SANGRE: Night Rebels Motorcycle Club (Night Rebels MC Romance Book 6)

by Chiah Wilder

  Relieved to have Gage as a buffer to soften the unspoken tension between herself and Benz, she laughed softly. “I can always count on your energy. Is Melody able to come for a visit next week? I know how bummed you were that she couldn’t be here tonight.”

  Melody was Gage’s girlfriend, and she’d moved to LA from Ames, Iowa, when Gage had joined the band. They’d known each other since high school. Isla loved seeing them together even though Benz thought they were “fucking nauseating,” and Arsen couldn’t comprehend “why a dude would want to settle for only one chick when there were so many who wanted to fuck a rock star.” A part of her envied the love and connection Gage and Melody shared, wondering how it must feel. It was something that hadn’t happened to her yet—falling in love—and she’d begun to give up hope it ever would.

  “Yep. She’s coming out next weekend. I told her I’d take a day off recording to hang with her. You guys are cool with that, right?”

  Isla nodded at the same time Benz grunted and shook his head. “We’re here to finish a fucking album. The band comes first, dude.”

  “One day isn’t going to set us back,” she said. Benz threw her a scathing look then took out a cigarette and lit it. She ignored him, knowing she’d overstepped an invisible line he’d drawn between him and the other band members whenever any of them contradicted him. Benz was super protective of Iris Blue since he’d started it right out of high school. The only one who could get away with arguing with him was Arsen; he’d been with Benz since the beginning.

  Shoulders slumping, Gage quirked his lips. “I guess Melody can hang with us at the studio.”

  Isla gripped Gage’s shoulder and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “Take the day off. We’ll make it work.” She met Benz’s hard look without flinching. “I’m going to make sure the roadies got my microphone.”

  “They get fucking paid to make sure things are right.” Benz blew a puff of smoke at her then smirked.

  Real mature, asshole. “Yeah, well, we know that it doesn’t always work that way. How many mikes have I lost? I’m not taking the chance on this one. I love it.” Without waiting for his reply, she whirled around and walked to the stairs.

  The first thing she did when she got on stage was look to the side, hoping the sexy guy would still be there. Disappointment wove through her when she realized that he wasn’t. Did you really think he’d be hanging around like a damn groupie? Anyway, so what if he’s not here. Just because he’s the hottest guy you’ve seen in a—

  “Good show,” a voice said behind her.

  She spun around and her gaze fell on him—with his masculine, square chin and eyes that burned as blue as the hottest part of a flame. His gaze raked over her body slowly, taking in every detail of her appearance before returning to her face. Suddenly, she was aware of herself in the most nerve-wracking way: tongue-tied and feeling like an idiot. Then he hopped up on stage and her mind went blank.

  Standing close to her, he looked at her intently. “You really rocked it.” His voice, low and gravelly, stroked her senses like velvet.

  Say something! “Thanks. I just came out to check on my microphone. I wanted to make sure the roadies packed it. It’s my favorite one, and I don’t want to lose it. You’d be surprised on how often equipment gets overlooked. I’ve had that happen a few times with the microphone. It’s my instrument, you know.” Stop rambling. Fuck. She watched as he bit back a smile. She willed her breathing to slow down.

  “Is that the only reason you came back out?” He leaned in closer.

  “Yeah,” she managed, breathless and blushing. “Why else?”

  A sly smirk ghosted his face. “Well … you were checking me out after the show.”

  As he looked at her with a mischievous twinkle in his gaze, she sucked in her breath, crossed her arms, and took several steps away from him. In less time than it took her to exhale, her nervousness lifted. His cocky tone and easy manner pissed her off. He thinks this is an amusing game. Asshole! She tilted her head sideways. “As I remember it, you were the one checking me out.

  “So, you did notice me.” His smoldering eyes burned right through her, sending a wave of prickling heat along her limbs.

  When she stepped farther away from him, it felt like he was undressing her in an appreciative yet animalistic way; his intense gaze left trails of burning embers across her skin. Pressing a hand against her chest, she tried to calm her pounding heart. Before she could reply, a tall, buffed guy with short hair walked toward the stage.

  “Yo, Sangre!” he yelled.

  The stranger turned around and jerked his chin up. “What’s up?”

  “Chains wants to know if you wanna go to Leroy’s and get some food.”

  “Is Skull coming?”

  “He’s meeting us there. He left to drop off his kid sister and her friend at his mom’s. Eagle’s gonna join us too. You in?” His dark eyes skimmed over her quickly then flitted back to Sangre’s. “Or do you have other plans?” Sangre laughed and glanced at her.

  “In your fucking dreams,” she said.

  “Excuse me. Miss Isla Rose?” a timid voice said to the right of her.

  She looked over and saw a lanky guy in his early twenties standing by the platform, staring everywhere but at her as he kept clearing his throat. For a split second, she wondered if this guy was the one who’d been sending her the love-obsessed fan letters. Something about him gave her the creeps, but she smiled and nodded. “That’s me. Can I help you?”

  “What the fuck, Jon?” Sangre said.

  Turning slightly toward him, she relaxed a bit. “He’s with you?”

  “He works for me.” Sangre went over to the edge of the stage, his muscular arm brushing against her as he walked past. “What gives?”

  Jon grabbed the back of his neck with his hand and rubbed it over and over as he looked down on the ground. “I just wanted to see if I could get an autograph or something.”

  Sangre laughed. “That’s right, you’re a fan.” He looked over his shoulder at her. “This dude loves your band, and he’s crazy about you. Why don’t you give him an autograph?”

  “I didn’t realize you moonlight as a PR man.” She rolled her eyes then focused on the young man who acted like he was going to crumple down in a heap at any minute. “Did you bring a CD or something?” she said softly.

  Bringing his hand to his pocket, he took out a cassette. “I brought this.” He chewed his bottom lip.

  She laughed, and it resounded through the nearly empty bar. “Excellent. I think you’re one of the ten people who actually bought one of our cassettes. I was the one who wanted to make cassettes even though the other members tried to talk me out of it. You just made my night.” Jon’s face turned a deep red as she took it from his hand. “I wish the others were here so they could sign it too.”

  Crossing and uncrossing his arms, he fidgeted in place. “I don’t care about the others. You’re the only one who matters in the band,” he said in a voice so low that she had to strain her ears to hear him.

  “Don’t let the others hear you say that.” She whipped out a pen and signed her name. “But you’re too sweet.” Smiling, she handed the cassette back to him.

  “Thank you. I’ll always cherish this.” He glanced briefly at her then averted his gaze elsewhere.

  A single shiver rode up her spine. I shouldn’t be out here like this. How do I know if any one of these guys is the nut who’s making me a nervous wreck? She took a few steps backward and bumped into a wall of hardness. Looking behind her, she jumped away from Sangre’s muscled body. “Oh … sorry.”

  “No need to apologize. I didn’t mind.” He winked at her and she groaned inwardly. Jon still stood there staring at the signed cassette in his hands.

  “Did you find your mike?” Benz asked, staring at Sangre. He came over and slinked his arm around her waist, yanking her close to him.

  “No. I guess the roadies did their job. I was just signing autographs.”

 
“I was getting worried about you. We’re all packed up. Let’s head out. The guys want some food. Is anything open at this hour in this godforsaken town?”

  “Leroy’s,” Sangre said as she opened her mouth to reply. “It’s a diner off of Ashwood and Cedar.

  “Which reminds me. You never said if you wanted to join Skull, Eagle, Chains, and me.” The tatted guy leaned against one of the freshly wiped tables.

  “Yeah. I’m going.” Sangre jumped off the stage, threw a lazy smile at her, and swaggered away. “Jon, stop gawking and get your ass over here.” The young man shoved the cassette in his pocket and hurried to catch up with the two men as they walked out the door.

  “He’s got some attitude,” Benz said, placing a kiss on the side of her mouth. “Did he come on to you?”

  “We were just talking. I really don’t want to go to Leroy’s.”

  Benz narrowed his eyes. “Why? Because he’s going to be there?”

  She moved away from him. “No … because I’m tired, and I’m not hungry. You guys can drop me off at my place first.”

  Benz clenched his jaw as his brown eyes glinted in anger while he stood watching Isla. Not letting him intimidate her, she headed down the stairs and saw her other bandmates smoking pot as they sat on folding chairs.

  “We’re fucking starving,” Jac said, his fingers curled around the neck of his bass guitar.

  “Leroy’s is a diner not too far from here, but I’m exhausted, so take me home first.”

  “That’s cool,” Gage said, and Arsen bobbed his head.

  “Where’s your redhead?” Isla asked.

  “I finished with her,” Arsen replied.

  “She didn’t even merit a bite to eat?” Gage said.

  “I don’t like eating with chicks I don’t know. What the hell is there to talk about?” Arsen stood up. “Does this diner have good food?”

  “It used to when I lived here. I’m sure it’s still owned by the same people.”

  “Sure you don’t wanna go?” Jac said.

  “She said she didn’t, so who the fuck cares? It’s … whatever.” Benz stormed past them and went out back to the alley.

  “Why’s he in such a dour mood?” Gage asked.

  Isla shrugged. “Who knows? I’m too tired to care.”

  “Let’s head out,” Arsen said.

  The rest of the band followed him out, and Isla noticed how Benz sat hunched in the front seat, staring straight ahead. They all piled into the van, which was a tight squeeze since it also held their equipment.

  Twenty minutes later, she waved at them as Gage pulled away from the curb. During the drive, Benz didn’t speak or look at her once, and that suited her just fine. She was so sorry that she’d allowed herself to get sexually and emotionally involved with him after a couple of years of vowing that she’d never give in to his advances.

  Isla closed and locked the door then headed upstairs. Beyond tired, she was tempted to just peel off her clothes and fall into bed without taking off her makeup. Not wanting to wake up with a peppering of zits on her face, she shuffled to the bathroom and turned on the faucet.

  After smoothing moisturizer on her face, she padded over to her bed, pulled back the covers, and slipped in. Her head sank into the fluffy pillow, and she reached over and turned off the small lamp on her nightstand. Sangre’s face popped into her mind. I’ve never heard that name before. The man acted like some alpha asshole, but she had to admit that sex oozed out of all his pores. There was something brutish and exciting about him.

  She turned on her side. I have to stop thinking about him. The band had to be at the studio early the following morning, and then Isla needed to meet with the security company in the afternoon. I probably won’t see him again. In another couple of months or so, we’ll be headed back to LA. Her stomach lurched with that thought. What if I’m not ready? The past year, she’d been run down by constant touring, the stress of dating Benz, the pressure of being in the spotlight, and the extra anxiety of being scrutinized every second because she was a woman. There never was a damn tweet about any of the guys either gaining an ounce of weight or eating a large bag of fries or not being tanned enough. They could do as they pleased and wear what they wanted without any repercussions, but it wasn’t so for her: Isla was constantly being watched.

  Isla began to pant as blood rushed through her ears; she sat upright and instantly felt a clammy sweat coating her face and back. Dammit! I have to get a fucking grip. I love performing. I love singing. Why can’t I just chill?

  Switching the lamp on, she reached for the bottle of prescription pills that would make her breathe normally and help her calm down and sleep. She unscrewed the top to a bottle of water she always kept on the nightstand and swallowed the two pills. Lying back down, she waited until the magic capsules took effect. Sangre entered her thoughts again, but this time he had his arms wrapped tightly around her, his handsome face close to hers as he leaned in and … her eyes shut and darkness erased all images from her mind.

  Chapter Three

  Sangre stood at the back of the room and watched his brothers leave the meeting. Steel and Paco had asked him to stay behind after church to go over some things. As he waited, he thought about the upcoming meeting with the hot little singer later that afternoon. He knew he should’ve told her who he was the night before, but he was having a bit too much fun with her. When the band had come into Leroy’s, he’d been more disappointed than he’d liked when he didn’t see her among the other musicians. There was something about her that piqued his curiosity, and there was something familiar about her that he just couldn’t put his finger on.

  “Why don’t you come up here?” Steel said. The president sat at the head of a long table with Paco, the vice president, beside him.

  He took a seat next to Paco then looked at Steel. “I got the figures for how much we’d need to lease a place for a restaurant. I looked at a ton of properties, but there’s a lot of building going on in East Alina, and a slew of families and young couples are moving there. I think getting in on ground zero would be ideal, especially if we open a barbecue place or a steakhouse.

  “Brianna thinks we should open a health food restaurant that would also have a lot of vegetarian and vegan items on the menu.” Steel folded his hands on the table.

  “Why the fuck would we do that?” Paco said at the same time Sangre said, “What the hell?”

  Steel chuckled. “That’s the reaction I had. She thinks there’s a need for that here. There’s so much going on about eating clean and healthy. She may have a point.”

  “No fucking way,” Paco said, shaking his head.

  “We could have some items on the menu that are health conscious and even vegetarian, but the whole damn restaurant? If we did that, most of the brothers wouldn’t step a foot inside.” Sangre leaned back and grabbed a beer from the mini fridge. “Want one?” he asked Steel and Paco. They nodded, and he took two more cans out. “This type of restaurant Brianna suggested may fly in Denver or Colorado Springs, but in a small town?” He took a large gulp then shook his head. “It’s not gonna make it. We’d be wasting our money.”

  “When I told Chelsea the club’s thinking about opening a restaurant, she immediately said it should either be Mexican or barbecue,” Paco said as he popped the tab on the can.

  “We got plenty of Mexican restaurants in town. I think we should do a home-style barbecue place and offer fried chicken too. Lena makes the best in town, and Rooster and Shotgun know how to fuckin’ barbecue. The only other barbecue places around can’t hold a candle to what we eat at the club,” Sangre said.

  “I agree. I think barbecue is the way to go. We make it simple with just a few kickass dishes, and I’m pretty sure we’ll have a success on our hands.” Steel lifted his beer to his mouth.

  “We should think about building our own strip mall in East Alina. We’d have our restaurant there, and the other tenants would bring in a good stream of revenue. If we vote for that, then we could use
Axe’s woman, Baylee, to design it. He said she’d give us a good deal on her fees,” Sangre said.

  “That’s a thought. How’re Axe and the other Insurgents doing? I only talk to Hawk, Banger, and Throttle regularly,” Paco replied.

  “They’re good. A lot of them are going to Sturgis. That’ll be a kickass time. You dudes going?”

  Steel nodded. “I’m going for about five days. I can’t stay the whole time because Brianna’s not going. She doesn’t want to bring Aidan.”

  “Chelsea’s been dying to go to Sturgis, so we’ll be out there for the two weeks. Do some camping around the Black Hills before the main event starts. We could use some time together without any distractions. She’s been so busy with school and work, so it’ll do her good to have the time off. I’m also looking forward to seeing Hawk’s new Harley. He’s customized the whole damn thing.”

  “I can’t wait to see that baby. I’ve been itching to get one of the new ones when they come out in the fall,” Sangre said.

  “Getting back to the strip mall, crunch some numbers and let’s see if this can work for the club. You can present it to the membership at church when you have it ready.” Steel stood up. “I’ve got to meet Brianna and Aidan. I promised I’d take them to the zoo in Durango.”

  “I should head out too. I told Chelsea we’d go for a ride,” Paco said.

  “And a fuck,” Sangre added, a smile in his voice.

  “What the hell’s the point taking your woman on a ride if you’re not gonna show her a good time?” Paco replied. The trio laughed as they left the meeting room.

  “Sangre! Over here.” Army waved his hand.

  Sangre walked over to the bar and motioned the prospect to bring him a beer. “What do you got going on?”

  “Skull, Chains, Jigger, and me are going for a ride. Wanna join us?”

  “I wish I could. I gotta meet with this singer chick to go over some shit. My company begins the job tonight.”