Page 61 of Ride Long
“I can’t take the club,” I said. “I don’t have the following. I have a dozen men I can safely say would be on board. A dozen out of how many? Eighty? We’re fucked. We can’t take on my father with those numbers, let alone the HollowMen.”
“We’re not entirely fucked,” Chaser said. “There are options. None of them come with glory, but being alive is moreimportant.”
“I like being alive,” Iagreed.
“So do I. Foronce.”
Chaser tugged my hand, and I melted against him. Laying my head on his shoulder, Isighed.
“I just…” I began, but trailed off, not sure he wanted to hear my soppy dreams for the future. A hard man like Chaser didn’t do hearts and flowers. He did bullets andblood.
“You justwhat?”
“It doesn’tmatter.”
“Yeah, itdoes.”
“I just…” I swallowed hard, glad he wasn’t looking at my face. I was sure I was flushed red, and it had nothing to do with the air temperature. “I just want to be with you. That’sall.”
“What happened torevenge?”
Ishrugged.
“I don’t blame you for wanting this to end,” he said. “I’m wondering if the price is worth it.” I stilled, shocked to hear those words come out of his mouth. “Still, we’ve started something, and we have to see it through to whatever end. We can’t end our lives here on acliffhanger.”
Fuck, he was so wise. The hard-ass player who kidnapped me from Teasers Gentleman’s Club was nowhere to be seen. Was this what he was like before he got mixed up with the Hollow Men and Fortitude? After the dust settled, I hoped I got the chance to know eitherway.
“You’re right. We have to keep moving forward. But if I can’t take Fortitude, then it’s best it’s ended,” I murmured. “It’s not just about us anymore. There are men and women down there that I actually like if you can believe it. I owe them. We can rebuild from the ashes…or Gasket can. The club would be better underhim.”
“As far as criminal organizations go,” Chaserdrawled.
“Either way, you’ll have your freedom from Marini,” Isnapped.
“And so willyou.”
“Until the Hollow Men and their rancid dicks come calling for payment. Somehow, I’ve got a feeling Marini’s debts are going to be inherited, no matterwhat.”
“I’d think it would be more about the fact we humiliated them than anythingelse.”
I raised myeyebrows.
“We killed their men, escaped multiple times, and caused a scene on a train that made nationalheadlines.”
“That was on the news?” My mouth fell open inshock.
Chaser nodded, his lips curving into a sly grin. “Why do you think they’ve been quiet lately? They’re not onholidays.”
The squealing sound of the rooftop door opening gave us pause. When Gasket emerged, our shoulders lost some of theirtension.
When he saw how close we were sitting, he narrowed his eyes, signaling his clear dislike of our relationship, but didn’t offer anycommentary.
“Marini’s starting to wonder where Rick is,” he said, sittingdown.
“Wait… What about Rick?” I asked, glancing between the two men. “What did you do tohim?”
“He went on a long ride,” Gasket saidwryly.
“We had to question him,” Chaser explained. “And we couldn’t allow him to squeal toMarini.”
