Rhythm of the Road (Lost Kings MC 16)

After a second or two, he answers, “Seduced my babysitter.”

“Daaamn. Respect.” Ravage holds out his fist, which Rock ignores. “How old were you?”

Rock’s gaze settles across the fire on Teller “Old enough, apparently.” His stone-cold tone leaves no doubt he’s done contributing to the game.

Ravage doesn’t seem to be able to read his prez’s mood too well. His gaze lands on Hope next. “First Lady, care to share?”

Rock throws him a threatening scowl, but his wife is also game tonight. She laughs and rests her arm on his chest, not that she could hold him back if he decides to permanently shut Ravage up. “Afraid I’m another teenage cliché. Prom night. High school boyfriend.”

“How very all-American of you.” Ravage nods his approval.

Hope lifts one shoulder in a careless shrug. “Nothing to write home about.”

Lilly leans out of Z’s lap and turns toward Hope. “Let me guess—fast, awkward, and orgasm-less?”

“Pretty much.”

Jigsaw raises his hands toward the sky, sermon-style. “Except for Rooster’s girlfriend—”

“Ex-girlfriend, jackass,” I snarl.

“Yeah, yeah. His ex.” Jigsaw jerks his thumb in my direction, “Except for her, I’ve never left a woman hanging.”

“That you know of,” Charlotte adds.

“Yeah, I highly doubt you could tell the difference, bro,” Z says.

Ignoring the digs to his manhood, Jigsaw searches the group for his next victim. Ravage leans in and slaps his shoulder. “Skip Sparky. He’s still a virgin.”

“That’s not what your mom said,” Sparky retorts with a raised middle finger.

I choke on my own laughter.

Steer volunteers next. “Fifteen with the preacher’s daughter.”

“Nice.” Ravage tips his beer in Steer’s direction.

“Murphy, you’re awfully quiet over there,” Jigsaw sings out, ignoring the murder faces from half the group.

“Fuck off,” Murphy growls without lifting his head.

“His math tutor,” Teller answers in a bored tone.

“English!” Murphy corrects.

“Little Hammer?” Jigsaw calls out to Heidi. Brother just doesn’t know when to quit. Asking Heidi a question like that’s bound to get him knocked out by either Murphy or Teller.

Heidi doesn’t bother to sit up either. “Prom night cliché.”

Teller’s eyes widen, and he slowly turns his head. “I fuckin’ knew it, you little liar.”

“Get over it, big brother.” She flicks her wrist in his direction in a dismissive gesture.

When the rest of us stop laughing, Charlotte waves her hand in the air, catching Jigsaw’s eye. “Not to rain on your pervert parade, but you realize not everyone’s first time might have been as pleasant and humorous as yours, right?”

That wipes the smile off Jiggy’s face. Yeah, he’s an asshole but he’s not completely insensitive.

Trinity raises her hand. “Mom’s bed with her thirty-five-year-old boyfriend when I was thirteen.”

Wrath squeezes her to his side and whispers something in her ear.

“Fuck,” Jigsaw mutters. “Where’s that dirtbag now?”

Rock’s the one who answers, “In the ground where he belongs.”

And that closes the coffin lid on that conversation.

“Football’s big in Texas, right, Shelby?” Sparky asks, smoothing over the awkward moment.

“Practically a religion.”

“Do you even know which one football is, Sparky?” Ravage asks.

“Yeah. There’s a ball.” Sparky’s indignant tone cracks us all up.

“Were you a cheerleader?” Jigsaw asks Shelby. “I bet you were. You have that cheerleader look.”

“Nope.” She shakes her head, blond curls flying around. “Couldn’t afford to buy a hummingbird on a string for a nickel, let alone those cute little cheerleader outfits. Besides, I was too busy workin’ and singin’ where I could.” She points her soda can at Jiggy. “I did sing the national anthem at several games, though.”

“How long are you on this current tour, Shelby?” Z asks.

She hesitates and darts a nervous look my way before answering. “Couple more months. Then I’m supposed to go into the studio. After that, my manager’s trying to get me on another tour.”

All those plans are news to me.

Doesn’t really matter, though. Shelby’s given me the green light to visit her while she’s on tour and I plan to take advantage of it as often as possible.

“With the same old dude?” Jigsaw asks.

“Dawson’s only thirty-eight,” Shelby says. “That’s not old.”

“Thank you, Shelby,” Z says.

Rock and Wrath both chuckle. Steer lobs a pine cone at Jigsaw’s head. I’m not even sure if Jigsaw realizes he just insulted half the club’s officers. On the other hand, I don’t care for Shelby sticking up for Dawson in any capacity.

“Anyway, no. Greg’s lookin’ into other options.” She shrugs. “I’ve got my bucket list of artists I’d like to tour with. Hoping he starts there.”

As much as I want her to achieve all her goals, I can’t deny how much I love having her right here with me.

I glance over at Shelby wishing like hell I had more to offer her.

While tonight’s been fun, even I have to admit, bonfires in the boonies with my club pales in comparison to touring the country and being on stage every night.

Shelby’s on her way to becoming a star. But the best nights I have to offer her are around a campfire under the stars.