The man briefly made eye contact with me as he headed out the door and I looked away, fearful of staring too long. I decided to wait another minute before leaving the bar. Didn’t want to come into contact with him in the back lot.

Vaughn’s shoulders tensed briefly as if reading the situation before pulling out a shot glass and filling it with whiskey.

Sliding it across the bar top to Malachi he said, “What’s up, Prez?”

The president of the Disciples now stood next to me and my back became rigid, which made it hurt like a motherfucker, but I kept my reaction in check.

Malachi considered the drink and then clapped me on the back. “Get Cory a shot as well, yeah?”

I tipped my chin but my heart was thrashing in my chest. Vaughn immediately filled a glass of the amber liquid and slipped it over to me. What in the hell was happening here?

Malachi raised his glass in a toast and I attempted to control my shaking fingers as I lifted mine as well.

“All good?” Malachi asked, looking me straight in the eye.

“Sure.” I wasn’t certain what kind of answer he was looking for or why he was asking me in the first place. But I needed to roll with it.

“To honesty and loyalty,” Malachi said and I paused before I downed my drink, unable to understand what the hell he was getting at.

He roughly gripped my shoulder, then turned and walked back to his office.

A concerned look momentarily crossed Vaughn’s face before it turned thoughtful. But I guess the message was clear.

Don’t screw Jude or the Disciples over.

Chapter Seventeen

I sank down on my bike and considered riding the fuck out of there. But it was obvious that it didn’t matter where the hell I was or what I did; these guys already knew my business. I was made their business because of Jude—of that I was certain.

I rode out of the lot and drove around the block. I parked on the side street before heading to the back door of the skate shop on foot.

Jude was tangled up in the Disciples’ business? I should’ve turned around and left but I couldn’t even force myself to go. Vaughn’s words about Jude bolstered my resolve.

The screen was locked but I could see the length of the hallway to the storefront. The lights were turned low because the shop was closed and there was a soft glow coming from what looked like the back office.

I rapped my knuckles lightly and when Jude rounded the corner toward me, my heart crashed to my ribcage. This guy disarmed me every single time and I had only just seen him a few minutes ago. But something about knowing we were going to be alone again made my head spin.

“What’s up?” I asked when he opened the door for me to enter.

He looked over my shoulder to the lot and to the surrounding storefronts. “Where’s your bike?”

“Side street,” I said.

Suddenly I felt restless. On edge. “L . . . look. Maybe I should just go.”

“You should leave if that’s how you feel. I don’t even know if this is a good idea,” he said, his voice laced with uneasiness. “Ah . . . fucking hell. It’s just that I thought I’d show you something.”

“O . . . Okay,” I said, stepping inside. He released a breath as if relieved I’d stayed.

We stood staring at each other in the dim hallway with only a sliver of space between us.

“It’s really fucking hard to fight this attraction I have for you, Jude.”

He tensed his fist as if he wanted to touch me, and my dick throbbed in response.

“I just wish I knew something more,” I said. “I know you don’t want to tell me anything, but hell, I’m already here. I’m already into you.”

His bit his lip and dropped his head.

I sighed heavily. “So what is it you wanted to show me?”

“Something that might help your back.”

That wasn’t what I was expecting to hear. “I’m listening.”

“Skaters get lots of injuries from falls and I’ve got a couple of tricks up my sleeve.”

I smirked. “Tricks, huh?”

He motioned over his shoulder for me to follow.

It was strange to see the shop from this angle because I had really only appreciated it from the front view. And merely from passing by the window where all the boards hung in neat rows.

The Board Room not only carried skateboarding and snowboarding wares but also some other odds and ends for summer and winter sports.

I’d been inside the store once a couple of years ago when I needed some snow equipment for a weekend trip I’d taken with some guy named Andrew. A guy I’d now like to forget. But at least he didn’t leave me with his damn dog as a souvenir.

Jude grabbed something off a low shelf and then headed to the back room, where I noticed a table of deconstructed skateboards. “Is this where you work?”

Jude nodded as he rummaged around in the desk.

“Do you enjoy it?” I asked propping my bicep against the doorframe.

“Only second to actually skating.”

“Do you compete?”

He looked up and thinned his lips. “Nope.”

“You hear about the extreme sports event coming to town?”

Distress flitted through his eyes for a brief moment but I couldn’t figure out why. Skating was the one area I figured he’d feel most confident. “Sure. I plan to check out the show.”

“Maybe I’ll see you there,” I said. “Raw Ink is a sponsor and we have free tickets.”