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“As soon as you earned your colors,” I continued. “Rumor has it that you lost your virginity by the end of the day.”

He snorted.

“That ship sailed when I was fifteen. Like I said, Bomber didn’t know what he was talking about. Making up shit to be entertaining. He loved a captive audience for his tall tales, especially if he could impress a pretty woman. You were like catnip to him.”

I reached for my purse that I’d placed on the bar when I sat down. Rummaging around inside, I found my phone and tapped at the screen.

“Didn’t he put all those pictures into an online photo album for safekeeping before he passed? I might still have a link somewhere around here—”

Neil plucked the phone out of my hand and shoved it into his cut pocket.

“No pictures.”

“Hey,” I protested.

“Eat your breakfast. It’s getting cold.”

“You can’t just take my phone like that. Give it back.”

Neil leveled a cool gaze at me, with a look as if to say,what are you gonna do about it?I jutted my chin out in defiance. He didn’t even blink, unswayed by my attitude, as usual.

“Is Crash your new Prospect?” I prodded.

Neil dropped his gaze to his coffee and shook his head.

“Not if I have anything to say about it.”

“Why?”

He considered for a moment, then lifted his gaze to meet mine.

“Trying to prevent him from making the same mistakes I did. He’s young—he can still choose a better life. Find a girl. Fall in love. Get the hell away from this club, so he doesn’t lose her.”

I blew out a breath at the magnitude of his confession. I pushed my plate away, my appetite gone. We were having fun, keeping it light, and then he had to ruin the mood by getting serious.

“Jesus Christ, Neil,” I said.

“It’s the truth.”

“Well…”

I couldn’t argue with that. He had a point. I wanted to resent him for prioritizing the club as often as he did, even when I begged him not to. But I also knew that the Blackjacks had been there for him when the rest of the world had turned its back and shut him out.

“You should let him join,” I said softly.

Neil studied me silently, waiting for me to continue.

“If Crash is anything like you,” I said. “This club will save his life. Give him a home and a family. Give him a place to belong. He deserves that.”

Neil hummed thoughtfully.

“I’m surprised. I expected you would agree, tell me I was doing the right thing by turning the kid away. Setting him on the straight and narrow.”

I shrugged, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear.

“Did we ever really agree on anything? I thought we argued just for the hell of it.”

“We didn’t argue about sleeping in on Saturdays.”