Order (Tattoos and Ties Duet #2)(97)

“I’d gladly give it to you.”

The rumble of an almost silent laugh in Key’s chest let him know what Key thought about that. “No priors.”

“We’ve got to talk about this gun thing.”

“It’s club business. Dev knows. I’m sure he called his old man. Cummings won’t rat me out,” Key said, the confidence back in his tone which contradicted what he’d said just moments ago. Since Alec was solidly on the other side of that argument, he decided to prepare for the worst just in case.

“I’ll call in some favors if necessary. I’m working the last week of my notice, so I’m not sure how much I can do, but I’ll ask Janice to keep an eye out.” Alec rose to his feet, deciding to take Nash to his doggie bed and then call Janice. She’d know best who he should beg to pick this case up the minute charges were filed. “I’ll be back to bandage your hand.”

“It’s fine,” Key said on a yawn, staying seated. His gaze tracked Alec until he was out of view.

“It’s not, and we’re not finished talking about this gun situation. I’ll ride you about this, so much so that you’ll stay out of situations like this just so you don’t have to listen to me bitch.” Alec was almost to the bedroom when he heard Key’s response, which sent a grin spreading across his face.

“Oh hell, I know how much you like your fuckin’ words, but my mind kinda stayed in the gutter after you offered to ride me.”





Keyes heard the sirens before he saw the lights. He dropped the tool in his hand as he instinctively knew they were coming for him. He wasn’t giving anyone who might be trigger-happy a reason to shoot him. He straightened to his full height, moving back several paces while calling out to Louis to take care of the business as they’d discussed this morning. He had a few seconds, so he quickly opened his phone, sending a prepared text to his uncle, the one that said he’d been arrested and asked him to come bail him out with money from his stash. He made sure it went through before he dropped the phone in his pocket and lifted his hands high in the air and stepped out into the open as one squad car after another pulled into the parking lot of Tires.

Before an officer could step foot out of his squad car, Keyes dropped to his knees, hands still above his head with his chin to his chest. He’d had a hunch this would happen when the morning news aired the Cummings story. His name was never mentioned and the angle of the shaky camera recording failed to get a clear shot of him, but he’d fucked Donald up pretty bad in his fit of anger. It was just a matter of time before the weasel ratted him out. Apparently, his time was up.

Keyes was shoved to the pavement, a knee digging hard into to his back and a foot adding unneeded pressure to his neck, all in an effort to hold his yielding body in place. He blocked everything out, centering into himself. Alec took center stage behind his closed eyes as he complied with the officers’ commands. The only regret he had about his actions was that Alec would be drawn into his shit show. Alec didn’t deserve it. He was such a good man. The care he’d used to clean and bandage his knuckles while going on and on about him having more to consider than just himself brought a small hint of a smile to his lips.

The memory of Alec brushing the hair from Keyes’s face as he cared for his hand shattered as cold bit into the bones of his wrists as his hands were handcuffed behind his back and he was hoisted up. That shit hurt like hell and he had to fight every instinct inside him to keep from tugging out of their aggressive hold which would also add resisting arrest to the litany of charges he suspected they had on him. He marched at an awkward angle toward the police car with his hair acting as a curtain, shielding his face from curious eyes while being shoved inside the back of the squad car.

This was his own damn fault. He shouldn’t have lost his temper like he had yesterday. He was smarter than that. He damn sure shouldn’t be sitting in the back of this fucking squad car with the lights flashing as they went toward the county lock-up. Had his life finally caught up with him? Would he finally go to prison for this? Keyes sighed. Probably. He didn’t have the money or connections to get out and that bitch DA would make sure the book was thrown at him, make an example out of him. She finally had a hook in one of the Havoc club members.

Maybe the club attorney could put up a strong fight on his behalf. In his heart, he knew that wouldn’t matter. He was going to prison. What would happen to Alec and Nash while he was incarcerated? Would that be the final straw? Would Alec wake up and see how poorly suited they were as a couple? Alec would be so fucking hurt by this. He grunted, staring unseeing out the side window. Alec ran fast and loose with his heart, no sense of self-preservation. Keyes had warned him over and over that he wasn’t a good guy. He should have given Alec up instead of being so selfish.

Fuck, even being man-handled out of the cruiser and dragged inside the jailhouse, the only thing that caused pain was the thought of Alec moving on without him. They fingerprinted him, took his mug shot, and booked him in quick order. He wasn’t given the opportunity to make his one phone call before being tossed inside a crowded cell—nothing new there. That would be an ‘accidental’ oversight later on down the line if he complained. He wouldn’t though, the less he said the better.

Apparently, his reputation preceded him or the unfriendly glower on his face intimidated his cell mates. Two scooted off the bench where he chose to sit to keep his back to the wall. Good, he wasn’t there to make friends anyway. Keyes rested against the wall and waited.