****
“How’s Ava?” Raven asked.
Smokey turned to her, but he didn’t want to talk. “Fine.”
“Look, I know you hate me.”
“No, Raven. You’re wrong. I don’t hate you. I can’t hate you.”
“After what I did?”
Smokey checked to see the loading dock before he gave her his full attention. “You can try to take the blame for what went down, but it’s not on you. It’s on me. I’m the one who told you to do what you did. You can’t blame yourself. I’m sorry Ava won’t talk to you.”
Raven quickly looked away, but he saw the pain in her eyes. She thought she wasn’t easy to read, but he knew.
“I miss her,” Raven said. “I haven’t been good at making friends. Since it all happened, Abriana won’t have me around either. I lost the two friends I thought I had.”
He didn’t say anything as it was once again, all his fault.
“How is the pregnancy?”
“Good. The baby appears healthy.”
“Will you both be getting back together?”
“Raven, I really don’t want to talk about it.” The last of product was unloaded and Smokey stepped forward, shaking the mafia man’s hand. A brown envelope was given to him, and he took it, turning on his heel and leaving.
His men were already on their bikes, and Raven was to the left, straddling hers. She refused to stay at home.
Now he understood why. If Abriana wasn’t seeing her, nor Ava, Raven didn’t have anyone else. She didn’t have anything outside of the club.
Once they were out from the drop-off, they took to the open road. Forty minutes later, they arrived at an abandoned warehouse.
He, Raven, and Hunter, walked inside.
Carlos Santigo was waiting for them, a large bag by his side. He hung up his cell phone as they entered. “In record time.”
“If you plan to stitch us up, you better know I’ll take you down with me. I’ve played this dance before.”
“Drago said you’d be a pain and completely untrustworthy.”
“You people broke my trust.”
“You people.” Carlos glanced over them, lingering on Raven. “You have a woman here. Is she some kind of gift?”
“Fuck you, asshole,” Raven said.
Smokey chuckled. “A gift. I don’t owe you shit.”
Carlos continued to look at Raven.
“What’s the matter? Can’t stand a woman being here?”
“I can. It’s just … unusual.”
Raven snorted. “Why don’t you try to pretend your women have brains for themselves? You’ll be pleasantly surprised. What the fuck are we doing dealing with this asshole?”
“You were there at the drop?” Carlos asked.
Raven rounded Smokey and took a step toward Carlos. “My ass sat on my bike, riding your product across the city, hotshot. Believe me, I can do a hell of a lot more than that.”
One of Carlos’s guards reached out as if to touch her, and Raven reacted. She slammed her elbow against the man’s face, dropping him.
Within seconds, guns were raised and Smokey had enough entertainment. Any other time in his life, he would’ve allowed Raven to have her fun, but he had a woman waiting for him back home.
She’s not waiting for you.
Fuck.
Just another reminder of what he’d lost.
Ava wasn’t waiting for him, but he wanted her.
Pulling Raven behind him, he pointed his gun at Carlos. “We didn’t cause this.”
Carlos smiled and signaled for his men to lower their weapons. “Here is your payment. It’s a pleasure doing business with you.” He turned on his heel and walked away.
Smokey checked over the money, seeing it was all there.
He was going to have to get Ugly Beast to call Drago. He was growing tired of the whiplash Carlos was causing.
“I’m sorry,” Raven said.
“Don’t apologize. The guy is a fucking asshole.” Smokey divided the cash between them all. They’d bring it back together at the clubhouse, equal it out, and then they’d be on their way.
They left the warehouse, climbed onto their bikes, and took to the road, riding well into the deep of night, only arriving back at the clubhouse when the sun had started to come up.
The guys were waiting at church. The money was distributed, and with nothing else to discuss, they all went their separate ways.
Straddling his bike, he only had to wait a few seconds before Ugly Beast came out, putting a hand on his bike.
Smokey stared at his friend, shocked he would even dare to touch his bike.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea you going out,” Ugly Beast said.
“Get your fucking hands off my bike. I’m going to go and see my woman.”
“Smokey, you’ve been without sleep for nearly forty-eight hours. You’re not going to be any good to us nearly dead.”
“I’ll rest when I want to. You’re riding to Abriana. Why can I go to Ava?”
Ugly Beast winced. “Because my wife is going to let me into my house and snuggle up close to her. Ava’s not going to let you through the front door.”