Chapter 13

As Talon and I pulled up to the clubhouse, I felt an odd flutter of nerves in my stomach. The parking lot was mostly empty except for a few bikes and a slick black Audi sedan that I assumed belonged to Kat.

Talon cut the engine and I climbed off the bike, removing my helmet. He pulled me close, cupping my ass in both hands as he kissed me deeply. “I’ll see you later, angel,” he murmured against my lips. “Try not to miss me too much.”

I rolled my eyes playfully. “I’ll do my best to somehow survive without you for a few hours.”

With one last quick kiss, Talon pulled his helmet back on and roared off toward the garage. I watched him go, admiring the way his muscles flexed as he handled the machine.

As I walked into the clubhouse, I spotted Kat sitting at a booth in the corner, a stack of papers in front of her. She looked up as I approached, a warm smile on her face.

“Laura, thanks for meeting with me,” she gestured to the bench across from her. “I’ve drafted the divorce papers and a petition for a restraining order.”

She pulled out a few documents, sliding them across the table. “First, I need you to sign these. Please read through them carefully and let me know if anything needs to be changed or added.”

As she reached across the table, I noticed a small tattoo on her wrist, partially hidden by her leather watch strap. A flaming skill above two crossed pistols - the Warriors logo. As I sat forward to begin reading the documents, I couldn’t help but wonder how deep Kat’s connection to the club actually ran.

———————————

Talon

I walked into the garage, nodding at a few of the guys working on bikes. The familiar sounds and smells of grease and metal helped ground me as my mind continued to reel with thoughts of Laura.

“Nash!” Jake’s voice boomed from the office. “Get in here.”

I made my way into the small office, bracing myself for another argument, but he wasn’t alone. Jake was sitting behind the desk, looking more tired than he had this morning. Our brother, Ledger, was sprawled on a chair across from him.

Marcus “Ledger” Thompson had been with the Warriors almost as long as me. He used to be an accountant, and he joined our MC after his firm was muscled by a rival club. He still kind of looked the part - shorter, clean-shaven, with a lean build and wire-rimmed glasses. Smart as fuck, but surprisingly tough. He handled all of the club’s business ventures - both the legal and the… less than legal.

“Close the door,” Jake said gruffly.

I obliged, with a nod at Ledger, then leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “What’s up, brother?”

Jake leaned forward, his elbows on the desk. “We’ve got a problem. Ledger was doing some digging into Craig’s background, trying to find any dirt we could use against him.”

He glanced at Ledger, who cleared his throat before speaking. “Turns out our buddy Craig Harmon isn’t just some abusive asshole real estate agent. He’s got connections to the Diablos.”

I felt my jaw clench at the mention of our rival club. “What kind of connections?”

“Looks like he’s been laundering money for them through his real estate business,” Ledger explained. “And not just small amounts, either. We’re talking millions.”

“Fuck,” I growled, running a hand through my hair. This complicated things. The Diablos were bad news - violent, ruthless, and always looking to expand their territory. If Craig was doing illegal shit for them, he was likely sitting pretty under their protection. Depending on how chummy he was with them, they might even retaliate on his behalf once Kat swung the law hammer down on him.

“But that’s not all,” Ledger leaned forward, his voice low. “One of our shipments went missing last night. A whole truckload of guns, just vanished.”

I felt my jaw clench once again. “Shit. The Diablos?”

Jake shook his head. “That’s what we need to figure out. I need you to do some digging, talk to your contacts, see if anyone’s heard anything. My money’s on the Diablos, but it could be internal. I don’t wanna go into Diablo territory guns blazing until we know for sure. We’ll have to keep an eye on the new prospects - make sure none of them are getting any ideas above their station.”

“Sure thing, boss. I’ll make some calls,” I said, heading back out to the garage.

—————————————

Laura

I tried to focus on work, but my mind kept drifting back to the meeting with Kat. The divorce papers felt like both an ending and a new beginning. I was relieved to be cutting ties with Craig, but I was still fearful of what he might do when he was served.

As the evening wore on, the clubhouse started to fill up with members and their old ladies. I kept busy pouring drinks and chatting with the regulars, grateful for the distraction. Around 8 PM, I saw Talon walk in with Jake and a few other club members. They headed straight toward the back room, expressions grim.

“What’s that about?” I asked Trina as she passed by with a tray of empties.

She glanced toward the back room and shrugged. “Club business. Best not to ask too many questions.”

I nodded, trying to push down the lump in my throat.

About an hour later, everyone but Jake reemerged from the back room, looking a bit livelier and scattering into the crowd. I immediately locked eyes with Talon, and he made his way toward me.

“Everything okay?” I asked as he appeared beside me, pulling me into his arms.

“Nothing for you to be concerned about, angel,” he murmured, planting a kiss on my temple. “How’d it go with Kat?”

I leaned into Talon’s embrace, taking comfort in his warm, solid presence. “It went well,” I said softly. “The divorce papers and restraining order are squared away. It’s all moving pretty quickly now.”

“Good,” Talon nodded, his jaw clenching. I glanced up at him, noticing the tension in his shoulders. I could sense there was more he wasn’t telling me, but I decided not to push it. His arms tightened around me as he nuzzled into my hair, inhaling deeply. His fingers traced patterns over my lower back, and I could feel the heat radiating from his body, smell the intoxicating mix of leather, motor oil and cologne that clung to his skin as I melted into him.

Trina approached from the other end of the bar, her fiery hair swaying as she walked. She eyed Talon and me with a mixture of amusement and exasperation.

“Alright, lovebirds,” she drawled, her hands on her hips. “Either get a room or let Laura get back to work. We’ve got thirsty bikers to serve.”

I felt my cheeks flush as I realized we’d been standing there for several minutes, lost in our own world. Talon chuckled, the sound rumbling through his chest. “Just making sure everyone knows what’s mine, Trina,” he said with a wink, grabbing two big handfuls of my ass.

Trina rolled her eyes dramatically. “Yeah, yeah. Your caveman act is real cute and all, but these glasses ain’t gonna fill themselves.”

“Alright, alright,” Talon grinned. His lips crashed into mine with an intense hunger, igniting a fire of passion within me. He abruptly broke the kiss and strode away, leaving me breathless and craving more.

Before I could even catch my breath, there was a commotion near the entrance and Talon appeared back at my side. A group of unfamiliar men in leather jackets had just walked in, their patches marking them as members of another club - Diablos. The Warriors around them tensed visibly, hands drifting toward concealed weapons.

Jake emerged from the back room, his face hard as he approached the newcomers. I strained to hear their conversation, though a sudden hush had fallen over the room.

“What do you want, Shadow?” Jake’s voice was cold.

The apparent leader of the group, a tall man with dark gray hair and a jagged scar across his cheek stepped forward.

Shadow’s eyes swept the room, a smirk playing on the corners of his mouth. “Now, Wilson, is that any way to greet an old friend?” His voice was cold and smooth, like ice over deep water.

Jake’s jaw clenched visibly. “We ain’t friends, Shadow. Say your piece or get the fuck out.”

The tension in the room was palpable. Warriors had begun to form a loose circle around the Diablos, hands hovering near concealed weapons. I felt Talon’s arm wrap around my waist, pulling me closer to him.

Shadow’s gaze landed on me, his eyes narrowing slightly. A chill ran down my spine as he looked me up and down, his expression unreadable. Talon growled low in his throat, stepping slightly in front of me.

Shadow chuckled, holding his hands up in mock surrender, his eyes moving back to Jake. “Always so hostile. But I’ve got information I think you’ll wanna hear.”

Jake’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Okay?”

Shadow smirked, clearly enjoying the tension he was creating. “Let’s just say it involves a certain missing shipment of yours. And a mutual…” His eyes flicked back to me as he emphasized the last word - “Acquaintance.”

I felt Talon stiffen beside me at Shadow’s words. Jake’s expression remained impassive, but I could see the muscles in his jaw twitching.

“This isn’t the place for this conversation,” Jake said gruffly. “My office.”

As Jake led Shadow and two of his men toward the back, Talon turned to me. “Stay here with Trina,” he murmured, his eyes intense. “Don’t go anywhere alone.”

I nodded, a knot of anxiety forming in my stomach. “Be careful,” I whispered.

Talon pressed a quick kiss to my forehead and nodded toward a nearby man who I didn’t recognize, and they both followed after Jake.