Page 108 of Truck Up
It’s loud, and the air is filled with the sweet scent of cigars and stale beer. The beer doesn’t bother me, but the cigar smoke has me craving a cigarette. I’ve doubted my decision to quit more often than not.
I lift my glass of whiskey and take a whiff. It burns my nose, masking the cigar smoke a little, but not enough to quench my craving.
Tonight is the first night I’ve seen Linden and Tanner since they came to the homestead and started a fight. To say this game is tense is an understatement.
They’re on their best behavior, though. They’re outnumbered, and they know it. Edge is to my left and Garret is to my right. Plus, every member of the motorcycle club will defend me if they start shit again.
They may be stupid enough to show up at my house to start shit, but not here. My brothers will fight fairly in a fight. The same can’t be said about the members of the MC. They fight forblood and couldn’t care less about fairness. It’s normal for them to gang up on someone in a fight. Winning is all that matters to the MC.
Don’t get me wrong, we want to win too. But it’s no fun if it’s because we outnumbered them. That feels like cheating. The Mutter men may be a lot of things, but we’re not cheaters.
If we were, this game would have been over by now.
We’ve been playing for about an hour and so far, we’re evenly matched. No one is dominating the game. As soon as one of us wins a good hand, the table turns and someone else wins the next. At this rate, we’re going to be here all night.
And I’m bored as fucked because of it.
Garret nudges my arm, and I sit up straight. I zoned out and am not paying close attention to the game. “Is it my turn?”
“No, look.” He points toward the entrance to the game room. Liam is glaring at Edge. Chase, Lina, and Charlotte are right behind him.
“Oh, shit.” I whisper.
Liam hasn’t seen Edge since the night we rescued Hannah. It’s not for a lack of trying either. Edge has been away doing damage control. Too many rumors point a finger at him in Hannah’s disappearance. No one knows what really happened that night, and we need to keep it that way.
“What?” Edge looks over his shoulder and groans. When he sees Liam walking toward us, he mumbles, “Fuck.”
“Go easy on him,” I say. “He’s never gotten over losing her.”
“Don’t worry. No one’s going to hurt your brother.” Edge squeezes my shoulder before he pushes to his feet. He doesn’t even get turned around before Liam grabs his shirt and fists it in his hands.
“Where’s Hannah?” Liam growls.
A hush falls over the bar, so thick you could cut it with a knife. Even my own breath hitches in my throat.
No one messes with Edge and lives to tell the tale. Chairs scrape across the floor, a symphony of steel and fear, as Edge’s men circle our table like vultures. This might be the only bar in town—and we’re welcome patrons—but it’s their territory, the Unholy Ghosts’ domain. We live by their rules, and Liam, in his reckless fury, just shattered one. Never, ever cross a Ghost.
Two of Edge’s men step closer, glinting blades flashing in the dim light. These aren’t fair fights with the MC. They’re executions. My blood runs cold.
Garret and I spring to our feet, adrenaline surging through us. Liam might be acting like a damn fool right now, but he’s our brother. And we won’t let him face this alone.
Edge holds up his hand, signaling for his men to stand down. Confusion covers their faces, but they do as they’re told. The knives disappear and they take a few steps back.
It’s not enough to cause me to relax, though. They’re still in a fighting position, ready to step in as soon as Edge gives them the go ahead.
I step around Liam and stand between him and the MC. If they decide to intervene, they’re going to have to go through me first.
“Christian,” Edge says my name, the tone sharp and demanding, as if I’m a soldier awaiting orders.
I look over my shoulder and glare at him. “No one touches my brother.”
Edge reaches up and pries Liam’s fist out of his shirt. It’s enough to cause Liam to snap back to reality and realize what he just did. He doesn’t back away, but he shoves his hands into the pockets of his jeans to keep himself from doing something even more stupid than what he’s already done.
“Just tell me where she is. Please.” The desperation in Liam’s voice is intense.
Edge shakes his head. “I don’t know where she is.”
“Liar.” Liam growls and lunges for Edge again. This time, I jump between them and stop Liam before he gets himself killed.