Order (Tattoos and Ties Duet #2)(98)

Hours had passed from the bullshit bail hearing that set bail at a crazy expensive amount for somebody who had just gotten into a fucking fist fight—that shit pissed him off more than the time it was taking to be released. He’d been waiting so long for his uncle to post bond that Keyes was certain he was staying the night.

Metal on metal signaled the cell door opening, then a cop yelled, “Keyes Dixon.”

Every-fucking-thing the cops ever did concerning him included a minimum of three officers, this time included. All took measured steps backward as he walked through the cell door. Two had their hands on their weapons, eyeing him as if he were stupid enough to start shit in the fucking jailhouse.

The wait had been long and uncomfortable, his attitude was complete shit, and he growled a response when he was handed his jacket, wallet, and phone. He walked out to his Uncle Clyde standing there, looking haggard, worried, and uncertain as hell. He hated he’d put that concern on his uncle’s face. Keyes scanned the waiting room to see Alec standing with an older man, the same one who’d introduced himself as his attorney at the bail hearing earlier. From where he stood, he took a better look at the guy who wore an expensive suit and fancy tie. The man held a briefcase in his hand and, from the familiarity he showed toward Alec, probably wasn’t the free court-appointed attorney Keyes had initially thought he was.

On top of everything going on with Keyes, he didn’t need the burst of jealousy slicing at his heart at seeing Alec and the other attorney standing so close. They looked good together too. Alec belonged with someone he could be proud of, not someone he had to bail out of jail. Keyes was a biker; he fit perfectly in this backdrop. The two men across the room dressed in expensive suits certainly didn’t fit in the cold, dingy waiting area where they currently stood.

He wanted to drive his fist through something, anything. Jealousy was a funky little bitch, sliding in to take the top spot for fueling his anger.

“What’re you doing here?” Keyes asked, walking toward to his uncle, but talking directly to Alec.

“He was here before I got here,” his uncle answered, drawing all his attention back to him. “Dev, Mack, and Fox were here too. I don’t know how they found out. Dev was causing a big scene, so Fox took him to get your bike.”

Keyes cut his gaze straight to Alec. The jealousy dropped a notch as Alec’s safety moved to the most important concern he had. Keyes felt his face tense. All that bullshit talk of him staying out of harm’s way then fucking Alec shows up here at the same time as his brothers? Keyes somehow managed to hold tight rein on his anger and swung his gaze back to Clyde. “Did you get my money?”

“Alec got you out. He had already posted the bond before I could.”

Fucking hell, the shit show just kept getting better. His jaw clenched tight but the fire breathing dragon was hard to tamp down. His gaze sliced back to Alec who stared boldly back at him. Every motherfucker in that jail cell was afraid of him, but not Alec, not even a little bit. It was Keyes who was scared to death of losing Alec.

In the hours Keyes had spent sitting on that fucking hard bench, he had devised his plan. He’d tell his brothers this wasn’t about club business, that it was personal and shit had just gone sideways. That would make sense to his brothers why he’d called Clyde to bail him out instead of them.

Alec had put himself right in his club’s path.

Keyes also hadn’t wanted Alec spending any of his cash on him. This had been his decision alone. He’d fucked up. Now, all the ground they’d covered since they’d met led them right back to the beginning, when he’d felt like Alec was slumming it with the trash that wound up in county lock-up.

Fuck.

Keyes ground his teeth together and mumbled out, “I’ll pay you back.”

“That’s unnecessary. Keyes, this is Marc Manners. He’s agreed to take your case.” The lawyer’s hand came out, and Keyes stared at it, refusing the handshake until Clyde cleared his throat and whispered his name. Dammit. He finally reached out to clasp it, not looking the guy in the eyes.

He had to get the fuck out of here. There was too much bullshit emotion and spending the day caged like a motherfucking animal hadn’t helped his perspective. He hated that shit, being stuck inside like that. No wonder convicts beat the hell out of each other.

Keyes took a step for the door, giving a side eye to the older attorney who had his head bent toward Alec, talking quietly. They looked so fucking pretty together. Keyes looked back over his shoulder to Clyde. “Can you give me a ride back to the shop? I’ll call Dev to leave my bike there.”

If Dev would even take his call. But if he didn’t, Keyes would know for sure how far his brothers had gotten in trying to figure out who the fuck Alec was.

Why had Alec come?

“I will, Clyde,” Alec answered, his voice hard, drawing every eye his direction. Alec held the attention of room and ignored Keyes like he had tried to do with Alec. Alec extended a hand to the attorney beside him. “Thank you for all you’ve done today. I’m not sure we could have gotten him out so quickly.”

The older attorney looked like he had an infinite amount of patience. He was completely unfazed by Keyes’s attitude. “Keyes, we’ll need to meet in the morning. I’ve carved out time and scheduled with Alec.”

Keyes didn’t say a word, just kept walking toward the door.