“Hell, yeah. You know I don’t mind. I would’ve looked this shit up for you myself if you’d asked. Speaking of, why didn’t you tell me about this shit right away?” Check confronted me.
“Hell, I don’t know. Well, to begin with she didn’t tell me. She tried to listen to the first note and shit can me. Then I was more worried about keeping her safe than involving y’all. I knew we had other shit going on and didn’t want to add more to it.”
Truth and Lock exchanged looks and grinned. “Hmm, must’ve been when you were beating the shit out of yourself in the gym,” Truth said, and Lock nodded knowingly.
Shaking my head, I rolled my eyes. “Whatever” was all I could get out. Sometimes it sucked having brothers that knew you inside and out.
“She your ol’ lady now?” Truth asked.
“Does it matter?” I countered.
He tipped his head back and looked at me from under lowered lids. “Maybe?”
“Why?” I demanded.
“Because we need to know if he’s gonna rough them up or if I’m gonna get involved.” Slice grinned.
Slice liked to tell everyone his name came from his love of “slices” of pizza or pie. It was actually a little darker than that, but we never busted him out to anyone outside the club. Granted, the man did eat more garbage than anyone I knew and still looked like a freaking Greek statue.
“Slice.” It came out like a warning from both Straight and Smoke.
With a huffed laugh, Slice merely shrugged a shoulder.
“Do we need to put this to the vote?” Smoke asked.
“Hell nah, you knew we’d be here for you. I got no issues with that,” Straight added from his seat next to Smoke.
“Anyone got anything else?” Smoke questioned the table.
“Yeah. I want to make a motion to change Radar’s road name.” Slice smirked.
“What the fuck? Why?” Radar barked out.
Slice chuckled. “Because he’s fucking up the SSC now that he’s back.”
“Aww, Christ. Y’all and your single syllable bullshit. Hell, naw, I ain’t changin’ my name,” Radar grumbled as he crossed his arms.
“Motion denied.” Smoke tried not to smile, but in the end he was snickering too. Radar was glowering at all of us laughing and teasing him about possible road names to keep us as the Single Syllable Chapter. It had been a joke with the other chapters, and we’d run with it.
Smoke looked at his watch. “All right, boys, kickstands up in twenty minutes.”
Pushing back my chair, I told them, “I’m going to let Gwen know I’m leaving for a little bit and to chill here. I’ll meet you at the bikes.”
“See you outside,” said Truth as he gave me a fist bump.
I didn’t bother knocking when I entered the room. Gwen sat up on the bed she’d been lying on as she read from her phone. “That was quick!”
“We’re not exactly done yet.” I grimaced.
“What’s going on?” she asked me with a tip of her head.
“I need to go take care of some club business. Hopefully we won’t be long. You okay chillin’ here until we get back?” She looked so good on that bed, it made me wish I had more time.
“Umm, I guess. Is anyone else going to be here?”
“I’m not sure. I can see if Raiven can stop by.”
“No, don’t make her come over if it’s out of her way. I’ll be okay. And they have their little girl that probably needs to go to bed soon. I’ll be fine. Just don’t be upset if I fall asleep.” She grinned.
“I’m sorry, babe. I wasn’t expecting this.”
She climbed off the bed and stood on her tiptoes to press a kiss to my lips. “It’s okay. I understand.”
Resting my hands on her hips, I bowed my head down to nip on the soft skin of her neck. “Mmm, you smell so good.” My mouth trailed up to her earlobe and sucked and nipped on it, eliciting little whimpers from her. “I’ll make it up to you when we get home.”
“Sounds absolutely wonderful.”
I reluctantly backed away, appreciating the flush on her cheeks and the gentle tip of the corner of her lips.
“See you soon,” I said as I backed out the door. “Help yourself to anything in the kitchen. The prospect will be here with Straight and Radar if you need anything else.”
She nodded and waved. “Be careful.”
“I will.” Again, my heart did weird shit at her concern for my safety.
As I hauled ass out to the bikes, I thought about what Truth had asked. Was I ready for her to be my ol’ lady? I already knew I cared about her. A lot. Ol’ ladies were for someone you more than cared about though.
Maybe I more than cared.
It was a short ride over to the restaurant.
“Lorenzo!” Smoke shook hands with the restaurant owner. Scanning the restaurant, I noted only one other couple in one of the secluded barrel tables. Then two guys in football jerseys at a table up front. Other than that, the restaurant was empty.
“Smoke, my friend. Would you and your boys like to eat before you have this sit-down thing?”
Lorenzo and his wife had bought the restaurant about six months ago when they decided they wanted to be snowbirds. This was their first winter in Texas.
Lock had mixed feelings, as it had been one of Lorenzo’s guys he’d had a run-in with a while back. Not that the guy’s behavior had been condoned, and it had definitely been dealt with. But still, it was a sore subject.
He was covering it up pretty good, but I noticed the pounding of the pulse in his neck.
“Thanks, but not this time, Lorenzo,” Smoke said with a smile.
“Next time, you bring your families. You eat on me. Yes?” Lorenzo released Smoke’s hand as he patted his shoulder. Then he turned to one of the guys standing against the back wall. “Giovanni? Show their man to the office,” he instructed, and Check followed him down a hallway.
“If you don’t need anything else, I’ll leave Giovanni here and show your other two boys to the kitchen on my way out. Mamma is at home waiting for me.” He smiled.
“How is your family?” Smoke politely asked.
“Ahh, so good. My sister and my great niece and nephew will be coming to visit when my nephew has his concert down in San Antonio next month. Now if one of my boys would make me a grandfather one of these days, my retirement will be complete.” He grinned.
“That’s great, Lorenzo. But don’t rush the grandparent thing.” They both chuckled. “Matter of fact, me and the boys are going down to the concert. Tell Gabe and Dominic thank you for that.”
“Ahh, I believe they would tell you it’s nothing. Now, I must be off. Who is following me to the kitchen?”
Truth and Slice came forward.
“Thank you, Lorenzo. I appreciate you doing this for us. It was fortunate that they wanted to meet here. I almost laughed.” Smoke shook his head.
“It is indeed fortunate. This way, gentlemen. Goodnight,” he said to the rest of us. Slice and Truth followed him through a door to the left of the hall Check had gone down.
“Let’s go back to the back-corner table.” As soon as we sat down, a waitress came over and took our drink order.
She was just setting them on the table when Sparky came in with his SAA, Pepe, on his heels. They saw us and started toward the table. When I saw Rebound step through the door and catch up, my teeth ground together.
We all stood to greet them.
“Fuck. You keep your shit together, Styx,” Smoke said under his breath.
“Roger that,” I said between clenched teeth.
“Smoke! How you doin’?” Sparky shook Smoke’s hand as Pepe and Rebound stood back. They had served in the army together years ago, but it didn’t mean they were best buds. They had a good relationship though. What I couldn’t believe was that he’d brought fucking Rebound with him.
There was a sense of satisfaction when I stared at his crushed nose and the thick, ugly scar that went across his cheek. The rest of the a
brasions had healed surprisingly well. My hand fisted and stretched reflexively as I reveled in the damage I’d done to his face.
“Let’s sit.” Smoke motioned to the table. We all did as Smoke suggested, and the waitress got them drinks.
“You ever eaten here?” Sparky asked as he looked around.
“Once or twice,” Smoke acknowledged.
“It good?”
“Amazing, but we already ate.”
“I’ll have to try it some time.” Sparky smiled.
“I’m going to cut to the chase, Spark. First, what the fuck is he doing here with you?” Smoke didn’t even look at Rebound when he nodded his head his direction.
“Rebound? Aww, come on, Smoke, he’s earned his patch back. Like I promised, he got center punched. He’s on probation, but he’s been pulling his weight and walking the straight and narrow.”
Like hell he was.
Now it made sense, and I’d be willing to bet my truck that he’d been one of the fuckers to run Slice off the road. He had yet to meet my eyes. Dirty, cocksucking motherfucker.
“That wasn’t what we agreed,” Smoke quietly insisted. “You told me he’d be out bad. He fucked my brother’s ol’ lady, for fuck sake.”
“Actually, Smoke, I told you I’d deal with it. You assumed he’d be out bad. That wasn’t what I said. Besides, I understand Styx kicked her ass to the curb. So what’s the big deal?” He leaned back in his chair.
It took everything in me not to jump up and beat the fuck out of his ass like I’d done to his brother. But I wasn’t stupid. I sat still.
Granted, Grace had turned out to be a lying whore, but it was the principle of the matter. It went against biker code. You didn’t fuck another patch’s ol’ lady. Different club or not.
“You know what the big deal is, Sparky. But look, this is about the matter of two of your guys running one of my brothers off the road.”
Sparky quickly tipped his head. He was either a really good actor or he really didn’t know about it. “I heard one of your guys went down, and I’m real sorry about that. But accusing my guys of running him off the road is pretty serious shit, my friend.”
“You’re damn right it is,” Smoke growled.
“How can he be sure it was my guys? I heard he was out of it for several days.” Sparky narrowed his gaze on Smoke.
“He saw them first. He can describe their bikes and what their helmets looked like.”
“Well, I’m supposed to take your secondhand information on this? From a guy who wacked his head? Come on, Smoke. What the hell?” Sparky crossed his arms.
“Styx, go get Slice.” Nodding, I stood and headed back to the kitchen. Sticking my head through the door, I gave a chin lift to Slice, who was stuffing his face with damn cannoli.
“Jesus, dude. Do you ever quit eating?” I asked, incredulous as he licked his fingers.
Grinning, he shrugged. “I’m a growing boy.”
“What the fuck ever,” I said as I rolled my eyes at him. “Smoke wants you.”
His smile disappeared. “Coming.”
He quickly washed his hands, and we headed out to the table.
Smoke glanced our way. “Sparky, Pepe, Rebound, I’d like you to meet Slice. Slice, why don’t you tell him about the two Vagabonds that ran you off the road?”
Slice proceeded to describe the two bikers to a T. The model, color, and details of both bikes. He also described their helmet stickers and what their fucking boots looked like. I wasn’t sure I would’ve noticed all that.
With each detail he ticked off, Sparky’s face got redder and redder. By contrast, Rebound’s got whiter and whiter.
Without looking at either Pepe or Rebound, Sparky leaned forward. “Smoke, you have my apologies. I promise you I will deal with this immediately.”
“I trust you will. Because this time, if they aren’t out bad, I can promise you we will find them. And we’ll deal with them ourselves. I’ll expect notification within the week.” Smoke remained calm and nonchalant as he made demands of another president.
“You can count on it. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.” He held his hand out as he stood. Smoke stood, and they shook.
I was sure it was a little embarrassing for him to learn that he had patches going rogue. I felt for him, but it was his job as president to have control over his members—at least as best as he could—and then to deal with situations as needed.
As they walked away, Rebound looked back at me. If looks could kill, I’d be a dead man.
Bring it, motherfucker.
“Let’s get the hell out of here.” Smoke stood, and Slice went to get Truth.
As we walked out of the restaurant, Slice snagged a roll from the waitress as she was delivering them to a table. Her eyes got big, and he winked at her. Her blush matched the damn tablecloths.
“Hey. We still want to come back here.” I popped upside his head playfully. “Have some manners, asswipe.”
Fucker smiled and shoved the rest of the roll in his mouth.
“How the fuck aren’t you six thousand pounds?” Truth asked him with an expression of horrified bewilderment.
“I’m a growing boy,” he said as he shrugged.
“What the fuck ever,” we all answered in unison as we mounted up, laughing.
“Seasons”—The Veer Union
I’d been staying at Styx’s place for about three weeks. During that time we hadn’t had any issues. For whatever reason, things were quiet. Well, mostly.
It was petty little things. It started the night I waited at the clubhouse for Styx. While I dozed on the bed, I’d gotten a phone call from a random number that I didn’t recognize. No one was there, and I assumed it was a wrong number.
It happened a few times before I began to wonder. Except it was always different numbers. The way telemarketing companies use local numbers, I had no reason to think it wasn’t something innocent. Except after several calls, something just didn’t feel right.
Maybe I should’ve said something to Styx, but it always happened when he was at work. By the time he’d get home, I’d either forgotten or it seemed silly.
“Hello, beautiful. You look like you could use a ride.” I’d been digging in my bag, and foolishly wasn’t paying attention as I left the school. Startled, I looked up, then laughed.
“What are you doing?”
Styx was backed up in the front row at the school and lying back on his elbows in the bed of his truck. It was a beautiful January day, unseasonably warm compared to the cold snap we’d had in December.
“Getting some sun. Didn’t anyone tell you this is Texas, and tomorrow it will probably be about fifteen degrees? Gotta enjoy it while you can, you know.” He turned to his side and was acting like a bathing beauty with his hip cocked and his hand resting on it. He looked so ridiculous, I almost dropped my bag laughing at him.
Grinning like the cat that ate the canary, he sat up and scooted to the edge of the tailgate. When he held his arms out, I walked right into them. He paused long enough to take my bag and set it next to him before he wrapped his arms and legs around me.
“Gotcha.”
“Good, you can have me,” I breathed as I lifted my face to him and the sun.
The soft kiss he pressed to my lips was chaste and sweet. Nothing too risqué outside the school.
“Excellent,” he whispered against my lips. “How was the world of middle school math today?”
Groaning, I dropped my head back further. “Ugh, don’t ask.”
A chuckle was all he got out before we heard catcalls. It wasn’t even necessary for me to look over my shoulder. Right away, I knew who it was.
Like an ostrich, I shoved my face in his abdomen. Holding out small hope they would keep walking, I sighed. I knew it was a waste of time to even wish for that.
“Well, well, Ms. Kelly. What do we have here? Are you keeping this sexy hunk of man to yourself?” Alesha teased. Knowing she didn’t mean anything by it, I wrapped my arms
around his waist and shoved my face further into his hoodie.
“If I don’t make eye contact, they’ll go away,” I muttered into the warm fabric. His stomach jumping against my face told me he was silently laughing.
“Keep dreaming, Ms. Kelly. Now, aren’t you going to introduce us?” Kristi teased as she poked at my side. Because I was ticklish, I hunched to the side. The movement freed my face and I curled my lip as I squinted at her.
“No.”
Ignoring me, they both walked up.
“Hi. I’m Alesha.” She shoved her hand at him.
“Nice to meet you, ma’am.” Ever polite, he shook it.
“And I’m Kristi.” He reached over to shake hers.
“Since our good friend here is ever so rude and hasn’t told us hardly anything about you, we should all have dinner.” Alesha blinked in an exaggeratedly innocent manner.
“No!” I grumbled.
“She’s a little greedy, ladies” was followed by a low chuckle.
Feigning shock, I pulled my head back and looked indignant. Then I smiled. “Truth.”
Everyone laughed.
“How about if we plan for dinner on Friday night? I’m off this weekend,” he offered. Though I really was greedy when it came to my time with him, I did want my friends to know him. It was important to me that they liked him in my life. There’d been so much going on that I hadn’t made time for them. That thought made me feel like a crappy friend.
“Are we going out or having dinner at your place?” Kristi piped in.
“Whatever you ladies decide is fine by me.” Absently, his fingers filtered through my hair.
The calculating gleam on their faces didn’t bode well. Watching them closely, I prepared myself to jump in if they said anything too crazy.
“Are there, umm, other friends that will be invited?” Alesha asked with an innocent air. She tapped her lip in thought. Ahh, that’s where the conversation was going. I tried not to laugh.
“Well, I have a couple of brothers I could invite over to round out the party,” Styx answered with a smirk.
Styx and Stones: A Demented Sons MC Texas Novel Page 19
