Sawyer had issues with the Bliss County Sheriff’s Department. Hell on Wheels was technically on unincorporated land, but that didn’t mean the sheriff didn’t care about what happened here. Sawyer and Nate Wright had gotten off on the wrong foot, and Sawyer hadn’t done much to fix the problem. The fact that Sawyer had once been in an MC didn’t help Nate’s opinion. “You know you could tell him why you fell in with the Horde.”
At one point Sawyer had prospected for the motorcycle club that called themselves The Colorado Horde. He’d left when he’d done the job he’d needed to do. Sawyer glanced down at his left arm. Once it had been decorated with Horde tats. Now there was nothing but black ink. He often wondered if Sawyer had covered those tats instead of having them removed as a reminder of what he’d had to do.
“I don’t like to talk about it, and I don’t care what the sheriff thinks,” Sawyer said, picking up the whiskey bottle and putting it back on the shelf.
Stubborn man. “Well, then I suppose you get to listen to a whole lot of ‘Welcome to the Jungle.’ Hey, at least the place won’t sound like you pulled up a Supernatural playlist. The man brought you into the early nineties.”
That got a smirk from Sawyer. “Don’t hate on the Winchesters.”
It was something few people knew about Sawyer. He was a geek when it came to his entertainment choices. But then Ty had introduced him to sci-fi/fantasy a very long time ago. “Never. And I’ll ask around and see if I can get your jukebox back under your own control.”
“Thanks, man.” Sawyer picked up the pitcher of margaritas and poured himself one. It must be closing time because Sawyer rarely drank, and never on the job. “So I heard a little bit of what you and Novack talked about. You insane?”
He should have known he couldn’t hide this from Sawyer. “Aren’t you a little big and scary to be hiding in hallways eavesdropping on your friends.”
“Friend. I was only listening in on one friend and one dude I haven’t made my mind up about yet,” Sawyer corrected, taking a sip of the margarita and grimacing. “You should have told me it needed more tequila. And I was eavesdropping precisely because you are my friend. Also, I don’t call it eavesdropping. It’s called information gathering, and I gathered that you’re playing a dangerous game with Novack. Do you honestly think sharing Luce with him is going to work out? I thought we decided you were going to play it slow for a while.”
This was why he hadn’t particularly wanted Sawyer listening in. “That plan went to hell tonight.”
Sawyer frowned. “What happened?”
“I kind of lost it and kissed her.”
Sawyer nodded as though considering the problem. “Okay. Well, that was bound to happen. How did she respond?”
She’d melted in his arms. “It was perfect.”
Sawyer’s face screwed into a disgusted expression. “Ty, dude, can you pretend to be a little more manly? I’m getting a stomachache.”
“It’s not unmanly to have enjoyed the embrace of the woman I love,” he shot back. “Also, I want to point out to this whole damn town that I can’t be both some unmanly child in love and an overused manwhore at the same time. Everyone needs to pick their evil when it comes to me.”
“Already made my pick. Unmanly child in love. You’ve been that for damn near twenty years,” Sawyer replied. “The manwhore stuff was because you came home and Luce was firmly in my brother’s arms. Probably be married to him if he hadn’t been a stupid asshole and gotten himself thrown in jail.”
Which was precisely why Sawyer had gone into the Horde. He’d gone in to make sure his brother survived jail. “How’s Wes doing?”
“He’s got a job in Denver. He’s good. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t like to think about any of us. He wants his fresh start.” Though his face remained stoic, there was a softness to the words that let him know Sawyer ached from the loss of his brother.
He had a lot of problems with the way Wes had treated the people who’d loved him. “He never called Luce. She wouldn’t have known he was out if you hadn’t told her.”
“He’s got a new woman, one who doesn’t know his sad history. I haven’t even met her.”
“I could punch him for you.” After everything Sawyer had done to help his brother, Wes didn’t even call him?
“It’s water under the bridge. Best to keep moving forward. And it was best that Luce didn’t end up with Wes,” Sawyer said, brushing his family issues aside. “She’s always loved you. I think she took up with Wes because she was sure she couldn’t have you. But Novack could be dangerous.”
“Why?” He didn’t understand the appeal. The man was attractive, but he was dour and grumpy and obviously unhappy. Maybe that was the key—the unhappy part.