Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 77106 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77106 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
I wanted to be in a biker club for the fighting and the fucking, not scrubbing the bathroom.
“Do we know anything else about the brothers?” Velle asked.
“Not much. They have been known for being rough-and-tumble types. Seeley said he has heard about them from the old neighborhood.”
“Are they connected to a crew there?”
“No. They’ve always operated by themselves, doing odd jobs for whoever paid best. Sounds like they’re interested in something more stable. And, I imagine, brotherhood.”
“Sounds good,” Velle said. “Always happy to have more family around.”
“Less leftovers to have to throw out,” Eddie agreed.
“Like there’s ever anything left over,” Huck said, shaking his head. “They should make it here by Friday. I expect you guys to show them a good time. And give me your first impressions.”
“Got it,” York agreed.
“Good. Let me know if anyone hears anything else about that damn construction,” he said, waving toward the front of the house before making his way out back.
“We can bring ‘em to check out that new bar down the road,” I said, trying to decide if it was close enough to walk if we got trashed there. “Find some girls. You got friends, honey?” I asked, making the girl—who’d been pretending she wasn’t actively listening—look over.
“I have friends.”
“Any chance they want to party on Friday?”
“Depends.” She shot me a flirty smile.
“On?”
“If you’re going to serve anything other than whiskey and beer.”
“Baby, you can have anything you want,” I said, watching her cheeks go pink.
“Margaritas?”
“You’re in luck. Eddie makes some bomb-ass margaritas. Can even put a little umbrella in ‘em if you want.”
“Well then… I think I can round up a friend or two.”
“That’a girl. I’m gonna go grab a shower. Wanna join?” I asked, only partly teasing.
To that, she cast an unsure look toward York, who was checking something on his phone. She’d clearly warmed his bed the night before.
“Open invitation for anytime in the future,” I said, shrugging, then making my way upstairs.
“Oh, hey,” Cherry said, nearly plowing into me in the upstairs hall.
An experienced club girl, she brought a change of clothes in her bag so she didn’t have to do a walk of shame in last night’s club dress. She was changed into one of those romper things I liked because you got a girl naked in one quick motion. That said, her hair was a mess, and her black liner was smudged.
“Hey, Cher. Eddie’s cooking. Seems like Candy is staying for food, if she’s your ride.”
Cherry turned her wrist to check her smart watch. “Shit. I’m gonna need to get a ride-share then.”
“Shower can wait. You want a ride?” I asked, always up to go out on my bike.
“Oh, that’d be great. Don’t you want to grab a shirt?”
“Why? You don’t wanna look at this?” I asked, waving down at myself.
“I was thinking more of how you’d be out of commission for months with road rash…”
“Fair enough,” I agreed. I ducked into my room, grabbed my shirt and cut, then headed down with her. “You hear we’re getting new prospects?”
“Oh, yeah? They cute?”
“Haven’t met them yet. But you can see for yourself on Friday. You should bring some friends.”
“Why? You having trouble pulling your own women?” she teased.
“Baby girl, have you seen me?” I asked, getting a laugh out of her.
“I have, in fact. Every last inch. And as much as I don’t think you need the ego boost, you’re right. Have I mentioned how glad I am that you haven’t gotten yourself an old lady yet?”
“Yet? Try never,” I said as we made it to my bike.
“Oh, you totally just jinxed yourself.”
“Never gonna happen,” I insisted as she slid close, arms going tight around me.
“That’s what they all say,” she warned. “Right before they fall flat on their faces for some woman who comes crashing into their lives.”
I had to admit she was right about the rest of the guys in the club.
But I never saw myself settling down.
There was way too much hell to raise still.
I didn’t need a girl to put a wrench in those plans.
CHAPTER TWO
Zoe
Two beds, a mini fridge, and a coffee machine.
It was a step up from the last rent-by-the-week motels we’d been staying in.
“What do you think, Lainey?” I asked, leaning down to press my lips to her mostly bald head. “Not too shabby, right?”
I mean, it wasn’t great.
The whole thing looked straight out of the seventies. I was half-expecting to find some newspaper on the nightstand with headlines about the Hillside Strangler.
But, hey, while the orange-tinted paneled walls were kind of tragic, and the pea-green drapes in no way matched the canary yellow bedspread, it all seemed reasonably clean. Even the carpet (beige wall-to-wall in a heavy-traffic motel room was certainly a choice) was almost spotless and had comfortingly fresh vacuum lines on it.
The TV was a good decade old and screwed to the top of a dresser bench, which provided a second seating area, aside from the two full beds.