Page 41 of Gypsy's Lady
Dismounting the bike, he offered Kelsey a hand to help her find her feet, surprised when she didn’t immediately release her grip once she was on the ground. That meant when they walked into the main room of the clubhouse, she was directly behindhim, fingers wound throughhis, making a statement he knew Ruby and Willa didn’t miss from the shared grin between the women.
After depositing Kelsey in a chair at the table with the ladies, Gypsy stalked towards the office, feeling off-center. He was unsure what had tipped himsideways,since they’d ridden the bike several times together. Why would this one be any different?Because it startedwith a kiss, he thought, even knowing it wasn’t what Kelsey had intended.If it wasn’t, his traitorous mind whispered, why did she repeat the action and kiss me again?
Shoving his unsettling thoughts aside, he rapped his knuckles against the door and waited for a greeting before opening it and pushing inside. A glance around the room showed all the men he expected, and he was glad, it meant heonly had to tell the story once. “Boss.” He lifted his chin at Mason, then nodded at the rest of the men. “Got a call from Blue Line. Wanted to let you know what was said.”
“So cop a squat and share, oh wise one.” Slate shoved a chair towards him with the toe of one boot, a grin on his face. “Good to see you, brother.”
“Same, man. Same.” He arranged himself, twisted the chair to straddle theseat, and rested his folded armsonthe back. “Tug, you talked about your nephew, right?” The graybeard noddedandGypsy grinned. “So, seems he’s not only joined the Malcontents, he’s been patched long enough to have worked up to Veep or its equivalent. Blue Line called him his second-in-command, and I didn’t think thatlinedup with what we knew.”
“No,it fucking doesn’t.” The old man pulledout his phone and tapped for a moment, then set it on the desk in front of them. “See what the asshole has to say about stringing his old uncle along like that.”
Bear interjected, his eyes sparkling. “Carter LeRoy? Patched into the Malcontents? Are you sure, brother?”
“I’m only as certain as Blue Line, seein’ as he’s the one who told me.” Gypsy looked at Tug’s phone when it buzzed, waiting forthe man to lift it and look at the screen.
He shook his head, “You’ve got it right. He’s been patched for more than a year. Didn’t want to disappoint me, the bastard.” He tapped at the screen and waited for an answering text. “Took six-weeks leave for his prospect period, and if you ask me, that is months too short, then deployed for his final assignment. Got out and got close. He’s not tellingme much, which is good for him or I’d be tearing him a new asshole, but sounds like he’s tight with Blue Line.”
Bear shook his head. “Joel and Carter, what are the odds, Mason?”
“Long odds, that’s for sure.”
Bear looked at Gypsy. “Mind another tagalong on your run?”
“Brother, it ain’t my run. This is Mason’s gig. He’s just having me roll with it.” Gypsy grinned and tapped the top of the desk.“But I say the more,themerrier. You, me, and Tugboat…anyone else you want to have come with us, boss?”
“Jase expressed an interest, but if you’re going, I need him here to help Tequila watch Marie’s.” Gypsy nodded at Mason’s reasoning. Jase was the regional business manager, so if someone needed to be in charge of the bar short term, it made sense for Jase to stay and keep an eye on everything.“I know Slate here wanted to roll, but his home life needs to come first. Ifthere were an overriding need, I’d accept his help, but with two sets of twins, he’s fucked anyway we look at it.”
Slate laughed, the corners of his eyes crinkling with humor. “You know I wouldn’t have it any other way, Prez. My babies are everything to me.”
“I know it, and that’s why you’re a no on the go.” Mason swunghis gaze around the room. “I’m thinkingwe’ve found our crew. Three bikesaren’tso many they need an announcement call along the way, but it’s enough to keep folks from fuckin’ with you. Old ladies welcome, Gypsy?”
“Yeah,” he nodded. “Kelsey will be going with me, and I know she’ll welcome Eddie and Maggie if they go.”
Bear leaned back and stared at the ceiling for a moment, then shook hishead. “I can’t see Eddie going, man. Not only is Sasha in pre-K,but Cali alsodoesn’t have good memories for my old lady. There’s too much, you know? Even though Blue Line turned out to be a rescuer, it’s still side by side with what her father did.”
Tugboat rapped his knuckles against the desktop, staring at Gypsy as he did so. “I already know Maggie’ll ride with me, and that’ll keep your MissKelsey from being the lone female on the run.” He cut his gaze to Bear with a toothy grin. “This run gonna fuck with your head, boy? Knowing your momma’s ridin’ behind me and knowing what we’ll be doing every night we stay in a motel?”
“Fuck you.” Bear rolled his eyes. “She’s a grown woman and does her own thing. And no—” He lifted one hand palm, stopping Tugboat from saying anything in response.“—that’s not an invitation to tell me what herthingis, old man. Give me a little respect, would ya? That’s my mother.”
“Oh, I know she’s your momma, Bear. But she’s also my woman.” Tug shook his head. “I bless the day you came into our lives, you know? Brought me my Maggie.” He pointed towards the ceiling. “I’d never ask the man above for anything, but I can thank Him for what He gives me freely.”
Gypsy grinned at the easy back-and-forth, clearly a topic of conversation the two men had covered more than once, but even the familiarity of the exchange felt comfortable.Likea family, he thought. “There’s a little more, boss.” Mason looked at him expectantly, his alert expression echoed on the other faces around the room. “I knew him well, you got that, right?” Mason nodded. “We were UC formore than a year together, had worked the same task force for months before that. So, yeah…I knew him. I believe there’s something more going on than he’s come clean on so far, and he indicated he won’t, or can’t talk until I get there. The man sounds tired, Mason. Bone tired in a way which only comes from fighting day after day and not seeing a difference.” Gypsy stared at the men’s faces, markedthe interest and anxiety, and a clear desire to help. This was what he wanted more than anything, and what the Rebels were best at. “He’s close to something breaking, and I think him asking for help is how he’s ensuring the thing that breaks isn’t him.”
“Then we help him.” Mason shrugged. “The Malcontents stabilize the entire West coast, and they won’t fall unless that’s what he wants. We helphim, not only because it helps us, but because it’s what we do.”
The next hours were spent hammering out the logistics of the ride and bringing Myron in on what was happening so he could free up any needed club resources. When Gypsy walked out of the office, he did it with a small envelope of tech, and a large line of credit under his name. Out in the main room of the clubhouse, he found Kelseystill awake. Backed up against a wall, she’d found a seat where she could watch over Willa as she slept sprawled on a couch. Gypsy shoved down the thought of Kelsey watching over Nary just that way, trying to ensure nothing happened to her friend.
“Hey, Kels. You ready to go home, baby?” She didn’t respond, glancing over at Willa again. “Want me to go get Mason?” She nodded slowly, mouth twistingto the side
“I-I don’t wah-want to leave her alone.”Fucking stutter. Gypsy looked around the room, seeing only a couple of prospects standing behind the bar. “Th-there were men earlier.” He turned back to Kelsey and waited. “I-I didn’tkn-know them.”
“Were they Rebels, darlin’?” She shook her head,andhis gut dropped, a sick feeling sweeping over him. He’d left her out here with every expectationshe’d be safe, and she was, physically. “I’m sorry, honey. I didn’t think about visitors making you uncomfortable. Did you feel scared?”
Chin tipped down to her neck, she studied the floor for a minute, then nodded. “I-I know it makes no sense.”
“Makes all the sense in the world, baby.” He squatted to put a knee on the floor, settling between her legs. One hand on each thigh, he stroked softlyup and down, pressing firmly with his fingertips. “You’ve been here a handful of times. No reason for you to trust people you don’t know. It’s okay to be nervous of men, orwomen,when you’re in unfamiliar surroundings. I should have taken better care of you.”
“No, Gypsy.” Her chin came upandshe stared into his eyes. “You always take care of me.”
