Zach (Hell's Handlers MC 1)

Maverick didn’t even pretend to disguise his laughter and Zach let out a snicker or two as well.

“Oh, shut up. You know what I mean, you jerks.” With a huff, Toni snatched the menus, spun on her heel, and stomped away. This time Zach let himself watch the twitch and sway of her curvy ass as she stomped.

“You better watch yourself, brother,” Mav said before taking a sip of his black coffee. “Oh man, that’s damn good java.”

“Watch myself how?” Hot liquid filled his mouth and he wanted to moan. Good java was an understatement. This was caffeine of the gods.

“With that little filly over there. She’s the kinda woman you go after looking for a good time and before you know it you’re buying a long chain for her to hitch to her very heavy ball.”

Zach scoffed. “No worries. She’s leaving in five weeks. I’m not looking for any shackles. Unless it’s to tie her to my bed.”

Now it was Maverick’s turn to laugh. “We’ll see.”

Mav could think what he wanted, but Zach had one focus in his life at that moment. And that was his club. Fucking was fucking, but the club was his world.

They chatted about nothing but pointless bullshit while waiting for their meal. Thinking about anything but the Gray Dragons and the way they were fucking up his life was exactly what Zach needed. He’d spent the better part of the past three days putting processes in place to drive the heroin out of his town. And he’d spent some time with a few Gray Dragon members as well.

Zach had left them walking, but a bit more colorful and with a good fewer ounces of blood than they’d shown up with. Nothing that wouldn’t heal in a week or so, but Zach had to make sure they knew their presence wasn’t welcome in Double H territory.

“Here you go, gentlemen,” Shell said as she set a heaping plate of food down in front of each of them.

“Whoa, you guys don’t fuck around, do you?” Mav asked as he snatched up his fork and knife, licking his chops like a hungry bear.

Shell laughed. “No, Toni said she wants each person here to leave with pants unbuttoned.”

Christ. Was every comment destined to be an innuendo that day? Zach would do just about anything to get his pants unbuttoned around Toni. But she’d sent Shell over with their food. A message? A dismissal? Who the fuck knew? Though growing pickier and pickier about who he spent his naked time with, Zach never had a problem attracting a woman when he wanted one. They pretty much dove head first into his bed, losing all clothes on the way.

Apparently, he wasn’t doing an adequate job at hiding his disappointment. “Don’t worry, big guy,” Shell said. “Toni’s not blowing you off. She got a phone call from that guy she dumped. I left her in the kitchen rolling her eyes so far back in her head, they probably made a full revolution.”

Well, she hadn’t given him the brush off. That was a step in the right direction, but the ex calling pissed him off. For a moment, he thought about busting into the kitchen and taking care of that phone call for her, but a stern look and a wag of a finger from Shell kept him in his place.

“Eat,” she said. “Stay in your seat. Do not cause trouble for my new friend and maybe I’ll see what I can do to help you get in good with her. Okay?”

Mav snorted and Zach bit his lip to keep the foul curse inside.

He didn’t jump through hoops for a woman. If Toni didn’t want him, who cared?

“Oh. My. Fucking. God.” Maverick moaned like he was in the throes of an orgasm and placed his fork and knife on either side of his plate. His eyelids dropped closed and he let his head fall backward. “Keep talking. I just need a moment.”

“You are such a dork.” Shell swatted him with her order pad, but she was smiling. It was nice to see. Both before and after she left Townsend for the few years she was gone, she’d had a haunted look to her. Everyone in town attributed it to her unrequited love for Copper, but Zach was never fully convinced that’s all it was. After moving back home six months ago, she’d gradually come into herself and now resembled the happy girl he’d grown up knowing. Some ghost still haunted her, but it was in the background now. Maybe someday she’d bring it to the club.

And then they’d take care of it.

Because no matter how screwed up Copper was when it came to his feelings for Shell, he’d slay any dragon that came her way. No matter how hot the fire they breathed.

“Try it, Zach. If I’m going to die, make sure it’s right after I’ve eaten these waffles. No.” He shook his head and picked up his utensils once again. “Make sure I’ve fucked that new chick whose been hanging around the club this week, then had these waffles. Then, I could go with no regrets.”