The Fear That Divides Us (The Devil's Dust #3)(9)

Bobby

I watch the reporter frantically going on about how a truck driver caused the accident during rush-hour traffic.

I start picking at the bar’s loose wood grain, listening to the reporter ramble on about how it’s the worst wreck this state has seen in years.

“Ma’am, can you tell us what you are seeing on the other side of the wrecked cars? How many injuries do you suspect? How many fatalities? Can you tell us anything?”

I look up after nothing but silence follows the reporter’s sudden questions, and I find a stunned Jessica. Her round cheeks flush, and her pink lips part as she stares at the camera. God, she is beautiful. I haven’t seen her in weeks. She’s avoiding me; avoiding is what she does best. My chest tightens as I stare at the scared look on Jessica’s face, my fist clenching with the urge to protect her.

A loud crash sounds from outside the club, grabbing everyone’s attention from the TV to the front door.

“What the f*ck was that?” I question, standing up from the bar.

“I’m not sure,” Bull drawls, eyeing the door.

I head to the entry and see Tom Cat on the ground, his bike laid over, knocking a couple bikes over in a domino effect.

“Oh, shit!” I curse, running out to him.

He is mumbling in pain, and his body is trembling.

“What the hell happened?” I question, squatting next to him.

He rolls his body just slightly, his leg standing out, resembling raw ground-up meat. His pants leg is ripped and tattered up to his thigh, with grooves and chunks slicing through his leg. Little hues of pink dot the top of the knee, deepening into red further down his leg. The red is so dark; it looks black in the fattier part rounding the calf. It’s road rash. I’ve gotten it before after taking a corner too fast and dropping my bike. I know what that shit looks, and feels like.

“Fuck,” I mutter, eyeing his torn-up leg.

“What happened?” Shadow asks, slipping his arm under Tom’s arms to lift him from the ground. I didn’t even notice Shadow followed me; I was so focused on Tom’s leg. I move around Shadow and wrap my arm around Tom’s waist to help carry him into the club. Tom was patched in a few months ago. Now Shadow has been dubbed Vice President, Tom is busy learning the reins of Sergeant At Arms, Shadow’s old position.

“Fucking wreck on the freeway,” Tom grits, his body wracking from the pain. We get him in the club and lay him on the couch.

“What did you do? Wreck and decide to drive here?” I question with a hint of humor.

“I wasn’t f*cking staying around all that. People were screaming.” He pauses, swallowing hard. “It was like nothing I’ve ever seen before.”

“Damn, brother,” Bull says, eyeing Tom’s leg. “I’ll call Doc, but she might be a minute from the looks of the TV.”

Tom growls in pain, closes his eyes, and leans his head back on the armrest. It sucks that he is in so much pain, but I can’t help but be a little excited to see Jessica.





2


Jessica





I enter the Devil’s Dust clubhouse and am met with those defining blue eyes of Bobby’s. Fuck, I was hoping he wouldn’t be here. My eyes travel to his plump lips standing out against the blond scruff growing into stubble on his tanned cheeks. I pause in my step, holding the door as I walk in. His hungry eyes rake me in from head to toe unforgivingly, causing a warmth to blossom between my legs.

He is f*cking gorgeous and hard to stay away from, when that’s all I need to do; stay away from him. Every time I see him, his presence is a challenge; he lays on his charm, and seductive ways. I can usually resist, but every so often, I find myself become weak and give in. Only to wake the next day scared and regretful. Bobby is known for his playboyish ways. He is no doubt a heartbreaker. It would be stupid on my part to let anything between us escalate. Not to mention his lifestyle. That danger he drinks in so vigorously along with the laws of the club, claiming women as their property, not letting them go, is exactly what I escaped from years ago. I have to think of my daughter and her safety, and keep away from Bobby and his brothers. It’s the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life, and I am faced with it every time I see Bobby. I want to be with him, but I have seen the dangers this club circles around. Safe, is not the word I would use to describe it. Yet confusingly, Bobby makes me feel safe. Makes me want him to be mine every time he sweet-talks his way into my pants.

Bobby smirks, putting those dimples to work. Lust filters through my body causing my cheeks to warm, and me to quickly look away. He climbs my wall of defense every time I see him, pushing past every thought of staying away from him. But who am I trying to kid? Bobby’s charm is relentless and I’m weak resisting it.

“Bull, when you said someone had a rash, I thought you were talking about Bobby. I even brought some penicillin for whatever critters he might be carrying,” I tease as I make my way into the club, breaking eye contact from Bobby. I walk to the bar and risk a look in Bobby’s direction. He laughs at my humor as the rest of the boys chuckle at his expense.

I hear a deep, strangled moan and look behind me, noticing Tom on the couch and his leg covered in road rash.

“He was in that wreck that’s all over the news,” Bull informs, standing next to him. I walk over to Tom and kneel down.