“I’ve got a job I have to do for my club.”
She shrugged. “I get it. I have my own club. It’s just that you should have told me. I would have understood.” She gave him another half smile. “Be careful yourself, Pierce. I don’t want you getting in trouble because of me. Torpedo Ink will look after me.”
He opened his mouth as if he might say something else, shook his head and then leaned down as if he might kiss her. Alena turned her head, so his lips brushed her cheek. She stepped back. This time, Savage felt her pain, hurt, but not anger. He’d taken the anger away from her. She watched Pierce go to his bike and then ride off along with the others. They waited until they could hear the roar of the pipes on Highway 1 before Czar and Steele joined them and then Savage slung his arm around Alena.
“I’m sorry I forgot I told him about being called Torch, Czar. All of us were at the bar that night. It was when Plank’s brother-in-law grabbed Anya and tried to hold her as a shield. I don’t think anyone was paying much attention, me included. It was a shit night.”
“Doesn’t matter. He put it down to you being a chef. He refuses to see you any other way than a woman serving a man. I wonder why. He appears so much more intelligent than that.” Czar gave her a long look. “You’ve always been good at hiding in plain sight, Alena. You waited for him to see you, and he didn’t.”
“I gave him every opportunity.”
Savage hated that her voice choked with hurt. He wished he could take that for her too. He dealt in rage. Anger. “Alena, that makes you superior to him. You know that.” He brushed a kiss on top of her head. He was still going to kill the bastard one day, just not soon. They had to let whatever the Diamondbacks were going to do play out. In the meantime, all of them were guarding Alena. Surrounding her and keeping her safe.
“He had the balls to come to you and warn you,” Steele pointed out. “That was a big risk he took.”
“He did do that,” Alena said. “That was to make up for the video distribution, I’m sure. I’ve got to get back to work. Enjoy dinner and thanks for the backup.”
Savage trailed after his president and vice president, making his way from the kitchen, down the wide hall and through the dining room. He heard Seychelle’s laughter. He’d know it anywhere. Blythe and Breezy chimed in. The sound of another woman and a man’s laughter joined them. Czar paused for a moment in the archway, giving Savage just enough time to draw in a deep breath at the sight of Tony Ravard, another fucking Diamondback, staring at his woman as if he wanted to devour her.
Savage knew the older woman, Eden Ravard, seated at the table laughing with Seychelle. He’d never put it together that she was Tony Ravard’s mother. He swore silently to himself. He couldn’t shove a knife down Tony’s throat and drag him out of the restaurant with his mother looking on.
Tony Ravard was known as Shark, another SEAL and brother to Lion. He had two other brothers in the Diamondbacks. His other brothers were both in other chapters. They had also served in the navy, the SEAL program, returned, moved and then joined the Diamondbacks. It seemed it was a family tradition. Savage had been in their mother’s home more than once, and he’d never seen a single photograph that would indicate Eden’s sons were in the club.
Seychelle looked up and instantly gave him that smile that was for him alone. Soft. Loving. Ripped his heart out on the spot. Settled his need to kill Tony right there.
“Hey, honey. Look who found us.”
Savage stepped around Czar and Steele and went right up to Eden, taking her hand the way he did when he was in her home, ignoring her son. “Ms. Eden.” He kissed the back of her hand as if she were a movie star.
“Savage.” She beamed at him. “This is my son Tony. Tony, Savage. Savage has saved me twice now. He’s … wonderful.”
“That’s not quite accurate, Ms. Eden,” Savage said. “And I have met Tony, although I didn’t realize he was your son.”
Tony stood up, vacating Savage’s seat immediately. “What do you mean, Savage saved you, Mom?”
She laughed. “I was being dramatic as usual.” She smiled at Czar and Steele. “The girls can tell you. I have a real flair for drama. I should have been an actress.”
“You would have won several Oscars,” Seychelle agreed immediately.
“Mom,” Tony persisted, helping her out of the chair. “What do you mean, Savage saved you twice?”
“The first time, Seychelle came to check on me. She brought me groceries and cleaned the house and changed my bedding. I wasn’t feeling too good. I’d been sick for a week.”