Page 49 of Ride Long
Chapter 16
Sloane
Two tense dayshad passed since I’d been attacked on theroof.
Venturing through the compound, I heard rumblings that Harley was with Marini, and the already sweltering temperatures soared even more. My first thought was to go check on Sam, but up ahead, there was a lot of noise coming from the common room. The entire compound was in an uproar over the incomingverdict.
“Hey.”
I turned at the sound of Deluca’s voice. He was one of the biker’s who I hadn’t gotten to know very well. He worked on and off in the garage and disappeared on ‘club business’ more often than he was around to do an oil change. I remembered him carrying off Chaser the night we’d arrived, but other than that, he was a stoic shadow on thesidelines.
When it came to loyalties, Deluca’s were hard topinpoint.
“You should let Butcher check out those bruises,” he said, nodding toward me. “He said you hadn’t been to seehim.”
“I’ve been choked before. It’s fine.” Ishrugged.
Like I was going to let that guy poke at my neck and not call it what it was. Copping a feel. Butcher was nice and all, as far as bikers called Butcher went, but Chaser would throw a tantrum if I let another man prod atme.
Deluca’s eyebrows rose. “If you sayso.”
“I’ve kinda got bigger things on my mind than a bruisedtrachea.”
“You’re helpingSam?”
His question surprised me, though I wasn’t going to answer. It wasn’t hisbusiness.
“She’s well liked around here, but that won’t stopthem.”
I sneered, my expression daring him totry.
“A brother goes down and what was his is pickings for who’s left,” he went on. “The guys are already talking. The moment Harley goes down, it’ll beon.”
“What do you get out of telling me?” I asked, facing him head-on. “Another shot a throwing me off the roof? I don’t like yourchances.”
Deluca smirked, his Italian-ness really starting to bug me. Tall, dark, and handsome without the accent. He wasn’t allla dolce vita, but I was sure he thought he was all that and then some with the ladies. If he had his eye on making Sam his new plaything, he would have to go through mefirst.
“I see it now,” he said, backing away. “Addio,tesoro.”
Feigning puking up on the floor, I turned and made my way into the common room. Heads turned toward me, and not all of them wore friendlyexpressions.
Spike, Ratchet, Stewie, and Hopper were congregated around the pool table, talking among themselves. Gasket was leaning against the wall, watching me with a raised eyebrow. Ram, Watts, and Rhodes looked like they would rather be in the garage. Finally, Rocket and his gang of thugs were ready to crack some skulls. The smell of blood was in the air, and Rick was mysteriouslyabsent.
Shondra, Emily, Raquel, Kelly, and Sierra were sitting in a circle, talking low. When they’d realized I’d appeared, they glanced up at me. Shondra glared the hardest, and I felt an overwhelming urge to punch her square on thenose.
They didn’t care Harley was beating on Sam. They thought it was her problem, but that was what the cycle of violence did to destroy people, even those outside the direct sphere. They got trapped in their narrow ways of thinking until they believed that it was how things were done. Maybe I was coming from a place of privilege, with my bitch of a mouth and inner strength, but I had the power to stand up and say something. Not just say.Do.
It was hard to ask for help. It was even more difficult to follow throughandchange the minds of those around them at the sametime.
Problem was, I didn’t want to come across as a self-absorbed, clueless bitch, either. It could still go eitherway.
“Sloane,” Shondra purred. “How are you,doll?”
I didn’t like it when they called me pet names like babe, hon, baby girl, and especially doll. It made my eye all twitchy withrage.
Before I could answer, there was a lull, and everyone turned toward the door. Sam stood just inside the common room, her eyes red and puffy. She was dressed in a plain black top and denim skirt, and her hair was combed and done up in a ponytail. If it were any other day, she would look normal, but it was far fromit.
“Hey, babe,” Raquel cooed. “Come sit here.” She patted the sofa besideher.
