Jake nods, considering what he’s just heard. “How did you know?” he presses.
“Know what?”
“About what Edgar had done,” Jake says, pinning him with a stare I know so well. You don’t want to be on the end of it, and if you lie, you can be sure he’ll know it.
“One of my informants happened to be walking by. Saw what went down and told me everything. That diner is one of our main hangouts and I won’t have anyone, especially one of my own, attacking the employees there. That’s why I didn’t come after you guys for revenge. Edgar deserved what he got.”
“Right,” Jake says, thoughtfully, then adds, “You’re kinda young to be an MC president, aren’t you? You look like you just got out of diapers.” We all snigger, then Jake turns to us again and gives us that look, and we instantly quieten down. I can only imagine he’s testing the man.
“Well, fuck you!” Al stands abruptly, sending the chair he was sitting on flying back behind him. I tense, ready to defend our leader. “I agreed to meet you—at your request, I might add—and I’ve tried to play nice. You don’t even know anything about me, or what I’m capable of,” he shouts in Jake’s face. “Yeah, I’m younger than you, and I might not be all killer looks like you, but I run my club with an iron fist. Apart from those two assholes lying on the floor over there, my men respect me.”
Jake doesn’t flinch, doesn’t move, doesn’t even blink at his outburst. He just stares back at him, studying him, as if he’s reading his mind. Always Mr. Cool.
“Okay, take it easy, Al. I just learned a whole lot more about you in that last minute, and you seem like you’re a straight-up guy. We don’t normally interfere in the affairs of other clubs, but since we were invited here, we couldn’t just walk in and turn a blind eye when we found you were about to get taken out.”
“And I’m grateful for that, Jake. I owe you one.”
“No problem,” Jake says. “I hope you mean that, because I’ll be calling in your marker sooner than you know.”
“You saved my life, and I’m a man of my word,” Al replies. “Just let me know when.”
“How about, now?” our president says.
“Jeez. You don’t waste any time calling in your favors, do you?” he says, his eyes widening. “Can you tell me what it’s about?”
“Sure. We came here from Hardale. Had a skirmish with a rival club up there. They killed some of our men, took our territory, and we’d really like it back. Help us out and we’ll call it even. Plus, I guarantee you’ll always have friends you can call on in Hardale. It could be ugly, so now you know, are you still a man of your word?”
“You’ve got it,” he says. “We haven’t had good scrap in ages. The boys will be up for it. They’re getting fat and lazy sitting around drinking coffee and beer, anyway,” he says, laughing.
“All right. Let’s go and meet your men. Flynn, you ride with me. Adrian, you and Ray go back to the house and get the guys then meet us there.”
“Wait a minute,’’ Adrian says, stepping forward. I roll my eyes. Just when I thought everything was smoothed over and I can get back to see Jo. Now what? Jake hangs his head then looks up at Adrian with a lopsided grin. His underlying message, Really, Adrian? Now? Adrian dismisses him with his own look then turns to Al.
“Sorry, Jake, but this has to be said before we head off.”
“Go ahead, if it can’t wait,” Jake says.
“It can’t,” he replies, turning back to Al. “See, this new alliance is all fine and dandy, but it wasn’t just Flynn over there that we nearly lost because Edgar kept his brain between his legs. We lost face in front of everyone there at the diner. So, while your men are all relaxing there, having food and drinking beer while they wait for you to join them, we can’t even go inside. We got banned from the place.”
“Oh?” Al says, raising his eyebrows.
“Yeah, ‘oh’ indeed. They think we’re nothing but trouble. We’d appreciate it if you could tell your friend, Steve, how we saved your ass, so that particular bulldog doesn’t growl at us every time one of our men walks into the bar.”
“You’ve got that too. He used to be the Pirates’ president before he quit and I took over. I’m sure we can smooth things out,” Al reassures him, and Adrian smiles his approval. No doubt already thinking about fucking Dahlia again. “C’mon, I’m sick of this place. Let’s go.”
“What about Clint and Cole here?” I ask, pointing to the bodies oozing blood.
“They’re not invited,” he says, heading for the door.
Chapter Ten
Jo
“Two Moon Burgers, pickles on the side and fries. Oh, and one slice of Moon Pie,” I rattle out as I tear the order from my pad and slap it on the table behind Steve.
“Looks like it’s going to be a long evening,” he says, flipping the patties before doling out two bowls of chili and rice.
“Its crazy out there with all those bikers,” I reply, hurriedly putting my next order together on the serving tray in front of me.
“Yeah, and they sure eat like there’s no tomorrow,” he says, shaking his head.
“And to think you used to be one of them.”
“Yep. Those were the days.”
I glance across at him, no doubt reminiscing about his time in the MC.
“Steve?” I plant one hand on my hip and stare at him. “Do you think we were a bit hasty telling Jake and his guys not to come here again? I mean, the Pirates are allowed in.”
He smiles and shakes his head. “The Pirates are locals. I know them. The Bad Breed are outsiders. We don’t even know what kind of trouble they ran from. I still think what we did was right.”
“Okay. But they weren’t the ones to start trouble. I dread to think what would have happened to Dahlia if they hadn’t arrived when they did,” I say as I continue to stack my tray.
“They’re wild and crazy, living on the edge. Trouble is their middle name…but they know that when they sign up. That biker you have the hots for may look appealing, but don’t get sucked in, Jo.”
“They’re still people. They still have feelings,” I say, frustrated at his negative attitude toward them. I’m getting restless. The hours I’ve already spent on my feet, the anticipation of a long and tiring evening ahead, combined with Steve’s resentment towards Flynn and his friends is riling me up.
But deep down, I know there’s more to my frustration. I haven’t seen Flynn all day. He’d already left by the time I woke, and I desperately want to know if he’s safe, where he is, and what he’s doing—or do I? And, more importantly, if he’s been thinking about me.
“Jo,” Steve calls as I’m about to pick up my order. I look his way and see the concern, even the affection for me, in his eyes. “Gambling with his life is what makes him the man he is. He’s broken, so don’t try to fix him. You’ll only end up hurt.”
“Thanks…Dad, but I think I can take care of myself,” I say, scowling at him. Just as I walk out of the kitchen with my tray, I see Flynn coming through the door, and my heart skips a beat. He’s looks so freakin’ handsome in a roguish sort of way. He’s flanked by Jake’s crew and another man I recognize. Alistair Ford, the president of the Pirates. He’s been in here many times with his club, and his guys all cheer when they spot him, then look warily at Jake’s guys.
“It’s ok,” he reassures them. “They’re friends. Make ‘em feel welcome.”
I serve my order, and as I spin on my heels, I run headlong into Flynn. He smiles down at me then, without a word, he takes my arm and guides me to a dark, secluded booth at the back of the diner. I know I shouldn’t be doing this. I’m working, but I feel another flutter in the pit of my stomach as I realize I quite like his dominant demeanor. What’s happening to me?
“I’ve been thinking about you, Jo,” he says, pulling up a chair next to mine, our backs toward the crowd.
“Really? You left without a word. Not even a note on my dresser. You could have woken me,” I say as the frustrat
ion of not seeing him since our beautiful love-making boils over.
“I’m sorry. We had some club business to take care of, but I’ve missed you,” he whispers, leaning into me. His face brushes against my hair, giving me goosebumps as he kisses my neck and strokes my face with his fingers. His touch sends shivers down my spine, and when he sighs, I feel a wave of electricity run through me, knowing that he feels the same way.
I want more. But I’m very aware we’re in a crowded diner. Thankfully, no one seems to have noticed us yet, but I know I’ll soon be missed when the food orders start piling up in the kitchen, and I don’t want to get my ass fired.
“Listen, I have to go. You can see how busy we are tonight,” I say as I shuffle in my seat, and as I stand up to go, I feel another part of me melt when I look into his eyes.
But our lovers’ gaze is soon broken when, out of the corner of my eye, I see what looks like an altercation going on at the other end of the diner and I dash toward the kitchen with Flynn hot on my heels..
When I get there, I hear Steve bellowing, “What the hell are you doing here? Get out!” He’s standing by the grill, oblivious to the fact that the burgers he’s been flipping are burning to a cinder. He’s seems to be having a meltdown, waving his arms at Al and Jake, but neither of them move an inch as they watch him rant.
“Steve. Don’t be an ass. Just listen to what they have to say.” Dahlia says.
“What’s happening?” I ask, pushing forward to the grill, and I quickly scrape off the burnt patties before they catch fire.
“Stay out of this, Jo,” Steve grumbles, eyeballing Jake.
“I will not,” I say, defiantly, putting my hands on my hips. “Calm down, will you? Dahlia’s right. Just listen before you go off on one.”
“We don’t want their kind around here,” he shouts, looking straight at Jake. I glance over to the kitchen door and see Flynn standing there, surveying the scene. He looks relaxed, though I’m sure he’ll be the first to step in if Steve decides to attack Jake. I stand there, admiring Flynn’s flawless physique, and the butterflies I’d felt before return to my tummy. When I look into his eyes, they’re smiling back at me, and I feel an even deeper connection to him.
“Shut up for a second, and listen,” Jake barks, and Steve falls silent, staring him right in the face. “Al came to speak to you and your boss about what happened here the other night with that Edgar guy,” Jake continues, lowering his voice back to his calm, authoritative pitch.
“Who the hell is Edgar?” Steve says, clearly still irritated.
“The scumbag who would’ve raped your pretty boss if my man hadn’t shot him like the dog he was,” Jake replies, his face, expressionless.
“What’s that got to do with Al?” Steve asks, still not joining the dots, but I’m ahead of him.
“He was one of ours,” Al replies, confirming my suspicions.
“One of yours? Why would he crap on his own doorstep like that? The Pirates have been coming here for years,” Steve says, a confused look on his face.
“He was a new guy. Only got patched a couple of months ago. I guess he thought being a Pirate meant he could do whatever the fuck he wanted. He obviously didn’t get the memo that we don’t go around molesting women—and he paid the ultimate price—along with his buddies who took revenge on Jake’s man without my say-so. We took care of them, too.”
The tension between them is palpable. I glance toward Flynn who’s watching the proceedings like a hawk as Al’s last words slowly permeate my brain. I study Flynn for a while and realize the danger and volatility in his life is part of the appeal for him. As much as I’m falling for him, I can’t forget he killed a man, and I feel a wave of fear rush over me. Is that the kind of life I want?
When I left the foster home, Dahlia gave me a job and this diner has been my rock ever since. Ok, waitressing isn’t the most glamorous, or the best-paid job in the world, but I have good friends here, steady work, a place to call my own, and no drama. Do I want to give it all up to be a biker’s girl, dealing with the crime and violence that goes with it? It’s just not me, and now I feel so sad as I come to my senses and realize that my beautiful dream is over.
Steve’s words of warning and what Al just said brings it right home to me. Maybe no one else picked up on it, but I caught it all right. It could mean only mean one thing. Jake’s men must have helped him ‘take care’ of those guys. That’s what Flynn meant when he said they had ‘club business’ to take care of.
Oh my god. Please tell me he didn’t kill anyone else.
As much as I think I’m falling in love with Flynn, his lifestyle is just too different, too alien to my own, and now all I feel is despair.
“So why are you here now? To apologize?” Steve asks Al, sarcastically. Even after his retirement, it seems apparent that he still has some sway with the Pirates.
“No. I’m not going to apologize for something I didn’t do, but you should know that the Bad Breed are good guys. You and Dahlia should give them a break. It wasn’t their fault that Edgar decided to be a dick, and let’s not forget they saved your ass,” he says, turning to Dahlia.
“Fine. Are you done?” Steve asks, annoyed.
“No.” Al snaps back at him. “Something else you don’t know. Jake and his men saved my ass today, too, so I’m going to Hardale with my boys to help them to get their town back. It’s the least I can do.”
Dahlia cuts in. “They can hang out here, Steve. It’s ok, and I am grateful for what you boys did for me, shocking as it was. Now, if we’re all friends now, I want everyone out of my kitchen,” she says, crossing her hands tightly over her chest. “I’ve got customers who need feeding.”
“Appreciate it,” Jake says, “and you don’t need to worry about us. We’re going to be out of this town soon, anyway.”
I look over at Flynn, as he hangs his head. They’re leaving? I know I can’t live his kind of life, but why didn’t he tell me? Does the time we spent together, re-discovering each other after all these years apart, mean so little to him that he’d just ride away as if nothing happened?
The butterflies I felt before are now replaced by heartache. I’ve fallen for Flynn, but I’ve been a fool. I look at him and shake my head, letting him know how disappointed I am. I need some air, time to think, so I slip out the door and into the blissful darkness outside.
Chapter Eleven
Flynn
Inside, I’m furious with Jake. First, he asks Al for help without really knowing anything about the guy or his boys. Then he announces we’re going back to Hardale without even consulting with any of us, not even me or Adrian. I know he’s our president, but who the hell is he to decide that? I caught the look of disapproval on Adrian’s face, too.
But, now’s not the time to think about it. That can wait. All I want to do now is talk to Jo. I can only imagine how she’s feeling after Jake announced our imminent return to Hardale. It was clear from the look of betrayal on her face, and I hurry after her into the dark outside. The cool, fresh air hits my lungs and it’s a pleasant relief from the hot and stuffy confinement of the diner. I look around for her, then hear the familiar sound of a bike engine turning over. I turn toward the sound and see Jo sitting on her Street Scrambler.
“Jo,” I call out, and run to her as she desperately tries to start her bike. When I get to her, I reach for the ignition key and pull it out.
“Give me a chance to explain,” I plead, hating myself for acting so vulnerable.
“Why should I? Now, give me back my key.”
“Look, I understand you’re upset.”
“Upset? Why would I be upset? I thought I meant something to you, but you go ahead and do whatever you want. Just like you did when you crawled out of my bed and disappeared to do…who knows what,” she replies, venomously. Her angry eyes blaze like an inferno as her straight, midnight-black hair blows around her face with the gentle breeze. I know I’m in trouble, but I love her fire as she sits on her bike looking like
some medieval war goddess, raining down her wrath and fury upon me.
“I went to tell Jake…about us.” I reach out a hand to stroke her face.
“Don’t touch me!” she says, swatting my hand away. “So, what happened, hmm? You chicken out? Or did you just change your mind and decide the idiot chick can wait, I need to go back to Hardale first?”
“It wasn’t like that,” I protest. “Jake made the deal with Al. He never even put it up for discussion, then he went and announced it in front of you, Steve and Dahlia. I can see how it looks, but I had no idea, and I couldn’t disrespect him by expressing my opinion in front of everyone,” I explain.
“Well, it looks exactly as it is to me, Flynn. Let’s face it, you lead an unpredictable and dangerous life, and it’s part of what you are.”
“Not all of us are like that,” I say, trying to convince her I can change.
“Maybe not at first, but deep down you’re all the same. Damaged. Incapable of real, meaningful emotion,” she says, looking down at the ground, her voice sad and forlorn.
“Jo. Deep down, you know me. We used to be best friends. In fact, we used to be each other’s only friends.”
“Then you ran away,” she says, snapping her head back up to stare me in the face. “And that was a long time ago, Flynn. I’m not that lost little child anymore, and neither are you. We both have people we care about in our lives now, and who care about us. We’ve chosen who we want to be and what we want to do,” she says, and it scares me more than her fury. I know where this was going, and I desperately clutch at straws.
“All I want is you, Jo. All I’ve ever wanted is you.”
“Yeah, well, Dahlia and Steve are my family now. I don’t want to abandon them,” she says, snatching her key back from me, and it strikes a nerve. She’s not just talking about today, or yesterday, but many years ago to her feeling of abandonment when we were at the foster home.
“Ok, I ran away, but I didn’t abandon you, Jo. I went back for you.”
Bad Breed (MC Romance) Page 8
