Page 18 of Tank
He’s hiding something, no question.
“I’m an open book,” Rocco lies, spreading his hands. “Ask meanything.”
I lean closer, my voice low.
“Where’d you get that Fury bike, for real?’ I ask, ready for any telltale signs of lies. “And don’t give me that stolen bullshit.”
Rocco laughs, but it’s tight, like he’s covering something.
“Told you, I bought it cheap,” Rocco said, dismissively. “Guy didn’t say where it came from. And I got the impression that was the way he wanted it too. You got a problem with it, take it up with him.”
I don’t buy it, but I let it slide. For now.
“Alright,” I say, stepping back. “You wanna prospect? You start tomorrow. Prospect chores—cleaning bikes, running errands, whatever we tell you. You fuck up, you’re out. Clear?”
“Crystal,” Rocco says, his eyes glinting with something I can’t read. “I won’t let you down, Daddy. I mean, Tank.Fuck.”
The word hits like a shot of whiskey, warm and sharp, and I have to clench my fists to keep from reacting. Arch raises aneyebrow, but he doesn’t say anything. Keegan’s watching from the pool table, a grin on his face like he knows something I don’t.
I want to trust Rocco, want to believe he’s just a kid looking for a place to belong.
But if he’s Marco’s kid, I need to keep him where I can see him. And if he’s not, well, maybe I just want him close anyway.
“Get outta here,” I say, jerking my chin toward the door. “Be back at dawn. We’ll see what you’re made of.”
Rocco nods, his smirk softening into something almost real.
“See you tomorrow, big guy.” Rocco heads out, his boots echoing on the floorboards, and I watch him go, my heart pounding.
Arch waits until the door shuts before speaking.
“You’re playing with fire, Tank,” Arch says. “If he’s Marco’s kid, he’s here for blood. You know that.”
“Yeah,” I say, my voice heavy. “But if he is, I need him close. Can’t fight what I can’t see.”
Arch shakes his head, but he doesn’t argue.
“I’ll dig into Marco,” Arch says, his voice full of concern. “Find out if he’s got a son, where he’s been. If this kid’s trouble, we’ll know soon enough. And you know we need to tell Clay about this too, right? Sooner rather than later.”
I nod, but my eyes are still on the door where Rocco disappeared.
The guilt over Marco is back, sharper now, cutting through the whiskey haze. I didn’t mean to ruin him, leave him living out the rest of his life like a shell of the man he once was.
But I did what I had to for the Wolf Riders. And I’d do it again in a motherfucking heartbeat.
This club’s my life, my family, and I’d do anything if it meant keeping them safe.
But Rocco—if he’s here for revenge, if he’s carrying his father’s hate—I don’t know if I can blame him. And that’s what scares me most. Not that he might try to kill me, but that I might let him get close enough to try.
I down the rest of my whiskey, the burn grounding me.
Rocco’s a mystery, a danger, and maybe something more.
But whatever he is, I’m not letting him out of my sight.
Not until I know the truth…
Chapter 6
