“Maverick is a bad fucking influence. You used to be much nicer.”
Stephanie’s cheeks pinked.
He needed to get the damn things off, so… “She cuffed me, obviously. Then she left. I broke the fucking bed then drove here to get them off which was clearly a mistake.” He turned to Maverick. “You gonna help me or what?” Rocket held his right hand up, cuff swinging in Maverick’s face.
“You know,” Mav said as he grabbed Rocket’s wrist, spinning the cuff to find the keyhole. “Didn’t figure you for the submissive type. Tell me, brother, did she wear leather? Oooh maybe latex?” Mav bobbed his eyebrows. “She whip ya? Maybe drizzle you with candle wax? Damn, baby,” he said over his shoulder. “We may have to kick everyone out sooner than I planned.”
Stephanie’s face flamed even darker, but the heat in her eyes was unmistakable.
One cuff off. Rocket destroyed the enamel on his molars as he held up the other wrist.
“Let’s see,” Zach said, passing his beer to his ol’ lady, Toni. He darted across the room, and before Rocket had a chance to figure out what Zach’s intentions were, his shirt was being lifted and Zach was inspecting his skin, no doubt for red splotches.
“Huh,” Zach said, dodging Rocket’s swat. “Looks like bondage is his only kink.” He rose to his full height which was about a half inch taller than Rocket. “Unless the marks are somewhere we can’t see.”
“You touch my pants, and you’ll be looking for a surrogate to fuck your woman.”
“Hmm,” Toni said from across the room with a sly smile. Rocket had always admired her. The slender five-foot-five woman could handle their MC’s tough as nails enforcer with one arm tied behind her back. “Would I get to pick who he was?” One light brown eyebrow rose, but she kept her face neutral otherwise.
“Hey!” Zach turned to her. “You’re supposed to be on my side.”
“I am totally on your side, babe,” Toni said with exaggerated sweetness. “It’s just, if he does unman you, I’d like some say in who will take your place in our bed.” She gave him an owl-eyed innocent smile.
“Fuck that,” Zach growled. “He rips off my dick, I’ll bronze it and still fuck you with it.”
Toni’s expression morphed into one of disgust. “Sorry, Rocket, you’re on your own. Having your back isn’t worth the risk.”
“So, you were trying to help him?” Zach stalked over to her. “Toss me those cuffs when you’re done, Mav. Someone needs to be taught a lesson.”
The sound of the second handcuff being released was eclipsed by Toni’s husky laughter.
Jesus, it was like he’d stepped into a fucking soft-core porno flick. “Knock yourself out,” he said, tossing the cuffs to Zach who caught both one handed while trying to sneak his other hand under Toni’s blouse.
“Hey, Rocket, all kidding aside, are you okay?” Stephanie asked, teasing gone. The room grew quiet.
Fuck, he wasn’t about to talk about any of the shit going on in his head. He knew he had to answer for some of his erratic behavior lately, but he’d be doing that with Copper, and Copper alone. “I’m good, babe. No need to worry about me. You got more than enough to worry about right there.” He pointed to Maverick who slid his arm around his woman’s waist and tugged her close.
They were tight. All his brothers had close relationships with their ol’ ladies. Beyond close. When they patched in, every man pledged to put the club above all else, relationships included, but Rocket had no doubt their priorities shifted when they claimed their women. He’d never experienced a relationship like that. Where there was one person who meant the entire world to him. One person he valued above all. In the military, he’d learned to trust and work with his brothers in arms, to function as a team before an individual. Then again in the MC, the brotherhood was strong and bonded by fire and blood. He’d lay down his life for any of his brothers, or even their women, as he’d have done for his fellow Marines.
But the connections his brothers had with their women were different. He couldn’t fully explain it because he’d never experienced it, but it was even more than being willing to die for someone. It was being willing to live for them.
He ran a hand down his face. Jesus, he needed some fucking sleep.
“Wanna hang for a while?” Mav asked.
With all the monogamy? Fuck no. “Nah, I’m out, brother.”
“Hey,” Zach said as Rocket started for the door.
He stopped and faced his brother.
“Prez wants to talk to you Monday afternoon. You free?”
Ahh, his day of reckoning had finally come. “I can move some stuff around.” With so much going on lately, including being gravely injured, Copper hadn’t set the time aside to talk to, or chew the ass off Rocket.