Chapter 16 #5
Logan raised his hand, not taking his eyes from the screen, and said, “My mom’s awesome.”
“But your dad was a piece of shit,” Micha throws back at him.
Logan had gone quiet for a second or two, before nodding and saying, “Touche!”
From in front of me, Shaw muttered under his breath, his words so quiet I almost didn’t hear him when he said, “My dad was a piece of shit, too.” Somehow, Logan heard, and his green eyes immediately looked over to Shaw, all humour gone from his face, and just gave him the slightest nod.
The tension I felt under my fingers in Shaw’s shoulders relaxed a little at that small acknowledgment, and they went back to their game.
By the time our order from Swiss Chalet arrived, Haldon had returned with the girls, who were each laden with shopping bags from the Goodwill. It looked as though Meredith had found a new best friend in Shelby as they chatted away about… well, I didn’t even know, they were talking so fast.
“Holy shit, that smells good.” Logan was attempting to peer into the paper bags of food that Lee was trying to get into the kitchen.
“Do you mind? ” Lee sneered at him, looking like he wanted to elbow his face to get him away. “Get the fuck out of my way so we can actually eat!”
“All I’ve had today was some shitty coffee and a donut from a store owned by some guy called Tim.
I’m fucking starving!” He snatched one of the bags from Lee’s arms and ran ahead of him, unpacking it all directly onto the dining table to speed up the process.
Lee muttered something under his breath and went into the kitchen, setting the bags down while I took out some plates and cups.
We rarely splurged on food like this, but it was a one-time thing and the quickest way to feed everyone before we had to run out later.
By the time we’d all settled, Riley and Micha were together on the couch, talking quietly to each other while the rest of us ate at the small round dining table.
With so few seating options, Meredith sat on Haldon’s lap.
I’m perched on Lee’s, one arm wrapped under my chest to help keep my balance as we ate.
Occasionally, I leaned back against his chest and closed my eyes, just enjoying the moment.
Sure, we were sitting with a group of strangers, yet I felt an odd kinship with them.
I felt like I was sitting with family. It’s… nice.
Vail sat across from us, while Logan had Shelby sitting on his knee, but unlike Lee, who was carefully trying to keep me from falling, Logan was half bent over his plate, shoveling chicken and fries into his mouth like he hadn’t eaten in days.
Shelby, to her credit, came across just as hungry and didn’t seem to notice, but held herself with more dignity than her guy.
Beside me, Haldon held up a forkful of rotisserie chicken to Meredith and murmured in her ear, “Mange, mon chaton. J'ai bien l'intention de te faire l'amour ce soir.”
“You are one smooth motherfucker,” Logan said, his eyes watching Haldon with obvious admiration, chewing around a large mouthful of food.
“You could be smooth, too.” Shelby rolled her eyes. “If you didn’t shovel all the food in your face before anyone else got some.”
“All I’m saying is, I’m not into dudes, but I would let that guy in my ass,” Logan said, around another mouthful.
From the couch, I heard both Riley and Micha groan while at the table.
Vail, very slowly raised his eyes, staring at Logan with a look of absolute incredulity etched upon his features, his expressionless mask wholly gone.
“Crazy ass motherfucker…” Lee muttered, staring at Logan like the guy had grown another head.
Haldon, however, was watching with that same blank expression in his dark eyes, his thoughts utterly unreadable as he watched the blond across from him shovel food into his mouth.
“Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt,” he said finally, his accent still clear in each word he spoke.
“Agreed,” Logan nodded, stopping for a moment to drink some Pepsi.
“Why are you still talking?” Lee asked him.
“Well, why aren’t you talking?”
Lee turned slightly in his seat, swiveling me with him, to glare Logan down, his face screwed up, his every thought clear in his expression, and that was exuding, Are you fucking stupid?
Riley muttered from the couch, “Yeah, I give him that look all the time, too.”
Shelby twisted in his lap. “Hey, baby, try this sauce. It's amazing.” She took a french fry and dipped it in the chalet sauce before holding it out in front of Logan’s mouth.
Eyes locked onto hers, he took it, his tongue snaking over her fingers, and I tried not to cringe.
This guy was a little much. Funny, but I wouldn’t be able to be stuck around him day in and day out. Hat’s off to Shelby.
“So.” Vail watched Logan for another second, as though trying to figure him out before deciding it wasn’t worth it, and then spoke up, calling over to the couch. “How did you guys find us?”
Micha was looking much better than he did an hour ago.
There was some colour in his face now, and he looked to be less…
grumpy? That had been the best word I could use to describe him.
Grumpy and intense. But now that he and Riley were snuggled up on the couch, eating, and having some space of their own, he seemed to be in a better mood.
“One of the Lost Soul Bikers, Beast, told us about an ex Spade, or Black Spade, from Ashland who showed up in Florida, looking for help from Riley’s Uncle.
Beast explained that because Ashland has a heavy MC presence, it’d be safer to come here to hide, cuz no other MC in their right mind would come into their territory.
” He shifted a little, wincing slightly as he got comfortable again.
“When we arrived, we basically drove around until we spotted a biker with a Spade on the back of their jacket, and he told us about you and Vendetta.”
I felt Lee tense beneath me, and I rubbed his knee, reassuring him. The thought of our only allies giving us away to a bunch of strangers was definitely concerning.
“Why would a random biker help you guys?” Vail said smoothly, his demeanor as calm as ever, but the mask was back in place, and I could tell he was fighting to keep his cool.
“It was fucking weird,” Logan said. “I feel like we just somehow said the magic word and, open sesame, the gates just swung open for us. Lucky break.”
“What’d you say?” Vail asked, slowly chewing on some fries, not looking up from his plate.
“Just said we were friends with Chase Mathers and needed help…” Micha shrugged. “Hoped that they might know of him because of the Spade that came to us.”
“Mathers?” Vail stopped chewing, and Lee, Shaw, Haldon and Meredith and I, all looked at each other. Maverick!
“Yeah?” The others noticed our exchange, and Micha was watching Vail with interest. “Why?”
But he shook his head in response. “Thought you said, Matthews , my bad.”
To Micha’s credit, he didn’t press us, though I’m sure he knew Vail was lying.
“Whatever you do, do not approach a biker wearing a jacket with a blue dragon on the back,” Lee said, sliding my soda closer to me so I didn’t have to reach, pressing a kiss to the back of my head. “Only trust a Spade. If any of them ask questions, you’re guests of Vendetta, that clear?”
“Crystal,” Logan said around a mouthful of fries.