I shook my head. “Wow. Crazy story. Your uncle sounds like an asshole.”
She laughed. “He’s not so bad. Kicking me out was the best thing he ever did.” She cocked her head at me. “How’d you end up hanging around a bunch of bikers, anyway?”
I frowned at her. I wasn’t sure how to explain it, or if I even wanted to. What had happened between me and Ford was one of those things I never really told anyone about.
If it weren’t for that night with Ford, I probably wouldn’t have loved motorcycles as much as I did. And if I didn’t love riding on the back of a bike, I probably wouldn’t have ever met Rod, or wanted to spend so much time with him, or ignored the fact that he was in love with me.
Strange how long, twisting strands could bind people. One decision could lead to the next, and one day you woke up after a long series of choices wondering exactly which one made you into the person you’d become. Though the answer was probably all of them and none of them.
“What’s wrong?” she asked after a minute. “You look like I just asked why your dog died.”
“Sorry,” I said, smiling. “It’s just a long story.”
“Sure. I get it. Tell me sometime if you want.”
“Okay,” I said.
Just then the door pushed open. Larkin, Clutch, Spoil, and Ford all walked back inside.
The relief was almost palpable. Men nodded to them as Clutch and Spoil walked over to the bar. Larkin headed back into his office, and Ford came directly for me.
“Caralee,” he said. “Janine.”
“Hi, Ford,” Janine said, smiling. “You boys up to no good?”
“As always.” Ford’s eyes never left mine.
“Well,” Janine said, “I’ll leave you two alone.” She stood up and walked off, heading over toward the bar.
“What happened?” I asked him.
He sighed. “Not much worth telling, if I’m honest.”
“Tell anyway.”
“Rebels know we have you somehow.”
I was surprised. “Is that bad?”
“Can’t tell.” He stared at me, this gorgeous, intense stare. “They were dealing with this other club from Dallas called the Snake Spit. They’re pretty big, maybe our biggest rival in the state. Anyway, seems as though the Snakes blamed you for the killing.”
“I didn’t,” I said fiercely.
“I know that,” he responded, “and so do they. Or at least I told them.”
“So what now?”
“The Rebels leader doesn’t believe our story. He wants to meet with you.”
“When?”
“If you’re up for it, tonight.”
I looked at him, frowning. “What will it be like?”
“I’ll be with you the whole time. We’ll be right in here. He’ll ask you stuff, whatever. It’ll be okay.”
“Okay then. If you think it’s safe.”
“Unlike that dumb shit you used to hang out with, I’m not about to put you in any bad situations if I can help it.”
I frowned at that. “Why do you keep saying that about Rod?”
“Because you don’t take a civilian along with you on a drug deal.”
“He wasn’t a bad guy,” I said, feeling that anger inside me. “He loved me. He was trying to impress me.”
“Makes him even fucking stupider,” Ford said. “The pathetic asshole was trying to impress a woman with his drug deal, and he ended up getting himself killed and her in deep shit. Sounds like a dumbass.”
I stared at him, the anger flaring up inside me. I hated the way he talked about Rod, as if he hadn’t just been murdered.
“Stop,” I said angrily. “Stop talking about him like you knew him.”
“You’re right, I didn’t know him.”
“I know I’m stuck with you,” I said, not able to stop myself, “but that doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want.”
“I don’t know about that,” he said, smirking. “The way you look at me says otherwise.”
“Stop talking shit about Rod. He was a good guy.”
He looked at me silently for a second and then smiled softly. “Yeah, okay,” he said. “As soon as you admit how bad you want me to fuck you.”
“You’re an ass.”
“Maybe, but it’s the truth. I can see the chills run down your spine every time you think about my cock sliding deep between your legs.”
I leaned back, crossing my arms. “I think you’re mistaking my disgust for desire.”
“Not a mistake I’d ever make, sweetheart,” he said, grinning that huge, mind-bending grin. I wanted to wipe it off his face, if only to touch those lips.
And I hated that I couldn’t stop thinking about kissing him hard, biting his lip, pulling his hair, letting him slap my ass and grab my hips hard.
“Come on,” he said, standing up. “Let’s get the fuck out of here.”
“Where are we going?”
“Back to my place.”
“Why?”
“Because we have a few hours to kill. You might as well try to settle in.”
I sighed, standing. “Okay, fine.” We headed back toward the door. He waved to a few guys as we pressed outside, walking down toward his bike.