“Something is seriously wrong with you, Dev,” Speed said and shook his head.
I shoved Devil as I sat in the seat beside him. “You’re such a dumbass.”
“You know it was a joke, right? ‘Cause I love you, brother.”
“Of course, I know it was a joke. You still got your hair, don’t you?” I laughed, and so did the others.
“Hey. Why’re you laughing at his scalping joke, and you didn’t laugh at mine?” Devil asked and looked around the table.
“‘Cause we weren’t laughing at his joke. We were laughing at the picture of you without your hair,” Flirt answered.
“No one touches the hair. Well, except Bailey when she grabs hold of it while I’m eat—”
“Stop!” Speed yelled and cut Devil off. “Have you been hanging around Roscoe?”
“No more than usual. Why?” Devil asked.
“Never mind. You have issues, brother,” Speed said and shook his head.
Devil shrugged. “Like you just figured that shit out.”
I burst out laughing. Damn, I loved these men.
“Alright, let’s see if we can get to some business before Ghost gets here and catches us up on the construction business. Flirt’s already got the reports on the gym, pot store, and Soft Tails,” Crusher said.
“Really? The pot store. Tell me in the few days I was gone, Boss and Turk did not fill out anything with that as the name.”
“No, Jag. I just find it easier to call it what it is,” Crusher answered.
“Thank fuck, because with Boss and Turk, anything is possible,” Jag said, and I chuckled. The way Boss and Tuck were, I imagined they smoked as much as they sold.
“Just us today?” I asked.
“Yeah. We’ll have full member Church at the first of the month as usual,” Crusher said, then added. “I wanted us to go over a few things, so in case we needed additional information, we’d have it together before the full club meeting.”
“Sounds good, Prez,” I said, referencing Crusher by his position in the club.
“Let’s get this underway,” Crusher said, then looked to Devil. “You don’t have to keep the minutes since this is leadership only.”
Devil gave a thumbs up, and Crusher rolled his eyes. The club had grown since we took over, which wasn’t a reflection on our dads’ reign. We’d added more businesses, and we’d brought on more prospects to help with the small jobs no one had the time to deal with now.
The meeting started, and we went over each businesses’ financial records. The club was doing excellent overall. Even our custom bike shop. At the pace it was going, we would exceed our original profit margin goal by ten percent. The club was sustaining its income even with Soft Tails’ stripping side closed temporarily. The bar side had picked up business once we’d opened it as a separate entity from the stripping. Seemed people in town loved Perry’s cooking. Once the renovations were finished and the stripper side opened, profits would bigger and better.
Roscoe’s pawnshop was running steady. It sold as much merchandise as it’d taken in over the last year. It was good to see. It meant the town was having a financial up year because fewer people needed cash and the easiest way to get it fast is to pawn something.
“Tank has worked out great managing Soft Tails. Luna helped him with lining up talent, and Sami spent time with him on the books. Not his favorite part of the job, but he’s keeping up. We might have to get him help or an assistant if bringing in the showcase strippers bumps business. Tank can’t sit in the office the whole time he’s there. He needs to be on the floor. Just something we need to keep watch on,” Jag said.
“I wanted to bring something to the table and get your opinion. If you like the idea and think it would benefit the club, then we put it on the agenda for full club vote,” Crusher said, then looked at each of us, and we nodded.
“Hit us with it. If it brings money to the club, we’re all for it,” Jag said.
“It pertains to Yoga Sensual,” Crusher said and waited.
“What about it? As long as you aren’t going to tell us we have to start taking classes there, I’m good,” I said and noticed Jag and Devil were the only two who didn’t nod in agreement.
“No one has to take classes. I don’t even want to picture any of you on a yoga mat,” Crusher answered.
“I don’t know why that would bother you. We’re in shape. Personally, I’d rock a pair of those pants,” Devil said, and I turned my head and stared at him.
“Christ, what has gotten into you, brother?” I asked and shook my head. Devil had always been the jokester, the one who usually initiated the shit that got us in trouble growing up.
“I’ll tell ya,” Speed said from the other end of the table, then he chuckled. “He and Jag are catching heat from Bailey and River. Willa started a class for pregnant women, and one of the women said it would be nice if their husbands would join in. Yeah, Sami asked me if I would take a class. I won’t go into what transpired after my fuck no response other than I had to explain to Ally the next morning why I was sleeping on the couch.”
Crusher, Flirt, and I burst out laughing. “Laugh it up. Just wait, assholes, your time is coming. I’ve come across some vicious women, but pregnant women, their mood swings can go from murder to sweet in twenty minutes,” Jag said.
“Yeah, brother. But on the other side of the hormone valley, I ain’t going to complain about the sex,” Devil said, and he and Jag bumped fist.
“If that’s the case, I’m not sure I’ll survive Carly in the pregnant state. My dick’s raw from trying to get her pregnant,” Crusher announced.
“Yo, brother. SISTER!” Speed said, then ran his hand down his face. “What you should be worried about is your poor kids if they take after her.”
“You still upset over Ally?” Crusher asked Speed.
“What do you think? My almost six-year-old daughter gets in trouble at school for saying Karma is a bitch. Then I have Sami riding my ass about watching what gets said in front of Ally. She gets shit from Carly, and I’m the one who pays the price,” Speed griped.
“Dude, what are you complaining about? Do you know the shit I had to listen to after I told Bailey?”
“Would you rather they let some little punk ass kid bully them, instead of standing up and putting them in their place?” Flirt spoke up, and I had to agree.
“Can’t always be there to protect them. So at least you know they can take care of themselves when you can’t. I already feel sorry for the men who decide they can handle them.” I laughed at the glares that were pointed toward me.
“Ally can date after I die,” Speed said.
“Yeah, good luck with that.” I grinned as he scowled.
“All the wooded property surrounding Black Hawk will come in handy. Because if some assholes think we’ll stand back and let them at the daughters of Black Hawk...” Crusher said and left the rest of the sentence unfinished. He didn’t need to finish it. Every man at the table and in the club would have no problem burying a body if a hair on any of the girls’ heads was harmed.
Hell, I really did feel sorry for the poor bastards. And it didn’t escape me there were some young boys out there somewhere who had no idea what the future held for them.
“Prez, we got off track. What did you want to ask about Yoga Sensual?” Flirt asked, bring us back to business.
“Dad mentioned Willa might have to find a cheaper place to move into. Business is good, but not fluent enough for her to hire some help. She wants to hire another instructor, and there isn’t enough cash flow to do it. Willa thinks if she can move to a cheaper place that she might be able to. He brought it up because if she moves, we’ll be out a tenant. So looking for suggestions.” Crusher looked around the table.
Flirt raised his hand. “Hold up. How does Stroker know all that about Willa’s business?”
Crusher sighed. “He’s seeing her. I didn’t want to bring that up yet and have it be a factor in anyone’s decision on what we sho
uld do.”
“I’m going to play devil’s advocate and ask. Is he seriously seeing her, or is she just the person he’s fucking right now?” Jag asked.
Crusher ran his hand down his face. “Serious. That isn’t me just saying that because he is my dad. He never has hidden any...conquest...for lack of a better word. I’m not sure he wouldn’t still be hiding the relationship if I hadn’t gone to the place to pay for Carly’s classes and caught him and Willa together.”
“Another one of them down. I find it humorous every time I see my dad with Claire. But it is nice to see him relaxed and happy,” Flirt said, and I had to agree with him.
“I couldn’t agree more. It’s just a bonus to be able to give them shit about it. But back to not thinking of your dad and Willa’s relationship being a factor. It is,” I said, then added. “Club takes care of its own. We always have.”
“Have Stroker tell Willa to hold off a bit. I’ll run some numbers. We might be able to do away with charging her rent. If we offer her clientele packages from our massage side, most of what we lose on her rent could be made back there. Club wouldn’t be out anything except potential profits. Leaving us where we are right now.” Flirt shrugged.
“Alright, run the numbers, Flirt. I’ll let my dad know to talk to Willa. Everyone got any issue with taking a look into helping her?” Coast asked.
“No, like Coast said. We take care of our own. If the numbers don’t work out that way, then we find another way,” Jag said, and the rest of us agreed.
“Okay then, now let’s finish this up. Ghost should be here in five.”
We’d just finished going over the last report when someone knocked on the doors. I got up and went to see who it was, and Ghost stood on the other side.
After a man hug, I asked him how he was doing.
“Great. They tell you I’m going to have two boys?”
“Devil did. Congratulations,” I said to Ghost as he walked into the room.
“Thanks, brother.”
“When we’re done, if you’re not in a hurry, I’d like to talk to about the cost of some windows and roofing material.”
“You need some work done to your place?” Ghost asked as he moved to the table.
“Nah, it’s for Kiyaya’s place.”
“Ah, that’s your great granddad on the res, right?” I nodded. “Then text me the measurements and number of windows, plus the square foot of the roof. If you know what type of windows, let me know, too. I’d suggest the ThermStar vinyl double-hung. Price is competitive and the window insulation is well-balanced for cold winters or the heat of summer.”
“That will work. I got the information, so I’ll send it to you. When you let me know the cost, I’ll cut you a check. How long do you think it will take to get the windows in?”
“Should have them in a couple weeks.”
“Great. Thanks, brother.”
“Welcome. You going to need help installing them or with the roof?”
“Dad will help me out. It’s only seven windows. And the roof is roughly a thousand square feet.”
“I can help,” Flirt said.
“I don’t need to tell you the rest of us will help,” Crusher said.
“Appreciate it. But with my dad and Flirt, we should be good.”
“Just let us know,” Jag said.
“Will do.” I leaned back in my chair and looked at the brothers around the table. This was my family, and the only part missing for me was Mac. I knew my brothers thought I had no patience, which I didn’t have an abundance, but I’d stretch what I had to take it slow with Mac. Her running was not an option. Especially after I’d touched and gotten a taste of her. That made me wonder what Mac was doing at my house while she waited for me to get back.
I tuned in when Ghost started to talk and listened as he filled us in on the gym, and massage places progress, which both would be ready to be opened by the end of next month. The pot store, or BHMC Dispensary, would be ready in two weeks and could open as soon as the final approval and license were received from the state.
As the meeting started to wind down, my eagerness rose. I couldn’t wait to get back to Mac.
The meeting ended, and we all walked out together. Ghost pointed at his truck. “You guys want to pile in? I figured you’d walked here since I didn’t see any bikes when I drove up.”
“Nah, brother. Go home to your woman, we’re good,” Flirt answered for us.
“I’m going that way anyway. I have to pick Luna up. I dropped her at your house, Speed, but I’m sure she’s probably at yours with the others,” Ghost said and pointed to me.
“The others?” I asked as it hit me. “Hell, how do they know Mac is at my house? When we rode in last night, it was dark and no one was out. The only person who saw us was Flirt,” I said and looked around at each of my brothers, then focused on Flirt.
“Wasn’t me,” Flirt said and held his hands up in surrender.
Ghost laughed. “I’m glad I live on the other side, but if the club ever falls short on cash, we could start a reality show like the Hollywood Wives and call it—The Women of Black Hawk.”
Flirt laughed. “They don’t miss much that’s for sure. And, brother, I’m not even going to ask how you know about a show called Hollywood Wives.”
“My bet would be Bailey because you left right after she mentioned Mac was at the hospital because of an emergency.” Devil shrugged when I looked at him.
“All I know is when I was outside cleaning out the back end of my truck, Luna opened the door with her cell to her ear and asked if I would drop her off at Sami’s on my way here. So that is what I did. When I pulled up in front of Speed’s house, Carly was walking in. And no, I didn’t ask Luna why she wanted dropped off. I’ve learned that I’m better off not knowing,” Ghost said, then glanced at each of us. “So, need a lift or not?”
How the seven of us squeezed into Ghost’s crew cab, I don’t know. But I was thankful it was a short ride to my house. I only hoped Mac was still there, and the women hadn’t freaked her out to the point she took off.
Chapter Ten
Mac
The knocking at the door startled me, and I wondered if I should answer it. Emery had only been gone about forty-five minutes and he would have his key anyway. I walked to the door and looked down at the clean sweats and t-shirt I borrowed of Emery’s after I’d taken a shower. His clothes hung off me.
Biting my lip, I reached for the lock.
“How long are you going to stand there before you open the door? I can hear you on the other side,” Carly voiced from the other side of the door.
I’d been busted, and I had a feeling that when I opened the door, Carly wouldn’t be the only one there. I took a deep breath and flipped the lock and pulled opened the door. I was right, it wasn’t just Carly outside. Bailey, Sami, Luna, and River stood on the porch around her. Neely and Ally and Sawyer, who I knew was Dr. Agassi’s daughter, stood looking at me while Poppy smiled from River’s arms.
“Girl, are you going to let us in? I have to pee,” Luna said, then pushed Carly out of the way. I stepped to the side, and she walked past me followed by Karma, the dog her and Ghost rescued who I hadn’t noticed on the porch.
Luna had wrecked on her way to my office when a truck was in her lane as she came around a curve. The man had just thrown Karma’s pups out of his window in a trash bag. When River’s dad, the sheriff, went out to the man’s house, he’d found the momma dog half-starved. Ghost and Luna had talked the shelter into letting them adopt the dog before the waiting period. They’d named the poor thing Karma and from what I heard from Bailey, the dog had taken to Luna and rarely left the woman’s side.
“Next time ask me to move. And how can you have to pee again? You peed right before we left Sami’s house,” Carly said as the women piled into Emery’s house.
“Sorry,” Sami said and started walking down the hall. “I’m going to need to go after Luna gets done.”
As I watched Sami wa
lk down the hallway, I noticed Karma sat patiently by the door, waiting for Luna.
“I haven’t seen Karma in a while. She’s really filled out and looks great,” I said as I turned to the women.
“Yes, she looks great. Now let’s go in the kitchen and sit down, and you can tell us how you ended up at Emery’s house last night,” Carly said, and Bailey smacked her shoulder.
“Can you be any ruder?” Bailey asked.
“I know that’s a rhetorical question because you know Carly can be,” River said, and Carly flipped both women off.
The little girls giggled, reminding us they were there, watching and listening.
“Carly,” Bailey said, and I wanted to laugh at the look on Bailey’s face but didn’t want to draw her attention to me. She already had that mother warning look down pat.
“At it again,” Luna said as she walked toward us.
Carly looked down at the three little girls. “Just because grownups do and say sh...stuff, doesn’t mean kids can do it. Got me?” Then she looked at Bailey. “Better?”
Bailey scowled at Carly but didn’t get a chance to reply.
“Got it. Like when you say that your brother needs to pull the stick out his ass, then you tell me not to tell daddy,” Ally said just as Sami stepped out of the bathroom.
“Oh, really? And what else does your aunt Carly tell you?” Sami asked Ally while she glared at Carly.
“Anyone want something to drink?” I asked before Carly said something else to get herself in more heat.
“That would be great,” River said with a little more enthusiasm than needed, and if I had to guess since she spent more time around the women, she too was trying to switch attention away from Carly.
I started toward the kitchen, and the women and kids followed. When Carly spoke, I couldn’t help but grin. I was beginning to think the woman did and said things just to get the other women going.
“Are you sure neither of you needs to go to the bathroom again since we’re walking past it?” Carly asked. Once in the kitchen, she looked at me. “Being around the four of them pregnant is like a constant revolving bathroom door. One is always going in as another comes out. By the end of their pregnancies, I bet they will know where every restroom is located in the stores they frequent the most. I went with Sami to the grocery last week and she went three times while we were in there.”
Coast (Black Hawk MC Book 6) Page 9
