They both laughed in unison. Yeah; in their world below the knee amputations were not much to get worked up over.
Chief grunted and turned to Jett, bending over to lift him off the ground and dust him off. Next, he held his hand out to Blaze, who willingly relinquished his weapon. Chief, in turn, handed Jett his knife, turned, then socked Blaze in the chest so hard, it shot him back—knocking him flat on his ass. “You always had a problem with authority.”
Blaze laughed, struggling to breathe, and stood. “Sorry. I couldn’t help myself.”
“Don't mind this fucker. He’s always been a little shit,” Chief said to Jett. “But word of advice, never bring a knife to a 'Blaze fight'; you'll regret it.”
Chief turned back to Scott. “It's good to see you, son. Introduce me to your friends here. For a minute, I thought you had brought us strippers, but I believe this is your old lady?”
Tori frowned when he said that. She obviously didn’t like that term.
He chuckled inwardly.
“Chief this is my girl, Tori.” Scott put his arm around Tori and gave her a squeeze.
“The blind girl who pulled a gun on my boys?” Chief laughed in utter disbelief.
“Yes, she's a spitfire. Don't turn your back on her. And this is Presley, and our friend Keith.”
“Nice to meet you all.” They shook hands.
“Presley’s not a stripper, even though she looks like one. She works on my contracting team with me. You may want to warn your guys that she's also a Level Four Combatives instructor,” Scott explained.
“Don’t fuck with dark-haired Tinkerbell. Got it.” Chief nodded to Presley. “If Harris says you’re a teammate of his, that's good enough for me.” He leaned into her, lowering his voice to a whisper, “but if you ask me, you'd still make a killing stripping.” He grinned at her.
“Give me some whiskey. The night’s young and I could use a few extra bucks,” Presley shot back, nudging him playfully in the side.
Chief laughed like a roaring lion. “Damn, it’s good to see you men. I'm glad you guys could make it. I've had three prospects just patch in and we’re partying all night. Please stay as my guests.”
He walked back into the clubhouse. Scott turned to Blaze. “You fucking knew this was Chief’s MC?” Scott’s eyes bulged.
“I’m surprised you didn’t.” Blaze shrugged.
“Yeah, I’ve been a bit distracted lately.”
“Which is exactly why you need tonight, Harris.” Blaze patted him on the back.
Tori sat on the bench of the picnic table, listening to the commotion around her as she and Presley took alternating sips out of a bottle of Jack. The bonfire roared in the distance as the bikers were getting drunk, passing girls around, and shooting bottles. She’d finally stopped flinching after each gunshot either due to desensitization after several hours, or because the booze was calming her down.
Scott had also finally relaxed it seemed, more so than her. It was about damn time he let loose. Scott surprisingly seemed in his element. Maybe because this Chief dude was there? Tori had no clue, but was having too much fun to care.
While rowdy, the partying bikers hadn’t given her too much unwanted attention. Scott had only to explain once that Tori was his Old Lady and then nobody bothered her. She loathed that term, but understood its connotation here, so she’d stuffed down her inner feminist.
“Where did Keith go?” Tori asked, taking another swig.
“I think he went off somewhere with Chad,” Presley said as she grabbed the bottle from her hand.
Well, that’s interesting.
What could those two men have in common?
Rhinoceros like footsteps headed over and the bench shook next to Tori as someone sat down. Had to be the Chief. She knew it before he even spoke. Scott had told her he was practically a giant. But up till now, Tori had had a hard time imagining someone bigger than Scott.
Chief cleared his throat. “Jett tells me you’re paying off Chad's debt. Said you’re going to partner with him on the bike shop?”
Tori tilted her head in his direction. “Yeah. He's trying to get on his feet. Chad's talented and I think I can help him. He just needed some more time to get it going, and your boys aren't the patient type. Will that work out on your end?”
“It’ll work out just fine, little lady. Hell, if I’d have known it was Harris’ big brother I wouldn’t have sicced my men on him so quick. We take care of family and, after what Harris and I went through together overseas, he’s family. I’ll keep an eye on Chad and the shop from time to time. I like you. If everything Harris says about you is true, he’s met his match. Now, on to important business.” The Chief clapped his hands together. “I need to know two things: did you really pull a gun on Jett, and did you really learn to use the plasma cutter Chad's got?” He sounded bemused.
“Yes. To both.” Tori beamed with pride.
“I bet that sent Harris into a fit!” He laughed. “Do you realize how dangerous that is?” He mocked Scott’s gravelly tone.
Tori nearly spit out her newest swallow of Jack.
“Now, as for you, loosen up and enjoy the party.”
Tori smiled as Chief stood and patted her on the back. She was trying to do just that. New environments were always hard. The noises about her swirled in her head as the whiskey coursed through her veins.
“We’re just getting started here. I warn you though, these boys aren't your DC Garden Party types.” Chief kissed her on the cheek and strolled off.
Scott watched from afar as Tori danced at a safe distance from the bonfire, grinding against Keith. Tori had avoided this area like the plague all night, which satisfied him. The last thing he wanted was her drunk, blind, ass tumbling into the fire.
Keith dragged Tori by the hand, away from the crowd and plopped her sweaty ass on the bench next to him. Keith let out a breath and sunk into the seat across from them.
“So, we got something for you.” Tori leaned her chin on his shoulder and flashed a devilish smile.
“Do you now?” Scott kissed her whiskey-laden lips.
Keith dug into the back pocket of his jeans and pulled out a folded paper, clutching it to his chest. “I feel that this deserves some sort of speech, or maybe a little I–told-you-so dance. I just want to hold onto the moment where I prove Scott Harris wrong.”
“Oh, just show him the damn flyer.” Tori nodded to Keith.
Keith’s blue eyes gleamed with mischief as he slid the flyer across the tabletop. Scott curled his nose, raising a skeptical brow as he unfolded it, eyeing the flyer. There, in print was an advertisement for The Devil’s Ride: local gay, biker bar and strip club. It featured a very muscular, tatted up dude wearing jeans and a leather riding vest, no shirt of course.
“Bullshit; you made this.” Scott shook his head. Keith was an artsy person. He could have whipped this up in Photoshop in no time.
“You can’t stand to be wrong, can you?” Keith rested his chin against his knuckles.
“It’s true. They have a website, babe.” Tori pulled her phone out of her back pocket and he took it from her hands. “Decent web designer too; the screen reader can actually pick up nearly all of it. It’s legit.”
Scott scowled as he scrolled through the site. He highly doubted that Keith went to the trouble of making an entire website just to pull one over on him. Scott sighed and gave Tori back her phone.
“Say it,” Keith said, grinning ear to ear.
“Say what?” Scott folded his hands.
“Say you were wrong. I want to hear those words actually come out of your mouth.”
“You were right.” Scott nodded to him.
“And…”
“I stand corrected.”
Keith snorted. “You can’t bring yourself to say the words, can you? Come on, say it.” Keith reached over and shook Scott’s arm.
“Fine. I was wrong.” Scott covered his mouth and pretended to gag, as if vomiting and rolled his eyes. “Happy now?”
“Immensely.”
Scott was pretty sure Keith’s damn jaw was going to break in two from that stupid grin.
Right then, Blaze and Presley walked over and sat down at the bench. Blaze set down a brand-new bottle of Jack. “Got us a fresh bottle and Pres scrounged us up some shot glasses.”
Presley placed the shot glasses on the table.
“You people drink like you don’t want to live.” Keith grimaced, looking slightly nauseated.
Scott poured the whiskey into the shot glasses.
“Where’s Chad?” Tori asked.
“Dry humping some brunette stripper the last I saw.” Blaze chuckled. “I think they moved to a private area.”
“I’m shocked you haven’t done the same yet, Blaze.”
“The night is still young, Blondie.” Blaze clapped his hands together. “All right. Time to get fucked up. We’re all still far too sober.”
“Speak for yourself, mister,” Keith slurred.
“Oh, come on, Ginger, live a little. All you’ve been doing is sipping on beer all night,” Blaze prodded him.
“Keith’s a lightweight.” Tori giggled. “Whiskey fucks him up big time.”
“Do we really want to compare who’s more of a lightweight, Vic?” Keith snarled at her. “Do I need to tell them what happens when you drink champagne?”
Tori’s smile immediately faded and her face turned quite serious. “No, you do not.” She looked like she was about to murder Keith.
There had to be a crazy story there somewhere. Knowing Tori, she’d sworn Keith to secrecy.
“Ok. You all know the game. I’ll begin. Never have I ever bit another human like a rabid dog,” Blaze said.
The entire table erupted in laughter.
“So that’s how you want to play it?” Tori slid her fingers across the table and found the shot glass in front of her, downing it like a pro. “My turn. Never have I ever been robbed and had to call a blind girl for help.” Tori stuck her tongue out in his general direction.
“Touché.” Blaze lifted his glass and took his shot.
“Ok, Ginger, you’re next.” Blaze nudged Keith. “Go.”
“Never have I ever been arrested,” Keith said, and they all glanced around.
Tori reluctantly sighed and wiggled her empty shot glass in her fingertips. “Fill me up.”
Scott turned and looked at her, his jaw slack.
“How did I not know this? When were you arrested?” Keith shrieked and clutched his imaginary pearls.
Scott held her hand to steady it as he filled the shot glass for her.
Tori downed the shot and let out a breath. “When I was fourteen.” Tori slammed the glass on the table and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
All eyes were glued to her.
“For what?” Presley asked the question everyone was dying to know.
Tori reached out and grabbed the shot glass, twirling it between her fingertips. Her lips turned downward as her brow knitted. “It’s a rather drama filled story. I’ll give you the short version.”
Tori normally loved a captive audience for her fun and wild stories but Scott could tell she was waging an internal war with this one, leading him to believe this story was neither of those.
“I ran from the cops, put up a fight, and I was charged with resisting arrest.” She made a face. “Now, Scott’s turn.” Tori bumped her shoulder with his.
Scott furrowed his brow. Probably had something to do with her mother, and most likely was her swiping something. Chad had mentioned to Scott a few days ago how Tori caught him trying to steal from his folks and talked him out of it by sharing her own story about how she used to steal to feed Jane. The thought of Tori, or any kid, going through that made his blood boil.
Scott turned to the group. “Ok, I’ve got one.” Scott tried to bring the party back on course. “Never have I ever been to church and a gay bar on the same day.” Scott’s gaze challenged Presley and Keith.
“God dang you, Scott Harris!” Presley groaned and took a shot, slamming the glass on the table. “My daddy was a preacher and you know it.”
Keith took his shot as well, looking like he was going to upchuck. “Holy shit; that’s fucking horrible.”
“Wow! A preacher’s kid? I never would’ve guessed it!” Tori exclaimed, her jaw hanging open.
“You learn a lot you didn’t know in this game, apparently.” Keith huffed and shot a glare at Tori, which of course was totally lost on her.
Scott could tell that he was offended that Tori had kept part of her past from him. But he was being a bit of a bitch about it. Scott wasn’t even that upset. Keith should have known better than anyone how tight-lipped Tori was.
“It was quite the church scandal when I came out of the closet, shock waves went through that small Missouri town.” Presley laughed uncomfortably. “Ok.” Presley slyly licked her lips, her blue eyes flicking up to Scott. “Never have I ever had surgery.”
“Low blow, Presley,” Keith said as he poured the drinks. “You’re with a blind girl, a man with a peg, and a dude with bullet holes all over his body.”
“Sorry. Scott had that one coming. The rest of you were collateral damage.” Presley shrugged.
Scott, Tori, Blaze and Keith all took their shots.
Keith’s face turned blanch as he hiccupped, covered his mouth, and held his stomach.
“Dude, are you gonna blow?” Scott’s brow crinkled.
Keith nodded and scrambled up from the table, bent over about twenty feet away and spewed his guts out into the gravel. “I told you I don’t do whiskey!” He yelled behind him as round two came pouring out.
Scott was about to stand up to check on him until one biker headed over to him. He watched the man put his hand on Keith’s shoulder and walk him into the clubhouse. It was hard to miss the patches that said Devil’s Ride on the back of his jacket.
Well, damn.
Scott grinned and let this one be. It seemed the whiskey had worked in Keith’s favor. He chuckled to himself.
“Is he ok?” Tori asked.
“Yeah, he’s gonna be fine.” Scott rubbed her back and whispered in her ear what he’d just seen.
Tori grinned.
“Ok, never have I ever been in an orgy.” Blaze giggled like a schoolboy.
Silly Blaze assumed that none of them would drink to that, but Tori downed her shot like a champ. Everyone else went silent and she knew all eyes had to be on her.
“Daaayum, Blondie.” Blaze whistled.
“So what?” Tori shrugged her shoulders. “I was in college, was young and wild.” She waved her hand as if it wasn’t a big deal.
“Oh, hell no, you don't drop a bomb like that and expect us to let it go. We may have let the arrest story slide, but not this one. Do tell.” Blazed clapped his hands together in anticipation.
Tori felt for the table and set her shot glass down. “Fine,” she breathed. “We had this art club that met once a week to do live portraits. Nudes. I was always somewhat of an exhibitionist—”
“Was?” Scott huffed, chuckling.
“Anyway,” Tori continued, “it didn’t bother me that it was my turn to pose. So, I walked in the room proudly, dropped my robe and sat down on the stool. Things got monotonous after a while, of course we were all bored, wild, college kids and someone thought it would be a brilliant idea to drop acid while they painted. You know, because it would make our artwork so much brighter our stupid twenty-year-old brains thought.” Tori tucked her hair behind her ears.
“So I’m sitting there posing and everyone else is painting when the peak hits.” Tori felt herself getting a little flushed thinking about it and fanned herself.
“Ah, the peak,” Blaze said dreamily.
“I know, right? All that color.” Tori pressed her hand to her chest in remembrance of her wilder days. “Anyhow,” she waved her hand, “we all start tripping balls. Next thing I remember is someone said that it would be a great idea to paint me. Lit
erally, like paint on me.” She motioned to her body. “Next thing I know, I’m covered in paint from head to toe. People are literally finger painting and pawing at my naked body. This went on for what seemed like forever. Time is hard to gauge at that point in the trip.”
Tori could only imagine Blaze on the edge of his seat, eating up every minute of this. “Anyhow, everyone at this point is naked and making out with each other. I’ll spare you the extreme details of the acid trip, just know the rest of the night was mainly this colorful, naked haze of bodies and the next thing I recall is waking up in a pile of naked people with paint dried to my skin.” She folded her hands innocently on the table. “Happy now?”
“You have no fucking idea!” Blaze exclaimed. “I’ll be thinking about that one next time I jerk off.”
“Well, I’m so thrilled that I could provide you with some spank bank material,” Tori said sarcastically.
“Dude, isn’t there some sort of rule that you can’t jerk off to your best friend’s girlfriend?” Presley snarled.
“Well, in section two, article fifty-two of the bro code handbook, she wasn’t his girlfriend at the time of the story, so it’s pretty much like fapping to a completely different girl.”
“You’re unbelievably twisted and fucked up,” Presley groaned.
“Was this before me or after me?” Scott asked curiously.
“Does it matter?” Tori shot back.
“Nah, I’m just trying to figure out if I should get tested for STD’s.” Scott snickered.
Tori could only laugh. She was having such a fun time listening to their banter. “Ok, I’ve got a good one for you military people. Never have I ever gone a week without showering.”
They all groaned and took their drinks.
She could feel Scott’s movement next to her as he filled them back up.
Presley went next. “Never have I ever been engaged or married.”
“Who drank?” Tori asked. “You better have not.” Tori turned to Scott.
“What? You don’t know everything about me; just like I don’t know everything about you.” Scott said, deadpan.
Smoke and Mirrors: (Fire and Fury Book Two) Page 26
