Page 24 of The Vows We Keep

“Don’t threaten her,” I say.

“I’ll threaten any motherfucker I think might bring harm to our club. And if you had your head screwed on straight and weren’t thinking with your dick, you’d do the same.”

“He’s right, Niro,” Catalina says with a huff. “You have every reason to be wary of us.”

I shift in my seat and look back at her as she climbs on. “Not you, I don’t.”

“And why’s that?”

“Because we’re the same person. We’re fearless. Strong. Don’t follow the usual script.”

“What’s going to happen to me?”

I hold her gaze for a moment and for the first time, I see the smallest flicker of fear. “Nothing, Cat. I won’t let it.”

Engines rev, and some of my brothers begin to pull out.

Catalina places her hands on my waist, but I reach for and tug on them until they are wrapped around me, her tits up against my back.

“You feel good on the back of my bike,” I say.

“Technically it’s my bike.”

I can’t help but think about how much I like her snark as I pull away.

It takes twenty minutes for us to reach the clubhouse, and as we walk to the fortified building, Bates and I have Catalina between us as Clutch and Switch bring Neva in behind us.

“You wanna be the meat in our sandwich?” Bates asks.

“Asshole.” Catalina’s one-word answer cracks through the cold.

“Not sharing,” I say. “She’s more like the salami on my pizza.”

Catalina shakes her head. “You’re both gross.”

“Separate ’em and question them,” King says.

“I’ll take Cat,” I volunteer.

King huffs a laugh. “You’ll take a shower. You stink. Halo will speak to Cat.”

“Fuck that.”

“We get it,” Halo says. “Cat’s yours.”

“I’m not anyone’s,” she snaps.

“Babe, that’s such an insult to the precious time we already spent together,” I say, then I turn to Halo. “She tells me you got rough with her, I’ll have no problem kicking your ass.”

8

NIRO

Iget to my room and strip. The sooner I’m showered, the sooner I can get back to Catalina.

I dump my clothes outside the bathroom door with every intention of dealing with them once I’m out. The clubhouse is basic in its conditions—when it was built, Venom, my treasurer predecessor, was even tighter on the purse strings than I am. Simple, white shower cubicle, with a toilet and sink. I pay one of the club girls to clean the bathroom for me because I usually don’t remember.

When I do, I go on a massive cleaning binge. Tidy my room from top to bottom, but within a week, it’s a mess again.