Order (Tattoos and Ties Duet #2)(111)

“Where are you going? It’s cold and we’re expecting an ice storm,” Alec said, following Key, losing some of the pain he’d felt for his lover as he realized Key’s intentions.

“Answer the question, Alec. What happens if I don’t do it?” Key asked, stalking toward him. It took the reminder that Key would never lay a hand on him to keep him from moving away and cowering from the threat bearing down on him. “Fuckin’ answer the damn question.”

“We’ll go to trial. Public opinion is still very much against your club…” he said, Key’s face within inches of his own.

“Fuck, Alec, my goddamn business partner’s the club. What about that?” Key didn’t wait for an answer, he pivoted around, heading for the back door. The door burst open with a rush of icy cold wind as Key left the house.

“Key, don’t leave. We’ll figure this out together,” Alec called out, rushing forward. The door slammed in his face.

Alec swung around, and a weight lifted from his shoulders when he spotted Key’s keys on the counter beside his. He crossed his arms over his chest and worry raced down his spine. What should he do? Go after Key or give him space? He decided on the latter, at least for a few minutes, and looked down at his phone. He pulled up Janice’s contact information. He needed the specifics on what the hell had happened to Donald Cummings tonight.

=?=

Keyes stayed tucked away under the cover of the cabana, pacing the length of the small structure. The wind was relentless, threatening to snap branches in its gusty wake. With the phone stuck to his ear, he listened to the fourth and final ring. Frustrated, he lowered the phone, but Dev finally answered.

“Hey,” Dev said. “You get the dancin’ cats?”

“Yeah.” Keyes stopped in his tracks. He dropped his stare down to the polished concrete, wanting more than anything to ask the details of what Dev had done to help initiate the end of Donald Cummings’s life, but a cell phone connection wasn’t safe. Those answers would have to come later. He was already risking so much by calling his brother. A resentful sneer formed even as his brow wrinkled, adding venom to his words. “Saw the bitch got put on blast.”

“Yeah, tired of her shit, for fuckin’ sure,” Dev said with an equal amount of disgust in his tone.

“Yeah.” Keyes closed his eyes and lifted his head toward the covered roof. The anger fled, and he was left with a deep uncertainty. The silence between them hung like a weight around his neck. He had so many emotions rolling through him. He had to find the right words.

“Somethin’s not right. You should be celebratin’,” Dev said before he could gather his thoughts.

“Can’t. Got a major change to my plea tonight. The fuckin’ judge extended my probation and added that I can’t have contact with the club for five fuckin’ years. Could’ve told ’em to go fuck themselves, but I’d go to trial, and we both know I won’t get a fair one. I’ll go to prison.” Somehow, saying it out loud made it seem so much worse. Keyes dropped his head forward from the weight of the words and balled his fist tight as pain lanced across his heart.

“Are you kiddin’ me, man?” Dev shouted, and from the sound of his friend’s voice, his anger shot to a solid ten on the Richter scale.

“I wish. It’s all signed off, and I can’t do anything about it.” The range of emotions he was experiencing had him wanting to fucking cry in his indignation.

“Goddamn, that shit’s not right. My old man suspected somethin’ like this would happen, but I call bullshit. You didn’t fuckin’ kill a man,” Dev said.

Keyes stayed silent, his heart hurt. What the hell did he have, who the fuck was he without his bike club at his back? A big black pit of unknowns threatened to swallow him whole. What did he do from here?

He didn’t even realize he had said those words out loud until Dev answered, “I’ll help you, Key. You ain’t gotta go at this alone. I’m sly as a motherfuckin’ fox. I got you, man.”

“I been wantin’ things I shouldn’t want.” Keyes opened up, letting his heartbreak guide his words. He shouldn’t have ever started this with Alec. Once he moved over from the wrong side of town, there wasn’t ever going to be a turning back. He was such a fool.

“Why shouldn’t you want ’em? You’re a good dude, man. Five years ain’t that long. You know you’ll have your place back when you’re ready. We’ll get you through this. I’ll make sure of that.” Dev’s voice was strong, determined, and the exact opposite of the way Keyes saw things.

Keyes closed his eyes, letting the worry hang heavy on his shoulders. “I shouldn’t’ve gone over there.”

“Nah, I should’ve gone with you. You fuckin’ saved the goddamn club—no tellin’ what your old man told that piece of shit. He’d screwed us all sideways. You’re a hero, man,” Dev assured.

“Key.” He looked up to see Alec standing two feet in front of him.

“Is that your guy?”

Keyes didn’t respond. He stared at Alec who looked so hurt and lost, and every bit as confused as he was.

“Let him comfort you, man. I’ll talk to my old man, give him the heads-up. I told him about Cummings—don’t be pissed. He’s the one who said you saved our fuckin’ asses. Go talk to him; get a fuckin’ blow job—that’ll make everything a little easier to take. I’ll handle the rest.”