“Tiny asked you to marry him in a f**king letter?” Ned asked. He made to grab the letter from her. She stopped him. The letter Tiny sent to her was personal. There was no way she would be letting her father see the words.
“No, he asked me to marry him several nights ago. What’s your problem with him?”
“He’s not right for you.”
“You were trying to convince me to stay with him back in Fort Wills. What changed?” she asked, curious to know.
“I finally got you back. You stay with Tiny, and then I know for damn sure I won’t get to see you. Gavin is a lot better. You can stay here, and I can keep an eye on you, protect you.”
“And Gavin the cheating f**k is better for me because you get to keep me around?” She stood up, glaring at him.
“He’s better for you than that f**king biker,” Ned said, yelling.
“Why? Because Gavin knows the business whereas my f**king biker doesn’t give a f**k about your business or how you live your life?” She stared at her father seeing the answer glaring at her in the face. “That’s it, isn’t it? You want me to marry Gavin because you want someone to take over what you started.”
“Honey, I love you, but this,” he gestured all around him, “is my life. I put everything I have in this club, and I made sure you’d be protected for the rest of your life.”
She shook her head. “No, this is not going to be about you or this f**king club.”
Staring down at her hand Eva knew she was going to marry Tiny. The only problem she had was when she was going to tell him.
“I’ve never asked you for much, Dad. I never asked about my mother, and I was always with you in the beginning—”
“You left, Eva. I’ve got no son, and you’re not a fighter. The men respect you, but you’re not a fighter. These men need a fighter.”
Tears filled her eyes. “No, I’m not going to be marrying Gavin. I love Tiny.”
“Tiny’s on a drug run, honey. He’s a criminal, and when he gets caught he’ll be punished for it. Will you be waiting around for him to come home from prison?”
She laughed. “Dad, you run an underground fighting ring with known runs with The Skulls. You can go to prison at any time. Gavin can go as well. Either way, I sit around waiting for one man or the other.”
Eva rounded the desk and walked toward her father. “I love you, Dad. This decision is not yours to make.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him close. “I’m off for the day.”
Moving away, she passed all the men fighting. No one stopped her as she made her way toward the door. Several women were watching the men fight. She knew they were fighter groupies for the men. They followed each fight in the hope of landing one of them. Eva had dealt with her fair share of followers. Heading out into the hot warm air she didn’t think of where she was going.
There was no destination in mind, and she stopped in a diner, going to the back for some privacy. She ordered a milkshake and pulled out the letter Tiny had left her.
Next she grabbed her cell phone and dialed his number.
“I was wondering when you were going to call,” Tiny said, answering on the third ring.
“You never told me to expect something in the mail.”
“It wouldn’t have been a surprise if I had.” There was a pause. “Do you like it?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Do you have it on?” he asked.
“Yeah, I’ve got the ring on.” She was staring at the small diamond.
“I picked it out. None of my boys know, and this is between you and me.” Tiny was out in the open. She heard the purr of the bikes.
“What are you up to?” she asked, thinking about the compound with all The Skulls ready to go on a run.
“We’ve got a drop off to do. I don’t want to hear your answer until I get back. It’ll give me something to think about on the open road.”
“I can tell you now,” she said.
“Nah, I’m not in the mood to spoil the surprise. Either way, Eva, baby, you have my heart.”
Smiling, she accepted the drink from the waitress.
“You’re being an ass.”
“Why? Do you really want to tell me?” he asked.
“Yes, I do.” She glanced around the diner wishing with all of her might that she was in Fort Wills, looking at him. “I wish I was with you.”
“That’s another thing, baby, we do this, and you’re staying with me. Fort Wills will be your home.”
“Good. I look forward to it.”
“Yo, Tiny, we’ve got to go.”
“Was that Stink?” she asked.
“Yeah. He’s taking care of Sandy at the minute. She’s staying at the compound until we come back,” Tiny said.
“Smart move. I’m sure I’ve seen Stink looking at her with something more than sex on the brain.” She sipped at her drink.
“I’m more than just a pretty face.”
“I know you are,” she said, remembering the feel of him between her thighs.
He growled. “You’ve got me thinking about f**king you.”
“Good. You’ll know how I feel then.” She smiled, feeling an answering heat of her own. The phone sex they’d shared was fun, but it wasn’t going to do the job.
“I’ve got to go. This run needs to be done today. I love hearing your voice,” he said.
“Okay, I’ll let you go, but you ride safe, you hear.” She gave the warning not wanting anything to happen to him.
“Baby, knowing you’re waiting for me is all I need to hear.”
He hung up, and she stared down at her cell phone, wishing there was something more she could do. She hated not knowing what was happening or if there was anything more she could do.
Tiny wouldn’t let anything happen to him. His men, the club were all important to him.
****
“Something doesn’t feel right about this,” Murphy said, putting his helmet on. Tate and the women were not invited to see them off this time. Tiny had requested no women as this was one of their biggest shipments, and he didn’t want anything to go wrong. Usually only a handful of the boys carried the load to their destination whereas today all of them were carrying.
It was a risky shipment, but he’d never backed down from an order. This was his life, and it kept his town clean.
“Everything will be fine. We’ve got no choice. After this one we’re on hold for a few months,” Tiny said.