CRASH: An Evil Dead MC Story (The Outlaw Series)

by James, Nicole

  He just winked at her, pulled his jeans up, leaving them unbuttoned and went to the door. His four brothers prowled into the room.

  “Well, well, well. Guess we know what you’ve been up to.” Green said, his eyes on Shannon still in the bed.

  “He letting you get any sleep?” Cole asked, leaning against the corner of the wall that jutted out separating the bathroom from the entryway by the door, his eyes on Shannon, grinning.

  “Quit teasing her,” Crash snapped, moving past him back into the room.

  “What’s the matter with you, bro, get up on the wrong side of the bed?” Red Dog asked, grinning

  “Ain’t no wrong side when there’s a woman like that in it,” Wolf replied with a grin and a wink at Shannon.

  “We’re gonna get some sleep. The fight’s gonna be on in the sports bar downstairs at nine tonight. Want to meet up around then?” Cole asked Crash.

  “Yeah, sure.”

  After they left, Shannon turned on Crash. “Why did you do that?”

  “Do what?”

  “Let them in when I’m not even dressed.”

  He grinned and leaned over her, his fists in the mattress. “Because I love to see you squirm and blush.” He dipped his head, kissing her. “I like keeping you naked in bed.”

  They took a long nap, awaking in the late afternoon.

  Crash woke, and his hand moved over the sheet, reaching out for Shannon. When his hand only encountered warm empty sheet, he twisted, looking over his shoulder. He found her standing at the window, gazing out at the mountains. Getting up, he moved behind her, wrapping his arms around her. “What are you doing, sweetheart?”

  She smiled and rubbed her head against his jaw. “Just watching the sunset. Isn’t it beautiful?”

  His lips moved along her neck. “Umm hmm.” His mouth moved to her ear. “Let’s get dressed and go buy you a pretty dress to wear tonight.”

  She smiled. “I do like to shop.”

  He chuckled. “Guessed that about you, babe.”

  When they were dressed, they took the elevator down to the lobby. As they walked through, they passed the nice restaurant that Crash had seen earlier. He stepped over and made a reservation for seven o’clock. Then they continued walking through the lobby. There was a bar on the right, and Crash spotted several shops on the left. Pausing in front of a women’s boutique, he nodded toward it and asked Shannon, “Think you could find something in there?”

  Her eyes went to the display in the window. A black short cocktail dress and a pair of heels. “Yes. I think so.”

  Crash reached in his pocket and pulled out his money clip. He slid several hundred dollar bills off and held them out to her. “Meet me in the bar in an hour? That enough time?”

  She looked from him to the bar and smiled. “Sure.”

  As she turned to leave, Crash caught her hand and pulled her back. He leaned to her ear. “Make it sexy, babe.”

  “I’ll see what I can do.”

  He winked at her as she turned, their joined hands dropping apart at the last moment.

  After she went inside, Crash’s eyes moved to the shop adjacent. A jewelry store.

  An hour later, Shannon walked into the bar and looked around. She found him sitting on the end, nursing a short glass of some amber colored liquor. She approached, her bags swinging from her hand. Crash caught her reflection in the mirror behind the bar as she moved toward him, and he turned. His eyes fell to the bags. “Find everything you need?”

  She smiled, excitedly. “Yes. They had some beautiful things.”

  He signaled the bartender over. “Have a drink with me, then we’ll take them upstairs.”

  “All right.” Shannon took the seat next to Crash, setting her packages down.

  The bartender smiled at her. “What can I get for you, miss?”

  “Umm.” She turned to Crash. “I liked that drink I had last night.”

  Crash laughed, refusing to order it for her. “Na-uh. You’re not getting out of this. I want to hear you order it.”

  She rolled her eyes at him and turned to the bartender. “A Screaming Orgasm, please.”

  The bartender chuckled. “Well, since you said please.” He moved off to make her drink, and Shannon slugged Crash in the arm.

  “Brat.”

  “Oww.” He rubbed his bicep. “So, what kind of dress did you buy?”

  She made a cute little face. “I think I’ll surprise you.”

  “Is it hot?”

  “Guess you’ll just have to wait and see.”

  “Is it short?”

  She gave him an impish grin.

  “Is it sexy?”

  Her drink arrived, and she took a sip, smiling at him.

  “Come on, babe. You gotta give me something.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t think so, this is too much fun.” He made to grab for the bag, but she kicked it out of his reach. “Uh, uh, uh. No peeking.”

  “How about lingerie? Did you buy anything sexy for under the dress?”

  “That’s for me to know and you to find out,” she teased.

  “Oh, I’ll be finding out, all right,” he promised, scooting closer. His hand slid to her neck, brushing her hair back over her shoulder. Then he leaned in and nibbled on her neck. Moving to her ear, he whispered, “How about you don’t wear anything under it, Princess? Would you do that for me if I asked?”

  “Well, now, that’s something for you to be wondering about all evening, isn’t it?”

  He toyed with a curl of her hair, his eyes roving over her face.

  After she finished her drink, Crash checked the clock over the bar. “How long’s it gonna take you to get ready, Princess?”

  She shrugged. “An hour, maybe. Why?”

  “It’s five-thirty.”

  “Already? Where did the day go?”

  Crash grinned. “We spent most of it in bed.”

  She gave him a saucy smile in return. “Yes, I guess we did.”

  He pulled the key card out of his pocket and handed it to her. “Why don’t you go on up and start getting ready? I’ll be up soon.”

  “All right.” She took the key and slid off her barstool.

  Crash slid his hand to the back of her head and pulled her to him for a quick kiss. She gathered her bags and left.

  An hour later, Shannon was in the bathroom, leaning over the vanity, putting her makeup on when she heard the door to their hotel room open. “Crash?” she called out.

  “Yeah.”

  A moment later he appeared in the doorway.

  She turned to take him in. Somewhere along the way, he had bought a new white button-down shirt, because he had it on under his cut. “Don’t you look nice?”

  His hand came to his chest, smoothing down the front of his shirt, but his eyes were sliding down her body. He took in the strapless red cocktail dress. It had a sweetheart neckline with ruching across the bodice. It fell in a form-fitting sheath that hugged her curves and fell to about six inches above her knee. His eyes trailed down her legs to a pair of gold strappy high-heeled sandals. Taking in the whole package, there was only one word that described it. Bombshell. “Baby. You look gorgeous. Marilyn Monroe’s got nothing on you, doll.”

  She turned, putting the top back on her lipstick and smiled. “Thank you.”

  “You ready?”

  “Yes.” She moved to pass him, but he blocked her way.

  “You know, if it wasn’t your birthday, I’d have you down on that bed already, and to hell with going out.”

  “Then I wouldn’t get to wear this dress and torment you with it all night.”

  “Right. God, that’s the truth.” He took her hand. “Let’s go.”

  A few minutes later they were seated in a cozy booth complete with linen tablecloth and dim lighting. After their orders were taken and their wine was brought to the table, they were left alone.

  “This is nice,” Shannon commented, looking around the room. “Thank you for bringing me here.”<
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  Crash reached across the table and brushed the tops of her fingers. “You’re welcome.” Then he reached in his pocket and pulled out a black velvet jewelry box and slid it across the table. “Happy birthday, Shannon.”

  Her eyes fell to the box. “Crash! You didn’t have to do that.”

  “Open it.”

  She picked it up and flipped up the hinged cover. Inside, nestled in a white satin lining was a pendant necklace with her birthstone, a light blue, round aquamarine framed by diamonds set in 18k white gold with a matching cable chain.

  “Oh, Crash.”

  “They told me that’s this month’s birthstone.”

  She nodded. “It is. Oh, Crash, it’s beautiful.” Her fingers trailed over it.

  “Here.” He held his hand out. “Let me put it on you.” She handed it over to him, and he removed the necklace from the case. Stepping around the table he undid the clasp. She pulled her hair up, and he fastened it around her neck, then took his seat again.

  She looked up at him, her fingers trailing over the chain. “How does it look?”

  “Beautiful. The stone matches your eyes.”

  She smiled brightly at him. “Thank you. I love it.”

  After their meal, the waiter brought a piece of decadent chocolate cake with a candle stuck in it. Her eyes lit up again before she blushed. “I swear, if you start singing, I’m going to crawl under this table.”

  Crash chuckled. “Well, darlin’, you end up under the table, I can think of something you can do while you’re down there.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Get your mind out of the gutter.” She blew out the candle and picked up her fork. Scooping up a bite, she slid it into her mouth and moaned. “Oh, my God. This is to die for.”

  “Maybe you could share.” His brows rose.

  She gave him a sly grin. “Maybe I could.” She forked up another bite and held it just out of his reach. “I don’t know. Do you deserve it?”

  “I don’t know. You were upstairs in that bed with me earlier. Do I?”

  She grinned. “Open for me.”

  Just then his cell went off. He grabbed her wrist and forced the bite into his mouth. Smiling around the bite, he reached for his phone. Glancing down at it, he saw the caller. Cole.

  “Yeah.”

  “We’re in the bar. Quit fucking, and get your ass down here.”

  “We’re in the restaurant.”

  “Oh, so you’re right next door. Hurry up, the fight’s about to start.” Cole disconnected.

  Crash shoved his phone back in his hip pocket. “That was Cole. The guys are in the bar. We don’t have to go, if you don’t want to.”

  “No. Let’s go. It’ll be fun.”

  Crash grinned back at her and waived the waiter over for their check.

  *****

  “Damn, that girl sure was fine,” Green said, taking a sip off his beer and leaning against the bar.

  “Quit mooning over her. You had no shot with that girl,” Wolf insisted.

  “I had a shot.”

  “You were chasing her through the parking garage. That’s not a shot, that’s a felony.”

  “Whatever.” Green turned to Red Dog. “You think I had a shot, right?”

  Red Dog looked over at him with a blank face. “I’m sorry, I got bored and drifted off.”

  Wolf snickered.

  “Green, you got a better chance of drainin’ the Mississippi with a straw,” Cole put in.

  Red Dog chuckled, and then looked up, the newscast on a TV above the bar catching his attention.

  We begin with breaking news out of Washoe County. Starks Police are investigating what they believe could be a homicide. Investigators responded to a house on Valley View Drive. Officers found one man dead inside the home. They aren’t revealing the cause of death.

  “I’ll tell you his cause of death…his own fucking stupidity,” Red Dog commented under his breath.

  Cole grunted in response as the bartender delivered his Bloody Mary. Damn, every time he was away from Angel, drinking one of these made him feel close to her. He pulled out his cell and texted Angel a picture of his drink. A moment later, his cell vibrated with an incoming text. He looked down, smiling as he read it. I always knew you were a big tease!

  Cole chuckled and texted back. Miss you, Mama.

  Miss you, too, lover.

  He typed back. One more day.

  Hurry home tomorrow, promise?

  He smiled and typed. Gunnin’ my engine. Blowin’ every light.

  I love you! XOXO

  Love u 2, Babe

  He laid his phone on the bar and pulled the celery stalk out of his glass, taking a bite. He nodded to the news report on the television. “You cleaned up, right?” he asked Red Dog.

  Dog looked over at him. “You really gotta ask me that?”

  “No, I guess not,” Cole agreed with a grin.

  “I tell you I lost that job down at the tire store?” Green interrupted, taking a hit off his beer.

  “Really?” Cole asked.

  “Yep, hell, I’m one paycheck from sliding out of the middle-class.”

  “Hate to tell you, Green, but I think you took that slide last year,” Red Dog informed him.

  “My sister talked me into applying for a job down at the post office. But I ain’t heard nothin’ yet.”

  Wolf grinned and replied, “Maybe they’re only hiring women, minorities, and people who aren’t distracted by shiny objects.”

  Red Dog almost snorted his beer out his nose at that remark.

  As Shannon and Crash walked into the bar, a low wolf whistle pierced the air. She turned to see the guys sitting at the bar, their eyes roving up and down her.

  “Damn,” Red Dog said. Then his eyes met hers, and he added, “And I mean that in a good way.”

  “Good God, girl,” Wolf exclaimed.

  “Holy hell, Crash. I can’t believe you made it out of the room with her looking like that,” Cole added, scooting over one seat and offering the bar stool between himself and Red Dog to her.

  She climbed up on it, and Crash moved in to stand behind her. “Everything go okay?” he asked Cole.

  “Yeah, fine. Don’t change the fuckin’ subject.” Cole grinned.

  “And that subject was what?”

  “How hot your woman is.”

  “She’s hot. And we’re not talking about it.”

  Cole chuckled. “Right.” He turned to Shannon. “You have that outfit stashed in Crash’s saddlebags, darlin’?”

  She looked between Crash and Cole. “Not exactly.”

  “Ain’t none of his business, Shannon,” Crash warned her.

  “I think somebody spent part of the day shopping,” Cole surmised.

  She grinned.

  “Yep. That’s a shopping spree grin if ever I saw one.”

  “Guess you’d know about that, huh?” Crash ribbed Cole. “Your wife’s probably at the mall as we speak.”

  Cole glared at Crash.

  Crash grinned back and ordered a couple of drinks, then he turned back to his brothers. “So, what are we talking about, boys?”

  Red Dog took a sip of his beer. “We were just about to talk about what to get you for Christmas.”

  Crash grinned at the joke. “I’ll give you a hint. I want it fuel-injected with eight cylinders.”

  “Duly noted,” Red Dog answered with a grin.

  Cole lifted his chin toward the new pendant Shannon wore. “That part of the shopping spree, too, darlin’?”

  Red Dog dipped his head conspiratorially at Shannon. “You know what they say about men who give women expensive jewelry?”

  “What’s that?” Shannon frowned.

  Dog waggled his brows and teased, “Either he did something very bad or she did something very good.”

  Shannon rolled her eyes and let out a tinkle of laughter. “You’re incorrigible.” She took a sip of her drink, and then hopped off her stool, excused herself and went to the ladies room.

>   When she was gone, Cole turned to Crash. “You two getting serious?”

  “Yeah, I think we are.”

  “Brother, you need to think about where this is goin’ and how it’s gonna end.”

  “My eyes are open, Cole.”

  “Are they?”

  “Yeah, they are.”

  “Crash, how’re you ever gonna be the man in that relationship?”

  “Brother, I don’t ever have a problem being the man in any relationship I have.”

  “You know what I mean.”

  “No, I fuckin’ don’t, Cole.”

  “The money, Crash. Her money. That’s control, man.”

  “Fuck the money.”

  “Not sure she’s gonna feel the same. That’s not gonna eat at you?”

  Crash stared off, not answering.

  “Look at it this way. She drives a Mercedes. He drives a…what…I don’t know, Ferrari? You have a Harley and a beat up old pickup. Do the math.”

  “Okay, way to bring the mood down,” Red Dog commented.

  “The fight’s about to start,” Wolf advised, nodding toward the big screens.

  Two fights and several drinks later, Shannon was well ensconced as ‘one of the guys’.

  “You know what your problem is? You’re lonely. You need to get married,” Shannon informed Wolf, popping the cherry from her drink into her mouth.

  He laughed. “Is that so? Well, darlin’, I think that might be an instance where the cure is worse than the disease.”

  She rolled her eyes.

  “You know why divorces are so expensive?” he asked.

  “No, why?”

  “Because they’re worth it!”

  “Ba-dump-bump,” Red Dog added the punch-line sound effect as he set a shot in front of her. “Here, drink up, darlin’.”

  Shannon laughed and almost snorted her drink out her nose.

  Red Dog looked over at her. “You’re a hoot, Shannon, in your own wack-a-doodle kind of way.”

  “Wanna know a secret?” she leaned in close to him.

  “You’re smashed? That ain’t no secret, girly.”

  She giggled. “No, that’s not the secret.”

  He grinned. “No shit. What’s the secret?”

  “It’s my birthday.”