Still Standing (Wild West MC 1)

Buck tore out of his bedroom pissed as hell, and when he found Mrs. Jimenez, this meaning he’d come after me, he lost his mind?

“He lost his mind?” I asked.

“You don’t wanna know,” Ink muttered.

“I kinda do,” I told him.

His blue eyes locked on mine. “Babe, it was me who let you walk out of there this morning.”

“Oh,” I mumbled.

“Yeah,” he agreed.

“Sorry, it seems I got you in trouble,” I said.

“It’s all right, darlin’,” he replied quietly. “Buck wasn’t really pissed at me. If he was, I’d probably look like you.”

Oh my.

Moving on.

“And this business you were talking about, that would be?”

“Clary, someone took their fists to you,” Ink said by way of an answer.

“But—”

“A woman wakes up in Buck’s bed, she doesn’t drive away from Aces and get beat to shit, hon,” Lorie put in. “No way. No fuckin’ way. That shit happens, a message needs to be sent.”

Oh God.

“So he’s sending a message to Esposito?” I whispered.

“Yeah, babe, and that message, he’ll deliver himself,” Ink told me, his voice rumbling in a scary way.

I didn’t know what to make of this.

Any of it.

Then I thought of Esposito and blurted, “Will Buck get hurt?”

Ink grinned again and this one was different.

A lot different.

“Don’t you worry ’bout, Buck, Clary,” he stated firmly.

As firm as he stated that, I knew Esposito pretty well.

Therefore, I suggested, “Perhaps we should call him.”

Lorie giggled, and Ink grinned again, back to good old boy biker.

He took a cracker, popped it into his mouth and replied around it, “Thinkin’ he should stay focused, babe.”

I watched him chew, thinking maybe he was right.

6

I Got Your Back

I woke up to voices.

“…she doin’?”

This was Buck talking quietly.

“Had some crackers, soup, called her girl about five dozen times. We could tell she wasn’t feelin’ good, so Lorie got her some pills and we got her to lie down in front of the TV. She was out in half an hour.”

This was Ink, also talking quietly.

“She’s cute, Buck. And sweet.”

This was Lorie being nice, as I’d learned Lorie was.

I turned under the blanket Lorie had thrown over me on the couch and pushed up. Putting my forearm on the backrest, setting my chin on my arm, I saw they were all standing by the front door. And they all had their eyes on me.

I also saw that Buck looked to be in one piece, no visible marks, no blood, no bullet holes.

He further didn’t look ready to release venom anymore.

And lastly, it was dark.

Night had fallen.

“Hi,” I said softly.

“Hey, Clary,” Ink replied.

“Hey there, hon,” Lorie said.

Buck didn’t respond to me, he turned to them and stated, “Thanks, later.”

This obviously was a verbal hint to get out that both of them caught instantly. Lorie walked to her purse on the counter, Ink waited for her and I watched as Ink slapped Buck’s upper shoulder stoutly and Lorie waved to me.

I waved back.

Then they were out the door.

Buck turned to me and I sat motionless as he walked up to the back of the couch and crouched so we were eye to eye.

“Hey,” he said gently.

“Are you still mad at me?” I asked.

He didn’t answer at first. His hand came up to cup my cheek and, feather-light, he slid his thumb along the swelling on my cheekbone then down to the cut on my lip where it came to rest.

His brown eyes watched his thumb’s movements, then they came to mine.

“No,” he finally answered.

Well, at least that was good.

“I’m starved, Toots. You feelin’ up to keepin’ me company in the kitchen while I make a sandwich, or you wanna lie here?”

Before I could control it, my mouth replied, “I’ll keep you company in the kitchen.”

I heard the roar of a Harley indicting Ink and Lorie were on their way home as Buck straightened and started to round the couch. I carefully rolled to the other side and threw the blanket off. But before I could swing my legs over the side, Buck had an arm around my waist and one under my knees. He lifted me and started toward the kitchen.

“I can walk,” I informed him, sliding an arm around his shoulders.

“Tomorrow you’ll need to move around so you don’t get stiff. Tonight, you need to let your body rest.”

His body had probably weathered more fists hitting it than mine, though I couldn’t imagine anyone getting the better of him like they did me. Still, I figured he’d know, so I gave in.

He set me gently on my behind on the counter then he put a hand on either side of me and leaned in.

“You want a sandwich?” he asked.

“Sure,” I answered.

He pulled away, which I didn’t like all that much, considering I liked seeing his face that close, since it was a very handsome face.

He moved to the fridge, and I watched while saying, “Tia isn’t answering her phone.”