Rough Justice (Sinner's Tribe Motorcycle Club #1)(112)

“Jeff?”

A tremor ran through her, and she looked away. “I arranged a funeral. He’s buried beside our mom.”

Jagger stroked her cheek, his throat aching when he saw her eyes tear up. “I would have liked to have been there to honor him for saving your life.”

“Zane and Cade stood in for you,” she said softly. “They said you would have wanted that.”

They sat in silence, and then Jagger brought her hand to his lips. “Are you still planning to leave?”

She ruffled her fingers through his hair, then smoothed it down. “You want me to leave Conundrum?”

Too tired for games or pretense, his head still fuzzy, he answered honestly: “No.”

“Then I’m not leaving.” She mocked a frown. “But I’m warning you, prepare yourself for the ass-kicking of your life when you get out of here. A man in your condition should not have put himself in the line of fire to protect me and then tried to ride with a bullet in his chest.”

He chuckled, trying to fight the exhaustion that threatened to take his angel away. “That’s what men like me do.”

Arianne’s face softened. “Good thing I like men like you.”

“How much?” He began to drift, but awakened when she kissed his cheek.

“Enough to stay. Forever.”

*

They waited in breathless anticipation.

Every brother, old lady, sweet butt, hanger-on, hood rat, and house mama had been ordered to show up at Riders Bar by 8 P.M. Mandatory.

When the sound of a motorcycle engine outside cut the silence, a murmur rippled through the crowd.

Jagger frowned. “Shhhhh.”

“Don’t shhhh them.” Arianne wiggled to rebalance herself on his lap. “He’ll know something’s up if he walks in here and everyone is staring at him. It would be better if they just do what people normally do at the bar.”

His eyes narrowed. “I said shhhh and I meant shhhh. Don’t contradict your president.”

“You like it when I contradict the president.” She kept her voice to a whisper. “But only when no one else can hear.”

He stroked his hand through her hair. “Might have to rethink that concession. You’re getting ideas.”

“I have lots of ideas. Naughty ideas. But right now the only idea I’m having is that if you keep everyone quiet, you’ll tip him off.” She nuzzled his neck and Jagger growled, a deep low rumble that sent quivers of lightning straight to her core.

“I got club business to deal with, Arianne. Don’t start something you can’t finish.”

She jerked away and laughed. “I can’t finish? You mean you can’t finish. You’re the one who had heart surgery.”

He tightened his grip around her waist and hauled her against her chest. “Nothing wrong with the rest of me, sweetheart. Thought I proved that to you last night and several times every night for the last coupla weeks. So like I said, you keep that up and I’ll take care of you right here, right now, and I won’t give a damn how many people are watching.”

Arianne licked her lips and looked over at Dawn, sitting beside her, who was studiously trying to ignore Cade’s attempts to attract her attention. “Hmmm. My biker boyfriend has a kinky side.”

“I’m not your boyfriend.”

A smile tugged at her lips. “What are you, then?”

The door opened and the dull roar faded to a murmur as T-Rex entered the bar. Jagger eased her off his lap and motioned for T-Rex to join him at their table.

“You’re gonna find out soon enough.”

Dawn leaned over to whisper in her ear. “Jagger loves this. Lookit him trying not to grin. You picked the only MC president with a wicked sense of humor.”

“I think it’s cute.”

“Cute?” Dawn jerked back. “The man’s a badass danger to society, just like Cade. That’s why I told Cade we’re done. I’ve had enough badass in my life. I need someone good. Someone who can help me straighten out my life. Clean, simple living. That’s me.”

“That’s not you.” Arianne lowered her voice as T-Rex approached the table. “You’re as badass as him. That’s why you’re so good together.”

Jagger scowled and put his finger to his lips. Arianne turned her attention to poor T-Rex, making his way gingerly through the bar, his gaze sliding to the side as he passed the club members, unusually somber and quiet. Even Jill and Tanya, seated beside Tank and Gunner, managed to suppress their smiles.

By the time T-Rex reached Jagger’s table, sweat had beaded on his forehead and he’d picked up a noticeable tremble.

Jagger held out a hand. “Package.”

T-Rex paled. “I went to the address you gave me on the other side of town, but the building was empty. I walked around, checked with the neighbors, but no one was there. I called and texted you and Cade and Sparky. No one answered. I’m sorry, Jag. Maybe the guy pulled a runner.”

“So you didn’t bring the package?”

“No, sir.”

Jagger leaned back in his chair and folded his arms, raising his voice to be heard by the crowd. “I think we have a serious problem here, T-Rex. You don’t seem to be able to follow simple instructions.” He reached under the table and pulled out a package wrapped in brown paper. “Our contact got tired of waiting for you when you didn’t show up at six o’clock and dropped the package off here.”