“Goddamn, Alec. This is serious.” Keyes slammed a hand on the dashboard, drawing Alec’s gaze. The lawyer lifted a brow and stared at him, a fire lighting in those green depths.
“I don’t know that you understand how serious this truly is,” Alec countered in that fucking way the man had of yelling without ever raising his voice, but Keyes wouldn’t be sidetracked.
“Why did you come? They’ve seen you and that’s all it takes. If I get locked up, I can’t protect you, and I guarantee, they’ll figure out who you are. Somebody in that fuckin’ jailhouse is being paid by the club, and they’ll rat you out in a hot second. We got eyes every-fuckin’-where,” Keyes shouted, trying to make Alec understand he was playing with a loaded gun.
“I’ve worked the entire day trying to get you out of that place,” Alec said calmly, but this time his tone carried a warning. “You should have seen the trumped-up charges they wanted to pile on top of you. You’ve got yourself in a situation where you can’t even begin to understand the gift you’ve given that vicious DA.”
What the fuck did that have to do with what he’d just said?
“You shouldn’t have come,” Keyes repeated, holding firm to his argument. They glared at one another, neither giving a single inch. Finally, Keyes rolled his eyes and gave in, facing forward to stare out the front window, refusing to put his seatbelt on as he crossed his arms tightly over his chest and fumed.
After a minute more, Alec put the car in gear and started driving them out of the parking lot.
“You’re being mean. Why are you being so mean?”
Keyes stayed silent, staring out the window. He didn’t know how to make Alec realize the threat was real.
“You’re never mean to me. I did what I had to do. You have to see that.”
Keyes narrowed his eyes and mashed his lips together to help keep his silence.
“I’ll have security on me tomorrow then, is that better?”
This was what Alec did regularly, he underestimated the badass nature of his bike club. A little rinky-dink personal security company was child’s play. They’d get past them before Alec could hit the panic button.
Maybe as much as five minutes later, Keyes forced the shift in his thoughts and grumbled out, “How much did it cost today?”
For a first time in their relationship, Alec remained quiet which told him all he needed to know. Alec was always chatty; he talked and talked and talked.
“I’m payin’ you back. How much does that fancy attorney cost?”
“Why does it matter?” Alec finally asked, turning onto West Davis Street, close to the tire shop. “We’ve never let money get between us.”
That did it. Keyes barked out a harsh laugh and turned Alec’s way. “Money’s always between us, Alec.”
“Why are you being so mean to me?” Alec asked again, turning into the parking lot of Tires. The place was closed up tight—no one around. Keyes looked down at the time on the dash. When had it gotten so late?
“Stay inside this car, and if anything happens, do whatever it takes to drive the fuck away.” Keyes got out of the car, his long strides carrying him to the side of the building. His bike was gone, but there was a note tucked underneath a rock where it usually sat. He went over to the spot and pulled the page free, seeing Dev’s scribbled handwriting.
I got the bike at your apartment, locked up. We need to talk.
Dread built solidly in his gut. It was one thing to assume his brothers knew, another to have it confirmed.
He flipped around, jogging back to the parking lot. He stopped dead in his tracks at seeing only Alec’s car in the lot.
Think, Keyes. Be smarter than they are.
He scanned every pebble in the parking lot, willing his brain to think.
Okay, there was no possible way Dev would have left a note or taken the bike to his apartment if he truly knew everything. If the club knew, his Harley would be at the clubhouse to draw Keyes there.
He stared down at the note again. Dev never used words like we need to talk.
“Dammit,” he roared to the heavens. “Can’t you give me a fucking break for once in my fucked up life?”
Think, Keyes.
He balled his fists, knowing he’d kill any of those motherfuckers for touching one hair on Alec’s head.
That wouldn’t be enough to stop them.
Stop the caveman bullshit and think.
He stared at the note again, reading between the lines. All right, if his brothers did in fact know, they could have ambushed him here—especially if Clyde called Dev and told him they were headed to the shop.
Alec was there, still waiting inside the car like he’d asked, staring straight at him. An anxiety-filled sigh escaped as he started that direction, opening the passenger door and dropping down inside. He had to get a hold of himself, a hold of this anger that wasn’t helping anything, and think tactically. Of course, Alec would have shown up. He loved Keyes, and he did have the power to help or at least he’d think he had the power to help. Yeah, Alec was the kind of man who would have his back no matter the consequences.