What's Your Poison

12. Man on a Mission

There was a dry cough somewhere behind me, muffled but loud in the room's silence.

"Someone needs to put their hand up." Iron looked at the ceiling, nostrils flaring. You could have heard a pin drop in church. "We need this right now. With Grey Hogs and Savage Sons sniffing around, we need to shore up allies."

Still, no-one spoke up.

"Look, Jade will take care of most of it, but I still need one of the club brothers to work with her."

Jade? I launched to my feet, jostling Wings in my haste. He grumbled under his breath, but I didn't hear it from the ringing in my ears.

"I'll do it." I agreed, my heart racing. Iron just muttered under his breath and waved a limp hand at me.

"Fine. But if you antagonize my bar manager, you'll hear from me."

Fierce determination surged through my veins and I sat down, struggling to contain the giddy smile that was on my face. I'd help Jade organize a million club parties, anything to be close to her. Church passed by with a blur as I pictured Jade and me sharing a booth. Pouring over papers, our heads dipped together, lips brushing by accident. I'd scatter the papers to the ground and take her on the table. Her legs locked around my waist.

The daydreams lasted well into the afternoon, as we migrated to the bar. I didn't pay any attention to the gentle ribbing going on around me, not even when I was the one being teased.

"I swear Mission, if you put another country song on, I'm going to lose it." Bat complained as I walked back from the jukebox. I slid into the booth opposite him and Wings and smirked.

"You're shit outta luck." I grunted, dodging the exasperated swipe of his hand.

"When are you going to give it up?" Wings sipped his whiskey, following my line of sight to the bar. Jade was commanding, her hips winding in a seductive circle. Taylor was perched on the stool at the end, smiling softly as Jade moved. I shot my brother a sharp look.

"Did you?" I countered, and he raised an eyebrow.

"Last I heard, you would rather get knocked out than claim Jade."

Bat chortled loudly.

"He got you there."

I didn't bristle at his teasing. Nor did I flinch from Wing's assessing gaze. It was up to me to prove myself. He had been in my shoes. He'd waited and worked Taylor's walls down brick by brick. I would do the same. But Jade wasn't Taylor, and I didn't want to admit the fear that had its sharp grip on my throat.

Jade wrapped her arms around her friend Dixie's neck and ground against her, mouthing the words to the song I'd put on. They made a pretty pair, and Rooster hunched over the bar, glaring at his drink. He'd claimed the busty redhead, apparently. Our girls were honey to any dirty, hungry fly that buzzed by and there wasn't a thing I could do about it.

It had been a week since I had spoken to her and she'd said I didn't know her name. I knew it had meant something for her to know my real name. But I didn't need to know what her deadbeat daddy had named her. Jade suited her better.

Hard to break and precious.

I slipped out of the booth and made my way over to Taylor, not surprised by the cool expression that slid over her face. I'd hurt her best friend. Of course, she didn't want much to do with me. Wings was hot on my heels, ever the guard dog with his girl. But he'd hurt her too and earned her forgiveness, so that gave me hope.

"Taylor."

"Mission." She replied, narrowing her eyes at Wings, who shrugged, hovering behind her. "Are you over here hoping I'll help you win back Jade? Spoiler alert, I won't."