Page 28 of Indecent Lies

While Texas was stuck in place.

He got the first idea how things were in his old life not two hours later when he took a walk with Penelope, dressed in her borrowed clothes, down to main street.

The winter sun didn’t bring any warmth and he heard her teeth chattering at his side. Frowning, he looked down and yep, she was almost fucking blue. He’d already given her one of his hoodies and she wore a pair of his thick socks.

Instantly he shrugged out of the jacket and held it out for her to slide her arms in.

“But you’ll be cold.”

“Arms, Poppy.”

He stood there in the middle of the sidewalk and zipped it right to her chin, before he reached back and untucked the swath of hair caught in the collar.

“Probably good you came running to me, you’d perish by yourself. Who runs away and doesn’t pack a bag? A coat even.”

She huffed and glared up at him, her eyes coming to life again. Fuck, he could get addicted to that … if he cared to rile her up, which he did not.

“Did you not hear the story? It was a spur of the moment decision, Tait Hunt. I did not stop to pack a bag or even my tampons.”

Jesus. “I am not getting your red rags, little girl, you’re on your own for those.”

It was while she was giggling and his arm touching her shoulder that he saw them.

Across the street looking his way, probably Poppy’s laugh brought their gazes to them.

His whole middle section of his body started to churn meeting the eyes of his former president and friend.

Rider was holding Zara’s hand, looked like they’d just come from the doctor’s office.

Fuck.Fuck. He felt sick.

There was no doubting how Rider let him off easily.

Anyone else in Texas’ position of being a snitch, disloyal to the club would have had his club tattoo sanded off first and then thrown into a shallow grave somewhere up the mountains. If he were unlucky, then that guy would be tossed to the wild pigs kept in a pen far up the mountainside, those things ate everything from bone to hair.

But they’d let Texas walk out of the club, leaving his patch behind.

That went a long way to show what kind of a man and president Rider Marinos was.

It was Zara who waved and made for Texas to stay right there because they were headed across the street.

Texas inhaled hard and dropped his arm from Poppy’s shoulder, she looked sideways at him and he said, “Just a second. It’s my old boss. And his wife.”

“Hey, Rider.” He spoke first, nodding his head at them both. “Zara, you’re looking well.”

“Tex.” Rider replied.

“It’s so good to see you, Texas. It’s been too long, how’ve you been?” He could have cut the tension with a cake knife. It was obviously Zara’s idea to drag her man across the street, not Rider’s.

“I’m good. How’s the kids?”

He wanted to ask how the brothers were but bit his tongue to stop the words.

He wanted to ask Rider how everything was with the Russians and his old man and uncle. It had all been brewing to a head when he was kicked out.

“Too much like their father,” Zara grinned and nudged the man himself.

Then she turned eyes on Poppy. “Hi, I’m Zara.”

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