Page 83 of Ridin' Free
Before my brain could fully processes the gravity of this moment—for me, for him, for the Stallions—Slick, Twister, and Shep were on their feet. From where I stood, I couldn’t see around them, but I didn’t need to see tofeelthe change in the atmosphere of the room. It didn’t take long for me to realize I wasn’t the only one surprised to see him.
“Better watch that tone, son,” warned the old Stallion.
Six years.
I thought I had at least one more.
I thought I had time to prepare.
But nothing could prepare me for this.
“I sure as hell am not your son, but I do own this bar. And unless you’ve made your peace, I’m not servin’ you shit.”
“He’s right,” drawled Twister, taking a step toward Scorpion. “It’s been a long time. You been to see Bull?”
“What the fuck do I need to see him for?” he scoffed in reply.
“He’s your leader and you know it.”
“Boy—you think you’re somethin’ with that VP patch on your kutte? Think again. I’ll be damned before I take a knee to that fuckin’ coward usurper.”
Everything in me warned that I should step back—I should sneak away before he laid eyes on me; but just as much as I wanted to run, I was afraid to move—afraid of drawing attention to myself.
“If you wanna call yourself a Stallion, you’ll pay your respects and fall in line. Look around,” challenged Twister.
I couldn’t say whether or not Scorpion obeyed, but I did, and my heart swelled with a hope I knew I had no right to entertain. Every Stallion in the place was on his feet. Bull wasn’t in the bar—but they were silently pledging their allegiance to their president. Not a single one took Scorpion’s back.
“Don’t act like you don’t know the code of the brotherhood or how you broke Stallion law, puttin’ yourself above all others. Bull did you akindnessby lettin’ you live. He showed you mercy lettin’ you keep your ink. I don’t give a fuck who you were—you’re not my prez now. You want to walk among us, you make your fuckin’ peace.”
The scene playing out before me made everything come to a stop. Even the band on stage had gone quiet, causing an eerie silence to settle as everyone waited for Scorpion’s response.
“Six years behind bars must have taught you somethin’,” piped in Shep. “You wanna come home, do it right.”
I still couldn’t see him around Twister—but I heard it as he stormed out the door. Twister took one look at Slick, and his brother nodded before he followed after Scorpion—Shep not far behind. Twister then turned and locked eyes with Mustang.
“If Bull’s not up the hill, I’ll have him on his hog in the next thirty seconds. Do what you gotta do.”
“Right behind you,” Mustang assured him. “I’ll get Wrangler here, too.”
Twister dipped his chin in a nod, then turned to address me.
Gone was the playful glint in his brown eyes as he raised an eyebrow and said, “Duty calls. I’ll be back if I can be. If I can’t—soon as you’re done here, I’ll meet you at mine. Understood?”
I nodded, somehow relieved to have been given instruction.
Scorpion was gone. For now, at least. He hadn’t seen me, which meant my secrets were still my own. Though, I couldn’t say how long I could hold onto this version of my reality.
The Stallions filing out of the bar made it clear to the former club president that his freedom didn’t change their loyalty to Bull. I knew without question that loyalty was the glue which held the club together; it was the shield behind which all of them could stand if or when things went to shit. And as much as I wanted to believe I’d been grafted into the fold, I wasn’t one of them. None of them could protect me from the truth.
Not Twister.
Not Mustang.
Not even Bull.
I had no idea if or when Scorpion would be back. I had no idea what my next move would be—but for this night, I didn’t have to think or decide anything.
At the end of my shift, I knew where to go.
