Page 22 of Misguided

“Yeah. They hooked up a few months back, not long before he dealt with his old man.”

Well, shit. Never saw that coming. But it kind of makes sense—they’re kindred spirits. She’s just as unhinged as he is.

“I don’t think I would have any problem with him anyway.” I set my drink down and run my finger around the rim of the glass as the hangarounds head out to the back deck for a smoke. “I haven’t seen Sawyer since he left our chapter.” The two of us did a fine job of avoiding each other at first, knowing that one minute alone would reignite the fire we’d been ordered to smother. After that, it became habit to keep our distance at the club functions.

“You should talk to him about Dana when he gets back in.” Callum pulls his pack of smokes out, yet he doesn’t pick one out, he simply shakes the remaining sticks from side to side.

“Why?”

“He was there, you know, when the shit hit the fan.”

Oh my God. He was involved in that too? What kind of mess did Carlos have going on? “I … nobody told me that.”

“Well” —he smiles— “now I have.”

I slide my Sprite out of the way and then drop my head onto my arms. If I’d known coming home was going to be this much hell, I would have locked the door of the trailer and told Hooch to get lost. A life sentence in a quiet prison cell sounds like heaven right about now.

Callum rubs circles between my shoulders, a much-needed comfort in a time when I feel like I’m falling into a bottomless pit, unable to get purchase on the dirt walls as they fly by.

“What am I missin’ out on?”

Callum’s hand stills at Dog’s question. I peek out from behind my arms at the cocky bastard as he approaches from the doors that lead to the back yard. I didn’t even know he was out there, let alone back already.

“Nothing much,” I say, wiping my cheeks on my sleeve before straightening up. “Thanks again for letting me use your room.”

Callum coughs as he slides off his stool. “I, uh, I’ve got something I need to do for King.” He legs it toward the front door.

Dog and I watch him go before exchanging a look that leaves me giggling. “He okay?” I ask, thumbing in Callum’s direction.

“Don’t know.” Dog frowns as he takes the abandoned seat beside me. “He was fine when we got in.”

“Great. So it’s just me then.”

“You have that effect on people.” He nudges me with his elbow.

The mood instantly shifts to something a lot more intimate, and a darn sight more confusing. Seems time does nothing to lessen the impact he has on me.

“Anyway.” I clear my throat, shifting on my stool to dull the buzz that took hold.

“Anyway,” Dog echoes.

I smile at the cocky way he looks at me, as though waiting for the punch line. “What’s a girl to do around here to pass the time?”

“You’re bored?”

I shrug. “It helps keep me distracted.”

His eyes narrow, and he smirks.

“What?”

“I could offer you a fun way to pass the time, but you know, you’ve already shot me down more than once. Not sure my precious heart could take it again.”

I smack him on the arm with the back of my hand, smiling. “You’re unbelievable, you know that?”

“I’ve been told.” He bites his bottom lip and waggles his eyebrows before cracking up at the mortified look on my face.

“Seriously,” I cry. “Give me something we could do.”