“Ever go back to see your parents?”
“Fuck no. My old man was a junkie who knocked me around whenever he wanted, and my ma stood back and watched. Don’t even know if they’re alive or dead; don’t care enough to find out, either.”
“Don’t guess I blame you.” Stud reached for the wrench. “Ever think the reason you’re a nomad is because you’re searching for a family that’ll have your back?”
“No. Don’t want a family. They tie you down and destroy you.”
“On the other hand, they can have your back when no one else will. The Blue Horsemen and the Destructors have your back, whether you want them to or not, so you might as well learn to live with that fact, brother.”
* * *
Cade went back to the clubhouse with Stud’s words repeating over and over in his mind. He had drawn closer to the brothers over the past months, despite himself. He refused to acknowledge Jane had any part in his staying. Even if she did, it wouldn’t have mattered. He wasn’t ready to stop roaming, and from the expression on her face that day, she had been cut hard by his actions. Wounds like that didn’t heal overnight, if ever.
He needed a fucking drink to take her image out of his mind. The other women he had found himself with since then had failed to do so. Cade didn’t think the liquor would help any better, although he was at a point where he was willing to try anything to drive the feel of her away for a few minutes.
Going to the bar, he stood next to Dozer and Bear. Both were arguing back and forth on who they were going to fuck that evening.
A little while later, the door opened, and Sex Piston and her crew came in with Stud. Cade admired the man who was able to handle being around the women constantly.
He noticed Jane wasn’t with the crew again that night. He hadn’t seen her in a couple of months. At first, when he had made an ass of himself, she had come to the club every night with one of the bitches in tow, as if to show him she didn’t give a shit, but her visits had gradually tapered off until she never showed at all anymore.
Stud left the women sitting at a table and came to the bar. “June, give me drinks for the girls, and I’ll take a whiskey. I need it.” Stud winked at the brunette, whose tits were showing through the white T-shirt she was wearing.
The clubhouse door opened, and Jane’s father came inside looking like he had the first time Cade had met him, like he was so scared he was about to shit himself.
“What’s he doing here?” Cade asked Stud, who gave him another weird look that he couldn’t decipher. Cade was beginning to get the feeling that something was going on he didn’t know about.
He watched as Montgomery approached Sex Piston’s table.
“Sex Piston, I’ve been looking for Jane. Where is she?”
“Why do you give a shit?”
Montgomery was obviously startled by her harsh question. “She’s my daughter, and I haven’t seen or heard from her in over two months.”
“And you’re just now getting worried? Fuck off!” Sex Piston snarled.
“I’ll call the police and report her missing!”
“Call them. I’ll tell them she’s working at Popeye’s, on top of her hospital job.”
“What? Why is she working there?”
“Because she’s trying to keep a roof over her sorry mother’s head.”
“But I succeeded in getting my money back, and I made sure her allowance was restarted.”
“Look in the account, and you’ll see she doesn’t touch it. She doesn’t want a dime of your money, never has. That’s why she’s always given it to her mom and that bitch daughter of yours.”
“Why wouldn’t she…? I don’t understand.”
“Because, what did you do when you got your money back two months ago? You and Bailey went running back to New York. Who the fuck do you think got that money back for you?”
“The banks—”
“Bullshit. Those banks didn’t give a fuck whether you recovered your money or not. Jane went to The Last Riders and asked for their help. Knox is a computer engineer, and Crash is a computer nerd. They stole the money back for you.”
“I didn’t know.”
“Jesus! You’re so fucking stupid. How did you make that money in the first place?”
“I need to go see her…” Montgomery turned yet was stopped by Sex Piston’s harsh words.
“Stay the fuck away from her. She doesn’t want to see you right now or anyone else who’s hurt her. She wants to be left alone. You go near her, and I’ll kick your ass.”
“Is she in trouble? I can help—”