Dance With The Devil (Devil's Riders 4)

“It’s not like you to get so sloppy .”

I moaned. Dev was right. Even this past year when I’d drank myself to sleep almost every night. I never got falling down drunk though. I would have been embarrassed but I was past caring .

But he didn’t see the way Becky had looked at me. Like I’d ripped her heart out and not vice versa. Like I was the bad guy .

I didn’t want to be the bad guy .

Especially not her bad guy .

“She hates me. Dunno why .”

Jack and Donnie exchanged a look. Dev frowned. Callaway shook his head at me .

“No woman hates a man without a damn good reason .”

Donnie leaned on the bar, giving me a harsh look .

“Yeah, Whiskey. Were you a pig with sweet little Becky ?”

“No, man. I fucking love her .”

Callaway let go of my shirt and I nearly fell off my stool .

“Jesus, Whiskey. Love? I didn’t know .”

Jack helped me sit up again. His deep voice rumbled. I kind of thought of him as a big brother, even though he only had a couple inches on me, technically speaking .

“ I did .”

Of course he did. Jack saw everything. Knew everything , too .

Callaway wagged a finger at him .

“Still waters run deep , man .”

Jack just snorted .

“I don’t know what I did. I honestly do not know.” I looked at Dev, ready to beg. I was still slurring but I could get the point across. “Can you ask Kaylie? She’s friends with her .”

Dev rubbed his chin .

“I can ask, but I doubt she’ll tell me. I had no idea that Janet was after Jack back in the day. Those girls stick close together .”

Then Callaway came up with a bright idea. Or not, judging from the glare he got from Donahue .

“Ask Sally. She used to be tight with Becky. They worked together the longest .”

Donnie’s jaw clenched .

“Sorry man, is she going by Laura now ?”

“No. It’s fine. But she’s way too loyal to spill it, even if she did know .”

I grabbed someone’s beer and chugged it. I liked Sally. After everything she’d been through, she decided to keep her new name and start over as Sally Donahue .

Not that she was afraid anymore. She knew she had the entire club behind her. She’d said she was a different person now, and her new name felt right. Even if it started out as a lie .

The girls probably all knew why Becky hated me. Hell, they probably hated me too. I groaned .

I was never going to get anyone to help me with this .

“Just ask her what you did. If you can’t remember, it can’t have been that bad .”

“Maybe she’s hormonal.” Callaway snickered .

I glared at him. So did all the married guys. Cal didn’t understand women. Hell, neither did I .

“Not the time , man .”

Jack growled. I almost laughed, even though I was so miserable. Janet was pregnant again. This was going to be number four for them .

Unless she had another set of twins .

Jack loved those little carrot tops. It was beyond entertaining to watch them crawl all over him at barbecues. He was terrifying looking, but he softened right up for those kidlets .

It was funny as hell .

“Give me a shot .”

Callaway slapped my back .

“Me too, Big D .”

Donnie shrugged and poured out a couple shots of tequila. He didn’t drink much anymore either. All my friends were way too settled .

Grown up. Happy. Lucky fucking bastards .

I was the only one who didn’t have a woman other than Callaway. He was a maniac though, with a different club girl every might. That’s who he was, and he had no intension of ever changing. The guy was happy as a clam, but it seemed like an empty life to me .

I wanted more than that .

The truth was I wanted a wife. Maybe even a family if I was lucky enough. At this rate, I never would get what I craved. I didn’t want any of that with anyone else though .

I wanted it with Becky .

“We’ll sit right right here and figure this out, big buddy .”

“I’ve been trying and I can’t. I can’t think of a damn thing .”

Jack and Dev said goodnight soon after and an hour later Donnie locked up the top shelf liquor, like he always did before he took off. He clocked out early now, swapping spots with the late night bartender, a new prospect named George .

George was so new, he didn’t even have a nickname yet .

“Hey, before you go Donnie.” Callaway grinned at him. “Leave us a bottle of the good stuff .”

Donahue shook his head, giving us a reproachful look. But then he unlocked the top shelf cabinet and slid a mostly full bottle of silver tequila down the bar to us .