Page 46 of Rain or Shine

I didn’t get up right away, even though I had places to be and a long list of unread texts. What is she doing to me?

Harloe pauses when she reaches her brothers, propping a hand on her hip and kicking it out.

Those shorts are going to kill me.

I turn away before one of her brothers catches me staring at her ass because I have a feeling they wouldn’t appreciate it. Usually, I wouldn’t care about a family’s approval. But usually, I wouldn’t be hung up on the girl either. Both are growing on me in this situation.

Which is why I was worried about how her brothers were going to react to Harloe crashing at the bunkhouse last night, even if there was no way I was going to let her stay anywhere else. The excuse of her labeling me her boyfriend helped, but I’d already planned on bringing her back to Ironside Ridge before she said it.

Surprisingly, her brothers didn’t seem to mind. They threatened my dick and balls if I hurt her and then moved on. Harloe isn’t the type of girl to let her brothers tell her what to do, and they seem to respect that.

When I finally start my bike, Harloe glances over her shoulder. A sad smile crosses her face, and I wish more than anything I could take the weight off her shoulders. But right now, she needs some space with her family and to figure out the hurdles in front of her, and I need to be there for my club.

She’s not my problem.

So why does she feel like it?

I slip on my helmet and peel away without looking back.

Harloe might be staying at Ironside Ridge, but I need to keep the line drawn and my dick in my pants no matter how good her tight little body felt wrapped in my arms last night. I’m not sticking around in Texas for the long haul, and I’m not ruining the connections my club is building with her family by breaking her heart.

My fingers tighten on the handlebars; vibrations run through me.

It’s not my job to protect Harloe. She has brothers who will look after her. My club needs my full attention. Still, as Main Street disappears from view, I’m certain about one thing: whoever tried to kill her is going to pay.

And I’m going to be the one to make sure that happens.

When I pull up to Ironside Ridge, I find Aiden and East working outside the half-built clubhouse. We have a crew coming in from Arizona tomorrow to start the next phase of construction, so we need to clear out the brush that’s slowly overgrown in the past few weeks.

Usually, members of the club have more to do than pull weeds. But we’re still getting our bearings in Lanceleaf, which means we have nothing but time on our hands.

Back in Vegas, the members keep busy by running the club’s businesses and maintaining the compound. Between club runs, the auto body shop, the strip club, and maintenance around the clubhouse, there’s never a shortage of work.

Hopefully, that will be the case in Texas soon, but for now, we’re helping out at Ironside Ridge and Will’s ranch as needed.

Lawson has taken the lead on bigger projects since he seems to enjoy the ranch life more than the rest of us, and Max loves the animals. But I have no problem fixing the occasional fence or carting equipment back and forth.

Aiden, like me, bounces around wherever he’s needed. He worked at the auto body shop back in Denver, so he’s been helping Kincaid repair broken equipment.

East, on the other hand, wants nothing to do with it. Even now, he grumbles about getting his boots dirty as he pulls weeds. Sometimes I wonder if he considered what a big change it would be moving from Minneapolis to the empty Texas desert. At least he’s putting that energy to good use, assessing the club’s other options for integrating into this town.

He’s been talking to the owner of Vicious Ink about the club purchasing the tattoo parlor. Apparently, East used to tattoo back home. So if all goes well, it will bring in some legitimate cash for the club, while giving us a place to wash the rest.

I park my bike at the bunkhouse and make the short walk to where the guys are working, just as Lawson pulls up in a truck. He was at the bar first thing this morning, but then he had to leave to take Max to preschool.

“You guys need some help?” I strip off my cut and hang it on the railing beside Aiden’s and East’s so I don’t ruin it.

Lawson climbs out of his truck, doing the same.

Ghost is sending surveillance equipment for us to install around Ironside Ridge’s perimeter, but it won’t be here until tomorrow, and I need something to keep my hands busy so I stop thinking about the fire.

Aiden pauses, glancing around. “We’re clearing out the weeds within a five-foot radius of the worksite. The crew said that should be enough, but if it’s not, they’ll deal with the rest when they get here.”

East wrestles with a weed, nearly falling on his ass when it finally pulls free, and Aiden bursts out laughing.

“Very fucking funny, asshole.” He flips Aiden off, but Aiden doesn’t give a shit as he gets back to work.

Lawson and I join in, and no one talks for a while. We silently fall into a rhythm. It’s a lot like riding with the club. The sun beats down. A cool breeze sweeps away the humidity. We stay locked in our own thoughts, but we’re in it together.