Page 160 of Preacher Man

"I wasn't planning to, but speaking of. She says you haven't been in her life for a while. I gotta say and don't take this personally or get offended feelings over it, but if you hurt my old lady, if you make her cry like her sister has this past however long, if you even give her a moment of stress, I will have to break my promise to her and remove your intestines very badly and then the fun really begins." Preacher was nice about it, he couldn’t say fairer than that, but where Ruby was concerned he had zero fucking chill if someone was gonna upset her.

Maybe it wasn't his finest moment threatening an MC president in his own club his feelings toward Ruby made him drop-kick all the fucking rules out of the door.

Their stares held.

And held.

Neither man, looking away to give the other one dominance.

And then Jamie nodded like he respected the warning, a smile playing the edges of his mouth, a smile that was like a sly manipulative cat who was forever up to no good, surprisingly, Preacher wasn’t put off by it, he liked things out in the open. Jamie stepped up to his taller height and slapped Preacher's hand. "Maybe you can start mending some of those bridges with her."

"Ruby is stubborn if you already didn't know. She hasn't made it easy for me to stay in her life." His expression dark and wrong and a little like he felt regret somewhere for not making more of an effort. “I’ll try.” He tacked on.

"She's hurting over this. And if she doesn't get the kid..."

"I'll make sure she gets the kid one way or another." Jamie vowed and Preacher got the idea he meant in every illegal sense he would get the kid for Ruby. He smiled and admired the president a little bit more.

"Same. But we won't share that with my old lady, ya dig?"

"How's everything over in Armado now Hades has flown the coop?"

Preacher's face blanked out. Was Jamie fishing to find out if it was the RS who got rid of Hades? The big brooding bastard might be his brother in law now, no fucking way he was pillow talking club business with him. As it was he'd have to take this new family connection to Rider, it wouldn't make it sticky as such, he trusted Ruby with whatever he shared with her, but his own president needed to know he was loosely associated to the Kingsmen, he didn't know, it could help solidify a true bond with another club. You have my back we have yours.

"You know how it goes, man. One shit-stain leaves, another slides in." He meant the Russians making their noise known.

Jamie snorted. "I hear that. I should get over some time, have a drink with Rider."

There were no sibling hugs on the way out, though Jamie stepped forward it was Ruby who backed away and gave him a tentative smile instead. Jamie offered his help and she nodded noncommittally like she didn't know what to do with people being genuine with her.

"How you doing, baby? it didn't go too bad huh?"

"I'm fine. Should I have taken dad’s money?"

“That’s your call. I don’t think your brother is spending it, so it’s there.”

“Hm.”

"Maybe we should invite him over for BBQ when we get you set up at the house."

"Maybe."

"The kid is going to need all his uncles, you think?"

Talk of Sebastian made her smile and Preacher filed it away for future reference.

"Round one is done. Ready to meet my folks now?"

Her smile fell.

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

“Meet the Priests.” – Ruby

Was she having sexy delusions? Asher Priest coming towards her dressed in big boy clothes. A pair of blue denim, faded in places molded his long legs, a long sleeved white undershirt underneath a red T-shirt that had "I never said I was batman. But let me ask you; have you ever seen us in the same room together?"written on the front. Her lips twitched, raking her greedy eyes all over the man. Damn, he looked good, with a pair of tan climbing boots and a single black leather wrist cuff. No club vest today. "You are looking very un-bikerish, Asher."

"I'm not just Renegade Souls, baby." He winked and caught at her hand. "Smile, we're being watched."

"We are?" Her head darted around his huge body, to see the blinds flip down suddenly on the front window of the two-story modern built home that belonged to her new in-laws.Oh, god. She didn't know the judging would begin before she'd even stepped inside. Did her hair look okay? Maybe she should have worn a different skirt. With her free hand, she smoothed it down and then her hair until he grasped her two hands. "Relax, baby, nothing to be nervous of. We'll have some good food."