I drive since Link plans to get shit faced for the holiday and he gave up his room at the clubhouse to the guests the club is hosting for the next few days. The Birds of Hell. My pulse spikes as Banks opens the gate to let us pass. I know his motorcycle the moment I see the paint job on the gas tank. A bird flying through the flames of Hell. I do my best to pretend I don’t notice. Vince showing up doesn’t rattle me. Link’s reaction to his presence does. He’s on edge. Though I guess part of it could be we’ve not been to the clubhouse together since everything transpired. We exit the vehicle and head out back to where the fight pit is located. Link keeps an arm draped over my shoulder, holding me close to his side. It isn’t like him to be insecure. Ever. Though he has never royally fucked up the way he did when he messed around on me.
Music blares from the outside speakers. The pole lights are lit and the leftover string lights from Murder and Alexa’s wedding last month. Navarro, the latest prospect has the outside bar up and running along with a few kegs of beer. I spot my sister with Wylla Mae and her friend Andi.
I don’t see Alexa anywhere, but she said she’d be here.
“Let’s get a drink,” Link tells me, leading me toward Navarro.
I scan the crowd and tell myself I’m not looking for Vince, but the truth is I am curious to see what he looks like after all this time.
“Who you looking for,” my husband all but growls the question low in my ear.
“Alexa. She said she would be here.”
“You want a beer?”
“Only one since I gotta drive us home later,” I murmur having spotted a group of men I don’t recognize hanging around the pit. The Birds of Hell. They look as one would expect a biker to appear, but a bit rougher around the edges than the Royal Bastards. They’re wearing denim cuts instead of leather.
Link hands me a beer as I study the group from the corner of my eye trying to pick out Vince. “There’s Lex. She’s with Jules.”
“Thanks, honey. I’m gonna join the girls. Do your thing.” I kiss his cheek, but he stiffens slightly. When I start to pull away, I learn why.
“Fuckin’ shit. Was wondering when you’d show.” Vince rakes his gaze up and down my body stopping at my chest briefly then he shifts his focus to my forehead. “What the fuck?” His attention turns to Link for all of two seconds before he rears his fist and smashes it into my husband’s jaw, splitting it open with his rings.
My mouth drops and the prospect yanks me behind the bar. Hell breaks loose. Bastard versus Birds, attempting to pull the two of them apart. I know better than to insert myself into the equation trusting Murder, Viking, and East to handle this. A few members of each club shove at each other but the excitement dies down as quickly as it started.
Murder has Vince by the back of his neck pulling him away from Link who is spitting blood at the ground while dabbing his lips with his knuckle. “Save that shit for the ring. What the fuck you doing coming to my house and starting shit?”
“Look at her face?” Vince snarls jerking out of his grip and running his fingers through his long, wild, dark hair.
“Pam’s face is none of your business,” Murder barks at him, taking him opposite of where I stand shaking like a damn leaf.
Alexa and the girls rush to me as the men clear out giving Link a wide berth. He nods at me and grabs a new beer. I watch him stalk off with East.
“What the hell was that?” Jules’s gripes.
“I think he thought Link had hit me.”
“Who is that guy?” Wylla Mae asks, staring off after her father.
“That’s Pam’s ex,” Alexa informs her.
“But you and Link have been together for like ever. And he’d never hit you.”
“No. He wouldn’t.” I didn’t even get to enjoy my beer. I think I need a shot or to smoke a little grass to calm my nerves.
“Are you okay?” Alexa steps in front of me and takes a good look at me. “Of course you’re not.”
I shake my head then nod. “I’m fine.”
I never thought the two of us would ever be friends. I always had a loyalty to Ruthie. Murder’s cunt of an ex-wife. Alexa was the other woman in that scenario for nearly twenty years. Naturally I don’t condone cheating, but their situation was far from the norm. I was wrong about her.
“Why don’t we go find a spot to watch the fights,” Andi suggests.
I don’t know her that well but her and Wylla Mae are attached at the hip lately. Though Jules says they have always been close.
We move as one unit through the crowd closer to where the fights take place. Viking stops our group. “You good?” he looks to me.
“Yup. Do you know where Link went?”