Chapter Three
Gideon
“Tilt your head back, big guy,” Baby Doll said. “This is gonna hurt like a bitch.”
Seated on a stool at the bar, I did as she instructed. I focused on a water stain on the ceiling as Baby Doll came up beside me, tracing her fingers over the bridge of my nose. I’d cleaned up the blood as best I could, but the break still needed to be set straight.
“Looks like your girl is a fighter,” she said.
The memory of that bruise on Liss’s hip rose in my mind. I clenched my jaw so hard that my teeth ached. Sure, everyone in this room had sported a nasty bruise like that once or twice. It came with the territory of riding a motorcycle on the open highway. Hitting pavement at 60mph sucked.
It’s nothing.
Yeah right.
My gut told me Liss didn’t get that bruise from a motorcycle. Someone gave it to her on purpose. The way she scrambled away from me after breaking my nose, scared shitless, was proof that she’d only acted out of self-defense. Protecting herself from a man she didn’t trust.
Then she tried to talk tough. Goading me into beating her as punishment. As if she thought she deserved it.
“I have a feeling she’s been through hell,” I said. “And for the record, she’s not my girl.”
Kingpin shuffled the cards we’d been playing with earlier.
“She put her hands on your bike. That means she’s your problem.”
Before I could respond, Baby Doll snapped my nose into place. White-hot pain exploded, making my eyes water.
“Jesus fucking Christ,” I groaned.
“Took it like a champ,” Baby Doll said with a pat to my shoulder. She pressed an ice pack into my hand. “Ice it to keep the swelling down. Although I’m sure your girl won’t give a damn if your face puffs up like a balloon.”
I bit back the urge to repeat that she’s not my girl. If I protested too much, they would smell blood in the water and latch onto it even harder. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t mind their ribbing.
But Liss…she was quickly developing into a tender subject. I admired her sass. And I’d certainly entertained some unholy thoughts when I saw her soaked panties clinging to her bony hips in that tub.
Then there was that moment—the slightest flutter of her lashes and the hitch in her breath at the mention of a spanking. Her fear had melted and her desire flared, before she tamped it down again.
None of that mattered though. Liss had clearly fallen on hard times. Scared, hungry, and desperate. Throwing sex into the mix on top of everything else would only complicate things for her even further.
Crash cleared his throat to get my attention and inclined his head to the side. I followed the direction he indicated to see Liss standing in the hallway that led to the bathroom. Her short, choppy hair was still damp, toweled off until it fluffed and curled slightly around her ears. She’d changed into a dry set of clothes—a massively oversized fog-gray sweater with stretched-out sleeves that draped over her hands, and a pair of jeans with holes in the right knee. Her backpack was nowhere in sight, which meant she was relaxed enough to part with it, and she wasn’t looking to bolt out the door at the first opportunity.
“Hey,” I said, lowering the ice pack.
“Thought I’d take you up on that drink now,” she replied.
I gestured to the bar stool beside me.
“Have a seat. Pick your poison.”
Liss barely perched on the stool, tense, and wary. She rubbed at a scratch on the counter.
“Just a beer would be great. By the looks of it though, I should be the one getting you a drink.”
“Trust me,” Baby Doll said. “Big G has been through much worse. Don’t worry about him. I’ll get you that beer.”
I studied Liss’s profile as she tried to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. But her hair wasn’t long enough for that. She must have cut it recently—a rushed, hackneyed job she’d probably completed alone, in a grungy public restroom at a gas station or truck stop in a desperate attempt to sever all ties to the life she knew before.
“Crash,” I said. “Get something to eat for our guest.”
“Yes, sir.”
Crash disappeared into the small kitchen attached to the bar.
“It’s nice to see some normal color in your face,” I said. “You were turning purple in that shower.”
“Yeah, well, some asshole was hogging all the hot water. I broke his nose though, so I guess we’re even.”
I breathed a faint laugh. Baby Doll slid an ice-cold bottle of beer onto the counter in front of Liss.
“There you go, sugar. If you want something stronger, let me know.”
Liss wrapped her hands around the bottle and tugged it closer, clutching it like a lifeline or a weapon. Maybe both. She didn’t drink from it though. Alcohol would dull her senses, lower her guard. She probably wasn’t ready to do that yet. I turned on my stool and gestured to the room at large.
“Why don’t we try a round of introductions again, yeah? With a little less violence this time.”
“You take all the fun out of everything, grandpa.”
I raised an eyebrow. Liss held my gaze and didn’t flinch, her chin lifted, like she was daring me to correct her. It was a sharp contrast to the terrified, drenched, cold little creature she’d been ten minutes ago.
“Don’t call me that,” I said.
She shrugged.
“If the shoe fits.”
“Do you need to go back in the shower?”
Liss fucking leaned closer. Instead of pulling away to protect herself like she did before in that tub, she pushed into my space. This little slip of a thing was ballsy as hell.
“Just call it like it is, old man. You’re looking for a private wet t-shirt contest. If you dump me in the shower again, I’ll start charging you for the peep show.”
Baby Doll snorted a laugh from behind the counter. Kingpin chuckled into his whiskey.
“Can I get in on this peep show?” Spike piped up.
“No,” I barked.
“Grandpa doesn’t like to share,” Liss replied. A grin flashed at the corner of her lips as she finally took a sip of her beer. This light-hearted teasing seemed to be putting her at ease.
“Grandpa doesn’t have to know,” Spike offered.
I shot a stern look in his direction. The teasing might be fun, but no one was getting near this woman if I had anything to say about it.
“I’ll break your kneecaps if you call me that again, boy.”
At thirty-eight years old, Spike was hardly a boy anymore, but that wasn’t the point. As the Road Captain, I outranked his Secretary status, and I wasn’t shy about reminding him of that. I sat higher up the food chain than he did, and it wasn’t because of my age.
Spike leaned back in his chair with a low whistle.
“So, it’s a freaky kink thing reserved strictly for the kitty to play with,” he said. “Understood.”
“Spike,” I growled.
He flirted dangerously close to disrespect, not only for me, but for Liss, too. Disrespecting a superior member was against club rules. Disrespecting a guest—much less a woman—would get his ass whooped.
“Take it easy, gentlemen,” Kingpin said, wreathed in a cloud of cigar smoke. “Spike, back off. You’re playing with fire and you know it. Big G, relax. Introduce us to your girl so she doesn’t think we’re heathens on the brink of a brawl.”
I glanced at Liss, uncertain how she would take to being called mine. But she didn’t seem fazed by it, returning my glance with a steady look of her own, waiting and expectant.
Crash reappeared with a plate of food and set it in front of Liss—a turkey sandwich with a pickle on the side, a small bag of chips, leftover fried chicken from lunch, and a handful of brownies, still steaming after he’d warmed them up.
“Wow,” Liss said, surveying the food. “A feast fit for a king. Or a prisoner on death row with her last meal. A protein bar would have done the trick.”
The hint of wariness in her eyes suggested she was only half joking.
“You’re not in trouble,” I replied.
“I tried to steal your bike.”
My gaze involuntarily flicked down to her hip. Just for a moment. I couldn’t see the bruise now that she was dressed, but I still knew it was there. Liss must have noticed my brief distraction and my lack of an immediate response. She shifted on her stool, tugging self-consciously at the hem of her sweater as if she could hide from me.
“Don’t look at me like that,” she said, her voice low and pained. “I don’t need your goddamn pity.”
When Liss pushed her plate away and began to slide off her stool, I caught her wrist. She froze. Every muscle in her body tensed. I hated that her first instinct was fear, expecting to be hurt. I hated how she was so fucking hungry that she felt as fragile as a bird in my grip.
I softened my hold so Liss could twist away if she really wanted to. But she didn’t move. Her skin was soft and cool beneath my fingertips, and it took every ounce of self-control not to caress the inside of her forearm like I wanted to. She didn’t need me being a creep.
“It’s not pity,” I said. “You drew first blood. Around here, that earns you a meal, a drink, and a seat at our table as a guest of honor.”
Liss considered for a moment. I could feel the tension begin to ease out of her. Eventually, she withdrew from me and picked up a piece of fried chicken.
“You’re not just saying that to make me behave, are you?”
Spike snorted.
“Big G doesn’t say shit to spare your feelings. He shoots straight or he keeps his mouth shut.”
“The arctic shower was supposed to make you behave,” I said, ignoring Spike’s input. “Since I came away from that experience with a bloodied face, looking like I’d been through a war zone, I’ve learned my lesson. You don’t behave unless you want to. Now, eat. I’ll introduce you to everyone.”
As Liss dug into her food, she made no pretense of trying to hide her hunger. She hunched over her plate, choking down one massive bite of chicken after another. I made a mental note to send her off with more food when she hit the road again.
“Crash is our Prospect,” I said. “He’s the one who brought you dinner.”
Liss narrowed her eyes with a look of mild animosity.
“He’s also the little fucker who caught me when I made a run for it. I remember him.”
Crash took a step back until he bumped against the cabinets behind the bar.
“I was just following orders.”
“You’re lucky I didn’t kick you in the balls like I wanted to,” Liss replied.
He gave a nervous little laugh.
“Oh, you came close enough. They’re going to be shriveled in terror for a few more hours.”
“I could cut ‘em off if that would make you feel better,” Liss offered.
Crash went stark white. One hand strayed over his crotch, protectively.
“No—no, I think—uh—I’m good. That’s—that’s not necessary. Don’t do that.”
Spike snickered. Baby Doll smirked.
“I like this girl already,” she said.
I fought to hold back my laughter.
“Don’t scare the poor kid,” I said. “He’ll wet his pants.”
Liss bared her teeth in a smile.
“But I like to watch him flinch.”
Crash made a noise of distress and skirted to the other side of the room. Liss looked pleased with herself and sucked the last bit of meat off the bones of her chicken, licking the grease from her fingers.
“He’s going to be terrified of you now,” I said.
“Good.”
“He’s about your age—twenty-five. You two could be friends.”
And hopefully nothing more than that, a tiny voice muttered in the back of my mind.
“That would be a bad idea,” Crash said from across the room, his voice cracking.
“Don’t worry, squeaky,” Liss said. “You’re not my type.”
“She likes her men a little older,” Spike put in. “More on the geriatric side.”
I growled and turned to stare at him. He shrugged.
“Spike, if you continue poking the bear,” Kingpin said. “I’d sleep with one eye open if I were you.”
Ignoring them both, I went on.
“The beauty behind the bar is Baby Doll,” I said. “She’s our Treasurer. Prevents us from spending all our cash on booze. You met her when we brought you in.”
Liss raised her hand in acknowledgement.
“Hi. Sorry about snapping at you earlier.”
Baby Doll waved her off.
“No hard feelings, sweetie. These boys have bit off my head more than a few times. I’m used to it.”
“You already figured out who Vlad is,” I continued, gesturing to where he was seated at his customary table. “He’s our Enforcer.”
“The big, scary Russian. Makes sense.”
“Keep that in mind if you go after Crash’s balls,” I said. “Vlad will be the one you have to deal with.”
Liss eyed Vlad for a moment, as if sizing him up.
“Don’t even think about it, little girl,” Vlad grumbled. “I will crush you like a bug.”
She made a noise of disinterest and returned her attention to her meal.
“Not nearly as exciting as that spanking you threatened me with,” she said.
“More kinky stuff,” Spike said. “It just never stops with you two.”
I rose to my feet and turned. Liss put her hand on my bicep. I stopped, staring down at her fingers curled lightly there.
“No need to get your nose broken twice in the same hour,” she said.
Reluctantly, I settled into my seat again. Spike looked smug. I’d wipe that look off his face later.
“Go on,” Liss coaxed. “Finish introducing me. Who’s the long-legged bastard with the cowboy hat?”
“That would be Tex,” I said. “Southern boy down to his bones.”
Tex touched the brim of his hat.
“Seated next to him is Gatling,” I added. “He’s our Sergeant at Arms. He keeps tabs on our armory, too.”
A flicker of interest crossed Liss’s face.
“So, you’re the guy I talk to about getting a gun, huh?”
Crash gave a strangled whimper.
“Please don’t put a weapon in that woman’s hands.”
Liss poked her tongue in her cheek, but didn’t say anything. That look suggested she already had a weapon hidden somewhere.
“I have a feeling it’s too late for that, Crash,” I said.
He swore under his breath, scrubbing a hand over his buzzed hair in distress.
“The two dumbasses playing pool are Credence and Hot Shot,” I continued. “I wouldn’t recommend getting roped into a game with either of them if you want to keep your money. They cheat.”
“We have never cheated a day in our lives,” Hot Shot protested.
“They’re liars, too,” I said.
“And Big G is a sore loser,” Credence said. “He won’t admit that he sucks at pool.”
Liss chuckled as she tore off a corner from one of the brownies. Her plate was nearly polished clean by now, despite the amount of food that had been piled on it before. Except for the bag of chips. She stowed that in her lap, clearly saving it for later. Lifting her chin, she indicated the table where I’d been playing cards when she arrived.
“What about them? They seem pretty important over there.”
“The one with the tattooed knuckles is Blackbeard, our Vice President. The one smoking like a chimney is the big boss man himself, Kingpin.”
She nodded as her gaze shifted around the room, taking in the faces surrounding her. She slipped the remaining brownies into her napkin, and tucked it into her lap. Then her gaze returned to me.
“What about you?” Liss pressed one fingertip into the patch on my shoulder, declaring my rank. “What does it mean to be a Road Captain?”
“He looks after us on the road when we ride,” Kingpin said. “Makes sure we’re safe, protected, and no one falls behind.”
“Kind of like God in a way,” Crash said.
“So, is that why everyone calls you Big G?” she asked.
“That’s the family-friendly version, yeah,” Baby Doll said. “With all the testosterone floating around this place, you’ll get used to the dick-measuring contests. They happen at least once a day.”
I sighed and scratched at my beard.
“I wish I could say we were a little more civilized than that, but she’s not wrong.”
“Since we haven’t scared you off by now,” Baby Doll said. “We talked it over and we have a proposition for you.”
She gestured at me to elaborate.
“How would you like to stick around for a week or two?” I suggested. “Tend bar for some cash. It’s not much, but it includes free room and board.”
Liss blinked in surprise. Then she shook her head and pushed off her stool.
“No, I can’t. I really need to get out of town.”
“You don’t have a penny to your name, do you?”
She stopped, chewing the inside of her cheek.
“You’ve been desperate to leave since the moment we met,” I added. “Which means if you had the money, you would have bought a bus ticket out of here as soon as possible. But you didn’t. You chose to hotwire my bike instead.”
Liss fiddled with a corner of her napkin, not meeting my gaze.
“I’m not taking charity.”
“Oh, sweetie,” Baby Doll said. “You will work for every penny you earn around here. These boys drink like it’s the end of the world. They will run you ragged when you’re behind the bar. It won’t be easy. We’re taking turns slinging drinks right now, but it sure would be nice to have a proper bartender.”
Liss shifted in place, hesitant.
“What’s the catch?”
Kingpin blew a slow, steady stream of smoke into the air.
“You have to stay at Big G’s place. He’ll keep an eye on you.”
Her gaze snapped to me. I hadn’t mentioned the bruise on Liss’s hip to anyone, if that’s what she was worried about. Everyone in this room knew what it was like to be alone in the world at one time, clawing out a meager survival. While she’d been cuffed to that shower, we agreed to lend her a hand until she got back on her feet.
“Why can’t I just stay here?” she asked.
“You won’t get a lick of sleep,” Kingpin said. “The clubhouse is usually noisy. And Spike is a loudmouth, whether he’s sober, drunk, fully clothed, or buried in pussy. Big G’s house is quiet, clean. You’ll get a decent night of rest there.”
Nobody mentioned the fact that Liss was my responsibility, per club rules. She touched my bike. I took her in. I fought to get answers out of her. I was the one who didn’t want to let her go when she was in some kind of trouble. If she stayed with another member of the club and they got hurt, that would be on my head.
“We would offer to put you up in a hotel,” I said. “Although that would probably be considered charity in your book. So, this is the next best option.”
Liss pressed her lips into a thin line, looking for all the world like she wanted to fight this tooth and nail. But she was tired, too. Exhausted. It was hard to live on the streets as a runaway, looking over your shoulder, startling at your own shadow.
“Just for a few days,” she relented. “I’ll get my backpack.”
“Crash can do it,” I said.
Crash ducked down the hallway. A moment later, he returned with Liss’s backpack hoisted over his shoulder. When she moved to take it, he relinquished it and quickly side-stepped away.
“Skittish,” she said with a hint of amusement. “I bet you’re thrilled I’ll be hanging around for a while.”
“I have no doubt you will continue to terrorize me and enjoy every minute of it,” he replied.
“Maybe when I leave town, I’ll take your balls with me as a cute little memento to remember you.”
Spike cackled.
“Jesus, Big G. Put a leash on your cat before Crash has a nervous breakdown.”