by Pj Fiala
The house was perfect, and Kayden and Dakota had a great day getting all the little snacks ready for their guests. She did a little extra shopping at her dad’s urging; he wanted Dog and the crew to enjoy themselves and the house. There were six bedrooms—big ones, at that—two living areas, a big kitchen and dining room and five bathrooms, all ready for them. The bar in the basement had been recently refinished and the wooden top shined and sported unopened bags of nuts and jars of jerky and a refrigerator full of beer. She didn’t want to add the beer; she wanted them to come down to OK Leathers and spend money. But Oakes insisted. She hoped she and Dakota would be able to live in the house one of these days, but right now, it helped them pay the bills.
She pulled her bike into the garage and closed the door. As she walked to the bar, she fingered the tangles from her hair as much as she could. She glanced down at her clothing, she hadn’t gotten too dirty today, her white tank top only had one little smudge on it. It’d have to do.
Walking in from the back door through the kitchen, Kayden stepped out behind the bar and glanced at their patrons.
“Mommy!” Dakota yelled as she scrambled off her stool and ran to her. As Kayden scooped her up, she smiled into her daughter’s face and kissed her forehead.
“Were you good for Grandpa?”
“Yep. And I made some new friends.”
Kayden laughed. Of course, she did; the little girl’s friendliness was infectious. She could talk to a wall and enjoy herself. She set Dakota down and the little girl grabbed Kayden’s hand and pulled her down to the end of the bar.
“JT, this is my momma. See? She looks like me.”
JT looked at Kayden. His stomach flipped and gooseflesh rose on his arms. The woman standing before him was stunning. Taller than his future sisters-in-law, she was around five foot five and slender. She wore a white tank top that showed off her breasts and they were…spectacular. Tight jeans hugged her hips and legs and made her look leggy and delicious. Her long brown hair was messy, but cascading down her back, giving her the look of a model. But the wary look on her face said hands off. Her smile, forced but dazzling, showed the hint of a dimple on the right side. Her hazel eyes were unusual, green in the light of the bar, but as she leaned forward to shake JT’s hand they turned to brown.
“Nice to meet you, JT. I’m Kayden.” JT shook her hand; its softness such a contrast to his roughness.
“Nice to meet you, as well,” JT managed to say, but his throat was suddenly dry.
A silence followed as they looked at each other and then Dakota interrupted, “Staring isn’t nice. You told me I can’t stare.”
Instant heat flamed up Kayden’s body, her cheeks burning from color. She looked down at Dakota. “I wasn’t staring, and it isn’t nice.”
Chuckling, Dog stood up and offered his hand across the bar. “Dog, and this is my wife, Joci.”
Introductions were made down the bar. Kayden came back to Joci and Dog and said, “I’ve been to the house and cleaned it all up for you. There are snacks and, should you decide to cook, most basic spices and condiments are up there. Daddy had me fill the fridge with beer, and I’ve left our cell phone numbers on the counter if you need anything or have any questions. If you need me to come up and show you how to use the air conditioner or anything else, just give me a call. It’s only about a mile from here.”
Reaching into her back pocket, Kayden pulled a key and piece of paper out and laid them on the bar in front of Dog and Joci. JT watched her reach back, which showed him a slight view of side boob. Crap, that swelled his manhood up further. Her smile was genuine when she looked at Joci, and she was gorgeous. Her lips were full but not overly so. Her teeth were perfect and straight and then she talked. Shit, she had her tongue pierced. Damn. She bent slightly to grab a glass from under the bar and filled it with ice. Using the soda gun, she poured herself a glass of white soda. That’s when he saw an inscription tattooed on the inside of her wrist. He couldn’t read it, but it was there—something to explore later.
JT took a drink from his beer bottle and glanced over at Dakota. She was watching him; her little book lay open on her lap like she was reading, but she wasn’t. That little girl was smart, watching everything. When he set his bottle down, he smiled at her and winked. Her lips spread open in a big smile. She wiggled her little red cowboy boots back and forth and shrugged her shoulders. She glanced at her mom, who was watching JT.
Oakes walked up to Kayden and softly said, “You okay? I heard you spoke to Rog today.”
Kayden’s mouth formed a frown. She slid a gaze over to Dakota and raised her eyebrows. That girl listened to everything.
“Yeah. He’s probably going to jail again, which is good, so I won’t have to worry about him not heeding the Court’s Order regarding his custody—or lack of custody. But, I wish he’d stop calling me—period. It stresses me out.”
“What did he do this time?”
Kayden let out a long breath. “Robbery. Again. This time it’s armed robbery.”
“Stop taking his calls, Kayd. You’ve gotten rid of him, and he’s out of both of your lives; leave it be.”
“I didn’t look at my phone before I answered. Kota and I were coming home from cleaning the house when he called. I grabbed the phone and answered.”
3
Wiping the bar down after the Rolling Thunder group left, Kayden mused about them—nice family, little drama, or so it seemed. They were a large group, each of them tired, and none of them seemed crabby or irritable. Then, there was JT. He made her tingle—everywhere. Might be fun to play with him while he’s in town. She hadn’t had a good romp in a long damn time. There was something about a man with a long mane of hair, and he had a ruggedness about him she liked. The sex would be smoldering and then he’d go home. No attachments. Yeah, nice.
The back door opened, then slapped closed. Kayden sighed; she’d been meaning to ease that spring for weeks now. Dakota was going to get pinched in that door or knocked over in some way. She’d have to put it on her very long list of stuff to get done around here. First, the painting needed to be finished.
Kayden tossed the rag into the hamper under the bar and stacked the coasters neatly on the rail. “Jess, the order came in this morning and I’ve put the fresh hamburger on the top shelf for you.” Kayden swiped her hands on the side of her jeans and headed to the kitchen.
Rounding the doorway and skirting the prep counter, she wandered to the back door, thinking Jessie needed help carrying in supplies. As she walked past the built-in grill and stainless steel prep counter, she halted in her tracks.
“What are you doing here, Boon?”
Boon was big, brawny, gnarly, and nasty. His hair was snarled and it usually looked like he didn’t own a comb. He wore a blue bandana tied around his head, shouting “Dakota Devils.” Go figure. It was the only MC that went so far as to pound their chests with their own doo rags. He leaned against the far wall next to the back door, arms crossed, showing off the full sleeves in which skulls and crossbones seemed to be the common themes, though there was no rhyme or reason. He’d get drunk and have one of the members tattoo him. Idiot.
“I came to see if you were taking care of my bar,” he drawled out, nice and slow as if she were stupid.
Kayden crossed her arms, facing him. “This is MY bar, not yours, and you have no business being in here. And you’re not allowed in the kitchen.”
He sneered and gave off what she supposed was a laugh, though it sounded like a growl. “You’ll sell this bar to me, Kayden Leathers, at the price I want. We’ve done a good job of running your Goody-Two-Shoes business away; you won’t be able to hang on to this much longer. Now that Rog’s going to jail, you’ll be dealing with me.”
Trying to keep her voice steady and not show any signs of fear, she said, “I’m not dealing with anyone. The bar is not for sale, and you aren’t buying it. Now get out before this gets real nasty.”
Her heart was hammering in her chest. She hated th
is guy and he scared her. He looked at her as if he would like to devour her, and she hated that, too. Mostly, she hated the Dakota Devils and every member, including her ex, Rog.
Boon pushed himself off the wall and slowly took two steps toward her. She held her ground. He reached out and pinched her chin between his thumb and forefinger. “We’ll see,” he ground out. Leaning forward, he tucked his nose into the crook of her neck and inhaled deeply. He leaned back, looked into her eyes and threateningly said, “Love the smell of fresh pussy.”
The sound of a bullet entering a chamber made him freeze. “Get your filthy hands off my daughter, and get your disgusting ass out of MY bar or we can have you transported by ambulance. Your call.”
Boon turned and looked into the very angry eyes of Oakes Leathers. Oakes was about an inch taller than Boon, and sturdy for an old guy. Now in his fifties, Oakes was still broad, and his hair had completely grayed out in the past few years. Lines around his eyes told the true story of a hard life and worry. The front of his shirt was covered in sweat and his face was red. But, there was no mistaking it; he’d hurt anyone who touched his daughter and granddaughter. That was going to make things a little harder for the Devils with Rog out of the picture.
Holding his hands in the air, Boon smiled at Oakes. “Easy, old man. I’d hate to have your finger slip on the trigger.”
“Then you’d better not give me cause to twitch. Get out.” Oakes’ eyes slightly squinted, showing Boon there was no argument to be had. Boon slowly walked toward the door, opened it and stepped out, keeping his eyes on Oakes.
As soon as he stepped out, Oakes walked to the screen door and watched Boon get on his bike and drive away. He turned to Kayden. “You okay?”
She rubbed her forehead with the pads of her fingers. “Yeah. Hate that guy. All of them.”
“I know, darlin’.” Removing the bullet from the chamber of his Ruger 9mm, Oakes pocketed the pistol in his waistband holster. He started toward the front of the bar. “Where’s Dakota?”
“She’s in the apartment changing into her swimming suit with Payton and the kids. They’re going to the pool today.”
Payton, Kayden’s best friend since high school, had two little ones of her own. Catcher was seven and looked just like his daddy with his dark hair and eyes. Ruby was the same age as Dakota and looked like her momma, having short blonde hair and blue eyes. The kids were cute and well-behaved and Dakota loved spending time with them. Payton’s husband, Duncan, worked for the state park system as a ranger, and this time of the year, he worked long hours. Payton took Dakota in the afternoons while Kayden worked in the bar.
“Okay. You okay while I finish scraping the rest of the paint from the east side of the bar?”
“Daddy, let me do that. You stay inside where it’s cooler. I don’t want you having another heart attack.” Her brows furrowed and her mouth turned down. She worried constantly about her father. It’d be nice if he worried about himself a bit.
“I’ve got it, Kayd. You’ve done all of the outside except for the east side. I want Dog and the crew to see it painted before they leave town.”
Kayden put her hands on her hips. “Why? Why do you care about them so much?”
Oakes pulled a bandana from his back pocket, swabbed his face and neck, and clumsily stuffed it back in. “I want him to see this place as it used to be, not as it is now. Dog’s built one of the finest bike shops in the country. They have people coming to them from all over to build their bikes. On top of that, he holds an annual Veteran’s Ride for a local veteran each year. He’s good, his boys are good, and I’m proud to know him. I was proud to serve with him during a war. He’s my brother, and I want him to be proud of me, too.”
Sighing heavily, Kayden responded, “We’ll get this place back, Daddy. We just have to find a way to keep the Devils from ruining the rest of our business.”
Oakes nodded once and turned to grab a bottled water from the refrigerator. “I’ll be done in about an hour, girl. Get ready for the dinner hour. Dog and the crew are coming back down. They wanted to clean up and rest a bit. I want to finish scraping and then shower before they get here.”
4
Stepping out of the shower, JT grabbed the towel from the counter. Opting to stay in the basement bedroom, next to the newly-remodeled bar area, he figured he could come and go without having to slog through the house. He wanted to stay in the fifth wheel, but some of the employees who joined them had asked to stay out there. Dog parked it on a level patch of grass, close enough to the fire pit so they could sit under the awning and watch the fire. The new fifth wheel slept eight, allowing them plenty of room. Great accommodations, and it didn't cost them anything. After all, it wouldn’t feel like much of a vacation if you stayed in the same house as your boss.
Tossing the towel into a corner, he stepped into the bedroom and pulled a clean pair of boxer briefs from his duffle bag. Sliding them up and giving himself a couple of tugs, he flopped down on the bed, staring at the ceiling. He was tired, but he was also wired. What was it about Kayden that struck him so? Since leaving the bar, all he thought about was getting back there. She was compelling in so many ways. Those eyes of hers had the ability to change color depending on the light. He bet when she had an orgasm, they’d change again. He wanted to see that for himself.
The fact that she rode her own bike was a turn on, no lying about that. He bet she looked sexy as fuck straddling it, her long legs on the footboards, her breasts swaying and moving with the feel of the road. They looked spectacular in the tank top she wore today—more than a handful. Mostly what called to him was her wariness. She wasn’t coming on to him like it was business as usual; she seemed almost shy or sad—maybe a combination of both. And, now, he had a raging hard-on and no one to take care of it but himself. Figured.
Feeling like he was going stir crazy, JT sprang from the bed, pulled a green Rolling Thunder t-shirt out of the drawer and slipped it over his head. Grabbing jeans from his duffle bag, he quickly dressed. He stepped back into the bathroom and dragged a brush through his still-damp hair and tied it at his nape. He decided to forego the shaving. He’d been thinking about growing a beard—a Vandyke or something—maybe he’d get a good start on it while he was here.
He stepped out of the bedroom into the television room where he grabbed a beer from the fridge. The remote to the large flat screen was laying on the bar, so he turned it on and looked around the room. It was fantastic. Definitely something he’d want his game room to look like when he got around to remodeling. For now, his house was just fine; after all, it was just him there. Glancing at the bar, he noticed the top was shiny and smooth. Several layers of glaze had brought out the natural colors of the wood’s grain. The beauty of the grain and knots added a fabulous interest to the otherwise plain bar. He stepped back and looked at the rest of the room. Basic carpeting, theater chairs—six of them—all facing the television and a pool table. Behind the bar, the freshly-polished oak cabinets completed the total look. The decorations on the wall were antique metal gears and handles, probably from an old wood mill in the area. He wondered if Kayden had decorated it. He shook his head and slugged down his beer and tossed the bottle in the recycle bin.
“JT?”
He walked around the bar and stopped at the bottom step to look up at his dad. “Yeah?”
“You ready to go soon? I assume you’re coming with us to eat at Oakes’.” Dog looked down the stairs at JT and furrowed his brow. “You okay?”
“Yeah. I guess I’m just feeling restless. I’m going to go for a ride, and then I’ll meet you there.”
“Okay. We’re just waiting for the girls to get ready.” Dog chuckled.
JT shook his head. “Yeah. I’ll meet you there.”
Grabbing a clean bandana from his drawer, JT tied it around his head and stepped outside to his bike. They had all parked under the upper deck to help keep the bikes from getting wet if it rained. The ground looked dry as could be, and they’d stirred u
p clouds of dust driving down the gravel road. But, it was a shelter. He navigated the steep gravel driveway and onto the road, taking his time down the mile-long gravel. At the end where the gravel met the main drag through Shady Pines and off to the left was where OK Leathers stood. As he neared, JT saw Oakes outside scraping paint off the side of the bar. He stopped and waited for the traffic to go by and watched Oakes. The man looked beet red. Dog had mentioned that Oakes had a heart attack.
“What the fuck are you doing, old man?” JT muttered.
Shaking his head, JT pulled into the parking lot. Dismounting, he walked toward Oakes; JT could hear him breathing heavily. Then he noticed Oakes had stopped moving; he was leaning against the wall.
“Oakes? Are you okay?” JT’s brows furrowed as he sped up to reach the older man’s side. As he stood in front of Oakes, he saw the bright red skin coated with a layer of sweat, the front of his shirt was soaked from sweating, and his chest was rising and falling alarmingly fast.
Oakes looked at him, almost as if he didn’t recognize him. After a few beats, he closed his eyes, then slowly opened them again. “JT. I’ll be right in; I just needed a bit of a rest.”
“I think it’s more than that. What in the hell are you doing out here? It’s still in the nineties, and you shouldn’t be doing this type of work with your heart condition.”
Oakes reached out a big rough hand and grabbed JT’s muscled arm. “You can’t say anything to Kayden. Not to your dad either. Nothing.”
“I don’t know what I would say. You’re working yourself to death? You’re not doing well? What?”
Oakes released JT’s arm and with a shaky hand he reached over for the lawn chair sitting against the wall. Flopping into the chair with a grunt, he tilted his head back and closed his eyes. JT reached down and grabbed the bottle of water sitting on the ground and handed it to Oakes. Bringing it to his lips, Oakes took a drink and waited for it to refresh him.
