Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 145088 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145088 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
“Yes, apparently he’s slept in the new car behind the hot tub store, you know, Tubz-R-Us, so he might be there tonight again. Worth checking out, asking around.”
“Fuck yes,” Hammer said, rising from the chair. Focused on his desire for revenge, he almost missed the way Lion swallowed, averting his gaze. Right. For their prez the issue of Ryker’s continuous existence wasn’t just a score to settle. “Sorry. Yeah, I’ll take the job.”
“Just end it,” Lion said and got himself a cigarette. “No more fuckups. Covering up the shit fest at the cabin cost us enough time and effort.”
“Yessir,” Hammer mumbled and left the office, facing the unfinished bar counter, just in time to see Dex toss a rag Finn’s way.
“This will help when your old lady’s away, visiting her mom.”
Several of the other bikers chuckled, and Wasp took the opportunity to smack Finn’s ass. “The sad life of the married man.”
Torcher stood behind the bar, pouring beer into several glasses. “You say that, but his old lady’s a ten. An ugly troll like Finn should make sure he gets to keep her.”
Hammer frowned. Objectively speaking, Finn was on the average side of handsome, so this was yet more inflammatory bullshit from Torcher.
Fucker. Snitch. Man-poacher.
Dex laughed and grabbed one of the beers. “Don’t worry, Finn. I can set you up with a friend if she divorces you.” He left the gender of said friend vague, but a barrage of laughter indicated that everyone got the joke.
“If the worst happens, I’ll make sure you can go to have your rebound at an orgy,” Hammer said and patted Finn’s shoulder, but his expression suggested he wasn’t particularly worried.
Wasp took a swig of beer. “Just remember to take me with you when you go. Would your wife go swinging, Finn?”
Finn must have had enough of this mockery, because he shook his head. “I don’t share.”
Dex waved his hand dismissively. “Just argue with her before you go to the orgy, and then you can use the good old, ‘but we were on a break!’ excuse.”
He didn’t even spare Hammer a glance, but the dig was obvious.
“Doesn’t count, since he’s known her for over a month,” Hammer said, and this time Dex’s brown gaze flashed Hammer’s way, full of anger.
Ignorant of the tension in the room, Finn cocked his head, staring at Hammer. “What does time matter? We're married.”
Dex rolled his eyes. “He's just jealous 'cause he's got no ring finger, so he's stuck forever just fucking around.”
Torcher wordlessly passed Hammer a glass of beer that felt like an olive branch.
“Come on now, no need to get agitated just because the prospect has a big mouth,” he said and offered Hammer a smile, as if he hadn’t run to Lion, like they were still in first grade.
Dex shrugged. “It needs to be, for the kind of dick I get.”
Hammer’s fingers curled on the glass, but as hot air pumped into his lungs, all he wanted was to break it and stick the shards into Torcher’s eye sockets. “Did you just spit in my beer?”
Everyone went silent, and blood drained from Torcher’s face.
“What? No, man. When would I even…?”
Hammer pulled on Torcher’s T-shirt and slammed his forehead into the bastard’s nose, and while the crunch it gave was satisfying, the damage wouldn’t be nearly as extreme as in Hammer’s violent fantasies earlier. But it didn’t matter.
This would have to do.
Torcher dropped behind the bar with blood drizzling down his mouth, and when Hammer maneuvered around the counter, he found Torcher on his knees, with confusion passing over his features. “What—”
Hammer placed his foot on the fucker’s chest and shoved him back before tipping the beer glass and splashing all of its contents over Torcher’s face. “Never do that again.”
And Hammer was not talking about the spitting-that-didn’t-happen.
Wasp woke from his stupor and rushed in. “That’s enough, brother.”
Dex smirked into his beer without a word, but his eyes met Hammer’s for a split second, and the bloodthirsty twinkle in them made Hammer long for an honest conversation without all this tension.
But how could he take Dex with him to search for Ryker after last time? What if this was the last chance to hunt the fucker down?
Worse still, did his reluctance mean that he didn’t trust Dex after all they’ve been through? And if he wasn’t willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, how was he to invite Dex into his life and into his bed again?
So despite the burning need deep in his gut, Hammer gave Dex the briefest nod, turned on his heel, and left just as Finn helped a coughing Torcher sit up.
Chapter 29 – Dex
Ros was a genius. The demonic creature he’d created out of scrap metal was over six-foot long and reached out from the sturdy frame making up the base of the sculpture with a mouth full of razorblades and nails. His eyes were old motorcycle headlights, and the torso incorporated an old bike the club had just standing around and gathering dust.