"Are you shittin' me?"

"Nope."

"What the hell for? Does he think I can't keep her safe?"

"Ain't about you keepin' her safe. It's about you controlling her."

"Say what?"

"The woman's headstrong. We've all seen it. Hell, I gotta remind you she slapped fucking Blood, of all people? Not a lot of chicks I know would dare to slap Blood."

Ghost ran a frustrated hand down his face. "That doesn't mean shit."

"Look, Butcher's afraid she'll decide she doesn't need you watchin' out for her now that she's back in her hometown." Shades shrugged. "Just playin' it safe. Makin' sure she doesn't- run off."

"Are you fuckin' serious?"

"As a heart attack, bro."

Ghost surged to his feet and walked a few feet away, violently flinging his cigarette in the distance.

Shades moved to stand with him.

"I want to serve my club, Shades. But using her to do it-" he broke off shaking his head."

"You gonna be able to keep your head on straight about this girl? You gonna be able to use her for the benefit of your club? You good with that?"

"Club first, right?"

"Right. You made that decision the day you put that cut on your back."

Ghost nodded.

Shades slapped him on the back. "Maybe you don't want any part of this. But you're a loyal brother, so you better fall in line, like the rest of us."

Ghost shrugged off his arm and headed back inside.

"Where you goin'?" Shades asked.

"To tell Jessie we're ridin' out in a few minutes. That okay with you? You do know how long it takes chicks to get ready, right?"

Shades grinned. "Right."

Half an hour later, Jessie was standing on the curb outside with Ghost's brothers. He had paused at the door to lock up, and Shades was up there talking to him, but she was too far away to hear any of it. Whatever it was, it made Ghost smile, which was good because ever since the guys got there, he'd been in a surly mood.

Griz leaned over to half whisper in her ear. "Ten bucks says you can't get him to break formation on the way over to the clubhouse."

Jessie looked at him, frowning, wondering if this was some type of test to see if she could hold her own with them. Never one to back down from a challenge, she knew she had to accept. If he thought she'd punk out, he didn't know what she was made of. Well, bring it on, big guy. She smiled up at him. "You're on, old man."

Hammer just shook his head. "Didn't you lose enough money already on this trip, Griz?"

Griz didn't break eye contact with Jessie as he answered Hammer. "You stay outta this, this doesn't concern you."

"It's your funeral," Hammer replied.

"Wait, what?" Jess frowned, breaking eye contact with Griz to look over at Hammer. She was beginning to doubt the wisdom of this whole idea. Griz put his arm around her and turned her away.

"Don't you pay no never mind to him. You got this, girl. I got faith in you."

"And what's the purpose of this again?"

He shrugged. "No purpose. Why has there gotta be a purpose? This is just you takin' a bet. No harm in that. It's all good, doll. Just havin' a little fun."

Jessie's eyes narrowed as she eyed him, considering. "Twenty."

Griz grinned. "Ooo. The girl's confident. I like it. Okay, girly. You're on."

"Okay, wait. Let's clarify. What exactly counts as breaking formation?"

"You get his bike to wobble. Better yet, you get him to cross the centerline. I'll pay double for that."

"The center line? But he could kill us?"

"You don't do it when there's oncoming traffic, missy. Ya gotta time this shit just right." He paused, considering her slowly as if he was rethinking the bet. "You sure you're up for this?"

Her spine straightened. Of course she was up for this! She'd never turned down a bet in her life. "I've got it."

He reached up and ruffled the hair on the top of her head. "I like you. You're gonna fit right in. Give ol' Ghost a run for his money. He needs someone like you to shake him up."

She couldn't help the smile that lit up her face. God, she hoped those words were true, because she definitely needed Ghost.

"Hey, doll?"

She turned back.

"Here's a little hint, cause I like ya."

"Okay."

He lifted his chin toward Ghost. "Put your hands anywhere they want to go. He likes when girls do that."

"Why do I get the feeling you're trying to get me in trouble?"

"Hell, gal, I'm trying to help you win." He shrugged. "But suit yourself. I'm only a guy, what do I know about how we men like to be touched."

"Right." She rolled her eyes at his sarcasm. "Okay, okay. Thanks."

Twenty minutes later, they were walking into the clubhouse. Jessie had a crisp new twenty tucked in her pocket. She was relieved that Ghost had taken it all in stride, laughing at the bet they'd made and being the fun-loving guy she remembered.

He had a tight grip on her hand as he led her over to the bar, sat her on a stool, ordered her a drink, and then kissed her on the forehead.

"Sit tight, brat. This shouldn't take too long, okay?"

She looked up at him and made a silly face. "Okie-dokie."

He rolled his eyes.

"Goofball." Then his eyes moved over her to connect with the prospect behind the bar. Thankfully, it wasn't Yammer this time. Ghost lifted his chin at the man. "Yo, keep an eye on her."

The man nodded. "Sure thing, Ghost."

Jessie watched Ghost head down a hallway with the other patched members and disappear out of sight.

The prospect set a glass filled with cola in front of her. He held up a bottle of rum. "You want me to add a little something to that, darlin'?"

She smiled and pushed her drink forward. "God, yes."

He chuckled. "That's the spirit."

She glanced around her. With all the men in the meeting, there were only a few people in the room. An old Rolling Stones song played quietly in the background. Mick declaring he couldn't get no satisfaction.

Two drinks later, Jessie felt a presence at her side and turned to see little Ashley scooting her ass onto the stool next to her, dropping a pack of cigarettes on the bar, along with a pink rhinestone covered cell phone.

The prospect came over, his palms on the bar. "Ashley. You want a drink?"

She nodded over at Jessie's drink and gave the prospect a big smile. "I'll have what she's having."

He set a glass in front of her, filled it with cola and tipped a bottle up, adding some rum.

Jessie sat quietly next to her, sipping her third drink, now listening to the muted sounds of Eric Clapton and Cream's Layla coming through the speakers, and wishing the club's meeting would wrap up soon.

Ashley shook out a cigarette from her pack. "You got a light, Boo?"

The prospect dug a silver Zippo out of his hip pocket and extended his tattoo-covered arm, flicking the cover open, the flame flaring up.

Ashley stood on the foot-rung and perched over, her ass in the air as she dipped her head toward the flame. She sucked on the smoke, until it flared to life, the smell of tobacco drifting out.

"Thanks, doll." She winked at the man named Boo, who flipped his Zippo closed and shoved it back in his pocket, then moved off to stock a cooler with cases of beer.

Ashley turned toward Jessie, offering her pack of smokes. "You want one, honey?"

"No, thanks. I quit."

Ashley nodded, tossing them on the bar top. "I tried that once." She blew out a stream of smoke toward the nicotine stained ceiling tiles. "It lasted about a week."

She smiled over at Jessie, who nodded, not really in the mood to make friendly chitchat with the girl who'd been so cozy with Ghost last night.

She could feel Ashley's eyes on her, studying her.

"You don't like me, do you?" she asked.

Jessie turned toward her, shrugging. "Not particularly, no."

"That's okay. We don't have to be friends. Just so you understand your place."

"My place?" Jessie repeated, giving Ashley a look that could kill.

Ashley just grinned. "I'm not trying to be mean. I just want you to know the way things are here."

"The way things are here? And how is that?"

"Never mind. You'll be gone soon anyway," Ashley commented, her eyes on the mirror behind the bar.

Jessie met her eyes in the reflection. "What makes you think I'm going anywhere?"

Ashley tapped her cigarette in the ashtray. "Way I heard it, sweetie, they're taking you to the DK's. Making some deal with the Death Heads."

Jessie's brows shot up. "Excuse me?"

Ashley shrugged. "You're part of the deal, least that's what JJ told me last night in bed."

Jessie felt a chill run down her skin. Her mind racing with thoughts, she lifted her glass to her mouth and drained it. Ghost wasn't going to turn her over to the DKs. It wasn't possible. He wouldn't let his club do that, would he? But if that was their plan, could he stop them? If they did hand her over to the DKs, there'd be only one reason for it. So she could be handed over to the Death Heads. She felt her stomach drop, the rum roiling inside as panic overwhelmed her, and the fight or flight instinct took over. Her eyes moved to the prospect behind the bar, the man Ghost had instructed to watch her. He was busy stacking cases, and then her eyes flicked to the entrance reflected in the mirror, and she wondered if she could make it out the door without him seeing.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

Ghost sat at the table with his club. He looked toward the head, where his chapter President sat eying him.

"Talked to the DKs last night." Butcher's voice was gruff. "They want her brought to the meet. Want to hear it straight from her mouth."

"No way." Ghost's voice was firm as he shook his head.

"Afraid so, Ghost. They insisted. Those are serious accusations she's makin'. They're not turnin' their club inside out lookin' for some rat unless they believe this ain't some bullshit some chick made up to get a ride across country."

"You know that's not true."

"Maybe I do. What I believe isn't important. We need them to believe it. Only way we make this deal."

"Fuck," Ghost murmured, his eyes moving to the scarred wooden table, his jaw clenching.

"You got a problem with this, you better say so right now."