“Didn’t your daddy ever tell you—never trust guys. We lie. Big time,” Cole teased her with a waggle of his brows.
Crash’s eyes met hers, and he changed the subject. “So, you pick this outfit out all by yourself?”
She lifted her chin. “Of course.”
“Really? Where’d you get the money for it?”
She faltered. “I, um, stole it out of your wallet.”
“I know you didn’t pay for it, so don’t even try that,” Crash called her on it.
Cole tried to stifle a grin. He shook his head at her. “Shannon, Shannon, Shannon. You’re sitting next to two of the best damn liars in the free world. Don’t embarrass yourself.”
“Okay, fine. Your wife paid for it. With your credit card.”
That shut him up. Momentarily.
“My wife did what?”
Crash couldn’t help but grin. “You do something to piss her off?”
“Apparently.”
“Maybe she was just trying to be nice,” Shannon suggested.
Cole grinned at her. “Don’t worry, darlin’. I’m sure I’ll think of a way she can pay me back when I get home tonight.”
Shannon gave him a saucy grin back. “Yes, she told me Friday nights were her favorite night of the week.”
Cole’s grin got bigger. “She did, did she?”
“Um hmm. And I’m sure whatever payback you come up with will be happily paid.”
Cole burst out laughing. “Glad to hear it.”
Cajun walked up, obviously already shit-faced drunk, he threw his arm around Green and gave him a big kiss on the cheek saying, “I love you, man.”
Green grinned back at him. “I love you, too, you drunk-ass motherfucker.”
Red Dog suggested, “Why don’t you two run outside and carve your initials into a tree.”
The guys burst out laughing, and Green shoved Cajun off him.
Shannon took another sip of her drink, her eyes scanning the room, until they landed on a jukebox against the far wall. It was currently blaring some heavy metal. Crash must have noticed, because the next thing she knew, he was pulling out a five dollar bill and handing it to her. He nodded toward the jukebox. “Go play something.”
She took the money and got up.
He watched her stroll through the room toward the jukebox. Her ass swaying as she moved languidly, and he longed to put his hands on those hips and ass. Hell, he longed to do a lot more than that. She was going to be the death of him.
She fed the money into the machine and leaned to make her selections.
Crash studied her from across the room. His eyes roving over her ass as she bent to look at the jukebox. He knew every guy in the place was doing the same thing. That was proved true when he turned back to the table and saw Cole and Red Dog staring over at her.
He kicked Dog’s chair under the table. “Quit drooling.”
“Damn, man. You’re a lucky son-of-a-bitch. What’re you so grouchy about? You got a babe with long blonde hair, tits and ass. What’s not to love?”
“Yeah, really,” Cole swirled the ice in the bottom of his nearly empty glass. “A beautiful blonde bombshell. That pretty much tops every guy’s wet-dream list.”
Red Dog studied Crash a moment. “Wait a minute, don’t tell me you’re still not hittin’ that.”
“Shut the fuck up, Dog,” Crash replied.
“Guess there’s your answer,” Cole teased.
“That’s one high-class piece of tail. She tries to dress trashy, and she still looks classy,” Red Dog continued singing Shannon’s praises.
“She’s not just some piece of ass, guys. So, just shut it.”
Cole’s expression sobered. “You getting serious, brother?” When Crash didn’t answer, he kept on. “The upkeep on a woman like that…you kiddin’ me?”
“She’s drivin’ me crazy. Hell, I’m out of my mind most of the time.”
Cole grinned. “She get that fire goin’, does she?”
Crash let out a short laugh. “Brother, she can light my fire with just one touch. Hell, just by walking in the goddamn room.”
Cole chuckled. “You bite off a little more than you could chew, brother?”
“Yeah. I think I did.”
Shannon returned to the table. The guys started a game of pool, and they soon all moved to some stools near the wall. Crash convinced Shannon to partner with him. Her father had a table at their home, so she surprised him with her skill. She also noticed he couldn’t seem to keep his eyes off her when she leaned over to make her shots.
Bending to make a shot, Shannon felt a hard smack on her ass and whirled around. There stood Crystal, with a teasing grin on her face. “You look hot, girl! H-O-T, hot! I knew that outfit would be killer on you.”
They hugged, and then Shannon stood back to take in Crystal’s outfit. “Look at you, all dolled up like a girl!”
“I can rock a dress when the mood strikes. I’m not a total hard-ass.”
Shannon made a circular motion with her index finger. “Turn around, let’s see it.”
Crystal spun in a circle like a total diva. Her long dark hair twirling out. She was dressed in a black stretch micro mini dress with studs along the bottom of the skirt and a one shoulder front that had a diagonal keyhole cutout in the single strap that dipped down to the swell of her breast. The top edge of the dress as well as the keyhole were also edged in studs. It was very short and very sexy. She had on high-heeled black sandals with straps that crisscrossed up past her ankles. Totally sexy, totally fuck-me shoes.
“And who are you dressing for?” Shannon asked with a raised brow.
Crystal shrugged with a knowing grin, “I’m dressing for me.”
Shannon nodded. “Um-hmm.”
Cole sidled up to Crystal, pulling her close with a hand hooking her waist and teased with a grin, “She’s dressing for me.” He looked down at her and winked. “Aren’t you, doll?”
Crystal put her hands on her hips and jiggled her ass up against him like a living Betty Boop. “Of course, hon. You like?”
Cole smacked her ass. “I like. Now get out of here, before you get me in trouble.”
She giggled at Shannon and moved off through the crowd.
Crash moved up behind Shannon, his arm coming around her, his warm palm settling on her bare midriff. He leaned over her shoulder and spoke to Cole. “It’s your shot.”
When Cole moved to take his shot, Crash cuddled Shannon close, nibbling on her neck. She rubbed her hands affectionately over the forearms that were wrapped around her belly and turned her head to Crash, smiling, enjoying his touch.
Wolf watched them from where he sat at a nearby table, his chair turned to the side, his body kicked back and slouching. He rolled his eyes at their flirtatiousness and realized he needed his ego stroked like that. He looked around, wondering where Crystal had gotten to. She always knew how to pick him up when he needed a lift. Twisting his head to the left, he searched the throng, and suddenly her leg went over his hips, and she was there, straddling his lap.
“Babe,” he said, startled, his hands instinctively going to her hips as hers landed on his shoulders. He’d been planning to go pick Misty up when her shift at Sonny’s was up, unless she got a ride. But hell, when he breathed in the scent of Crystal’s perfume, his cock jerked, and any thoughts of Misty went clear out of his head.
“Hey, trouble. What’s up?” she asked with a flirty smile.
“My dick, now,” he grinned up at her, his hands running up and down her hips.
She wriggled against his lap. “Hmm. I think you’re right.”
His eyes ran over her. “Don’t you look pretty?”
She smiled. “You like my new dress?”
His hands slid down to where her dress rode up her thighs, his palms gliding along her skin, and the tips of his fingers sliding under the hem. His eyes ran down her legs to her sexy shoes. “Hmm, you look like a little sex kitten. Got me thinkin’ all kinds of thoughts in my he
ad.”
“Maybe you’d care to share them with me later.”
Wolf grinned. “How about now?”
“How about later? You can take me home.”
“Ah, well, I might be busy later, darlin’.” He watched the smile disappear from Crystal’s face.
“You’re still seeing her?” she asked.
“Now, Crystal-”
Green walked up and plopped down in the chair next to Wolf. “Damn, Crystal, don’t you look hot? You gonna give me some of that?”
“Not a chance, Green,” she replied, her gaze still on Wolf.
“Aw, come on. If you’re lookin’ to give it up tonight, darlin’, you can do better than Wolf. I’ll take you upstairs,” Green offered with a brush of his knuckles down her arm.
Crystal turned to look at Green, and then looked back at Wolf. “I’m not looking for anything.” She climbed off Wolf’s lap and stalked off with a flip of her hair.
“Thanks a lot, brother. Why don’t’ you go fuck off?” Wolf snarled at Green.
Green flashed him an apologetic look. “Sorry, man.”
Wolf sighed. “Aren’t dumb blondes more your speed? The ones brainless enough to let you climb on top of ‘em?”
“They don’t have to be dumb or blonde, just easy.” Green slumped back in his chair, his elbow hooked around the back of his chair. He nodded his head toward Crystal. “Kinda like…”
Wolf raised an eyebrow and dared Green to finish the thought.
“Yeah, okay.”
Wolf drained his glass.
“I like you better when you drink,” Green commented, watching him.
“I like you better when I drink, too.”
“Right.” Green got up and ambled off.
Wolf watched Crystal wind her way through the crowd and contemplated pursuing, but thought better of it. He folded his arms, leaning back and crossing his legs at the ankles, every inch the indifferent, aloof rogue. Wolf like the chase. It was his favorite part of the whole male-female dynamic. But, he wasn’t about to chase after her, he told himself. Playin’ with Crystal was like playin’ with fire. She wasn’t the type he dated, and there was a reason for that. With her he kept it casual, he knew if he ever let it get out of hand, it would be anything but casual, and he wasn’t looking for complicated or permanent. Not at this point in his life. And he knew Crystal could turn out to be both.
Yeah, he’d been with her. More than once. And it had been fucking fantastic. But she knew what the deal was with him. He’d never been anything but honest about that. Yet, he kept coming back to her. Every time he dumped another girl, she was his first stop. That had to end, he knew that. He had to break that habit. Starting now.
“You’re a blind fool,” a woman’s voice spoke softly from behind him.
Wolf twisted, meeting Shannon’s gaze from where she stood by the pool table. He let her words sink in. “You don’t know enough to make that call, sugar.”
When she just shook her head, he got up and walked away.
About an hour later, Shannon and Crystal were at the jukebox. Shannon was choosing some music, and Crystal was leaning back on the jukebox, surveying the room.
“Who invited her?” Crystal murmured in a pissed off voice.
Shannon turned from the jukebox to look over her shoulder toward the door to see who Crystal was referring to. Across the room, just inside the door was that girl, Misty. The one that Angel had introduced her to at the BBQ. The one she said was with Wolf, and the one she said she suspected was a stripper. Shannon turned, leaning back against the jukebox, raising her glass to take a sip.
The two women watched as Wolf strolled toward a beaming Misty, who looked up at him with a bright smile. He cupped her jaw with both hands and kissed her, then moved back to take in her outfit. He said something to her, and his hands moved to her hips encased in a short tight red skirt and topped off with a gold halter top.
“He’s still with her, huh?” Shannon observed.
“She’s lasted longer than they usually do.”
“And how long is that?”
Crystal shrugged. “This one’s been around three months, maybe. They usually only last about three weeks.”
Shannon looked at her with her brow raised. The girl had been counting. Interesting. She turned back to study the pair. “What usually runs them off?”
“Wolf usually runs them off.”
“But why? Why don’t they ever last?”
Crystal nodded toward the woman in his arms. “Because that’s the type he goes for. Strippers and such. Then when they don’t turn out to be anything more than head-cases with low self-esteem issues,” she paused to make quotation marks with her hands. “Big shocker there, he cuts them loose.’
Shannon took a sip of her drink and speculated over the rim. “Maybe that’s why he chooses them. He doesn’t really want the type of girl he’d have to commit to.”
Crystal looked over at her. Shannon turned to her when she felt her gaze upon her. Noting the puzzled look on Crystal’s face, she asked, “It’s pretty obvious, don’t you think?”
Crystal looked back at the couple. “Maybe.”
A moment later she leaned in close to whisper in Shannon’s ear as she gestured toward Crash over by the pool table. He was leaning against the wall, with a cue in his hand, but his eyes weren’t on the game, they were on Shannon. “See that look? He’s thinking about you on your knees, with your pretty mouth on his cock.”
“Crystal!” Shannon squeaked. She thought Crystal was teasing her, but when Crash did turn those silver-grey eyes on her, the look he gave her made her want to fall to her knees.
Crystal leaned in to whisper another tidbit in a sing-song voice. “And he’s not the only one.”
Shannon sucked in a breath and followed the line of her glance. There was a table full of men watching her. Their greedy smiles told her they were imagining doing things far more explicit. It made her want to run back to the safety of Crash’s protection.
Crash watched Shannon walking toward him, smiling, her golden hair flowing. Goddamn, she was sexy. My girl. The words flitted through his mind unbidden. He wanted nothing more than to tug her close when she reached him, but she shocked him by beating him to it and walking right into his arms, her hands running up his cut to rest on his shoulders. She smiled up at him. Then her hands slid down, and her arms snaked around his waist. It was like she wanted every guy in the place to see she was with him. To believe she belonged to him.
It had him so taken aback that he went momentarily stock still. Then his arm closed around her, pulling her up against him. “Hey, baby. You okay?”
“I’m fine.”
His eyes skated past her to where she’d been. He didn’t miss the lascivious looks from several of the men, and then he understood. She’d sought him out to feel protected. So maybe it hadn’t been what he’d first thought, but that was okay. He’d take it.
Cole had caught the whole scene, had watched as Shannon wrapped her arms around his brother’s waist as though she found security and reassurance in just being close to him. They were already bonding…Angel had been right when she’d predicted that Shannon would start to depend on Crash for her safety and would start to trust him. But was what she was starting to feel for him just temporary, driven by the circumstances and nothing more? He just hoped Crash didn’t get in over his head with this girl. When the time came, she’d go back to her life, and the last thing he wanted was his brother left shredded in the process.
Red Dog disengaged from the woman that had been hanging on him most of the night. “Rosalie, let loose. I gotta take a piss.” He pecked her on the forehead and walked off.
Shannon watched him wander away from the pool tables and head toward the back hall. Then she sidled up to Rosalie. She had long dark hair in tight curls that hung to her waist and dark eyes. “Have you known Red Dog long?”
Rosalie looked her up and down. “Long enough. What’s it to you?”
“You
know he’s married, right?” Shannon asked.
“Who the fuck are you? His ol’ lady?”
“No.”
“Then what the fuck’s it to you?”
“He’s got a wife and a kid.”
“Yeah, so?”
“So? So maybe you should leave him alone.” Shannon couldn’t believe this girl’s attitude.
“And maybe you should mind your own goddamn business, slut.” Rosalie got right in Shannon’s face
“Slut? Who are you calling a slut, you little skank!” Shannon’s control snapped, and she shoved Rosalie back. Rosalie went after her, going for her throat with her long nails, and suddenly Shannon was in a cat fight with this girl. They shoved and slapped and scratched at each other.
The next thing she knew, both their heads were being yanked apart by the hair. Trying to twist her head to see who had a hold of her, she only managed to get the hand fisted in her hair to tighten and jerk, separating them further. She heard Cole growl, “Crash, come get your girl.”
Uh-oh.
Crash was leaning against the next pool table over, talking with Jake and Shane. He’d heard the scuffle behind him about the same time he heard Cole growl his name. Twisting his head to see what was going on, he was stunned and pushing off the table in the next moment. What the hell did Shannon think she was doing?
He gritted his teeth as he moved around the table. She was testing him, the little minx. She probably didn’t have a clue that she was, that the gauntlet had just been thrown down in front of all his brothers, but it had. She was acting out in a way that was not tolerated here, and now he had to do something about it. Was expected to deal with her. The crowd in the immediate area around them went silent, stepping back as he strode to her.
“Come here, troublemaker.” Crash’s big warm hand closed over her bicep and pulled her around as Cole released her. He forced her a few steps back. Her chin went up, defiant. Crash’s eyes landed on the wicked looking scratch that cut across her throat. He took her jaw gently in his hand and tilted her head back. “Shit, sweetheart. You’re bleeding.”
CRASH: An Evil Dead MC Story (The Outlaw Series) Page 21
