Page 17 of Ride or Die

“Sorry, Scott. Not on the market,” Saint said. He caught Bruno’s eye. Not interested. Bruno didn’t look like he believed him, but his shoulders dropped an inch.

Blaze glanced up from the cards moving around his fingers. “Is this Razor Ralinda? That girl knows her way around a switchblade, and oth—”

The table jumped two inches and he cut off. “Never mind,” he muttered through a pained grimace. Murmuring broke out, a disquiet running through the assembled club members.

Cooper slapped his open palm on the table, and everything stopped. He addressed Saint. “You let me know if that changes. I’m sure Ryan’d love to have you in the family.” Cooper’s mouth twisted on the last word.

Saint kept his eyes vacant and blank as he nodded. Ralinda Cooper was Scott’s daughter. His only daughter. Ryan stared straight ahead, and a vein throbbed in his forehead.

Cooper’s attempts to get leverage over Saint were getting increasingly desperate, and it made him curious.

Boredom and curiosity are a fatal combination.

Saint’s phone buzzed against his leg.

Cooper wasn’t done with him yet. “How’s your boy? Still busy blowing shit up on the other side of the world?”

Saint froze, the holster on his ankle growing heavier by the second. Ah. This wasn’t about him.

This was about his past.

“Wouldn’t know.” Saint’s tone matched the ice in Cooper’s eyes.

“Better stay like that,” Cooper said. Saint tilted his head to the side, a dark quiet pushing everything else away. Cooper watched him, and the smile on his face strained.

The flicker of uncertainty in the man’s ice-chip eyes felt too good to ignore completely, but Saint probably should have tried harder.

Ryan shouldered in front of him. The club noise came back—the guys chatting at the bar, the music, the crack of pool balls. Cooper was quiet.

“You staying for another round, Uncle Scott? I’m sure Blaze’ll deal straight now,” Ryan said, dropping his elbow onto the table.

The blood drained out of Blaze’s face, and he nodded quickly.

Cooper shifted his attention to the prospect, and Saint released his breath.

Ryan shot him a look but got pulled into the next round before he could say anything.

Probably for the best.

Blaze dealt the cards, slow and proper, and Ryan almost smiled at his hand.

Saint shook his head when Blaze offered to deal him in, and Cooper didn’t so much as glance over.

Saint watched them play, speaking when spoken to, and minded his own business.

Being a mechanic came with a lot more pussyfooting around than he’d expected, but that’s what he got.

Retirement’s a bitch.

The main door opened again, and two men slammed through it. Saint waited as they pulled Cooper aside and whispered in his ear too fast to get anything from.

Ryan watched them while he pretended not to, continuing to bet as the small pot of chips grew.

Cooper returned to the table, the men taking up position on either side of him.

“Listen up!” Cooper’s voice boomed around the room, and someone cut the music. Saint pushed his chair back and got up to leave. This had nothing to do with him, and Cooper really should have kicked him out before club announcements. Saint wasn’t a member and didn’t want to be.

“You, stay.”