Page 33 of Texas Hold Em’ (The Devil’s Luck MC #3)

JAMESON

“ I t’s good to fucking see you, brother.” Abel threw an arm around my shoulders and slapped me hard in the chest with his other hand.

I grunted and nearly doubled over. “Easy. Holy shit.”

Brody, who stood on my other side, swatted Abel away. “Mind my patient, Snake. He’s got a cracked rib and he was dead for five minutes last night. Be gentle, will you?”

Abel backed off and held both hands up innocently while flashing a charismatic smile. “My bad, my bad. Just glad to see you is all. What a trip last night must have been. How’d it all go?”

Jackson strode out of Grant’s house with his leather jacket thrown over one shoulder. “No time for stories. Save them for when we’re done tonight.”

Abel frowned. “We can spare five minutes.”

Brody rolled his shoulders. “I’d rather not.”

We shared an uneasy look.

Talking about what went down last night wasn’t going to be easy.

Neither of us had said a word about it, and truth be told, I was sure we’d both prefer never to have to think about it again.

When the defibrillator plan turned out to be a major bust and a short-sighted error, we’d had to take things into our own hands to make sure the plan went ahead.

Brody definitely drew the short end of the stick there.

Abel nudged Brody in the ribs. “When we get back from the landfill tonight I want to hear every grisly detail.”

Brody ran a hand over his head. “Yeah, yeah. Sure thing, Snake.”

It was just past nine o’clock on Friday night, and there was a fall chill in the air that I welcomed.

Carrie and I had arrived at Grant’s place just shy of an hour ago after spending the entire day lounging around my apartment, talking about anything and everything other than Bates.

Once we’d arrived and all the other MC members showed up, she and I had been pulled apart.

Sam and Suzie wanted to talk to her about last night, and the men wanted to talk to Brody and me.

Carrie and I had shared looks across the porch all evening, and now it was nearly time to go.

It all happened so quickly.

Jackson climbed the porch steps and pulled Sam aside.

In the corner near the patio doors, they bowed their heads together and spoke quietly.

He held her hands in his and ran his thumbs over her knuckles while she nodded to what he was saying.

She looked rigid and tense, her expression drawn, but she understood the toll of being a Devil’s woman.

She’d understood since the very beginning.

Mason did the same with Suzie. He led her down the porch steps to the lawn, where he held her face in his hands and kissed her like he might never see her again.

And he very well might not.

She clung to his shirt, whispered for him to be safe, and fell into his arms for an embrace.

Carrie stood from where she sat up on the porch and ran her palms down her thighs.

She looked good in her skintight jeans and white T-shirt.

I climbed the porch steps, my ribs protesting slightly, and took her hand.

She followed me back down the steps and onto the gravel where we could have a moment of privacy.

She gnawed her cheek and looked around. “Are you really going to leave me here with the girls while you guys go off and get Bates? ”

“It has to be this way. Bates doesn’t fight fair. You know that. And if you were close by, you’d be a target he’d want to hit, especially since he’ll know you betrayed him.”

Carrie sighed. “I’m the best shot out of all of you. You’re basically benching your best player.”

I chuckled. “I know how badly you want to help, but you’ve already done your part. We can take it from here.”

“Tex, come on.”

“I want you as far away from him as possible,” I said firmly. “Leave it to us. We’ll put an end to all this tonight, and you can… you can go home after.”

She searched my eyes. “Home?”

“Austin.”

She smiled sadly. “Austin has felt less and less like home every day.”

What did that mean? Did it mean she was thinking about staying? My heart fluttered in my chest in a way I’d never felt before.

Carrie smiled and wrapped her arms around my waist. She was careful of my ribs as she rested her cheek on my chest. “Please be careful. Don’t do anything too reckless. You’re still hurt. You did your part last night. Let the others show up for you tonight.”

I slid my fingers into her hair and held her to me. “I’ll come back to you.”

“You’d better.” Carrie stepped back and wrapped her arms around herself. “Call me when it’s done.”

“I will.”

“Keep your head on straight.”

“Promise.”

“And don’t get shot,” she added as she smoothed out my leather jacket, running her hands down the front of the collar.

“I’ll do my best. And you,” I said, hooking my thumbs in the belt loops of her jeans and pulling her back to me, “stay put. Stay right where I left you because when all this is done I know exactly where I’m riding to and exactly whose lips I’m going to kiss.

I need you waiting for me on the other side of this mess. ”

Her bottom lip trembled. She took a deep breath to steady herself and keep her emotions at bay. “I’ll be here.”

“Good girl.” I kissed her forehead.

Right on cue, Jackson hit the porch stairs and bellowed at us that it was time to leave.

Mason gave Suzie one last kiss, and she watched him go with her arms wrapped around herself.

Sam came down from the porch as the men moved to their bikes parked in the gravel.

She took Suzie’s hand and held it tightly.

I caught Sam’s eye and nodded to Carrie, who stood alone off to the side as I made my way to my bike.

Wordlessly, Sam knew what I was asking. She and Suzie came up behind Carrie. The three women slid their arms around each other’s waists and watched as we got on our bikes. We were about to ride off when Jackson held up a hand for us to wait. He dismounted and jogged back over to the women.

I thought he was going to steal another kiss from Sam, but instead he clasped Carrie’s hand in his and spoke to her.

She smiled at him.

What’s going on there? I wondered.

Beside me, Brody cleared his throat. “He’s come around.”

Fucking finally.

Jackson jogged back to the bikes and left Carrie grinning in his wake. Sam nudged her shoulder the way an older sister might.

I was glad that was the last I saw of her before we rode out into the night.

Her smile lingered in my mind as we wove down the residential streets, traveling in a pack.

My brothers all around me gave me a sense of peace, but I couldn’t deny the sense of unease spreading in my gut. Carrie had held up her end of the bargain last night, but I didn’t trust Bates. He’d proven time and time again that he was capable of surprising us.

And killing us.

I thought of William.

The night he’d died, we’d all been out for a joy ride.

We all knew who Walter Bates was at the time, and we knew he was a newcomer trying to become the new kingpin, but it never really sank in just how power hungry he was until Will was face down on the asphalt, bleeding out while Mason leaned over him and begged him not to die.

I truly thought we’d lose them both that night. Mason took a hell of a risk getting off his bike and rushing to Will’s aid. If the rest of us hadn’t been there, Bates and his men would have gotten close enough to blow him away, too.

And tonight we were riding straight into the viper’s den to face the same enemy.

Even though it was necessary, I didn’t like it one bit.

I wondered if this was the feeling Jackson had when he was overseas in Syria. My hands cramped on the handlebars and I tried to relax my grip. I reminded myself that I had everything I needed. My brothers. Justice. My own moral compass. A beautiful woman tucked safely away, waiting for my return.

When tonight was over, all of this would be a thing of the past.

I could go back to my normal work as the Treasurer. After all the action, I wouldn’t mind some quiet years, and that was something I never thought I’d say.

Funny how a woman could change everything in a matter of weeks.

As we cruised through town in the direction of the landfill, I muttered into the wind to our fallen companion.

“Tonight’s the night, William. We’re going to finish it once and for all.

Watch out for your brother. He’s going to need it.

” Off in the distance, the horizon darkened.

That was right where we were going. Out of town.

Away from the city limits. Into the darkness of the surrounding desert. “Hell, we’re all going to need it.”