Beauty Found (Hades Hangmen 6.5)

“My old lady,” Tank replied.

“Fuck, maybe I should’ve been a Klansmen if I got a slut with tits and ass like that.” My head whipped to the side as another mountain, this time with red hair, came up beside us.

“Vike,” Tank said, gritting his teeth.

This “Vike’s” eyes stayed on my chest. “Real or fake?” My mouth dropped open in shock. “No, don’t tell me.” He stared at my tits for another minute before clicking his fingers. “Fake. Dr. Turnbull, right? I’d know his work anywhere.”

I broke from Tank. He tried to hold on, but instead I walked the few inches to Vike. I palmed my tits in both hands and said, “All real, darlin’. Tank’s a fucking lucky guy.”

Vike’s eyes widened and he groaned. “Tank,” he said, pointing at Tank’s face. “I really fuckin’ hate you right now.” Vike rubbed his hand over his dick. He looked around the room. “Now I gotta get some slut to tit-fuck my anaconda so I can picture myself coming all over yours.” He shook his head. “Bitch, I was just gonna do some tequila shots too.” He shrugged. “But when the anaconda needs feeding . . .” With that he was off across the room, grabbing a big-titted blonde and pushing her hand straight to his cock. The girl’s face lit up like it was Christmas and the big red giant was Santa Claus.

Idiot.

Reaper and Big Poppa had walked off. Tank led me to Bull and the others, but not before he’d kissed my cheek. I smiled, knowing I’d handled myself right.

When we arrived at the table, Tank nudged his head toward me. “Beauty.” He introduced everyone. “Bull, and his old lady, Letti. Styx and Lois. Bone and his old lady, Marie.”

They all flicked their chins in greeting. Letti was dark-skinned like Bull, tattooed, and scowling at me. Styx, who I knew to be Reaper’s son, barely looked at me. The brunette on his lap got up and held out her hand. “Hey, sugar.” I shook it. Bone and Marie were old. Like, really old. Marie looked haggard and worn, but her smile fucking lit up the room. As she pushed her aging body from her seat, I saw a small oxygen tank beside her. I smiled. She was rocking a cut with Bone’s name on, and leather pants. “Fucking beautiful, honey.”

“Thanks,” I said and pointed to her pants. “Good taste.” She winked and sat back down. Bull pointed at two seats beside him and Letti, and Tank and I sat down. Bull and Tank immediately started talking. Letti grabbed the bottle of whiskey and went to pour us two shots. She stopped and said to me, “Can you handle whiskey, or you more of a cooler girl?”

Her fucking sarcasm pissed me off. “Just pour the damn whiskey, darlin’. Whatever you pour I sure as shit can handle. Probably even drink your butch ass under the table.”

“That so?” Letti said, and fuck if there wasn’t a smirk pulling on her face. I knocked back the shot she poured then slammed the glass down and flicked my chin, telling her I wanted another.

After five shots, I asked, “Proved myself to you yet?” She was built for a woman, clearly lifted weights. She wore jeans and Bull’s cut. Her eyes narrowed at me. I leaned forward. “Just ’cause I got big tits, a fucking spectacular ass, and the face of an angel doesn’t mean I can’t hang with you bitches, darlin’. Remember that.”

Bull and Tank had stopped talking, and Bull was looking at his old lady like he was waiting for her to cast judgment on me. She finally shrugged and then poured me another. I knocked it back. “Most of the women here are sluts,” she said. “Pining for Hangman cock to fill their rancid pussies. As long as you don’t turn into one of them, we’re good.”

I pushed the empty shot glass to her. “Better stop fucking loading me with whiskey then, darlin’.” My head swam. “Just checking . . . there’s only one of you, right?” Letti’s mouth dropped. I laughed. “I’m just fucking with you, darlin’. But all the same, cut me the fuck off from this wife-beating fuel and get me a wine cooler up in here!”

“I knew it,” Letti said, but started laughing. My stomach squeezed at her smile, and the weight I’d been wearing on my chest since we entered here lessened some.

I wanted this for Tank.

I wanted this for us.

Lois stood up beside us as Styx got off his seat and pushed her off his lap. He was about to walk off when she pulled him back for a kiss. Styx pushed her away again after a second, then signed something to her. Lois’s face fell slightly, and she watched him walk across the bar to Ky, who was all up in another woman who was looking at him with stars in her eyes.

Lois threw on her smile again and sat down. She took a shot then looked my way. “So, Beauty. Are you from Texas?”

I nodded. “Near Waco.”

Lois nudged her head in Tank’s direction. “You been together long?”

“’Bout six months now.” I looked at Tank, who was talking to Bull and Bone.

Marie shuffled her chair closer. “There’s been talk.”

“What kind of talk?”

Marie inched closer still. Her voice was low and raspy, I guessed through years of smoking. She had an oxygen tube up her nose. When she lit up another smoke, I figured nothing was gonna stop her living her life. “’Bout your man. ’Bout making him a Hangmen prospect.”

My heart started pounding. It was what he wanted. So damn much. “Who said that?”

Marie gave me a smug smile. “Pillow talk. Through the years Bone has got a little loose lipped.” She laughed. “We’re too old to give a fuck about Reaper’s threats.”

I laughed too.

“You want that?” Letti asked, eyes locked on me. I guessed she was trying to get a true read on my reaction.

I nodded. “Yeah. He’s been lost. He needs a brotherhood to hold him down . . . as well as me.”

“It’s a hard life,” Lois said as she looked across the bar at Styx.

“Are you his old lady?” She wasn’t wearing a “Property of Styx” cut.

Lois whipped her head to me. All I saw was sadness on her face. “No . . . one day, maybe. When he finally wakes up and lets me in.” She sighed. “I’ve known him his entire life. Loved him for as long as I can remember.” She crossed her arms. Like it would protect her from something, some kind of inner pain. “But he’s always loved someone else. Since he was a kid.” She laughed, but there was no humor there. “Can’t compete with a dream girl.”

I had no fucking idea what she was talking about. Letti rolled her eyes like she was sick of hearing it, and Marie looked plain bored as fuck. But I couldn’t help feel for the woman. I put my hand on hers and squeezed it for a second.

She squeezed it back.

“So what do you do?” Letti had poured more drink. I was gonna have to learn how to handle my liquor in this place.

I shook my head, wincing as the whiskey went down. I really wanted a fucking wine cooler. I wiped my mouth, careful of my red lipstick. “Waitressing now.” I shrugged. “I was a pageant queen up until about six months ago.” Letti raised an eyebrow. “Let’s not talk about that,” I said. Tank put his hand on my leg and I held his hand. “I always wanted to do retail,” I said. “I love clothes. I mean, what bitch doesn’t love shopping?”

“Me,” Letti said.

“Okay, what bitch besides Letti doesn’t love shopping?”

Marie nodded. “You good with numbers and shit?”

I shrugged. “I was good at math at school, I suppose. I like people. Love clothes.” I smiled. “Especially if they’re made of leather.”

“I got a store,” Marie said. “Sells biker shit. Lots of fuckin’ leather.” I stilled and stared at Marie. “I got a job if you want one.” She pointed to her oxygen tank beside her. “I’m not as fit as I used to be and need a good sales girl.”

“You serious?”

“As a heart attack.”

“I’d love a job.”

Marie lit up another smoke. “It’s called Ride. It’s not far from here. We sell biker shit, and also Hangmen merch for the hangers-on.”