Page 4 of Colt

Torch sauntered over to Ember and put his arm around her waist. She looked up at him and the intimate and possessive way he was holding her indicated to everyone in the room that this wasn’t a casual interaction.

“Too bad it looks like she’s already spoken for.” Fitz slapped me on my back and meandered off to join the party.

I continued to watch Ember. When Torch grabbed her face and kissed her hard on the mouth, I had no doubt she was his regardless of her not wearing a patch.

Then I remembered traveling to Reno a couple of years ago when Torch married some chick who was pregnant with his kid. I hadn’t heard he’d gotten a divorce, and the wedding ring on his finger made it clear Ember was the other woman. Knowing they shamelessly fucked around on the road while his wife stayed home with his kid left a bitter taste in my mouth.

Most married members of our club didn’t step out on their old ladies unless it was agreed upon by all parties involved, and even then, it wasn’t a typical arrangement. For the sister of the club’s president to be playing the role of a pass around just didn’t seem right and I knew it wouldn’t sit well with a lot of guys here. Ember could have any guy she wanted, but she chose a married man to screw around with. I may have fucked around a lot, but never with someone who was married. Previous experience taught me that you couldn’t trust someone who didn’t honor their wedding vows. And while Torch was the one married, I thought Ember would have more self-respect than hooking up with someone else’s man.

Since my original plan for tonight was no longer an option, I searched the room for one of my regular hookups. I saw plenty of women I could approach, but none of them compared to Ember. Maybe I just needed more alcohol.

I shouted over to Zeke for another whiskey while I scanned the room again. I watched as Mac led Kate out the back door, heading back to their house on the other end of the property. Fitz and Wolf were engaged in a physically violent game of pool, and most of the other members were busy either drinking or fucking.

Not finding anything of interest and needing some air, I stepped out front to have a smoke. The only other people out here were the two prospects monitoring the gate and they were about thirty yards away. I took a moment to enjoy the silence that was difficult for me to find most days.

At this late hour, the stars and quarter moon were bright, but it competed with the Vegas skyline, which was lit up like a Christmas tree. I leaned against the brick siding, tilted my head back and closed my eyes. Sometimes, I just needed a break from the constant noise and craziness of the parties. I often took part in the crazy, but I liked being by myself just as much.

As I took a deep drag from my cigarette, the front door opened. I was a few feet from the entrance, so the woman who came out didn’t see me right away. I watched as she walked to one of the bikes and rummaged through the saddlebag looking for something. When she spun around to head back inside, she saw me standing in the shadows.

“Hey,” she said, her breathy voice just above a whisper.

Under the porch light, I could see a light blush creep up her cheeks. Everything about her screamed sweet and innocent; she was beautiful, always had been, but my thoughts were interrupted by the vision of Torch with his hands all over her. I’d been fooled by appearances before and had paid the price—still was. And it pissed me off that Ember was standing there, blushing, while I knew the innocent act was nothing but a lie. Then and there, I knew she wasn’t any different than the other women I came into contact with around here. A part of me was disappointed but not surprised. Some club members, like Mac and Viking, got the good ones. And others, like me, got the shit end of the stick.

“So you and Torch, huh?” I wasn’t going to beat around the bush or give her any reason to think I was still interested despite my conversation with her earlier.“Gotta admit, I didn’t see that one coming.”

“What?” She seemed confused, but there was no way she could deny what I saw inside just a few minutes ago.

“You heard me. Didn’t take you for a home-wrecker.” I watched her take a step back, like my words physically hurt her. Maybe she never had anyone call her out on her shit before. She’d always been daddy’s little princess who could do no wrong. It was hard to believe Ice or the rest of the club were okay with it, but each chapter ran things a little differently. I was used to the way Viking ran this club, and it had become my creed, so Ember’s affair with Torch didn’t fly with me.

Instead of backing down like I assumed she would, she steeled her spine and looked ready for an argument. “Looks can be deceiving.”

Not wanting to hear her excuses, I stamped out my cigarette and said, “So can whores,” before I headed back inside.

* * *

I woke up to an empty bed and a massive hangover. The sun streaming in through the window was too bright, forcing me to close my eyes again. Only this time, when my eyes were shut, I saw a pair of emerald-colored ones staring back at me, brimming with hurt.

There was no reason for me to feel guilty for what I said to Ember last night. It was the truth. Still, something didn’t set right with me. But I chalked it up to her being a damn good actress. Plenty of those types around here too. Shaking my head to rid it of the memories of last night and our brief past, I took my time getting ready.

I walked to the kitchen and was grateful for the breakfast spread put together by some of the women. A cup of coffee and some bacon was just what I needed to get started with my day. I planned on heading over to The Den, a restaurant and bar we owned, for inventory and to check in with our manager, Noah.

I was pouring my second cup when Viking grasped my shoulder. “We’re going to talk logistics with Reno this morning. Meet us in the back in ten.”

I finished my coffee and checked emails on my phone, using every second of the ten minutes Viking gave. I wasn’t in any hurry to sit in a room with Torch. My aversion to him pissed me off more than I already was. He was a brother who wore the same patch as I did. There was no reason some chick should get in the middle of that.

I walked into church and saw that it was only our chapter and Reno present, so the room wasn’t as jam-packed as it was last night. I sat in my usual spot, tapping my lighter on the table. I wanted to get this over with as fast as possible.

“Hey, man. You look like shit,” Fitz said as he sat down beside me.

I grumbled at his observation and called him a dick under my breath.

“Damn, someone’s grumpy. Guessing you didn’t get laid last night.”

“Fuck off,” I responded, which only confirmed his suspicion.

The asshole chuckled as the rest of the guys walked in, stopping him from saying anything else that might set me off.

Once everyone was seated, Viking got right down to business. “Okay, after multiple conversations between the officers, it’s been decided we’re sending Fitz and Hawk up in two weeks. That gives you guys in Reno some time to get things ready before they get there. We’ve got enough shit going on here that I don’t want my guys up there longer than a week. If anything comes up before that, we’ll come up with a new plan.”