Twisted Steel: An MC Anthology: Second Edition by Elizabeth Knox (top 5 ebook reader txt) 📕

I’ve never felt the need to calm another woman’s desire that way. Instead of overanalyzing the changes, I kick up my boots and head into Blade’s office. Inside, I find Blade with his VP, Axl.

“Hey, asshole,” Axl greets. “You made it home in one piece. Glad to see you’re mostly okay. Also, I heard you picked up a girlfriend, so I’m ready for all these details.”

Blade glares at Axl as if he wants to beat in his face. Axl has always been the first, along with Tank, to jump in anyone’s disaster, for the entertainment. “Hey.” Sitting in an open chair to the side of the desk, I notice Axl moved in a chair of his own by Blade. It’s funny, because Axl has no issue with boundaries, in fact, in his head he earned it, I’m sure of it. I thought about what I wanted to tell them. Angie’s words about being honest with her because she knew I was full of shit, it hit home. I’ve been full of shit. I decide to give them as much honesty that is needed to explain my actions. Also, I haven’t been a part of this MC like a man should be.

I tell them about Bull and Sadie, the past, and how she left for him. “When I went back to see Angus, he wanted us to patch up old problems. I left pissed off that he called me there for that. I know part of him wanted to see me, but it stung. I grabbed some booze and drank alone before I decided it was time to come home. I fell asleep behind the wheel. I should know better, shoulda slept it off and drove in the morning. But here I am.”

“What are your plans, Cowboy?” Blade rests back in his seat, cool and collected. “I understand shit goes wrong. On the other hand, what we all have learned over the years is this. We’re family here. We lean on our brothers. I know you patched over, and that kind of trust takes time. The past will come back to haunt you until you decide to bury it. I have two things I want you to consider. Are you here for the right reasons? Is this MC the one you should be pledged to? As far as I know, you’ve never branded your skin. You haven’t made true efforts to bind your life to ours. And I get it, we changed the game when we met our women. Do you see yourself as Battle Born?”

I want to answer, and I open my mouth to give my Prez my response, but he holds up his hand.

“Hold onto it for now. I’m not pushing you in or out. As far as I’m concerned, I want you here. You need to know down to your soul where you belong. Your old Prez, Angus, has a point. I talked to him and I gave him an update. He’s waiting on your call. If you want to go home to his MC, you should. You can’t ride through life as a nomad on the inside, Cowboy. If you need, you should talk to Cuervo. Lost souls don’t do well, and I want what is best for you. If being a nomad in life and the MC is what you really want, then you need to come to terms with the man you are.”

I’m stock still and frozen in my seat. I never pictured myself as a nomad. The way the Prez described me stings. I’ve held the brothers at an arm’s length. I’ve changed who I was over the course of my life. The man I thought I was . . . I’m not, and I need to find the man I want to be.

“What Blade is saying. What do you want in life, brother? All of it, and if you choose us, we will help you get there.”

“I gotta say, I expected to get my ass chewed for being a dumb ass. I need to think about this.” My hand runs through my hair then I drop it in my lap. “I’ll get back to you.”

“Take some time. Maybe go home and know for certain where you belong. Confront the girl and best friend. See your old friend to his last days. We’ll be here,” Blade says with finality. He’s suggesting, but even I can read between the lines, go back to where it started and find the right road back home. I think about the words, “Learn this well, the last ride is never the last ride. And the end is not the end.”

14

Angie

“What are you doing here?” I burst through the front door of the tiny apartment. Snake pulled into the driveway, my stuff loaded into the back of his truck. My hand waves as he gets out of his truck and picks me up into a big hug.

“I told you we would take care of you. One of the brothers likes your old place and is moving in. If you decide to come back, he’ll bounce out, so no worries. We got you, Ange.” He sets me back down onto my feet.

“I could kiss you right now.” My chest feels tight. It’s new and it burns, almost like heartburn. I won’t have to pay rent this month and that’s huge for me.

“I wouldn’t stop you.” Snake’s brows raise in humor. Oh, he would kiss me, the man is a lover of all women and wouldn’t ever turn down an opportunity.

“My woman won’t be kissing you anytime soon.” Cowboy stands at the doorway of his now our apartment with an annoyed pinched face.

I hit Snake with my hand on his arm. “You know what I mean. How did you know I was here?”

“I asked him to bring your stuff here. Jazzy and Spider arranged for them to move it, I just specified the location.” Cowboy tilts his head to the back. “We can unload it in the master.” He takes