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I shook my head when he held my stare. We were both taking a stand, and it seemed that put us at a crossroads. I took a few steps back. “You don’t want Maggie here, no problem, brother. But if she goes, I go.”
Bear ran his hand over his forehead. “You willing to give it all up, your brothers, your family, all of it for a woman?”
“I wouldn’t even look back, brother.” Bear leaned back against the car behind him and sighed, so I continued. “I love this club, and you know that. I love what we’re building here, but don’t ask me to choose between you and her, brother, because there is no choice for me.”
His eyes settled on mine, and I held his stare. It wasn’t long before he jerked his chin up and stood to his full height. “We meet at six.”
“And?” I had to know what to expect so I knew what I was going to need to plan.
He rubbed his hand over his beard. “And I’m not losing my fucking VP or my brother.”
I nodded, but he hadn’t seen it because he’d already turned back to the car and leaned over. “I have an errand. I’ll be back for the meeting.”
I heard him grunt while I was hauling ass to my truck at the back of the parking lot. I pulled my phone from my pocket and pressed a button before putting it to my ear. “You busy?”
“Nope, off today, so I’m just fucking around my place.”
I unlocked the truck and jumped in. “I’m coming to pick you up.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, where we goin’?”
“I’ll be there in ten. I’m in the truck.”
“You got it, boss.” I grinned when I threw my phone on the center console and started up the truck, heading a little out of town to Ritz’s apartment. He’d had his own place since he came to the club a few years ago, and I knew he liked that. He needed time to himself, always had. As far as I knew, he’d never even taken a woman there, just used a room at the clubhouse when he needed one. He’d always called his apartment his sanctuary. I decided recently that I needed and wanted the same damn thing.
Pulling up along the street, Ritz made his way over to the truck from where he stood in the parking lot talking to a woman and jumped in. “Where we headed?”
I pulled away from the curb and headed back into town. “Tomorrow’s Maggie’s birthday.”
I saw him smirk out of the corner of my eye. “Yeah, that’s right.” He leaned back in the seat. “You need me to come along so you pick out something nice?”
I glanced his way. “I already know what I’m getting her, fucker. I may need help carrying all the shit.”
He nodded, and I turned back to watch the road. His voice, no longer teasing, broke the silence. “Is what’s pissing you off what we’re meeting about tonight?”
I squeezed my hands on the steering wheel. “Yep.”
“And it’s about Maggie?” He guessed correctly.
“It’s about some shit going down.”
“That involves Maggie.” he repeated, but this time, I didn’t answer. I didn’t need to.
He stretched his long legs out in front of him. “Wanna tell me why the hell we’re birthday gift shopping if shit’s going down with her?”
I flicked on my turn signal. “Because I’m not gonna let her miss celebrating another birthday. Not because of this shit.”
“Fuck, Gunn, never thought I’d see the day when a woman rivaled the club for your attention.”
“She’s had my attention a lot longer than you know.” I admitted.
He shot me a look that I ignored, but he didn’t say anything else until I pulled into a parking lot, parked the truck, and turned off the engine. “What the hell are we doin’ here?”
I pushed open my door. “Let’s go.”
He followed me inside and up to the front counter where a cute redhead turned and faced us. “Hi, can I help you?”
Ritz moved around me and leaned against the counter. “You can help me.”