Diablo - Patricia A. Rasey Page 0,3
said. “That was until she went back to Mateo. Fucking kingpin burned down Ryder Kelley’s house on the coast just to get to her.”
“Son of a bitch still needs to pay for that,” Kaleb growled.
“And he will,” Kane added. “When the timing’s right. We certainly can’t go gunning for them when we’re far outnumbered. We need to be smart about it.”
“Couldn’t agree more. We’re in when you’re ready.”
“Thanks, Gunner. We’ll need your numbers.”
“You got it, Viper. Back to dating…” Gunner clapped Adrian on the shoulder, apparently eager to change the subject. “When’s the last time you had a date, Smoke?”
“Me? I’m not the one pining away for a lovely senorita.”
Gunner’s face darkened, confirming his earlier attempt to change the topic. “Adri made her choice. She and Mateo deserve each other as far as I’m concerned. That fucking drug lord doesn’t even know what he has in her.”
“Sure, he does,” Adrian said. “Why do you think he came back for her?”
“Christ, Smoke. She’s a possession to him. That’s why.” Gunner growled as his mood blackened. Dante hoped he never allowed a woman to get under his skin again. In his experience, most weren’t trustworthy. “The motherfucker only wanted her because she left him and not the other way around. She made her bed, dude.”
Adrian grimaced. “Can’t argue.”
“You want to do something about Mateo now? Reach out, step up our timeline?” Kane asked. “We’ll back you, bro.”
Gunner shook his head. “She made a choice and I’ll respect that.”
“I get it, man.” Dante patted his shoulder. “You want someone to talk to, I’m a good listener.”
Dante’d had his share of women problems. Christ, his had landed him in the pen for several years, all because of her fucking lies. Since he looked the part, and she came from a rich family, no one believed his side of the story. Besides, his kid had been better off without him. Following his release from the pen, he had done some pretty bad things, things that had earned him his moniker during his stint with the Devils MC, things he wasn’t proud of.
He wasn’t about to open that can worms. Best to bury his past so deep it never surfaced again. Besides, Dante was anything but a role model parent. Linda might’ve been a lousy girlfriend and human being, but he had to believe she was a good parent. Because if he didn’t, that shit would eat him up.
“You okay?” Gunner asked, bringing his thoughts back to the present and off his fucked-up past.
“Yeah, man. I’m good.” He smiled, one he didn’t feel. “So, I’m about to become your counter candy?”
The men laughed. Better to find humor than to wallow in the shit he couldn’t fix anyway.
“Dude, the offer goes both ways,” Gunner said. “I can see something’s eating you. You want to talk, we’re here for you. Brothers through and through.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it, man.”
“Enough of the girly talk,” Kaleb said, earning a few more chuckles. He set a large bottle of Gentleman Jack on the counter. “We came to christen this place. Come Monday, doors open. Let’s sell some bikes.”
“Hear, hear, Hawk.” Gunner grabbed the bottle, opened the cap and took a large swig.
“What are you? An animal?” Kane smiled, setting clear shot glasses printed with their logo on the counter. “We brought glasses.”
Adrian grabbed the bottle from Gunner. “Save some for the rest of us.”
Pouring the amber liquid into the glasses, each man then grabbed one. Kane held his up, the others following suit. “Here’s to the start of a chain. To K&K Motorcycles.”
“To K&K,” the rest of the men said, then took the glasses to their lips and downed the fiery liquid.
Too damn bad Dante could no longer get drunk. He wouldn’t mind getting shit-faced. The thought of his ex and kid usually had that effect. Just the thought of Ty placed a rock-sized lump in his throat. Even though his kid was probably better off without him, he still wanted to see for himself he was doing okay. But if Dante ever got wind Linda was mistreating his boy in any way, all bets would be off. He’d go through hell to make sure she never saw Ty again.
Chapter 2
Legs tucked beneath her, Angelica Hart sat on the slightly-worn plaid sofa she had scored from Goodwill and blew the steam across the surface of her coffee. She preferred hers black and never understood why anyone would want to take away from the dark, rich flavor with creams or sugars. Her longtime