... and Forever (Next Generation: Chaos Bleeds 1)

“They’re all lying of course,” he said.

She laughed, loving the banter, not wanting it to end.

They were all friends, all close. She saw that even before she was introduced to all of the men.

“This is Twig. He’s one hell of a fighter.”

Twig didn’t say anything, just nodded at her. She also noticed a scar across his lips and down his neck. Growing up in an MC club, she was used to scars and didn’t react.

Next, and the final guy in line, was Teddy. He was the biggest one, towering over all of them. He kind of reminded her a little of Killer back at The Skulls, but this guy had to be taller, bigger in every way.

“Teddy, really? You think Dick’s going to like that?” she asked.

“It’s something he’s going to have to deal with. Kid can’t be responsible for his name.”

“Kid? I’m older than you,” Teddy said, laughing.

“If you’re planning to prospect for Chaos Bleeds, be careful around Dick. He might be a touch sensitive.”

Teddy nodded. “Simon has already told me about all the guys and their names. Don’t worry.”

“You’ve met Pa and of course you know Dean.”

Pa and Dean were already seated at chairs while smoke came from the grill. This wasn’t a gas or an electric one. There was a bag of charcoal bricks beside it.

Simon led her toward some seats and she sat down.

“I’m going to go and grab a couple of beers,” he said.

“They’re in the cooler in the truck,” Dean said.

“So, you’re all one big happy family,” she said.

“I wouldn’t say we’re one big happy family, but we’ve gotten by,” Pa said looking at all of them.

“And you all took care of Simon?”

“We did,” they all said in unison.

“Damn, Pa, I’m starving. If you’d gotten one of those gas grills, we could have hooked up the pipes and be grilling steaks right about now.” Teddy looked toward her. “No offense.”

“None taken.”

“I told you the best kind of barbeque is over hot coals. It makes everything taste better. Not some fancy shit and besides, did you see the cost of those things?”

“I’m starving. I could snap a leg off you and start eating.”

She looked toward Knight, who chuckled. “Are they always like this?”

“Pa and Teddy are. In all honesty, the big guy is always hungry.”

“I heard that.”

“You were supposed to, crazy ass,” Knight said, laughing.

“Be careful with that one. We should have named him jailbait,” Dean said.

“Jailbait?”

“I’m the youngest.”

“Nineteen.”

“When did you meet Simon?” she asked. These men made her curious about the time Simon had been away. What had he been doing to find these men? What was it like? He’d been on an adventure, that was for sure. All of the men doted on him, cared about him. She hadn’t been in their company long, but she saw it.

“When I was fifteen,” Knight said. “I ran from a bad situation. Packed up what shit I could and get the hell out of there.”

“You did, you didn’t look back?”

He shook his head. “There’s no real reason to look back when you’ve got nothing to look back at. Believe me, I didn’t have anything to look at, or to enjoy, or to love.”

The group went silent.

“I met Simon three years ago,” Felix said. “I was fucking starving. Living on the streets. My parents kicked me out when I was sixteen. I lived from bed to bed until I graduated, then hit the streets. Doing petty crime and shit. Nothing big. I was begging on a street corner. One moment begging for food, the next offering up my dick and asshole to anyone who’d pay me for a hot meal. Simon had come out of a fast-food joint. He had this big whole cardboard box filled with food. I offered him everything. Even to suck him off in front of everyone. He could humiliate me. He told me to get my shit together and follow him. The rest is history.”

Teddy cleared his throat. “Mine was at a fight. I … I accidentally got on the wrong side of people.”

“Accidentally? You screwed the owner’s daughter. Don’t make yourself out to be an angel,” Knight said.

Teddy’s cheeks were on fire. “She’s a lady.”

“Dude, I grew up with big guys talking shit about who they screwed and whatnot. I have a son. Believe me, I know all about cock and pussy.” She snuggled into Simon’s blanket, enjoying the scent of him surrounding her.

She shouldn’t enjoy it or allow herself these few peaceful moments, but she didn’t want it to stop.

“Fine. I didn’t like this guy. He was always taking a large cut off his fighters. They were always indebted to him. Anyway, I got it into my head to take something from him. So I did, I took his daughter’s cherry. In my defense, he had put her up for auction to the guy who would pay the highest price for it. She asked me, and I didn’t say no. My debt to him was large, and it was Simon who took a bet with the guy, won me back, and well, he gave my life purpose again. I won’t ever forget it.”