Shoving my socks in my boots and grabbing my T-shirt and cut, I didn’t bother putting anything else back on. Hell, I didn’t even button my jeans, I just zipped them.
Like a sappy fucker, I stood over her for a few seconds before I kissed the top of her tangled hair. Inhaling her scent, I closed my eyes. Then I turned and walked away.
***
The sounds of clanking silverware and laughter woke me from where I’d crashed on the end of the couch. Turning over, I pulled the throw pillow over my head.
“It lives!” I’d recognize Asphalt’s voice anywhere, especially right next to my ear.
“Unless you want to get punched in the nuts, you better leave me the fuck alone.” Growling in a sleep-raspy voice, I kept my head under the pillow.
“Aww, is that any way to talk to your brother who made sure you had some breakfast saved for you? The rest of these fuckers would have let you go hungry.” He chuckled.
“Bro, what the fuck ever. I would have saved him a slice of bread to toast.” Too $hort shouted from across the room.
“Not me. If he wants to sleep like a princess until we’re heading out, he can go hungry.” Roadkill chor-tled.
Realizing that trying to get back to sleep was futile, I sat up. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I fumbled for where I’d set my phone after plugging it in.
Checking the time, I saw I’d slept for about three hours. Fuck, better than nothing.
Blade plopped down next to me with his plate loaded high with something that smelled fucking amaz-ing. Glancing over, I snagged one of his squares of some kind of breakfast casserole and shoved half of it in my face before he could protest.
“You fucker. Get up and get your own plate.” Chewing on the bite he’d pushed in his face, he turned his plate away from me.
To fuck with him, I kissed his cheek. “Aww, baby, you don’t wanna share with me?” Then I ate the rest of the eggy deliciousness.
“I’ll show you ‘baby’ when I’m done eating.”
Chuckling, I stood up and stretched as I scratched my chest. Some of the brothers were out on the deck and I could smell through the open door that someone had lit up.
“Dude, put a shirt on. You’re outshining all my sexiness in the morning.” Too $hort tossed me my shirt that I’d left on one of the barstools as he grinned.
His ol’ lady, Rosa, stepped up next to him and kissed him. “No one outshines you, baby.”
Grinning at them, I pulled it on and went out onto the deck. Radar handed me the pipe he was using as I stepped up to him. I took a hit, coughing a little as it hit my lungs. Then I handed it back to him as I glanced toward the door that separated the two beach houses.
I thought about walking down the steps to see if she was still sleeping where I’d left her, but decided it was better left alone.
“So where’d you disappear to last night?” Radar was leaning on the railing, looking out at the beach as he spoke. He handed the pipe to me again.
Hitting it, I didn’t answer. After I was done, I handed it off to the chick Asphalt had brought with him.
I leaned down next to him on the railing. “Just out.”
“Mm-hm. Okay.” Eyes narrowed, he watched me, waiting for me to say more. When I didn’t, he stood upright. “Well, unless you wanna smell like pussy all day, I suggest you go shower. Kickstands up in about forty-five minutes.”
With a grin he patted me on the shoulder and went inside.
Once again, my eyes strayed to the yard next door. The hammock wasn’t visible from our deck, but I knew it was there. Exhaling hard, I stood and headed into the house for a quick shower.
I was showered, changed, and on my bike waiting to leave in less than thirty minutes.
It was a fucking gorgeous day to ride, and I was almost sad that the rally was only about fifteen miles from us.
As we rode, a few of the ol’ ladies snapped pics of us with their phones. I alternated between flipping them off with a grin and flashing them the club hand sign.
By the time we’d waited on the ferry, then found somewhere to park, everything was in full swing at the rally. The streets were thick with bikes, people, and some of the weirdest shit you’d ever see.
First thing we all did was grab a beer. Then we walked from booth to booth as the ol’ ladies shopped and the guys shot the shit with other clubs and bikers.
Several times I thought I saw a flash of her blonde hair, but it was never her. Shaking off my brain’s illusions, I grabbed another beer.
“Brother, you’re the only person I know that can find some random on the beach in the middle of the night. By the way, I’m sorry for asking about Grace. I didn’t know.” In Radar’s defense, he really didn’t. He’d been in Afghanistan as a contractor for the past year. He’d just gotten back three days before the rally and had been at his parents’ place in Bastrop.
Shrugging, I realized the tenseness that I would normally have felt at discussing her wasn’t there. Not that I wasn’t still pissed. No man liked being fucked over. “Don’t sweat it, bro. Shit happens and you didn’t know.”
“You’re right. What I don’t understand is why you didn’t tell me.” We’d been friends a long fucking time. We’d met at our first duty station in Korea, found out we were both from Texas, and immediately became friends. He’d gotten out after his three-year enlistment and our deployment together. I’d re-upped for an additional two years for a college option and got another deployment out of the deal. Yay.
After I got out, I returned to Texas but instead of moving back to Allen, I decided to go to Austin where Radar was, and finished school there. When he’d become a prospect for the club, I had too. The rest was history.
“You didn’t need my shit on your plate while you were over there, bro.”
“I disagree, but I get it. I heard shit is still rocky with the Los Vagabundos.”
“Fuck them.”
He glanced around us, making sure no one had heard. “Come on, Styx, easy. We don’t need no trouble here.”
Let calmer heads prevail, I told myself, and nodded.
“Yeah, I know. It’s not their fault they had a piece of shit in their ranks. But they shouldn’t have tried to protect his lying ass.” We stepped off to a side street where there were less people but we could still see the rest of the club.
“Is it true you almost killed him?”
The only thing that had saved me from killing his ass was Asphalt stopping by on a whim. Tipping up my beer, I let the cold brew run down my throat. “I should have.”
“And be in jail?” Raised eyebrows followed his question as he drank his own beer.
Sighing, I knew he was right. I’d told myself that enough times over the last four and a half months. “Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t have enjoyed it.” Part of me was rubbed the wrong way, since I spent my life saving lives, but the other part of me hadn’t wanted to stop. I’d beat the actual living fuck out of the asshole I’d found fucking my woman in our bed. Right in front of her.
Then I’d taken all of her shit and thrown it on the lawn as she’d screamed and cried. As she’d begged me to forgive her, saying it was the only time, I’d shoved her out the door naked, closed it in her face, and locked it.
“Fuck bro, she wasn’t worth it.”
“Yeah, I realize that now. But before that, I thought she was the one. Man, what a fucking idiot I was.” I hated that she’d duped me for so long.
“Don’t beat yourself up. You couldn’t have known. You’re not an idiot.”
The fact that I’d been holding on to an engagement ring said differently.
“Yeah, well, fuck that shit. I’ll never get that wrapped up in a bitch again.”
“Never say never, brother.” Radar had the balls to laugh. All I could do was shake my head at him and smile despite myself.
“I’ll say it and mean it,” I growled. Smirking, he held his tongue. Smart man.
Chapter Four
Gwen
After hearing
all the bikes rev that morning, I’d almost suggested to the girls we go to the rally. Then I’d decided I probably wouldn’t see him there with that many people, so I didn’t. I’d researched it. The thing was huge.
Besides, I’d woken alone that morning and assumed that meant we’d had a fantastic night and that was all she wrote.
“Damn girl, I don’t know what possessed you to sleep in that hammock last night. Look at you, you’re so stiff now you can barely walk.”
Um, not quite why I was stiff, but I wasn’t going to admit to Alesha or the rest of the girls what I’d done all night and with whom.
“It probably had something to do with the entire bottle of wine she drank.” Lynda smirked.
“Probably.” I winced as I sat on the barstool at the breakfast bar that wrapped around the kitchen. I wouldn’t be surprised if my hooha was bruised.
Swallowing a couple of acetaminophen, I figured it may help with the throbbing in my head and down there.
“Did you hear all that moaning and groaning? I think those bikers were fucking in our backyard last night!” Sophia looked scandalized, and my faced burned.
“Well, if they were, I was already passed out in the hammock.” Shrugging and doing my damnedest to appear unconcerned, I reached for a banana. If it were possible, my face might have been on fire. “I can’t believe none of you came looking for me. I could have drowned in the ocean. Thanks, assholes.” Not true, because they would have found me naked with a sexy-as-fuck biker.
A round of “oh shit” and “I’m sorry” rang out from all the women. There were twenty-eight of us here for the weekend. It was the only way we could afford this place. So some of the women I didn’t know well, but others were my best friends.
“Hey, do any of you want to go to that rally thing in town? I heard all those bikes fire up this morning and I remembered reading about it.”
I almost choked on my banana at Alesha’s suggestion.
“Ooo, maybe there will be some hot bikers there!” Lynda’s eyes grew bright.
“Hell, there are a bunch of them next door. Why don’t we just go introduce ourselves when they come back.” Brandi waggled her eyebrows.
Chugging from the bottle of water, I tried to wash down the food I’d nearly died trying to eat. My eyes were still watering. “Actually, it looked like there were a bunch of their wives or girlfriends there. I saw them from the beach last night.”
“Bummer.” Lynda sat next to me with her toasted bagel and began eating.
“I’m good with just chilling here with my bottles of wine today. This is the first time in at least a year that I’ve had peace and quiet,” Barbara piped in. She was married with four kids and taught preschool. I’d never understand that. Teaching preschoolers was like herding cats.
Then again, people thought I was crazy for teaching math to seventh graders.
“Hell, girl, me too,” I agreed.
That was the general consensus.
We ended up having cold sandwiches for lunch and chilling on the patio. Every time I saw someone sit where Styx and I had been the night before, I chuckled inside.
Finally I had to leave because my thoughts had become too x-rated as I remembered his every touch. So I joined several of the girls who said they were going to walk the beach and collect shells.
Carrying a red Solo cup to collect my treasures, I laughed and walked with the girls. By the time we headed back, all of our cups were brimming with a variety of shells.
As we closed in on the beach house, I smelled the grill before I saw all the bikers milling around down on their patio and up on the deck.
Surreptitiously, I looked for Styx amongst the bikers. It was hard to tell them apart from that distance, so I wasn’t sure if any of them were him.
“The bikers are back.” Lynda nudged my shoulder with hers. “We should go say hi. Surely there are one or two that aren’t taken.”
As we got closer, I studied the rowdy crowd. My heart dropped to my stomach when I saw Styx with his arm thrown around a woman with dark hair. She was holding a drink and laughing up at him.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. I could use a glass of wine, though. How about you?” My stomach churned at the thought of what I’d seen. I really didn’t want any wine, but I also didn’t want to think about him.
“Sure, babe. Maybe I’ll go over there later.”
I didn’t know what I’d expected. He hadn’t made any promises to me. Hell, he hadn’t actually said he was there alone. I felt sick thinking he might have cheated on the dark-haired woman with me. Or maybe he’d picked her up at the rally, which made me feel a teeny bit better. But not much.
For the rest of the weekend, I drank a hell of a lot of wine and did my best to forget about the best night of my life.
When we left Sunday morning, I kept my face averted from the neighboring beach house because I didn’t want to risk seeing him and that girl. I wavered between feeling like shit and being angry when I wasn’t reliving every glorious moment he was inside me.
Alesha and I had carpooled so that we could split the gas and the drive. It was when I was driving and eating from the bag of pretzels next to me that she squealed, scaring the shit out of me.
“Look!” She pointed out the window.
A pack of about seven bikers passed us. They rode two by two, except the last guy who rode at the back but in the center. A few had women riding with them. It was when the last guy passed our car that I realized they were wearing the same patch as all the guys who’d been next to us all weekend.
You know… the same patch as Styx.
Of course, that had my heart flip-flopping and my legs clenching together, wondering if any of them were him.
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
I was on my way back to my world. That night was a memory for the female spank bank and not to be mentioned in the light of day.
Besides, he could have been one of the ones with a chick on his bike. Ugh!
***
I’d been back at work for over a month. Lordy, was I ready for another weekend getaway. I’d been stressed as hell since coming back.
Every time I got called down to the office for something I was afraid they were going to have me take a drug test. I couldn’t believe I’d been so drunk that night that I’d smoked weed. I’d never done that before in my life.
And like a dumbass, I really missed Styx. He starred in my every fantasy, except good old BOB didn’t deliver near as good as he had.
Honestly, it left me more frustrated than satisfied.
My job itself—usually fulfilling—hadn’t helped either. The kids had been forces to be reckoned with. I wasn’t sure if it was because they’d recently had their Thanksgiving break and Christmas break was closing in, or if it was the unusually cold weather for Central Texas. Whatever the reason, I was ready to scream. And if I didn’t get my coffee soon, I was going to be dangerous.
The drive-thru line at Starbucks was moving slower than molasses. Deciding it might be faster to just go inside, I pulled out of the line and parked.
Fighting the bitter wind, I barged in the door with a shiver.
As I headed to the register where there was only one person waiting, I started to unwrap my scarf, and of course while it was over my face I ran smack-dab into a solid wall of man.
“Oh my God! I’m so sorry!” As I raised my eyes to the poor guy I’d damn near tackled, my breath caught in my throat. “You!”
“Well, hello, beautiful.” That sexy drawl that had haunted my dreams poured over me like warm cara-mel. Except remembering the dark-haired girl, I bristled.
“Don’t you ‘hello beautiful’ me.” I quickly turned my back to him and placed my order.
“Add a Toasted White Chocolate Mocha to that.” A large tattooed hand reached over my shoulder and handed the barista some cash.
“No! Don’t you let him pay for my drink!” I turned to him in a mixture of outrage and shock. “And what the hell kind of drink is t
hat for a big bad biker dude?”
“You’re judging my manhood by the coffee I drink?” The mock offended expression on his face had me scowling. He turned to the barista, who looked like she had no idea what she should do. “Add a Red-Eye to that too.”
“No!”
“Yes.”
“Umm….” The poor young girl at the register kept glancing from me to him. Back and forth before I finally had pity on her.
“Whatever.” Crossing my arms in front of me, I just wanted my damn Peppermint Mocha. I needed my Peppermint Mocha or I might lose my shit.
As our coffees were being created, I stepped back to wait. Though I tried my damnedest to ignore him, my eyes strayed to his tall form. They darted sneakily in his direction and my body reacted embarrassingly to his proximity.
What the hell was he doing here?
“You never said you lived in Leander.” That voice. Oh muh Gawwwd.
Panties. Melted.
“It never exactly came up. You didn’t say you lived here either.” Dry sarcasm was heavy in my tone.
“Actually, I don’t. I lived in Cedar Park. But I’m heading up to Liberty Hill to my buddy’s shop.”
Again my mouth hung open. “You live in Cedar Park?” I worked in Cedar Park. Jesus. I began to wonder how many times our paths had crossed before that night in November, and we’d had no idea.
“Oh so the frou-frou drink must be for your girlfriend.” The snide tone that snuck out had me mentally kicking myself. Telling myself it didn’t matter, I still wondered if she was waiting out in a vehicle for him.
“Girlfriend? I don’t have a fucking girlfriend.” He snorted.
“Oh my God, watch your language!” I was too worried about his vulgar words in public to allow what he’d said to really sink in.
When he stepped into my space and his hands wrapped around my waist, I sucked in a surprised breath. Just as a hand slid across my ass, the barista called my name. Rushing over to the counter to collect my steaming cup of goodness and sanity, I couldn’t have been more relieved.
As I made to move around him to exit the store, he stepped in my path again. “Jesus, would you move? I have to get to work!”
Twisted Tales of Mayhem Page 77
