A lie. But Zoe would let it go for now. She shoved her phone back into her pocket, turned away from the festival lights, and headed toward the parking area. Her steps faltered only once, when she glanced back over her shoulder. Rags wasn’t looking her way. He was across the grounds with his brothers, shoulders tense, expression hard, already deep in whatever club business had yanked him away. Standing near the perimeter, his gaze fixed on whatever threat had arrived.
He looked like a stranger.
And somehow, that hurt worse than anything else.
Casey drew in a breath, squared her shoulders, and kept walking away from the noise, away from the heat of him, and away from the danger she already knew too well. She didn’t stop until she slid into her car and shut the door, sealing herself into the quiet. In her rearview mirror, she saw the first flash of club cuts moving toward the perimeter. That low, nervous hum of engines tightened something deep inside her. She knew, with a sinking, familiar certainty, that his sudden coldness had nothing to do with her and everything to do with the club.
A sliver of fear threaded through her. Rags had to be safe. She shook her head, exhaling. Here I go again. Been there. Done that.
Yet here she was, sliding back into the world she’d left behind—and toward the man chipping at the ice around her heart.
Chapter Twelve
Dried grass andleaves crunched under Rags’s boots as he walked away from the barn and from Casey. He could still feel her lips against his, her arms around his neck, her curvy body flush against his.Fuck!He needed to detach, to pull full focus on what was going on now. He had to clear his mind—shake her scent off him. Forget about the way her perfume wrapped around him, or the way she moaned when he touched her.Damnit!She was still under his skin.
“Didn’t mean to break up what you had going with that chick, but Banger wants the Devil’s Reign off the property without the citizens noticing anything,” Throttle said, pulling Rags’s thoughts away from Casey and back to the impending confrontation.
“No worries. The club comes first,” Rags said, shoving thoughts of her into the far recesses of his mind.
They headed toward the far side of the ranch.
“Any of the assholes at the festival?” Rags said.
“Not yet. They came by a back road. Probably thinking they’d surprise us,” Diesel said. “What a bunch of fuckin’ pussies.”
“Dumb shits didn’t think we’d be surveying the festival?” Tank said.
“Like Diesel said, they’re damn pussies. They get some cuts and they think they’re in a fuckin’ club. Insurgents have been around since the seventies. We’re the mother club.” Streaks of anger shot through Rags. “I can’t wait to beat their asses.”
“Me too,” Throttle said.
The other members agreed in unison.
“There’re twelve of the fuckers. They’re at the far side of the ranch by the service road.” Chas’s voice crackled through the smart radio.
“Can you see their cuts?” Rags asked, grabbing the radio from Throttle.
“Yep. Their bottom rocker is clear as hell. It saysColorado.”
“Fuck that!” Rags stomped his steel-toed boot into the dirt.
“We’re gonna teach these assholes some respect,” Diesel said.
“Can’t wait.” Throttle pounded his fist into his palm.
“They’re gonna be sorry they messed with the Insurgents.” Smokey dropped his roach and crushed it with his boot.
“Fuck, yeah,” Diesel said. “Are Rock and Shadow with Chas?”
Throttle nodded. “Banger wants us at the tree-line. He wants us to rough them up. No weapons drawn unless we have to. Keep it low-profile. He doesn’t want citizens seeing shit.”
“Let’s roll,” Rags said.
The rest of the Insurgents were strategically positioned around the festival, making sure no trouble bled into the public area.
“The assholes just got off their bikes,” Chas said. “They’re acting like they’re stretching their legs, but they’re scouting.”
“Did they make any of you?” Rags asked.