by Karen Renee
“The hell he was.”
“I wasn’t.”
I rolled my eyes. “Whatever. Have a nice morning.”
When my hand hit the doorknob, Beast’s voice was right in my ear. “You lied,” he murmured.
I turned my head, and saw he was leaned down into me. His eyes glittered at me like gemstones. “About what?” I whispered.
“Told me you wouldn’t be back here. But I find you lookin’ for Trixie. You lied.”
My lips pursed and I narrowed my eyes. “I didn’t knowingly lie. In no way did I know that Trixie would find herself staying here instead of her own place because some crazy man tried to attack her there. Further, what damn difference does it make? I didn’t come here looking for you.”
“You need to stay the hell away from here,” he growled at me.
I debated my response. The obedient part of me wanted to say ‘Duly noted,’ but I was turning over a new leaf these days, and I itched to say ‘Or what?’ Instead, I shook my head, opened the door, and muttered, “Whatever,” over my shoulder.
CHAPTER 11
Janie
WHY DID BEAST’S WORDS bother me so much? Who was he to tell me where I needed to be or not be? And for that matter, now that I was done being any man’s docile subordinate, how could I just give in to what he requested? All of these thoughts took up residence in my brain, leaving little room for any other thoughts. It struck me hard that he really must not like me, and that bothered me in the worst way. Yet, why did I care? It was all so damned frustrating to me. Next thing I knew my nose was stinging, and I felt tears welling in my eyes.
I pulled into a strip mall parking lot in front of a Dunkin’ Donuts and gave into the emotion. In a feeble attempt to keep my mascara intact, I leaned my forehead on the steering wheel and held my eyes open so the tears would fall straight down. Not all of them did, but it felt like the waterworks weren’t as harsh on my makeup as they could have been. I didn’t know how long I had been sitting in the car like I was, when a sudden rap of knuckles on the passenger door scared the hell out of me.
I jumped, sat up, and looked to my right. Roman’s dark eyes were staring at me hard and his voice was just as hard, even if it was a little muffled, when he ordered, “Unlock the door, Janie.”
I unlocked the door, and he grabbed my purse in order to slide into the passenger seat. He put my bag on the floorboard between his feet as he closed the door.
“What on earth? You were just having a beer when I left. So, what are you doing here?” I asked as I wiped at my lower lids with my pinkies.
“My president demanded donuts, so I’m on a run. Almost didn’t see you, but that pink shirt you’re wearin’ is hard to miss.”
“Fuchsia.”
“What?”
“Not pink, it’s fuchsia. I don’t know why I said that. I’m sorry. I mean, you’re a biker, it’s not like you’re ever gonna need that information.”
He grinned. “Kinda like ‘innocuous,’ but that’s okay, babe. I like it. And for the record, you don’t need to be nervous.”
I frowned. “I’m not nervous.”
He gave me a that’s-bullshit look. “Funny. You didn’t seem like the rambling type back at the clubhouse.”
I looked away so he wouldn’t see it written all over my face that he indeed had my number. As I stared at the other shops in the strip mall, Roman spoke.
“You scare him.”
My head whipped back to him. “Him, who?”
I got his that’s-bullshit look along with an eyebrow arch. “Beast.”
“Ha!” I barked. “I don’t think much scares him, and I damn sure don’t scare someone like him.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“He’s rough, tough, and burly. No way is he scared of a woman like me.”
He reached out and tugged at the collar of my blouse. “Woman like you puts the fear of God in any man who recognizes the kind of woman you are.”
I shook my head. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He tilted his head. “Satin shirt, fancy-ass shoes that scream sex, shiny hair begging a man to wrap it around his palm so he can take those lush lips of yours and kiss you ‘til you’re crazy.”
Holy crap on a cracker. I did not expect him to say any of that. Stupidly, I blurted, “My shoes don’t scream sex and they aren’t fancy-ass.”
Yet another that’s-bullshit look was shot my way, but this one included a full-fledged smile. “You pay more than forty dollars for those heels?”
My silence spoke volumes.
“Yeah. That makes them fancy-ass in my book, and you can’t tell me what screams sex to a man. You’re potentially the real deal, which scares the hell outta men like Beast.”
My eyebrows furrowed. “You’re wrong. I’m about two weeks into a divorce that may or may not turn messy. God knows, it’s already nasty enough. No way can I get involved with any man, and for that matter, I’m not Beast’s type. He made that clear last Friday.”
He chuckled like I was delusional. “You say so, cher. Are you gonna be able to drive now?”
After a brief glance at him, I yanked down the visor, flipped up the little flap covering the mirror and checked my mascara. Whew! No smudges, and my lipstick still looked good too. I closed it up and turned to Roman. That was when I noticed his eyes were dancing over me, and there was heat in his gaze.
I cleared my throat. “Yeah. I’m gonna be able to go now.”
“That’d be good, Janie,” he said in a husky voice. Yikes! “Be safe.”
I watched him saunter into the Dunkin’ and wasted no time backing out of the parking lot.
THE LUNCHEON WAS BLESSEDLY short, for once. Bonus, the necessary small talk didn’t get too deep and it seemed none of the other women knew about my impending divorce. As I reached my car, my cell rang. Fishing it out, I saw it was Trixie.
“Hi there, Trixie.”
“Hey. Roll tells me you were lookin’ for me earlier.”
I chuckled. “Funny. I didn’t even see Roll when I was there.”
“Yeah, well. One of the brothers you did see mentioned it. We’ve been lookin’ at houses. Where are you?”
“I’m in Mandarin.”
“So are we. Feel like a drink?”
I debated for a moment. “Okay, sure. Starbucks?”
Trixie laughed. “Starbucks! Listen to you. If I wanted caffeine, I’d have said so. You know where the Monkey’s Uncle is?”
“Um, no.”
She told me where it was, and we disconnected. I unlocked my car, but before I could open the door, Terri Knapton, a woman who lived on the same cul-de-sac as Trent and I, approached me. She was a divorcee, and if the phone call I overheard was to be believed, she’d been involved with Trent. Even before I found that out, I hadn’t spent much time with her because she could be catty, and nobody needed that.
When she stopped in front of me, her smile gleamed with satisfaction. “Seems to me you didn’t put in the work to keep a man like Trent.”
So much for none of the other women knowing about the divorce.
I smiled coolly. “There’s plenty you don’t know about the situation, Terri.”
She eyed the rental car is if it were dripping with slime. “Know you’re not driving your Beemer any more, and I certainly haven’t seen this vehicle in the drive.”
It was hard to keep not only my cool, but the secret that I knew she had been with Trent. Pasting on a small smile, I shrugged. “That is the way things go in divorce. But, having been divorced already, you know all about that now, don’t you, Terri.”
Eyeing me up and down, she didn’t hide her disgust. “You’re driving a tiny piece of shit car, I can only imagine the hovel you’re living in.”
That was why I didn’t need this in my life. They say like begets like, and her petty bitchiness flipped a switch inside me. “You’re finally right about one thing. You could only imagine the fabulous views from my waterfront property at t
he Club. I have somewhere—”
“As in the Club Continental?” she sneered.
“Yes,” I said with a nod, while raising both my eyebrows. “Now, as I was saying, I have somewhere to be. Nice to see you, Terri.”
I hated being so damn fake, but my tone of voice betrayed my sarcasm. She moved out of my way, walking to her Lexus across the lot. I got into my tiny car and motored to the Monkey’s Uncle.
The hole in the wall bar was tucked next to a children’s consignment shop and a small Italian restaurant. I stood outside the bar scanning the lot for a Harley and moving my head side-to-side to crack my neck. I didn’t see any bikes, so I pulled out my phone. I looked up when I saw a black Hyundai Sonata drive up and park. Roll was driving and Trixie gave me a small wave from the passenger seat. They got out of the car.
Roll ambled over to me first, and he gave me a hard look. “Not too sure about you, seein’ as how you helped my woman evade me not that long ago.”
I couldn’t blame him, but I shrugged. “A friend in need is a friend indeed.”
He chuckled. “Can see you’re a slick one.”
With a smile I shook my head. “Not really. Though you could argue years of matrimony to a politician might’ve rubbed off on me.”
“Politician?” he asked.
I dipped my chin. “Not for much longer though.”
He reciprocated my chin dip. “Sorry to hear that.”
“Thanks. Be nice when it’s done.”
Trixie sidled up to Roll, and I caught her eyes. “I’m glad to see you didn’t get hurt.”
I leaned forward to give her a hug, and she seemed stiff. “Yeah. I just wish Rage hadn’t been hurt.”
“Let’s get inside,” Roll said, before I could ask how Rage was doing.
We found a four-seater, square table, and Roll went to the bar to get our drinks. Trixie speared me with her brown eyes. “What’s wrong? You look uptight, and that’s saying something because being as put-together as you are, people would think you’re uptight regardless.”
“Gee, thanks,” I deadpanned.
“You know what I mean, lady. What’s got you in a twist?”
I sighed. “It was just a catty, bitchy run-in I had right when I got off the phone with you.”
Trixie’s eyes lit. “Do I need to cut a bitch? Lead the way, and I’ll do it. I got some aggression to work out.”
Roll returned carrying two long-necks in one hand and a glass of white zinfandel in the other. He didn’t speak as he sat down, so I thought he missed Trixie talking about cutting someone, but I was wrong.
“What’re you talkin’ about, ‘you got some aggression to work out?’ Babe, you got aggression, you work that shit out with me.”
Trixie shook her head. “Not when it’s some catty cunt who’s fuckin’ with one of my girls. Besides, you bikers jipped me out of taking a shot at —”
“Shut it, babe. We’re in public.”
I sighed. “Thank you for the offer, Trixie, but it really isn’t necessary. With any luck, that will be one of the last Republican Women’s meetings I have to go to.”
My head whipped to the side when the chair next to me was snatched out, turned around, and Roman straddled it, put his arms on the table, and stared at me with his brown eyes.
“Republican Women’s meeting? Is that what I heard you say?” Roman asked incredulously.
My eyebrows furrowed at his tone. “Yeah, but like I said, with any luck it’s the last one I’ll have to go to.”
He just stared at me, and I realized I had my own question. “What are you doing here, anyway?”
Trixie set down her beer. “Yeah, what are you doing here? I thought you Biloxi brothers were leaving today.”
Roman’s eyes slid to me before he looked at Trixie. “They left. I decided to hang back for a little bit. Seems Jacksonville is full of...surprises.”
On his last word, I turned my head to fight rolling my eyes. I turned back to him and his eyes were heated again. A humorless laugh erupted from me. “Hate to tell you this, but I’m getting divorced.”
A slow, devious smile spread across his face, which was when I realized he was chewing gum. He shoved the gum to the side of his mouth using his tongue, and he managed to do it oozing sex appeal. “Yeah. That means you’re not cheating.”
I glared at him. “‘Getting,’ meaning it isn’t done, yet. I’m not giving Trent anything that makes me at fault here, even if he cheated on me.”
“He cheated on you?” Trixie asked in a shrill voice, and I heard Roll groan across from me.
I didn’t look to Trixie because what I said didn’t dim Roman’s smile. Not one bit. “You’re gonna need a rebound man.”
Blinking slow, I struggled to close my mouth at the audacious statement. “Th—, uh, thanks, I think, but really. No.”
I wanted to ask him what about Beast, but Roll and Trixie didn’t need to know about that interaction between me and Roman.
Roll shook his head. “Trix, you wanna shoot pool with me?”
Trixie looked at me, examined Roman a beat longer than necessary, and turned to Roll. “Sure, babe. You gonna rack?”
“Yes, but you’re gonna grab us some cue sticks.”
Once they were out of earshot, I hissed at Roman. “What about Beast? Why would you offer to be a ‘rebound man’ when you told me this morning, Beast’s scared of me?”
He shrugged. “Beast’s my brother, and I’d take a bullet for him. But I know he ain’t gonna get anywhere near you until the shitstorm surrounding you dies out. I’m a biker. I don’t live here, and I ain’t movin’ here. Doesn’t mean I won’t take advantage of a good time when it falls in my lap. Though, in your case, you strutted into my lap.”
My gaze went to the neon beer signs hanging from the wall and back to him. “I didn’t strut anywhere. And definitely not your lap.”
He leaned back to look under the table, grinning when he caught sight of my shoes again. “Yeah, you did. I’d remember everything a woman does in shoes like those.”
“You’re crazy.”
“No. You’re crazy for not taking me up on my offer. Somebody needs to take care you, and a woman like you has needs that should be taken care of on the regular.”
My cheeks heated and I lamented my fair skin because even in the dimness of the bar, I was sure he could see my blush. “You need to stop,” I mumbled.
His calloused hand wrapped around my wrist. “You need to live.”
I pressed my lips into a flat line. “You’re right. I’ll get right on that, when the divor–”
“That shit could drag on.”
“It shouldn’t.”
“It could. Then what? You’re gonna sit alone wastin’ your life away? No man to make you scream in pleasure?”
According to Monty, the Lelo should take care of my pleasure, but I had yet to test it out. There was something I could remedy.
I shook my head at him. “I hate to tell you this, but you’re wasting your time if you stuck around here just because of me.”
He released my wrist with a wink. “Wasn’t just because of you, but you’re one hell of an incentive if I can get you to crack.”
I couldn’t help it. The wink, his tone, and making me sound like I was a safe he needed to break open or something—I threw my head back and laughed. My mirth was cut short when I felt a calloused finger trace my neck.
“That’s what I’m talkin’ about. The real deal.”
I shoved at his bicep. “Stop it. Only way I’m the real deal is being a real pain in the ass.”
He tilted his head for a moment while he jutted out his bottom lip in contemplation. “Pain in the ass can be good if you make up for it in the bedroom.”
“Oh my God!” I raised my voice in exasperation. “I’m leaving,” I declared, pushing my chair back.
“No, you’re not. It’s happy hour, and you’re the only one drinking wine. No way you’d waste Roll’s money that way.”
I dug into my
bag to get my wallet.
“Now don’t do that. It’s insulting to Roll.”
I looked up at him. “Insulting?”
“Men like him, and me by the by, we take care of women. He ain’t gonna take your money for a glass of wine.”
I sighed. Snagging my glass, I finished what was there, but Roman grabbed the glass before I could set it down. He lifted it in the air toward the bar, and I had to assume he had the eye of the bartender.
He looked back to me. “Don’t you believe in ‘get out of jail free passes?’”
My brows crinkled. “Why are we talking about Monopoly?”
He chuckled. “Not talkin’ about Monopoly. Talkin’ about your ex cheating on you.” I pursed my lips, and he leaned back in his chair looking like something just dawned on him. “Oh, wait. That’s right, he’s not your ex just yet. So, you aren’t gonna get yours? Especially seeing as you’re aware he got his?”
So many things I wanted to say to him, but instead I asked him a question. “You ever been married?”
He barked out, “Fuck no!”
I gave him a look to say he wouldn’t understand, but he shook his head. “I watched more than just my Riot brothers suffer the consequences of bad marriages, early marriages, and sometimes what amounts to forced marriages. Knew good and damn well tyin’ the knot ain’t for me. Least not yet.”
I tipped my head side to side. “Well, I don’t believe in an eye for an eye. At least not when it comes to this sort of thing.”
“How many times?”
“Excuse me?”
“How many times did he cheat on you? Was it one woman, multiple times, or was it numerous women?”
I sighed and was going to cross my arms, but a waitress set a glass down in front of me. She was petite and slender, but the fine lines surrounding her features said she was older than she appeared. “I hear you say someone cheated? On her?” she asked, tilting her head to me.
I dropped my head back and looked at the ceiling. “Good grief.”
“Honey, your drinks are on the house.”
I snapped my gaze to her. “Oh, thank you but—”
“No buts. I been done wrong like that, and it ain’t no fun. That double negative is on purpose because cheating is doubly negative, dearie. In fact, I’d upgrade you to a stiffer drink, but that ain’t a good idea with a glass of wine already under your belt.”
