right? take them both."

She smiled liking that logic so she took both.

Capone carried the brown paper sack in his arms, and as he opened the car door for her he paused. "Can I say something to you,niñita?" he deposited the bag to the back seat.

Curious, it sounded serious, Zara nodded.

"I see you and Prez together. I think you're good for him, ya know?"

"Oh. Well. Thanks "

She was startled into a loss of words, a full-scale flush creeping onto her face because it was evident now all Rider’s boys had seen her display stamping her claim all over their president and after the fact she was still a little mortified she’d had the guts to do it. To have his blessing meant a great deal to her. More than she’d realized. She wanted Rider’s friends and family to like her, it wasimportant, these were his people, she was around them as much as he was, how fucking awful if they hated her (Hawk not included)

"Niñita. I got eyes in my head. It’s none of my business what you and the boss have between you. I just like seeing him happy."

Capone flashed her a grin. Before his face dropped and he glanced away and added.

"Listen. You have been through some bad shit, and that is not my business either to know, but understand when I say you're good for Rider. We all see it and think it'sbeuno. He's a good man, probably the best man I know, he took me in when I lost my family." Zara watched as his face tightened, almost as if he was shutting those thoughts down. Before he continued. "He didn't question it, just signed my transfer papers from out West and took me in and I became one of his. There's nothing I wouldn't do for Prez,niñita. You can trust him; I don’t know a more decent man. The boss carries the whole world on his shoulders. This is good, you’re good for him."

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