Once they were out from the drop-off, they took to the open road. Forty minutes later, they arrived at an abandoned warehouse.
He, Raven, and Hunter, walked inside.
Carlos Santigo was waiting for them, a large bag by his side. He hung up his cell phone as they entered. “In record time.”
“If you plan to stitch us up, you better know I’ll take you down with me. I’ve played this dance before.”
“Drago said you’d be a pain and completely untrustworthy.”
“You people broke my trust.”
“You people.” Carlos glanced over them, lingering on Raven. “You have a woman here. Is she some kind of gift?”
“Fuck you, asshole,” Raven said.
Smokey chuckled. “A gift. I don’t owe you shit.”
Carlos continued to look at Raven.
“What’s the matter? Can’t stand a woman being here?”
“I can. It’s just … unusual.”
Raven snorted. “Why don’t you try to pretend your women have brains for themselves? You’ll be pleasantly surprised. What the fuck are we doing dealing with this asshole?”
“You were there at the drop?” Carlos asked.
Raven rounded Smokey and took a step toward Carlos. “My ass sat on my bike, riding your product across the city, hotshot. Believe me, I can do a hell of a lot more than that.”
One of Carlos’s guards reached out as if to touch her, and Raven reacted. She slammed her elbow against the man’s face, dropping him.
Within seconds, guns were raised and Smokey had enough entertainment. Any other time in his life, he would’ve allowed Raven to have her fun, but he had a woman waiting for him back home.
She’s not waiting for you.
Fuck.
Just another reminder of what he’d lost.
Ava wasn’t waiting for him, but he wanted her.
Pulling Raven behind him, he pointed his gun at Carlos. “We didn’t cause this.”
Carlos smiled and signaled for his men to lower their weapons. “Here is your payment. It’s a pleasure doing business with you.” He turned on his heel and walked away.
Smokey checked over the money, seeing it was all there.
He was going to have to get Ugly Beast to call Drago. He was growing tired of the whiplash Carlos was causing.
“I’m sorry,” Raven said.
“Don’t apologize. The guy is a fucking asshole.” Smokey divided the cash between them all. They’d bring it back together at the clubhouse, equal it out, and then they’d be on their way.
They left the warehouse, climbed onto their bikes, and took to the road, riding well into the deep of night, only arriving back at the clubhouse when the sun had started to come up.
The guys were waiting at church. The money was distributed, and with nothing else to discuss, they all went their separate ways.
Straddling his bike, he only had to wait a few seconds before Ugly Beast came out, putting a hand on his bike.
Smokey stared at his friend, shocked he would even dare to touch his bike.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea you going out,” Ugly Beast said.
“Get your fucking hands off my bike. I’m going to go and see my woman.”
“Smokey, you’ve been without sleep for nearly forty-eight hours. You’re not going to be any good to us nearly dead.”
“I’ll rest when I want to. You’re riding to Abriana. Why can I go to Ava?”
Ugly Beast winced. “Because my wife is going to let me into my house and snuggle up close to her. Ava’s not going to let you through the front door.”
Smokey snorted. “I can’t believe you just said snuggle. All the guys are going to hear about it. You’re not living it down.”
“Damn it, Smokey, I’m not kidding.”
“And you think I am? I’m going to my woman. I haven’t seen her and I want to. Get the fuck off me. I mean it.” He glared at Ugly Beast, ready to beat the shit out of the guy if he continued to get in his way.
“I’m following behind you.”
Smokey rolled his eyes, but he didn’t give Ugly Beast a chance to catch up with him.
He rode all the way to her house, breaking every single speed limit. By the time he arrived, it was close to eight o’clock, and he was so fucking tired.
Rather than linger on his bike, he parked in her driveway.
Ugly Beast had caught up, and he wasn’t too far behind.
Ignoring him, he walked right up to Ava’s door and knocked.
She didn’t have to take him in.
He wouldn’t blame her for pushing his ass out.
Ava opened the door.
Her blonde locks were down. The shortness of them hit him in the gut.
“Smokey?” She looked, pale and he noticed perspiration on her brow.
“Is everything okay?”
“I … I had to see you. I’ve just come back from a run. Ugly Beast is following my ass, and I really want to beat the living crap out of him. Can I … crash here?”
“You want to sleep in my house?” she asked.
This was a big mistake. He should apologize for interrupting, but instead, he nodded. He should turn away.
“Sure. Of course.” Ava stepped back and she surprised him by letting him inside her house.
She’d changed the locks, and he had no choice but to destroy the key he’d taken weeks ago, or was it months ago now? No, it was months ago.
The time with Ava blended all together.
Ava closed and locked the door. He was tempted to give Ugly Beast the finger, but it wasn’t appropriate.
She rubbed at her temple. “Er, do you want to … I don’t know, go for a shower? Change?”
“I could use a shower.”
His stomach chose that moment to growl.
“If you go and shower. I’ll make you some food.”
“Ava, are you okay?” He noticed she swayed a bit, and then her hand went to her mouth.
She dashed past him and he followed her. She bent over the kitchen sink and threw up.
He wrapped her hair in his fist and he missed the length.
Your fault.
All of this is your fault.
Smokey held her hair out of the way as she continued to vomit.
“I’m so sorry about this,” she said, seconds later. She cleaned up the mess and he kept her hair pinned back. She washed her mouth out standing up, and he had no choice but to let her go.
“How long have you had to deal with that?” he asked.
“I’ve been enjoying the sickness for a few weeks now.” She shrugged. “The curse of being pregnant. I’ll do myself some dry toast and all will be fine. You go and shower. I’ll make you some breakfast.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“Go, Smokey. I got this. I’ve been throwing up, feeding myself, and working at the bakery without any help. I can keep on doing it.”
“Just because you’ve been doing it doesn’t make it right.”
She folded her arms. “I’m happy to keep on doing it. Please, go and shower.”
He hesitated but her stance spoke volumes, and he had no choice but to do as she asked.
Smokey remembered where the shower was. He also found some of his clothes still in the drawer where he’d left them last time. Why hadn’t she thrown them out?