“You’re a mouthy little thing, aren’t you?”
She rolled her eyes. “Like you’re just now figuring that out.”
“You really expect me to take her to the club dressed like this?” He raised his hand, palm up toward Shannon.
“What’s the problem?”
“The problem is every guy there is gonna fall all over her.”
Angel grinned. “Then you’d better be on top of your game. I’m sure you can handle it.”
“Wench.”
“You love me.”
“Lucky for you.” He hooked the back of her neck and pulled her to him, kissing her forehead.
Angel hugged his waist, and then moved on to hug Shannon, whispering in her ear. “Don’t let him scare you.”
“You’re sure about this?” she whispered back.
Letting her go, she said, “See you at the club.”
And off they went, leaving the pile of clothes for Shannon to use for the rest of her stay.
“Thank you both,” Shannon said, waiving them off. Crash escorted them down to their car.
When he returned, Shannon turned on Crash. “Do you want me to change?” She indicated the pile of clothes that had been torn through.
He glanced down at the pile and snapped, “Forget it. I can only imagine how long that’d take.”
Her hands went to her hips. “Very funny. You’re the one that’s not happy with this.” She threw herself down, sitting on the couch with her arms folded. “I can just stay here, how about that?”
Crash folded his arms, his legs spread. “Mack wants you there. That means you’re going. End of story.”
“But you don’t want me there, do you?”
“Nope.”
“Why?”
“Cause you’re gonna be trouble. Pure and simple.”
“Trouble? How am I going to be trouble?”
“I’m sure you’ll figure out a way. Come on, let’s go get this over with.”
She stood up. “Are you going to be like this all day?”
“Probably. Come on.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
About an hour later, they rolled into the clubhouse lot. There were several rows of bikes parked out front. Cars were parked off to the side, near the dead-end street. Crash pulled up at an empty spot in one of the rows and looked over his shoulder at Shannon. She took this to be an indication she should climb off, so she did so. Then he backed into a spot, dropped the kickstand and threw his leg over the bike, climbing off.
Shannon glanced around as she unfastened the strap of her helmet. She’d never been here before, and she took a moment to take it all in. There were a few wooden picnic tables off to the side of the door. Toward the back corner of the building, a couple of grills were going, smoke rising up and the aroma of cooked meat reaching her. Her stomach rumbled with hunger.
Crash took her helmet out of her hand, and then led her over to the door. There were several club members sitting at the picnic tables, but no one she remembered. She noticed their eyes move over her, following her. Crash lifted his chin to them, but he kept going, leading her by the hand inside.
The sudden change from the bright sunlight to the dim interior had her eyes struggling to adjust. She clung closely to Crash’s back. He moved straight back, through a group standing around and past a couple of pool tables. It seemed like everyone turned to look at her, even the guy making his shot at one of the tables paused, his eyes following her. They moved on, Crash finally stopping at a bar on the right. Glancing around, she saw Cole sitting on a barstool with Angel sitting next to him, and Mack next to her. She also recognized the other members that she’s already met. Red Dog, Wolf, and Green.
When Angel saw her, she jumped off her barstool and came over, hugging her. She whispered in her ear. “Every guy here is checking you out. Girl, you look hot.” Then she pulled back and looked over at Crash. “Hey, sweetie. You should introduce Shannon around. I’m sure the guys want to meet her.”
“Smartass,” he responded.
Cole grabbed Angel’s hand and yanked her to his side, putting an arm around her and pulling her up against him. “Leave the man alone, babe.”
Crystal was manning the bar along with a prospect. She waived at Shannon and headed over to take her and Crash’s order. He got them both a beer, passing one to her.
“Thank you.” She took a sip. Turning back to Angel, she asked, “Where are your kids? I thought this was supposed to be a family event.”
“Oh, it is. Natalie is bringing them over. She should be here any minute.” Angel took her hand and pulled her a few feet away from the guys, who closed ranks and started talking amongst themselves. “How was the ride over?”
Shannon glanced back at Crash. “Fine.”
“You two okay? Things seem a little tense between you.”
She shrugged. “Nothing I do is right.”
Angel frowned, a questioning look on her face.
Shannon elaborated. “He told me he knew I was going to cause trouble here today. What does he think I’m going to do?”
Angel smiled. “I don’t know, stand here and be beautiful?”
“Be serious.”
“Darlin’, I am being serious. He’s worried about his brothers hitting on you.”
She blew out a breath. “Why would he even care?”
“Why indeed?” Angel laughed and hooked an arm through Shannon’s. “Come on, you can help me with the food in the kitchen.”
Twenty minutes later, they had all the prepared bowls of potato salad, macaroni salad and a ton of other dishes, unwrapped and carried out to the picnic tables, along with paper plates and plastic forks. There were burgers, brats and hotdogs hot off the grill.
Natalie arrived with Cole and Angel’s children. Angel introduced Shannon to Natalie. “Shannon, this is my Aunt Natalie. She lives with Cole and me, and she helps us with the children. I don’t know what I’d do without her.” Angel gave her aunt a hug.
Natalie surprised her, by pulling her in for a big hug. Pulling back, she said, “Shannon, dear. I’ve so wanted to meet you. I’m so glad you’re here today for the BBQ.”
“Thank you. I’m glad I’m here, too.”
Natalie cupped Shannon’s face in her hand. “My Lord, you’re beautiful, honey. Those boys are going to be tripping over themselves with you around.”
“Thank you, I think.”
Angel introduced Shannon to her children, pointing them out. “The little blonde boy running to daddy is TJ.” Shannon swiveled her head to see an adorable boy that looked a lot like his father, run into Cole’s legs. Cole ruffled the boy’s hair, smiling down at him.
“And the little girl over there in Crash’s arms is Melissa,” Angel pointed to where Crash stood.
Shannon looked over. Crash had an adorable little girl in his arms, her blonde curls bouncing. He was touching the big plastic bead necklace around her neck. She was looking down at it and obviously telling him all about it. Something in the picture they made struck Shannon. He was being so sweet to the little girl, hanging on her every word and making her feel like he had all the time in the world for her.
“Those two have had a special relationship since the day we moved in with Cole. She loves her Uncle Crash,” Angel mused over Shannon’s shoulder.
Shannon turned back to her. “Yes, it’s obvious he loves her, too.”
“And this little munchkin is Brayden, our newest.” Angel picked up a toddler, who was clinging to her legs.
“Oh, he’s adorable. Hi there, little guy.” The boy had blonde curls and big blue eyes like his father. “You two certainly do make beautiful babies.”
“Why, thank you, Shannon. Come on, help me dish out the food.”
They spent an hour sitting at the tables, enjoying the food and the company. Cole came and sat with Angel and the kids. Mack joined Natalie, and Crash sat next to Shannon. The food was delicious, and the company was fun.
After the food, the guys got up and played
a game of catch with the kids. Several of the other members also had children there, and soon they had a rousing game of kickball going, while the girls sat and talked. Brayden was now asleep in a stroller.
Angel introduced Shannon to Red Dog’s ol’ lady, Mary, who was a little petite thing of oriental descent with long silky hair that hung to her waist. She was quite a contrast to the tall, bulky man with the red hair and beard who looked more like a Viking warrior. She also had the most elaborate and beautiful tattoo of a dragon that took up her whole back and was plainly visible under the halter top and low-cut jeans she wore. Angel pointed out a little boy that appeared to be around the same age as TJ, maybe a year older and informed her that that was Red Dog and Mary’s son, Billy.
Shannon was also introduced to a girl named Misty that Wolf had brought with him. She was a beautiful girl with strawberry-blonde curls that fell to just above her shoulders and breasts that looked bought and paid for. Angel whispered to Shannon that she was rumored to be one of Sonny’s girls and was Wolf’s latest ‘flavor-of-the-month’. “They never last long with that man. He goes through them like candy.”
“They probably all do,” Shannon surmised sarcastically.
“Not like Wolf. That man’s just got a way about him. He could charm the skin off a snake.”
Shannon followed Angel’s gaze to where Wolf stood. She had to admit, he was an attractive man, with a killer smile. But he wasn’t Crash. She looked away. Now where had that thought come from?
“But they never seem to hold his attention for long. I haven’t figured him out yet.” Angel’s eyes strayed among the men in the game, landing on Green. “Then there’s Green. Heard you had a little run in with him the other day.”
Shannon’s brows went up as she turned to Angel. “How’d you hear about that?”
Angel smiled. “Word gets around. Red Dog told Mary, and Mary told me. Believe me, those boys can gossip worse than we women.”
“Hmm. I’ll have to keep that in mind.”
“Except for you. They’ve kept your existence pretty much under wraps.”
“How did Mack find out?”
Angel rolled her eyes. “That was probably my fault.”
“You? You told him?”
“No, but I told Natalie, and she accidently let it slip out when her and Mack were having an argument.”
“Oh.” Shannon looked over at Natalie who was sitting at another table with Mack. They were cozied up against one another, so whatever the argument was, they’d made up. Natalie caught Shannon’s eye and gave her a two-finger wave.
“Don’t be mad at her. It all worked out,” Angel pleaded in her ear.
Shannon waved back and turned to look at Angel. “Oh, I’m not. You’re right, it all worked out. I’m not sure why they wanted to keep it such a secret anyway.”
Crystal came and sat on Shannon’s other side, having turned bartending duties over to a couple of prospects. “What are we talking about, girls?”
Angel leaned around Shannon and replied, “Just filling Shannon in on all the guys.”
Crystal snorted, lifting a bottle of beer to her mouth. “Stay away from most of ‘em would be my advice.”
Angel rolled her eyes. “Crystal’s so cynical because she’s been around so long.”
Crystal lowered the beer, her brows raised, “You trying to say I’ve been around?”
“I think you’ve lost your heart to more than one of these guys, honey. And if they can’t see what a gem you are, then screw them.” Angel leaned back and explained to Shannon. “She’s had her heart broken by one of these guys in the past, but she won’t tell me which one.”
“That’s right. You’ll never get it out of me, because I’m not talking about it. Ever again. So, can we drop it?”
Angel smiled conspiratorially at Shannon. “I’ll get it out of her one day.”
“Fat chance,” Crystal put in and leaned back against the picnic table, her legs out, crossed at the ankles.
Shannon looked down at her boots, changing the subject. “I just love those boots. They look so cool on you.”
Crystal looked over at her, a grateful look in her eyes for changing the subject. “Well, thanks, hon. They are pretty killer, aren’t they?”
Shannon smiled at her, glad she could help her escape Angel’s scrutiny. Shannon knew what it was like to have things in your past that you didn’t want to talk about. Looking over at Angel, she knew Angel knew it, too.
Angel looked back at her with an innocent look. “What? I kid. She knows I love her.”
Crystal looked around Shannon. “Then maybe you’d stop bringing it up.”
“Okay. Okay. You’re off the hook.” Her attention swung to Shannon, a big grin on her face. “Now let’s talk about you and Crash.”
Crystal leaned back, raising the beer to her mouth and warned, “Oh, brother. Watch out, Shan, apparently you’re her next victim.”
Just then the kids ran up and the guys behind them. Billy went straight to Mary. TJ threw himself in his mom’s arms, and Crash walked up with Melissa riding piggy-back. She looked all tuckered out.
“Mom, can Billy spend the night with us?” TJ pleaded. “Please?”
Natalie walked over and suggested, “I think that’d be a fine idea, TJ.” Then she turned to Angel. “I can take the kids back home with me.”
“Are you sure?” Angel asked.
“Sure.” She turned to TJ. “You and Billy can play video games.”
His arms went straight up in the air. “Yay!”
“But you have to ask Billy’s mom if it’s okay.” He immediately raced over to Billy and Mary, shouting, “My mom and Aunt Natalie said okay.”
Natalie looked up at Melissa, who was perched up on Crash’s back, her head resting on his shoulder. “And you and I can make popcorn and watch a princess movie. How about that?”
Melissa smiled and nodded, holding out her arms to Natalie.
Crash passed her over, and then reached out and rubbed her back. “You have fun, sweet pea.”
Angel moved off to help Natalie load the kids up in her big SUV, and Crash looked down at Shannon. “I need a drink, come on.” He reached down, took her hand and pulled her to her feet.
Shannon gave an ‘I-guess-I’m-going-inside-now’ look at Crystal, who smiled back at her and said, “Have fun.”
Crash led her inside, his hand clamped on hers. They went straight to the bar, where Crash parked her on a barstool and then surprised her by asking her what she wanted, rather than just handing her a beer. “What’ll you have, Princess?”
“Umm.” Her eyes scanned the bottles behind the bar. “What have you got?”
Crash grinned. “How about I surprise you? Or aren’t you that adventurous?”
Never one to refuse a challenge, Shannon lifted her chin, “Fine. Surprise me. This I’ve got to see. Do you even know anything about mixing drinks?”
The corner of Crash’s mouth lifted, but he didn’t respond, he just moved behind the bar and began making something. A minute later, he slid a blue drink in front of her, his eyes meeting hers.
“What is it?” she asked, looking down at it.
“Take a sip,” he replied, lifting his chin toward the drink.
Green, Wolf and Misty were sitting at the bar watching her. Cole and Red Dog walked up, having finished helping get their kids loaded up.
Shannon took a tentative sip. It was actually good. “What’s it called?”
Crash grinned at her. “I named it after you. I call it the Blue-eyed Bitch.”
The guys around the bar all started laughing.
She glared at Crash. Her eyes dropped to the full glass in her hand, and then back at Crash. “I’d throw it in your face, but that would only prove you right, wouldn’t it?”
The guys hooted even louder at her comment, and Crash smiled back at her. “Yeah, babe. It would.”
Cole put his arm around her from behind, and putting his mouth close to her ear, he whispered loud eno
ugh for Crash to hear. “Don’t let him get to you, sweetheart, he’s just trying to rile you up because he secretly likes your smart mouth.”
Crash smirked. “Right.”
Cole chuckled and moved away, lighting a cigarette. “Get me a beer, bartender,” he said with a grin at Crash.
“Coming right up, dickhead,” Crash responded and moved off to get one.
Suddenly, Shannon felt another body press up against her back. A man with short brown hair and brown eyes was staring down at her. “Sugar, he don’ treat you right, you come see ol’ Cajun. I’ll treat you right,” he whispered in her ear, his deep Louisiana accent thick, his eyes looking over the bar at Crash.
Crash snapped, “Leave her be, Cajun or you and me are gonna have a problem.”
“So she’s what’s been takin’ up all your time, eh, Crash?” He looked from Crash back down to Shannon. “He’s one sorry-ass coon, him. How ‘bout you ’n me go get us some dinner, sugar. I show you a good time.”
Before Crash could respond, Shannon handled Cajun herself, “I’m sure that would be just lovely, but you see I’m afraid I’ll have to turn down your dinner invitation as I’m allergic to corndog batter.”
The guys around the bar burst out laughing. Wolf almost spit his beer out, choking out, “Goddamn, Crash, she’s a hoot.”
Crash moved around the bar and shoved Cajun away. “I think the lady just declined your dinner invitation, motherfucker.”
Cajun raised his hands, grinning. “S’okay. I’ll be around to pick up the pieces when you get done fuckin’ her over, son.”
The next thing Shannon knew, Cajun was out cold on the floor from Crash’s powerful punch to his jaw.
The guys again roared with laughter and hoots and hollers.
“Ooh, hoo. Damn, brother. That son-of-a-bitch went down like a sack of bricks,” Green declared, staring down at the body sprawled out on the floor.
“He’s out like a light,” Red Dog observed, peering down at Cajun from his barstool.
Shannon noticed nobody made a move to help Cajun to his feet.
Crash flexed his hand and picked up his beer. Taking a long pull, his eyes met Shannon’s over the bottle. Hers were wide with shock. “Crash, you didn’t have to do that.”
CRASH: An Evil Dead MC Story (The Outlaw Series) Page 13
