Zero Hour (Lost Kings MC 11.5)

“Yeah, I got it.” Rock holds up a hand. “Christ.”

An hour later, we’re in Rock’s SUV headed downtown, still bantering like brothers. Well, more like Wrath and I are heckling Rock. He is after all, the oldest brother, therefore gets the most abuse from us.

“You worried about her hanging with Sophie?” Wrath asks Rock in a lower voice. Sophie is Lilly’s best friend, so I perk up at her name.

“Nah, if she was going to say something, she woulda said it by now.”

“You should tell her,” Wrath says. “She sounds like a two-faced bitch. Hope doesn’t need that in her life.”

“Aw, look at you defending Hope, when a few months ago you were trying to chase her away,” I tease.

“Shut up.” Wrath reaches back to smack me, but I duck out range. “That cast is slowing down all your reflexes,” I taunt.

He twists and turns his big, bulky body and almost grasps my ankle.

“Do you two need to go back to high school?” Rock asks in a bored tone. He reaches over and wraps his hand around Wrath’s forearm, squeezing hard enough to get his attention. “Simmer down.”

“He started it.”

“Jesus.” Rock thunks his head against his seat. He makes the final turn down narrow, one-way Hamilton street, cursing as we hit about fifteen different potholes. “I hate downtown.”

“There’s a spot right in front.” I point.

Rock smacks my hand away from his face. “I’m not fucking blind. I see it, jackass.”

“You’re really dying to see this chick, huh?” Wrath asks me.

“I don’t want to drive around the block all night looking for a spot. That’s all.”

“Yeah,” Rock says in a dry tone, clearly not buying my bullshit. “Okay.”

* * *

Lilly

Hope turned about as pink as her dress when we gave her the bag of goodies. Mara high-fived me and we giggled like schoolgirls.

Sophie—I’m not sure what to do about her. She drank way too much way too fast and has said a number of obnoxious things. Hope’s friend, Trinity keeps eyeing Sophie like she’s waiting for an opportunity to slap the shit out of her.

When I have a moment, I elbow Sophie in the ribs. “What’s gotten into you?”

“A lot of Vodka.” She grins at me and holds up her glass.

“No, shit. Knock it off.”

Hope’s toast. She claims she had two margaritas, but I’m pretty sure she’s counting the same glass twice. She’s always been a lightweight. “You need to sober up, so you can use those toys,” I say.

She gives me a glassy-eyed smile. “I don’t need toys.” She holds her hands about two feet apart. “My fiancé has a huge—”

Mara bursts into giggles. “I knew it!”

“Who has a huge cock?” Mara’s friend, Ross, asks.

Hope tries to point to herself but almost falls out of her chair. “My husband.”

Trinity rolls her eyes and shakes her head. “Rock’s gonna need that paddle tonight,” she mutters.

Hope leans over like she has a secret to share with the table and points at Trinity. “Her boyfriend has got to be hung like a moose.”

Trinity’s cheeks flame red. “He’s not my boyfriend.”

“But he is hung like a moose?” Ross asks. “Just to clarify.”

“He’s your moosefriend.” Mara giggles.

Even Trinity’s laughing now. “That makes no sense.”

“Tell Princess Bubble Yum over there,” Mara says, pointing at Hope’s blinding pink dress. “Hey, wake her up.”

“Has she always been like this?” Trinity asks Mara.

“Can’t hold her tequila?” Mara hiccups. “Yup.”

Eventually, Hope sobers up a little. Just in time for Rock to join the party. The two of them are disgustingly sweet together. As hard as I try not to look at the door, searching to see if Z came with his friend, my gaze strays. I’m not disappointed when he joins us a few seconds later.

“How you been, pretty girl?” he asks against my ear as soon as he gets close enough.

Maybe I’ve had too much to drink. I swear his voice vibrates right down to my toes.

“Thud!” Mara yelps.

I shoot a glare at her and she laughs even louder. Thankfully, no one else knows what she’s babbling about.

“Hi, Z,” Sophie slides closer and wiggles her fingers at him. “You look good.”

“How you doing, Sophie?” he asks with just enough interest to be polite, but not flirtatious.

Why should I care if he flirted with Sophie anyway?

I reach for my glass and down the rest of my drink. Z gives me a more careful look. “Are you driving home?”

“My car’s outside.” That doesn’t really answer the question.

“I’ll take you home.” He leans in closer. “Or you can come home with me.”

“I’m still over at my parking garage.” Sophie gestures wildly in the direction of her office building.

“You don’t look like you’re in any condition to drive,” Z says.

Am I terrible for wishing Sophie hadn’t gotten drunk, so I could be alone with Z? For being a little annoyed with her for so desperately trying to grab his attention when she knows we have…well, whatever we have.

Mara, Rock, Hope, and Trinity have already ventured outside. I wanted to have a second alone with Z, but Sophie doesn’t seem to be leaving any time soon.

“I’m fine.” Sophie slams back the rest of her drink and wobbles to her feet. “Unless you want to extend the invitation?” She wiggles her eyebrows and my hands tighten into fists under the table.

She’s drunk. She’s not doing it on purpose.

“We’ve been there before, right Lil?” She bumps into my shoulder and I push her away.

“Cut it out.”

Sophie waves her finger in my direction. “She looks all professional now. But she was a wild girl back in the day.”

“I believe you,” Z says in a calm tone. Not the leering way I think Sophie was trying to coax out of him.

“You girls all right?” Ross asks.

“I got ‘em,” Z answers. He stands and holds his hand out to me. “Come on, let’s get her home.”

“I don’t want to go home,” Sophie pouts.

“You’ll be unconscious by the time we get on the Northway.”

I lean under the table and grab my bag and purse. Z watches and takes both out of my hands when I sit up.

“You don’t have to do that.”

“It’s fine. Come on. I’ll drive you home.”

“Then how are you going to get home?”

He leans in, brushing his lips against my e

ar, sending shivers down to my nipples. “Maybe a certain pretty girl will invite me to stay?”

“Maybe.” I pull back and he shifts his gaze to Sophie. His way, I think, of saying let’s deal with her first.

Outside, we say a quick goodnight to everyone and head toward my car.

Z pulls my keys out of my hand as we get closer.

“Take us up to the clubhouse, Z,” Sophie begs, attempting to jump on Z’s back.

“Not tonight, ladies.” He carefully slides her off of his back and steadies her before she falls over.

“I thought you were more fun.” Sophie pouts.

He holds the back door open for her. “Try not to barf back there.” Shaking his head, he walks around to the other side and opens my door. “You feel all right?”

“I didn’t drink close to the amount she did.”

“Good.”

I lift my foot to step into the car and Z stops me with a hand around my waist. “You look pretty. Is this what you wore to work today?”

My cheeks burn with pleasure. “Changed my shoes. And jacket.”

“I should visit you down here more often.”

My heart skips. What would that look like? Would I take him to my favorite spot for lunch? Introduce him to my colleagues? Would he even want me to?

I think Z assumes my hesitation means I’d be embarrassed to be seen with him and he pulls away. “Never mind.”

“No.” I curl my fingers around his arm, holding him in place. “Friday afternoons are usually the easiest for me to take a long lunch.”

His eyes widen. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” I whisper.

“I don’t feel so good!” Sophie yells from the backseat.

I groan and slide into the car while Z chuckles.

Zero

“So where are we going next?” Sophie asks, popping up and resting her hand on my shoulder.

“We’re taking you home.” I brush her hand off my shoulder.

“Really?” Her high-pitched girlish voice cuts through the air like a knife. Isn’t she the same age as Hope and Lilly? Shit, this chick is annoying. “You’re going to have fun without me?”

“Taking Lilly home right after you.”

I glance over, but Lilly’s staring out the window.