We step into the clubhouse and into the office I normally share with Rock and Wrath. My desk’s neat and clean. Almost looks like no one’s ever used it.
“You’ve done a good job, Z. Putting Rooster as your VP was a smart move. Keeping Steer as SAA too. If he has a strong leader to,” he laughs, “steer him in the right direction, I think he’ll do good things.”
“I do too. He’s all about club first.”
“Good. We need that.”
“Think Sway will fuck it all up when he gets out?”
His mouth flattens into a grim line. “It’s possible. He’ll want to swing his dick around and prove he’s the better president. Even if he’s been spoutin’ off all this soul-searching bullshit. Once he’s back in that cut, he’ll miss being in charge.”
“Looking forward to handing his patch back to him, but I’m gonna be pissed if he undoes all the hard work I put in.”
Rock stares at me for a second, then puts his hand on my shoulder. Opens his mouth, then seems to think of something else. “Let’s get you clear of these charges, then we can worry about what we’re going to do with Sway when he’s better.”
My stomach clenches. It almost sounds like he doesn’t think I’ll ever be coming back.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Z
As she promised, Lala spread the word to club girls far and wide that downstate would be ready to party. I don’t want to be anywhere near the place tonight.
Steer’s my SAA and I want to give him the chance to investigate things. If I’m not satisfied, I can always show up tomorrow.
Honestly, I’m partied out. Especially since the charges are still hanging over my head. But it’s been a rough few months and the brothers seem to be enjoying themselves. I don’t want to put a damper on their fun. Not everything’s about me. The brotherhood comes first.
Doesn’t mean I need to stick around and watch bunnies deepthroat brothers like there’s a shortage of dicks on the horizon.
I’m out of here in the next few minutes. Lilly stayed home and I want to be with her way more than I want drunk chicks hanging all over me, begging to suck my cock.
I say good night to Rooster and head for the door.
One particularly slinky chick blocks my path. “Hey, Z,” she coos. “It’s amazing you’re out.”
The way she says it isn’t all that reassuring. Who the fuck is this bitch?
“So, I don’t know if anyone told you, but your woman was real cozy with the big, bearded Irish one,” the girl says. That description could apply to more than one brother in this club, but she helpfully points one of her long, pointy fake nails in Murphy’s direction to clarify.
Since the idea of Murphy cheating on Heidi, touching another brother’s old lady, or betraying me is absolutely absurd, I laugh in the girl’s face.
“Honey, I don’t know who the fuck you are, but you need to watch the shit that comes out of your mouth before you get hurt,” I warn.
“What do you mean, Z?” she whines. “We’ve hung out plenty of times. Before you were shackled down.”
I look her over from head to toe again. My past is plenty colorful and it’s not exactly a secret that I appreciate females in every form. But this one? There’s something not quite right about her and as much as I enjoyed whoring around before Lilly, I usually avoided the ones who gave me the coo-coo vibe. “Where would that be?”
“Down in Arizona. Florida. Couple different places.”
“Haven’t been down that way in a while.”
“Well, it was a few years back. The big Sunshine biker rally.” She pouts. “You really don’t remember me?”
What’d she say her name was? “Jessie—”
“Josey,” she corrects.
Fuck me. This is the one Lilly had a bad feeling about. “Right! Josey, now I remember you.” I flash a smile, hoping a little charm will coax some information out of her. “What have you been up to?”
My gaze scans the room, seeking Steer and not finding his big, shaved head anywhere in sight. Fuck.
“Nothing. I was worried about you. Heard you were in county. That’s no fun.”
It takes balls to walk up to a biker and start asking about any time he’s spent inside. Balls or stupidity. “Yeah, how’d you hear about that?”
She puts her hands up. “I dunno. People were talking about it. I wanted to come see you—”
“I’m glad you didn’t.”
She flinches at my bluntness, but too bad. That’s the last fucking thing I needed. Sure, some inmates are thrilled to have any random woman on the outside come pay a visit. I can’t think of anything more irritating in that situation.
“What’s your last name, Josey?”
She bites her lip and looks away.
Before I get an answer out of her, another girl loops her arms around one of mine. “Hi, Z!” she shouts in my ear, hanging onto me like dead weight. “Welcome home!”
I extract myself from her embrace and put a few inches between us.
“That’s my bestie, Sasha.” Josey leans in. “The three of us used to have a lot of fun together.”
Definitely possible. Still don’t recognize the one in front of me. I glance down at the other one. Maybe she looks a little familiar? Although, clingy has never been my preference either.
“Have fun tonight.” I point in the general direction of Stitch, poor prospect. “Go introduce yourself to Stitch.”
“He’s a prospect,” Sasha whines.
Josey wrinkles her nose. “We came to see you.”
“Well, that’s a shame. I’m not interested.”
“At least come dance with us?” Josey pleads, reaching for me again.
“No.” I shake both of them off.
The clingy one pouts at me. “You used to be a lot more fun.”
Josey glances around the crowded clubhouse. “I don’t see whats-her-face, so what’s the problem?”
It’s no secret club girls can be nasty to old ladies and vice versa. Some bikers enjoy provoking that animosity. Must make their dicks feel bigger or something.
My dick’s plenty big and I’m not letting anyone get away with disrespecting Lilly.
“You need to watch that attitude, Jessie—”
“Josey.”
“I don’t give a fuck.” I’m so done with this. I’ll send Steer over to interrogate them or throw them out. Don’t care which at this point. “You show the old ladies respect, or you can go party somewhere else. Are we clear?”
Someone’s hand lands on my back and I’m about to toss it off and snarl at whoever it is.
“Run along, girls.” Lilly’s sultry voice wraps around me. “My man’s made himself clear.” I reach back and pull her to my side.
Sasha’s already slinking away, but Josey glares in defiance too long for my taste.
“Do I need to have Steer show you the door?” I ask, loud enough that a few people stop and stare.
“Is there a pro
blem, Prez?” Steer rumbles.
Finally.
I give him a where-the-fuck-you-been glare and nod at Josey. “This is Josey. She’s looking to hang with a patched-member.”
He barely restrains himself from rolling his eyes. “That right?”
“No, I was here to see Z.”
“Well he’s busy, darlin’.” He curls one tree-trunk sized arm around her shoulder and yanks her away.
Christ, I’m happy to see Lilly. Although, when I turn and face her, she doesn’t seem to share my joy. “Really fucking happy to see you.”
Her murderous expression softens a bit. “I’d say I’m happy to see you, but I kind of want to throttle you at the moment.”
I blow out a breath. “I was only talking to her because—”
“I know why.” She leans in. “That’s why I didn’t chop off your dick yet.”
“Yet, huh?” I raise an eyebrow. There isn’t a woman in this room who would dare say something like that to me. Only Lilly.
“What did you find out?” She takes my hand and pulls me toward one of the corner bar stools. Unfortunately, tonight she’s wearing jeans that I can’t slide my hands under. Sexy, tight-as-fuck jeans with rips and bits of plaid patches on the legs. Tall, black combat boots that hug her calves that make her legs look even longer and one of my LOKI T-shirts, knotted at the waist.
“You look hot,” I whisper against her ear.
“Focus, Z.” She pushes me onto the stool and leans against me. “Did you learn anything useful other than her cup size?”
“Now you’re just being ridiculous.” I signal one of the girls to bring us two waters. “Where’s Chance?”
“Next door with Teller and Charlotte.” She glares across the room where Steer seems to be giving Josey a vigorous interrogation that she’s not thrilled about. “I wanted to surprise you.”
“You did. I was on my way out.”
“Looked like it.”
“Hey.” I capture her wrists and yank her closer, forcing her to meet my eyes. “Are you fucking around or being serious?”
“I don’t know.” She blows out a puff of minty breath. “She’s been a bitch to me since the first time I met her so I really, really can’t stand her even talking to you. And when I saw her touch you…” Her voice trails off and she shakes her head. “It actually scared me a little how much I wanted to murder her.”