Free Raine Falling (Hells Saints Motorcycle Club) by Paula Marinaro Page B

Diego’s part in it all. I saw his eyes go hard at that last part for one instant. Then it was gone.
    Prosper also shared with me. But not everything. That wasn’t his way. But he shared the important things and the things that would matter to me. He talked about the MC and how he had helped it to grow and expand into several thriving businesses. I secretly wondered how many of those businesses were on the books. Of course, I didn’t ask.
    He talked about how a “break of faith” had taken him outside the MC for a short while. He left to get his head cleared, and he spoke of the places he had traveled to. Eventually, his meandering brought him back to the Hells Saints. The place where he had begun and the only family, save mine, that he had ever known.
    To my delight, he told me that his restless travels had also brought a new understanding of committed love. That understanding came in the form of a small blonde with a big laugh who made the best cookies east of the Mississippi. Pinky. They had stayed together through it all and had gotten married last spring. I was happy for both of them and couldn’t wait to see her.
    It was nice and familiar and safe being with Prosper. I had no doubt in my mind that I had done the right thing by coming to him. The only doubt I had in my mind was why I hadn’t done it sooner. Because sooner may have made all the rest so much easier. But as they say, hindsight is 20/20.
    The brothers had given us the time we needed to work it through. The clubhouse had stayed cleared without so much as a knock on the door. Prosper and I walked out arm in arm into a cloudy early afternoon. I was exhausted and I think Prosper was too. Diego, however, looked wide awake and was leaning back against the wall of the warehouse, watching the door, waiting for us to come out. He pulled himself away from the door and walked towards us.
    In a straight line. Right towards us.
    He totally ignored me and chin-nodded Prosper.
    “You and me.”
    Prosper looked at him and nodded.
    “Then me and her.” Diego shot that out like a bullet. I took her to mean me, but since he was still not looking at me, I couldn’t be sure.
    “Respect that you bided your time and gave us that to sort it out. But you going there with Raine, we see how it lands with me first, Brother. I’m feeling it, then it goes to her. I’m not feeling it, it stays.” Prosper’s tone was mild but his eyes were hard.
    “Let’s do this.” Diego started towards the clubhouse, then turned around and looked right at me.
    “Don’t wander, Babe. This will not take long.” He looked at me long and hard.
    Prosper and I had been on our way to the kitchen house for some lunch when Diego had put himself in front of that path. Prosper told me to go on and that someone would be there to help me find things and get settled. He had a suite of rooms in the house, and they were to be at my disposal. He had already told one of the recruits to go in there, change the sheets, bring my stuff from the car, and put some shower stuff in the bathroom for me. Prosper really only kept the rooms out of old habit. He and Pinky owned a house not far from the compound.
    Forget the lunch, I hadn’t showered or slept in two days. If I counted the night of worry, make that about three. I was going to take a really long, hot shower. Then eat, if I could make it that long without falling dead on my feet.
    I wasn’t even thinking about dealing with Diego.
    Prosper had that. And I was going to leave them to it.

    Prosper and Diego had their sit-down. Because Prosper had been dealing with some Saints’ business a couple of states away for the past month, he had to be brought up to speed with the whole mess. The Hells Saints didn’t deal in drugs but had been on the radar of Los Diablos Rojos MC because of a missing cache of cocaine and heroin. Business and relations between the Saints and Los Diablos were shaky at best. The Saints’ involvement with Jamie came on the