It took him several seconds to answer. “Honestly, I’m having a hard time figure her out. I feel like she’s digging for something, but I’m not really sure if it’s because she’s a cop. It’s not out of the question, obviously.”
“You sure you’re not just being paranoid?”
He let out a ragged sigh. “I’m usually not feeling like this unless something is really off. You’re bringing her tonight, right?”
“Yeah.”
“See if you can get her drunk and maybe she’ll slip up and tell you something. At the very least, you might be able to search her purse. You know… if she loses it. You know what I’m saying?”
“Totally.”
“I hope I’m wrong,” he said solemnly. “I can tell you’re pretty bummed about this.”
“I’ll be fine,” I replied, although he was right. The woman was getting under my skin already. “Anyway, if she’s up to no good, I’ll find out.”
“I know you will, brother. Good luck.”
“Thanks.”
We hung up and Syd, who’d been eavesdropping, started hounding me about the conversation. I didn’t tell him shit, because he had a big mouth. That last thing I needed was for everyone at the party to start jumping to conclusions. It could turn ugly. Especially when there was going to be drinking involved.
Sid and I made it back to the clubhouse around seven-forty-five. I dropped off the keys to the van, jumped on my bike, and headed to Candi’s motel.
Chapter 32
Ava
I HEARD JAYCE’S Hog approach as I was applying more lipstick in the mirror. I’d just gotten back from Peyton and Tarot’s place a few minutes before, and wasn’t really in the mood to party. But, I needed answers. I was hoping that, at some point, I might even be able to chum up to some of the bikers and get them talking. If I did find out anything and manage to get it recorded, I would bring it to the police and demand that they re-open the case.
Jayce knocked on the door.
I grabbed my purse from the bed, making sure it was zipped up, and answered it.
“Hi,” I said, beaming a smile up at him. It was such a shame that he was part of the Gold Vipers. The man was so damn handsome. Tonight he had on a light-blue cotton shirt under his cut, which brought out his tan and made his blue eyes really pop.
“You ready?” he asked, looking distracted and impatient.
My smile fell. Not that I was one to fish for compliments, but I hoped he’d at least notice how different I looked compared to the last couple of days. The style was a reflection of the real me.
“Yes. Is everything okay?”
He nodded and then looked down at my dress. “Not sure if that’s the best choice for the back of my bike.”
I really wanted to keep the dress on. Especially since I didn’t have anything else appropriate for a biker party. I told him that we should take my car instead if I had to change.
“Sorry, but I’m not showing up in a cage. I’d have brought my Mustang if I was going to use one. We’re taking my bike.”
My eye twitched. His testosterone was shining bright tonight. “I know. Why don’t I follow you out there?”
“Nah.” He scratched his chin and sighed. “I guess you’ll be fine wearing that. You have everything?”
“Yeah.”
He stepped inside. “You have a jacket? It could get cold tonight on the way back.”
“Okay.” I walked over to the closet and pulled out a short, white denim jacket. I put it on and turned around. “Will this work?”
He nodded.
“You look nice, by the way,” I said, pulling my hair out from under the collar.
“Thanks. You too,” he said. “Too nice to have road rash. You sure you want to go in that short dress?”
“Okay, now you’re making me nervous. Maybe I should drive your bike if you’re so worried about crashing?” I teased.
“I’m not worried about my driving. There’s going to be a lot of drunks out later. I’m just being cautious and thinking of your safety.”
“Would it make you happier if I slipped on a pair of jeans under my dress? Or maybe a snowmobile suit?”
He grunted. “Let’s go.”
“Next time, I’ll make sure to rent some chainmail. I bet they have some across the street at that costume shop.”
Jayce smirked. “Smartass,” he said dryly as we headed out.
I turned around and locked the door. “So, where is this party?”
“Chisago. It’s about a forty-five minute drive.”
We walked over to his motorcycle and he handed me a helmet. “Here.”
“You’re really into safety, aren’t you?” I mused.
“I’m into keeping you alive.”
“What about you?” I replied, seeing that he was giving me his helmet and didn’t have another.
“If anyone’s brains are going to be splattered on the concrete, I’d rather have them be mine,” he replied.
“You’re so sweet,” I said, putting the helmet on. As I tried adjusting the straps, he reached over and did it for me.
“How’s your tat doing?” he asked softly.
“Okay. Tender.”
“Have you been putting the moisturizer on it?”
“Yes.”
Jayce gently pushed some hair away from my eyes. “Sorry in advance about the helmet hair. I like it much better this way,” he said, tugging at one of the strands playfully. “I bet it’s a lot softer, too, without all the hairspray.”
I smiled. “True.”
Jayce stared into my eyes and I could see a question in his. Just when I thought he was going to ask me something, he looked away. “You ready?”
“Yeah.”
“Why don’t you let me put your purse in my saddlebag?”
I thought about the gun and it made me nervous to let it go. But, what choice did I have?
“Sure,” I said, handing the purse to him.
“Damn, it’s heavy. What do you have in here?” he asked with a chuckle. “A bomb?”
“Just an arsenal of makeup,” I said, feeling the hair stand up on the back of my neck. “A girl has to be prepared for anything, you know?”
“I guess,” he said, putting the purse in the saddlebag and buttoning it back up. “You don’t need any makeup, though. I have a feeling the less you have on, the better.” Jayce’s eyes dipped down and he grinned. “Actually, I can already vouch for that in more ways than one.”
I just laughed.
He swung his leg over the bike and then I got on behind him.
“Ready?” he asked, after starting the engine.
I slid my hands around his waist.
Was I ready to surround myself with a bunch of hell-raising, dangerous bikers who were going to get drunk and rowdy? “Yep.”
Chapter 33
Jayce
CANDI WAS LOOKING hot, especially in that dress. Although she had more covering than usual, it was still very sexy and very distracting. Especially for someone who needed to keep a clear head. My other one apparently had a mind of it’s own. The moment she put her hands around my waist, I wanted them under my zipper.
Fuck, I need to get laid.
Fortunately, I calmed down during the ride and kept my mind on the conversation I’d had with Tarot earlier. I still couldn’t believe Candi had insinuated that I’d told her about Blade.
Where in the fuck had that come from, and how did she even know that shit about Blade to begin with?
I hoped she wasn’t FBI. They’d been trying to pin his murder on the Gold Vipers for a long time, although when it came to Blade’s death, there’d been a fairly tight alibi. Yeah, Tarot had killed him, but Peyton’s neighbor had shot the bastard afterward, because even he knew the guy had deserved to die. Even better, he’d been willing to take the blame so Tarot wouldn’t end up in jail. The psychopath had gotten what he’d deserved.
When we arrived at the party, there were already a lot of people there.
&
nbsp; I parked my bike at the end of a long row of motorcycles and shut off the engine. Old time rock-n-roll music drifted through the air, along with the smell of barbecue.
“I feel like I’m at some roughneck, bad boy biker festival. Is this what Sturgis is like?” Candi asked.
I chuckled. “No, this is nothing compared to Sturgis. This is much tamer, although it will get pretty rowdy after dark, I’m sure.”
We got off of the bike and started walking down the gravel driveway.
“Hey,” I said, holding my hand out. “You’d better take it. I want people to know we’re together so they don’t mess with you.”
Her eyebrow raised. “Mess with me?”
“Whenever you mix alcohol, testosterone, and pretty women, it’s asking for trouble. Especially in this setting.”
“Point taken.” She took my hand.
We began walking again and then suddenly, she stopped abruptly. “Damn, I forgot my purse.”
“I’ll get it.” I turned around and jogged back to my motorcycle. I unbuttoned the saddlebag and pulled it out, thinking again that her purse felt damn heavy. Unfortunately, she was watching me like a hawk, so I didn’t have a chance to peek inside. I wrapped the strap around it and jogged back to Candi. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.” She took it from me and hung it over her shoulder.
“No problem. Ready to have some fun?”
She nodded.
I took her hand again and we walked around the farmhouse to the backyard, where two large canopies were set up. Underneath were long picnic tables where people were eating and drinking. On the other side of the canopies was a stage where guys from the band were setting up the equipment.
“Live music, huh?” Candi said. “Cool.”
“Yeah. Have you heard of Crow Magnum?”
“No. Can’t say I have.”
I explained that they were a cover band. “They’re good. Hopefully you’ll like them. They play a lot of heavy metal and rock.”
“Cool. I like rock. I can’t wait to hear them.”
“You want a beer?”
“Sure.”
We headed toward the barn, exchanging greetings as we walked by the others. I noticed some of the guys were already eyeballing Candi, which I’d expected. She stood out in the sundress, especially since most of the other chicks wore the usual Harley tanks, leather halter tops, and ripped denim. It was just… different, and that was always sexier in my book.
“Hey, long time no talk,” said Tarot, who was filling up a red Solo cup with beer as we approached. He poured out some of the foam on top and added more to top it off. “You two just get here?”
“Yeah,” I said, grabbing two cups from a plastic bag sitting next to the keg. “It’s busy already.”
He handed me the beer faucet. “I know. Tank and his group are already here. Bastard is also with them.”
“No shit?” I replied, surprised. Bastard founded the Gold Vipers. He didn’t make many appearances, so this was a big deal. I met him once, after the thing with Blade. He’d paid us a visit and had complimented me about putting my life on the line for Tarot’s fiancé, Peyton. I’d confronted Blade when he’d been trying to break into her place. Unfortunately, he got away that time, but it all worked out in the end.
“Yeah. He’s playing horseshoes on the other side of the stage,” Tarot replied.
“Cool. I’ll go say hi.” I began filling Candi’s beer. “I didn’t know Bastard was coming. That’s pretty cool.”
“Neither did I. Anyway, you two have fun now,” he said before winking and walking away.
“You, too,” I replied.
I handed Candi a cup and then filled the other one. “You hungry?”
She nodded. “Yeah, a little.”
“I’m starving. Let’s go and say hi to the others and then grab some food.”
“Sounds good. Who are Bastard and Tank, by the way?”
“Tank is the president of the Jensen chapter. He’s the one who patched our club over when they were Steel Bandits. Bastard is the president of our mother chapter. He founded the Gold Vipers. ”
“Cool.”
I took her hand again and we headed over to the area where the guys were playing horseshoes. I recognized Bastard, Tank, and Raptor right away. There were a couple other guys who looked familiar, but I couldn’t quite remember their names. Noticing us approach, Bastard smiled.
“Hey, Hollywood.” He looked down at my cut. “They haven’t patched you yet?” he asked, shaking my hand.
“Not yet,” I replied.
“I’m sure it won’t be long. Who’s this pretty lady?” he asked, smiling at Candi.
I introduced him to her.
“Where’s April?” I asked. She was his Old Lady, a real looker about half his age. He told everyone she kept him young, which I didn’t doubt. The old geezer still had a spring in his step.
“Back in Sacramento. She’s pregnant,” he replied.
Shocked that he was having a kid when he had to be well past fifty, I congratulated him.
“Thanks.” He looked beyond us toward another group of people. “Oh. A friend of mine just showed up. You two have fun now. It was nice seeing you, Hollywood, and meeting you, Candi.”
“You, too,” I said, fist-bumping him.
“Same here,” Candi answered.
When he was out of earshot, Candi turned to me asked about April.
“That’s his Old Lady.”
“And she’s pregnant?” Candi replied, looking surprised. “He looks so old to be fathering a baby. No offense.”
I chuckled. “April is young enough for him to be her father. Anyway, they love each other, so what the hell. I’m sure she’ll be the one chasing after the kids anyway. Or he’ll have prospects doing it.”
“You guys babysit, too?” Candi said, looking surprised.
“I’ve never had to do it, thank God.”
She smirked. “Lucky you.”
“No, more like lucky them. I wouldn’t know what to do with a kid.”
“Me neither,” she said with a wry smile.
We watched Tank and Raptor play horseshoes for a while, and when they took a beer break, I brought Candi over to meet them.
“Hey, Hollywood,” Tank said, shaking my hand. He was a powerhouse of a guy, towering over us at six-foot-five, with bulging muscles that rippled down from his shoulders and chest. As intimidating as he was, Tank was warm-hearted and would give you the shirt off his back if he though you needed it. “It’s been a while. They haven’t patched you yet?”
“Nope. I guess they’re having too much fun ordering me around.”
“You behaving?” he asked with a grin.
“Behaving?” I chuckled. “Hell yeah. Maybe that’s the problem?”
“Could be. I was always a hell-raiser, even as a prospect. My old man used to get so pissed off. I was young, though, and cocky. I didn’t care if I was fully patched or not. I just wanted to be part of the club.”
Tank’s old man, Slammer, had been the previous president of the Jensen chapter. Just like our club’s prior president, he’d been murdered by a rival club. At least that’s the presumption. There was a lot of speculation and rumors going around. The fact was, nobody knew for sure because the other clubs never took credit or boasted about being responsible for Slammer’s death. Which, was odd, considering many of our enemies loved to brag.
“I’m sure.” I put my arm around Candi’s shoulders and introduced her.
“Nice to meet you,” she said, looking nervous.
“You, too.” He looked at me and then back to her. “Anyone ever tell you that you look like that actress who’s was in that movie, the Fantastic Four? And Spy Kids?”
She smiled. “Jessica Alba? Yeah, I’ve heard that before.”
“You watch Spy Kids?” Raptor asked, chuckling as he approached us with two full beers. “I guess that makes sense.”
Raptor was Tank’s V.P and best friend.
“B
illy loves it,” he replied as Raptor handed him a beer. “I bet Sammy has watched it.”
From what I understood, Billy was Tank’s stepson, and he also had a toddler named Grace. Raptor had a son name Sammy and a set of twin girls.
“I’ve heard him mention it before. Hey, Hollywood, how’s it going?” Raptor asked, holding out his hand. He was somewhere in his early thirties, with blond hair and a goatee. We were the same height, which was a little over six feet.
I shook it. “Not bad. What about yourself?”
We shot the shit for a minute, and then of course, I introduced him to Candi, who seemed like she was finally relaxing under my arm. When I’d first pulled her close, she’d been as stiff as a board. Unfortunately, it had slipped my mind that she was squeamish about guys touching her. I felt like an idiot afterward and reminded myself to apologize later.
“We’d better finish up this game,” Tank said after taking another sip of beer. “Catch you later?”
“Of course,” I replied.
After a few more words, they went back to playing horseshoes and Candi and I headed toward the barn again, where the food was. As we walked, I released my arm and apologized.
“It’s okay,” she replied. “I know why you did it.”
We were just about to enter the barn when I grabbed her hand and pulled around the corner, where there was some privacy.
“What are we doing?” she asked, looking up at me in surprise.
Chapter 34
Ava
“THAT’S JUST IT. I don’t know,” he murmured, his eyes searching mine.
Having had a few sips of beer, I was slightly buzzed. I was also feeling more attracted to him than ever, which was stupid and very, very dangerous. Not so much for my safety, but my sanity.
“I thought we were just enjoying a nice evening together,” I replied, my heart hammering in my chest from the way he was staring at me. It was almost like he was inside of my head, trying to dissect my thoughts.
“We are,” he replied, touching my arm lightly with his fingertips and making me shiver. “I guess what I’d like to know is if we’re enjoying it as friends or… something more.”
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