by Michelle Woods - Catching Trick (Red Devils MC #3) , 25th July
Katie leaned back as he headed to the restaurant, wondering what this supped up engine could do. She was sure it could do at least one ninety, and she wondered what it would take to get him to let her test her theory.
Trick waited at the entrance to the restaurant for Charity. Still thinking of Katie, and the mess he’d created with her yesterday. He wondered if she’d told Charity about it. He hoped not. Charity was always on his case about Katie anyway, and giving her something else to use in the fight they were sure to have over whatever she’d brought him here for, was a bad idea.
He straightened as her saw her walking across the parking lot in a blue dress and boots. She was always wearing boots. She seemed to love the damned things, and he had no idea why.
“Hello, big brother” Charity smiled as she neared and hugged him. Trick smiled back at his sister. Although, she was up to no good he’d missed her since she’d taken the job two years ago at the Boom Boom Room. At first he’d been against her working there. It was a strip club that the Red Devils owned. It wasn’t really a place a man wanted his sister to work. Of Course, she wasn’t a stripper, thank God. She was their accountant. Bone had talked him into allowing it. Charity was getting into trouble a lot at the time, and both he, Tank, and Bone had been worried.
Every time they laid out a rule, she made a point to break it, and she’d usually dragged Katie into it as well. If the club hadn’t been at war with the Jackal’s it wouldn’t have caused so much stress for them. They’d all been afraid that her rebellious nature would lead her into danger. So the job had been a last ditch effort to get her to behave by giving her some space. Thankfully it had worked. Charity now did the books for both the Boom Boom Room and Black Ink, the tattoo parlor.
“Hey, I’ve missed you.” Trick murmuring into her hair, as he accepted her hug.
“Let’s go eat all their clams!” Charity said, pulling back from the hug, grinning.
Trick laughed, motioning for her to proceed him into the restaurant. He followed behind her. Seeing Monica at the podium, he smiled. He’d dated her for a short time. He’d broken it off and she had taken it well. They’d both known that the relationship wasn’t going to work.
“Hey, Monica.” Trick watched Charity glare at the other woman. She’d never liked the girl and Trick had never figured out why. Charity was only about eighteen when he’d dated Monica. She’d been too young to know the other woman socially since she was about four years older. Now that he thought about it, Katie didn’t seem to like her very much either. He wondered if something had happened between Monica and his sister, or Monica and Katie. He wasn’t happy with that thought.
“Hi, Trick.” She brightened when she saw him, but then seeing Charity her smile dimmed. “Here for dinner?”
“Of course we’re here for dinner. What else?” Charity grumbled, in an unusually snippy tone.
Monica looked at Charity with a blank expression. That was one thing about Monica that had always maddened him. She always seemed to be a little clueless when it came to what other people were trying to say. She never really seemed to get tones.
“Well, I guess you could be here to get take out,” Monica finally replied. “Let’s get you seated, we’re busy tonight.
“That would be great Monica, thanks.” Trick told her, frowning at his sister. Monica found them a table and told them their server would be with them in a moment before returning to the front.
“Why are you always so mean to her, Charity?” Trick asked.
“I don’t know. I guess she just rubs me the wrong way. She understood that I was being insulting just then. She just acts as if she doesn’t and it’s maddening.” Charity was looking at the menu even though they always ordered the same thing when they came here.
“I don’t think she does understand, Charity.”
“I’m telling you she does. That’s part of the reason she ignores it. So that other people are annoyed by it. It’s all an act. The woman’s fake.” Charity set the menu aside, huffing with disdain.
“Let’s change the subject. What’s brought us here? I know you have something up your sleeve. What is it?”
“Geez, can’t a sister just want to have dinner with her big brother?”
“Not when that sister is you, and not when she asks me to come here. No, it’s not just dinner. Now, spill.”
“Sometimes I hate that you know me so well.” Charity sat back in her chair watching him.
“Spill.” Trick said again, waiting for her to tell him why he was here. Only before she could start telling him their waiter showed up to take their order. They ordered the same thing they always got, the clams. He was watching his sister work up the courage to say something about whatever she’d brought him here for when he looked up and almost swallowed his tongue.
Katie was walking into the restaurant wearing a sleek black dress that was strapless and it looked as if her breasts were about to pop out of. His cock hardened to a steel rod and he wanted to cross the restaurant, grab her, and take her against the nearest wall. And to hell with anyone watching. She’d cut her hair, and it flowed around her face in a soft cloud of sexy strawberry blonde waves. She was his every fantasy come to life. She moved into the room behind Monica, who was leading her to a small intimate table in the corner of the restaurant.
Why was she seating her there? He wondered, only to see exactly why she was being seated there. A man moved to pull out her chair. He was wearing a light blue button up with tan slacks. Who the fuck was that? His guts twisted with a rage so deep he was afraid it would burn the whole fucking place to the ground. She was on a date. A. FUCKING. DATE. He realized he was gripping the table with a tight grip, and that Charity was droning on about something. The only thing he could focus on was Katie. Katie with another man.
He’d wanted this, had even pushed for it. Only the reality of seeing Katie with another man, in a dress like that, was not something he was prepared for. He saw the man sit down, and he saw that this wasn’t just any man. It was Travis. He’d known the other man for almost ten years. He was almost the same age as Trick was and Katie was out with him. He knew as he sat there watching the two of them talk that there was no way in hell that he was going to allow the two of them to leave here together. No. Fucking. Way.
Chapter 8
Katie was enjoying her date with Travis. They’d arrived at Frenzy about half an hour ago. The conversation flowed more like they’d known each other for several years, not several hours. It gave Katie hope. Hope, that she could get over her heartache at Trick’s refusal to accept her for a woman, instead of a child.
“Hey, where’d you go?” Travis asked, shaking her from her mental preoccupation.
“Oh, sorry. I was just thinking.”
“Oh dear, I’ve bored you. I always do that when talking about engineering. Sorry, I get caught up and then I drone on and on.”
“No, it wasn’t that. I’m having a wonderful time. That was actually what I was musing about,” Katie rushed to assure him.
“No need to pretend. I will only be crushed. Then I will have to go home and bury my head in my pillow and ball my eyes out like a little girl. It’s…” Travis made a fake sniffle. “It’s okay. I’ll be forever single as my mother said.”
Katie laughed, “Quit being a goof. You know that I’ve enjoyed myself. Even if you did sort of lie over the phone.”
“What? I didn’t lie.”
“Oh, but you did. You said you weren’t good at the in person banter and yet you’ve been excellent at it.” Katie said, with another laugh.
Travis smiled, reaching over to take her hand on top of the table. “It’s easy when the company is so enchanting.” His fingers caressed her hand.
Katie wasn’t bowled over by a fierce need as she would have been had Trick taken her hand as Travis had, but she was pleasantly surprised to realize that she did like his hand on hers. Most of the time when another man touched her, she only felt cold. It was another relief to her pitiful heart. Sh
e may actually be able to create a lasting relationship with another man.
Trick was still watching Katie and Travis as he had been since they walked into the restaurant. He knew that he was only giving Charity one word clipped responses to direct questions, but he wasn’t able to focus on anything except the smiles on Katie’s face and Travis touching her every chance he got. A brush of his fingers against her hand, a slight brush of her arm, and just a second ago taking her hand in his. And every touch made him clench in anger and want to rip the bastards head off. It didn’t matter that he’d wanted her to move on from her crush, or that he’d been friends with Travis for years.
Nope, the only thing that kept repeating in his head was that he wasn’t allowing this to continue. He couldn’t. Not when just yesterday he’d touched her, held her. Felt the sweet press of her body against his and tasted the ambrosia of her kiss. He knew that he should just get up and walk out. Leave before they tried to walk out together. She was too soft for him. She’d want the fairy tale and he wasn’t the one to give her that. Travis was a good man, he should allow them to create that fairy tale he knew she would want. Only he couldn’t. He just couldn’t walk away and leave her to another man. It wasn’t going to happen.
“Are you even listening to me, Trick? I know that what I told you wasn’t what you wanted to hear, but please just think about it. It’s a great opportunity.” Charity was saying, while he watched the couple across the restaurant, barely paying attention.
“What?” He asked trying to focus on his sister.
“I’m trying to get a response from you. Other than the no you uttered right after I told you about it. I expected a little more of a response than that. What the hell is wrong with you tonight, Trick?”
“Stop cussing.” Trick said, as a reflex.
“Really, that’s your only response to this! Really?” Charity growled.
Trick could tell she was getting upset from his lack of response to whatever the hell it was that she’d told him, but he was too focused on Katie and that bastard she was with to care. They were getting up to leave. Nope, that wasn’t happening. He was not leaving with her. Trick stood throwing credits onto the table with jerky movements watching as Travis did the same. Then the man signed his death warrant by placing his hand at the small of Katie’s back to guide her from the restaurant.
Travis’s hand on her lower back was warm and comforting. She was surprised when he stopped her in the entryway.
“Is there something I should know about, Katie?” Travis suddenly asked.
Confused, Katie turned to look at him. “What do you mean?”
“Trick.”
Katie’s heart began to beat double time and she felt her face heat. How did he know about her and Trick, she wondered.
“What about Trick?” She questioned.
“He’s here Katie, and he doesn’t look happy that you’re here with me.” Travis looked at her with a solemn expression.
“Shit, not again. Why does that man have to ruin everything?” Katie exploded, with a vehement sigh. She was so tired of his dog in the manor attitude.
“What do you mean, not again?” Travis questioned watching her closely.
“He’s always doing this. Trying to run off any man who shows the least bit of interest in me away. He treats me like his little sister.”
“Katie, the man who’s following us out of the restaurant is not doing it because he thinks of you like a sister. Trust me, I know when a man thinks of a woman as his property. And Trick is about to take territorial to a new level.”
Katie realized with embarrassment that Trick was about to run off another date. A date she’d actually liked. It made her want to cry. Just hearing his name, and that he was here made her fickle heart, pound in anticipation. She wanted to run, but instead she looked up at Travis. He was standing close to her watching her face in the dimmed light of the entranceway.
“No, he thinks of me as a sister.”
“Umm…I think you’re wrong. Let’s test your theory, shall we.” Travis moved closer and crowded her a bit taking her into his arms.
“What? What are you doing?” Katie asked, nervously.
“Something, I’ve wanted to do all night, and before the chance is snatched away forever. I’m going to take it. Because after he takes you home, there will never be another chance, and it really is too bad. I liked you a lot, Katie.”
Katie stared up at him with a little bit of unsureness. She wanted to know what he meant. She was not going home with Trick. Travis had brought her and she was definitely going to have him take her home. No way was she going to be treated like a misbehaving child. Then Travis’s lips touched hers. It was a light caress and Katie was surprised to find that it wasn’t unwelcome. Although, Travis’s kiss didn’t spark the fire inside her that Trick’s did. She felt his tongue glide in past her slightly parted lips, but no sooner had that happened than she was released, and Travis was slung into the wall across the hall by a furious Trick.
“Get your damned hands off her!” Trick roared.
Trick moved towards Travis, but she managed to pull herself together enough to grab his arm. Jerking on it to get his attention.
“Stop it, Trick! You have no right to hurt him!” Katie screamed at him.
“No right! No. Right? I have every right to beat him senseless. Katie.” Trick was trying to shake her hand off.
“You’re acting like an insane person! Stop it.” Katie clung to his arm not allowing him free.
“He was molesting you in a public restaurant, Katie! And you think I’m acting insane!”
“Yes, Trick! You’re acting like an idiot. You’re not my brother! This is none of your business.” Katie yelled, her hand clinging to his arm to prevent him from going after Travis, again.
Trick stared at Katie with a red haze over his eyes. She’d let that bastard kiss her. How could he let him live. He’d been unprepared to find her being pressed against a wall with Travis’s tongue in her mouth when he’d finally caught up with the couple having to get around Charity who’d been trying to stop him from leaving their table. Now, she was standing here less than twenty four hours after he’d kissed her senseless in her own kitchen, telling him that it was none of his business that another man had been kissing her. He turned crowding her into the wall, his hands landing on the wall on either side of her head, boxing her in.
“None of my business. Is that what you just said to me?” Trick gritted out each word with a fire burning in his gut. “Oh, it’s my business, Katie. Have you even stopped to think that you’re being stalked? That he might be that stalker.” He lowered his voice to keep the other patrons from hearing the last of what he’s said to her.
“Wait a damned minute! Trick, you know me. I am not a stalker.” Travis hissed, having recovered from the knock against the wall and moved closer to her and Trick.
“He’s not my stalker, Trick and you know it! That’s just you trying to justify you’re weird need to keep any man away from me. I AM NOT YOUR SISTER!” She hissed the last part of her angry tirade at him.
“She’s right I’m not her stalker you know me better than that.” Travis growled, in a low voice.
“Shut the hell up. You are not part of this conversation. Katie, we don’t know who the stalker is, it could be anyone.”
Travis stared at Trick for a long moment. Then he started laughing in a self-decrepit way. In a low voice, he said, “You’re burning up with it aren’t you?”
“I told you to shut the fuck up. Why are you still here? Do you want me to kill you?” Trick glared at Travis. Trick whirled, grabbing him by the front of his shirt and slammed him into the wall again.
“Stop! Just stop it, Trick.” Katie screamed at him, pounding on his back.
Was she trying to defend this asshole? That made his rage amp up another notch.
“Stop! What the hell is wrong with you? This is a restaurant not a damned bar! Take it outside at least. You’re acting like a caveman.” Chari
ty screeched, having walked in the hall a few minutes ago. Katie looked around seeing that several other patrons were also standing in the hallway watching this little scene play out. Trick was acting like a child trying to protect his favorite toy. This was so embarrassing.
“Fine, Katie we’re leaving.” Trick growled, letting Travis go.
“No! I will not be leaving with you. Travis brought me, and he can take me home. You’ve ruined our date anyway.” Katie whispered, with tears filling her eyes with impotent rage.
“Do you want him to kill me?” Travis muttered, under his breath.
“Not happening! You’re coming with me or I’m going to take this outside. You don’t want that, Katie. Now, get your ass outside!” Trick growled, anger filling every word.
“Katie, just go with him. We’ll sort this out. I didn’t realize this was still an issue. I…” But Charity didn’t finish. “You need to go with him so he’ll clam down. Please.”
Sighing, Katie realized that as bad as she hated it, Charity was right. Trick would kill Travis if she pushed this too far. He was too angry. His eyes were blazing with a level of anger she’d never seen him display. She was going to have to go with him. Then Trick took the choice out of her hands anyway. He scooped her up over his shoulder, making her face turn red. Shit, she hoped that she hadn’t just flashed her silky black underwear at anyone in the hall behind her. Thankfully she’d been facing the exit so no one in the restaurant had seen them.
“What are you doing? Put me down!” Katie screamed.
“What’s gotten into you, Trick? Put her down she can walk.” Charity demanded.
Ignoring them both, Trick replied, “Call Sal. Let him know I have Katie.”
“Yeah, I’ll let him know.” Travis replied. Even though he’d been talking to Charity he didn’t argue.
Trick was done arguing with Katie here. He was taking her home. They could finish this there. He knew that he wasn’t taking her to her father’s either. He wanted to deny this need he had to take her home with him, but he knew that with the territorial way he felt right now, there was only one choice. He needed to take her home and mark her, everywhere. Letting any man who thought he could have her know, that was not the case. She was his, and it was time that he showed her. He owned her.
