“Because you want on the back of my bike or because you just want out of that van?”
She bit her lip, trying not to grin. “Maybe a little of both.”
The corner of his mouth pulled up. “Least you’re honest. Okay, brat, let’s rock and roll.”
She rolled her eyes at the nickname, but couldn’t help the smile that lit up her face. Yes! She was going to get to ride today!
CHAPTER ELEVEN
The line of bikes roared southbound on I-65; eventually rolling down through Nashville, and then crossing the Alabama border an hour after that. They continued on past Huntsville and ultimately hit the exit, rolling through Birmingham toward the clubhouse.
Jessie took in the sights of the hometown she’d left years ago when she’d run away at the age of seventeen. Something’s had changed, but the feeling was the same. This was home. Always had been. Always would be.
Her arms tightened around Ghost, and she felt his hand drop to her forearm, giving it a pat and a squeeze. He knew. He understood what she was feeling. Somehow he always knew what she was feeling, had always been able to tap into her moods. Sometimes that was a good thing. Other times, not so much. She’d never been able to bullshit him.
And that worried her. Because that was exactly what she was doing now. Not all of it, not even most of it. But she hadn’t been completely honest with him, and she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to keep up the lies for long before he saw right through them.
And she couldn’t help but worry about what would happen when he learned the truth.
Twenty minutes later, they rolled up to the clubhouse of the Birmingham Chapter of the Evil Dead MC. It was buried back in the poor neighborhoods that bordered the old U.S. Steel plant. They rolled up several side streets coming to a huge old two-story clapboard house that sat, looming large, on a big corner lot. Next to it was an empty lot with overgrown grass. The two properties consumed the entire short block that ran between two side streets. The back of the clubhouse was surrounded by a six-foot privacy fence and backed up to an alley that faced a junkyard on the other side. Across the street was a burned out house, next to that an abandoned house. Obviously, the neighborhood was not primo real estate, and Jessie imagined they liked it that way. The fewer people and neighbors to fuck with them, the better.
The front yard was overgrown, the sides overrun with tall bamboo and kudzu vines. There was a waist-high chain link fence around the front yard and a rusty gate no one ever used. The metal mailbox out on the street was painted black with Evil Dead MC in white stencil across it. Up on the front porch in a chair by the door sat a skeleton holding a scythe like some leftover Halloween decoration, except for the Evil Dead support tee shirt it wore.
The bikes turned the corner and circled around back to the alley, which led to the only entrance members used. There was a double wooden gate with the club name, Evil Dead painted, top-rocker style across it. One word on each portion of the swinging gate that when closed formed the name. Up on the backside of the house was painted a winged skeleton holding a scythe, looking down at the back of the property as if guarding it.
They rolled through the back gate and into a large gravel lot that took up over an acre.
As they climbed off the bike, Jessie glanced around the yard at all the women waiting to greet the men. Even though Ghost had assured her there was no ol’ lady waiting for him, she couldn’t help it when her gaze moved over each and every woman there.
Shades had pulled in next to them, and he hadn’t gotten two steps from his bike before a gorgeous girl with long dark hair ran to him and jumped in his arms. He laughed, catching her up in his arms, her ass in his hands, as her legs wrapped around his waist and they kissed passionately like newlyweds.
“Are they married?” she whispered to Ghost.
“Naw, not yet. But she’s wearin’ his ring. Don’t think they’ve set a date yet.”
When they finally broke apart, Jessie saw the love in Shades’ eyes as he looked at his woman. He set her down reluctantly, and she turned her eyes on Ghost and Jessie.
“Who’s your friend, Ghost?” she asked.
“Don’t I get a hug?” Ghost asked her, ignoring her question.
She went into his arms, and he briefly lifted her feet off the ground before setting her back down.
“How you doin’, Hotrod?”
She grinned up at him before shaking her head. “Uh-uh, no avoiding the question. Introduce us.”
Ghost grabbed Jessie by the hand
and pulled her forward. “Skylar, this is Jessie. Jessie, this is Skylar, Shades’ ol’ lady.”
The pretty woman extended her hand, and Jessie took it, shaking it warmly. “Hi, nice to meet you.” Jessie couldn’t help but notice Skylar’s eyes. They were the most beautiful blue she’d ever seen, a light crystal blue that stood out starkly against her dark hair.
She turned her electric gaze to Ghost, her brows raised. “And you two know each other how?”
“He picked up a souvenir in Sturgis.” Shades filled his woman in with a teasing smile and a wink at Jessie.
Skylar’s brows shot up, and she giggled. “Is that so?”