Joy (Hell's Handlers MC 7)

He’d never understand these idiots constantly borrowing money from his club and never being able to pay it back on time. Again and again, the Handlers raked in mountains of extra dough because these fuckers ended up paying double, sometimes triple what they’d borrowed.

Though, he should keep his mouth shut and be happy as their stupidity kept him eating and drinking the good shit.

The fifteen-minute ride to Toni’s diner passed in a blink, and before he knew it, Zach was stepping into the building through the employee’s back entrance. He waved off the prospect hanging out in case Crank decided he was in the mood for an omelet. The place had been closed for about two hours now, but Toni had asked him to give her some time to work on the week’s payroll. She’d done well and would be able to give each of her employees a small bonus this Christmas.

The diner was church-quiet. Zach frowned as he stepped into Toni’s empty office. “Babe?” he called out.

A noise from the dining area had him heading that way. As he stood in the mouth of the short hallway between the dining room and the two offices, Zach studied his woman. Toni was bent over a table, wiping it down. Over and over and over again. The thing was so spic-n-span, she could probably see her reflection in the gleaming table, yet she continued polishing it like it was filthy. Aside from the fact her ass looked delectable all encased in tight denim, the picture she made felt all wrong. Zach could see the tension in her bunched shoulders, as well as the deep frown reflected back at him from the front windows.

Something was troubling his woman, and that wouldn’t do.

“Babe?” he said again.

Toni jumped slightly, then turned to face him. “Oh, hey, Zach. Sorry, I didn’t hear you come in. Guess I lost track of time.”

Now it was his turn to frown. Her normal greeting consisted of a radiant smile, a tit-crushing hug, and a hell of a kiss. Hell, she greeted her customers with more enthusiasm than she’d just given him.

“You all right, Toni?”

“What? Huh?” she asked, then shook her head. “Oh yeah, I’m good.” She twisted the damp rag in her hands. “Just want to finish these tables, then I’ll be ready to go. There’s some fresh coffee if you want some.”

He almost called bullshit, but maybe she just needed a minute to work something out in her mind. Instead of giving her grief, he poured himself a cup of coffee and sat at the counter.

Twenty-two minutes later, he’d watched her clean each table, reorganize the juice glasses behind the counter, then begin re-stacking coffee cups. Not once had she uttered a sound. In fact, Zach was pretty convinced she’d forgotten about his presence altogether. When she grabbed a fresh rag and returned to a booth she’d already cleaned, he’d had enough of watching his woman succumb to whatever was grating on her mind.

“All right, babe, you’re done,” he said from his spot on a counter stool.

Toni startled so hard, she banged her hip on the edge of the table. “Ow! Shit, Zach, you scared me.” One hand went to her chest while the other braced on the tabletop.

He tilted his head and studied the beautiful face of the woman he loved. “I’ve been sitting here for twenty-five minutes.”

With a nervous chuckle, Toni ran a hand through her light brown hair. “Yeah, I know. Sorry, I guess I was just in the zone.”

Zach slid from the stool then walked over to the booth she’d been about to clean once again. When he reached her, he removed the rag from her hand and sat, pulling her down next to him. “Or you’re stressing so hard about something you forgot I was here. This about the fuckers who came in here the other day?”

“What? No, I’m good.” There was that nervous laugh again. This time it was accompanied by a really shitty attempt at a fake smile. “I’m not really worried about them. Probably just flexing their muscles, right?”

With a snort, Zach said, “Nice try, babe.” Why the hell wouldn’t she confide in him? Could she…no, it wasn’t possible for her to be questioning their relationship.

Was it?

His stomach flipped, and suddenly, he had the urge to shake her and demand she tell him what was wrong. If she said she wanted out, he’d throw her down on the table and fuck her until she remembered exactly why they worked in every way possible.

She frowned at him. “What do you mean, ‘nice try’?” she asked, mimicking his voice.

“Toni, I fall asleep next to you every night and wake with you in my arms each morning. I watch your beautiful face across the breakfast table. I stare at you while you’re helping me in the gym. I can’t take my eyes off you when I’m here and you’re working. And whenever we’re at home chilling with a movie, I spend more than half of it looking at you.”