Chapter Six
Beck
Dinner was almost done, and the clubhouse had filled up. The table in the kitchen was large enough, and the room was spacious enough for all the food to be spread out buffet style.
I watched these women effortlessly arrange everything to be efficient, so when the club walked around the table, there would be no traffic jams or pileups.
It surprised me by how much fun I had spending the day with the club girls, despite the brief rocky start of them thinking I was with Blade. Once I cleared that up, they were all friendly.
“Hey, Beck,” Jade, who was probably my favorite, called out to me.
“What do you need?”
“Could you run down to King’s office and let him know dinner is ready? It’s the last door on the left.”
“Sure, no problem.”
I took a left out of the kitchen and headed down the long hallway. Coming to the last doorway, with no door, mind you, I stepped into a small office.
“What are you doing in here?”
I jumped and spun around to see a very tall, very wide biker glaring at me. Backing up, I bumped into the desk opposite a door the giant must have come through.
“I’m… I’m sorry. Jade asked me to come down and tell King that dinner was ready.”
My hands hurt with how hard I clutched the edge of the desk. I glanced at the doorway, wondering if I could slip through it and get away.
The biker took a step left and stood between me and freedom.
Crap!
“You’re Willow’s granddaughter.”
It wasn’t a question, and I noticed he was the first person in this club that called my grandmother by her name.
“Y-yes.”
He tilted his head in amusement, smirking, as he asked, “Are you afraid of me?”
Breathing deeply, I stood up straight.
Face your fears head on, right?
“Yes.”
So much for courage.
“You’re not in any danger here. Willow is family. That makes you family as well. Come on, let’s go round up the rest and get dinner started.”
He stepped aside and waved his hand at the doorway.
I quickly stepped past him and did my best not to run down the hallway. I moved fast enough to get away from the man I assumed was King.
Forgetting where I was going, I walked past the kitchen, entering the common area and stared at close to two dozen hot bikers. Suddenly, I felt like I was dinner with the way these guys were looking at me. I recognized a few I had already met, however the number of men I didn’t recognize had me backing out of the room until I backed into a wall.
Without warning, that wall placed two powerful hands on my shoulders and held me in place.
I froze when I heard King’s voice behind me.
“Men, this is Beck. She’s Willow’s granddaughter, and that makes her family. You will treat her with respect, or you’ll answer to me. Head into the kitchen and grab your food while it’s hot.”
I glanced up at King and he winked at me.
“I told you. You’re safe here.”
“Th-thank you.”
“Hey, Prez, you can let her go now.”
My body tensed when I heard Blade’s words.
“I could. Seems she’s still a little nervous, though.”
“I-I’m good. I probably need to go help in the kitchen.”
My gaze switched between Blade and King. It felt like a standoff between the two men, me in the middle.
“I should go.” I tried to walk away, but King held me in place.
“Prez.”
Did Blade just growl?
Again?
“Watch your tone, brother. I suggest you head into the kitchen before those guys eat everything and there’s nothing left.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Brother,” King sighed. “I know I said, ‘I suggest’ , but you’ve been here long enough to know I don’t make suggestions.”
I wasn’t even sure they realized I was still standing here.
The two men glared at each other, and I felt anything but safe.
“I really need to go help the girls.”
Blade looked down at me and I realized this was the first time I had really seen him. There was something in his chocolate eyes that I couldn’t quite place. Something familiar. It was gone as quickly as it appeared. His eyes were now hard as he looked from my face to King’s hands still on my shoulders.
His brothers started walking out of the kitchen with their food, heading for the tables scattered around the room.
Blade grunted, turned and stalked out, slamming the front door.
I stepped away from King and turned with my hands on my hips and glared at him.
Apparently, I’d found my courage.
“Was that really necessary?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
He took a step toward me. “He needed to be reminded that I am the motherfucking King of this castle, and if I decide I want to touch you, he doesn’t get a say in that.”
“Do I get a say?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.
Smirking, he looked me over from head to toe before he said, “You do.”
I turned and looked at the front door, as if Blade still stood there listening. Letting out a deep sigh, I remained there, not knowing how to walk away.
“Hey, Prez, mind if I steal Beck away? The girls in the kitchen are wondering where she is.”
Thank you, Jack!
Here was my chance to get away.
“I should get back and help them clean up.”
King grabbed me lightly as I walked away from him.
“Remember what I said.”
I just nodded. Though, I wasn’t entirely sure what he meant. My brief collection of courage had dissipated as quickly as it appeared.
With our plates full, Jack and I headed to a table to sit and eat with the others. Rachel, Cash, and three men I hadn’t met yet occupied the table we chose.
“Beck, this is Romeo, Ace, and Big Ben,” Jack said, quickly pointing at each man sitting at the table.
Romeo was a handsome man, almost too handsome. With his dark hair, bright blue eyes, and clean-cut face, he resembled a GQ model. He looked almost out of place, like he should be in a three-piece suit rather than a leather cut.
Ace was rugged, with his dark hair and full dark beard combined with the way his T-shirt hugged his shoulders. He reminded me more of a lumberjack than a biker.
Then there was Big Ben. There was no question how this giant got his name. I couldn’t tell exactly how tall he was due to him sitting in a chair, but if his shoulders were any indication, he was well over six feet. His dirty blond hair and quiet gray eyes didn’t make him any less intimidating as he sat there looking at me.
“Well hello, gorgeous!” Romeo stood, reaching his hand out.
I tentatively grasped his hand just as I heard Rachel yell. “NO!”
Swiftly pulling my hand back, I looked at her with concern.
“What the fuck do you mean, no? I’m just saying hello.” Romeo looked me over as he questioned Rachel.
“No, Romeo. You can say ‘ hello’ without touching. Just touching you is a risk of getting an STD.” Rachel said hello with air quotes and a touch of what sounded like disgust. “Beck is my friend, and she is off-limits!”
“Jack was touching her!” Romeo cried in outrage.
“She is off-limits to you!” Rachel pointed at his chest.
Romeo huffed back in his chair. Everyone but him and Rachel laughed to themselves, as I still stood there not understanding what exactly just happened.
“Beck,” Jack pulled my attention back to him. “Ignore them. Romeo got his name for a reason, and Rach is just looking out for you.”
“Cause he’s a man whore,” Rachel scoffed.
Rachel and Romeo just glared at each other.
I nodded to Jack as we finally took our seats.
“So, Beck, how are you liking our little town?”
This was a question from Ace, the lumberjack.
“I actually grew up here. Rachel and I graduated high school together.”
Romeo sat forward again, “Then you went to school— OW!” Romeo looked over at Cash and I noticed the barest shake of his head.
“What the fuck, man?” Romeo glared at Cash.
“Yes, Beck went to DC high,” Jack answered for me.
I looked back and forth between Romeo and Cash, seeing rather than hearing a conversation between the two.
The table got quiet as we ate our dinner. Then suddenly, the front door crashed open, and a girl flew through the room, headed for the kitchen.
“Did I miss it? Is it all gone?”
She couldn’t be over nineteen or twenty and was a blur of golden hair as she ran through the main room to the kitchen. Moments later, she hurried back with a plate full of food and charged right to our table.
“One of you better move or I’ll sit on your lap. Romeo will enjoy it, and Ben will die of embarrassment, and you, Ace, are just gross.”
Ace stood and quickly grabbed another chair, placing it between him and Ben. “Do Mom and Dad know you’re here without them?”
“Of course they do. They know I come here every time Grams is making dinner. They would be here as well, but they were having dinner with the Michaelsons. Oh, hi. I’m Lily.”
The girl leaned over with her hand stretched out.
I reached out and shook her hand, questioning her, “Are you Ace’s sister?”
“Not biologically, but yes. Our parents were best friends, so Ace became the brother I never wanted,” she teased as she bumped his shoulder. Lily looked over at Ben. “Hi, Ben.”
Ben glanced over and nodded his head. The man hadn’t said a word since I sat down.
“Hey, Ben.” Crystal, the red-headed club girl from the kitchen, slid onto Ben’s lap. He looked uncomfortable, but didn’t push her off. She wrapped one arm around his neck and with her other hand swirled her finger on his chest.
“Want some company tonight?”
Ben looked over at Lily.
That was interesting, and before he could reply, Lily spoke up.
“No one wants your company,” she said, rolling her eyes.
“Lily,” Ace admonished.
“What? I’m just saying what everyone is thinking.”
“No one asked for your opinion, bitch.”
“Crystal, don’t start.” Rachel had now gotten involved in this turn of events as I sat there and watched everything unfold.
Until now, I hadn’t seen Crystal act this way toward Rachel, myself, or the other club girls, and I wondered what was different about Lily.
“Rachel, she started it by jumping into a conversation that didn’t include her.”
Lily stood suddenly and turned toward Crystal just as Ace grabbed her by the middle and moved her to the opposite side, so she was now between him and Romeo, just as Ben stood up and ushered Crystal away.
Lily slammed herself down into the chair.
Seeing the defeat on Lily’s face as she watched them walk away was heartbreaking. Rachel must have seen it too, because she tried to bring her spirits up. “Lily, I’m inviting Beck to have brunch with us tomorrow. Our circle is growing.”
Lily immediately grinned. “Really? Yay! You are going to have so much fun. Grace is meeting us there as well.”
“What circle? What brunch?” Jack asked.
“Never you mind. This is girls only.”
“Will Samantha be there?” Jack inquired with a hopeful expression.
Rachel looked around me and pointed at Jack. “It doesn’t matter because you won’t be there.”
“CHURCH! TEN MINUTES!”
I looked over and saw King standing by a set of double doors with his eyes on me. Every guy in the room started getting up and cleaning up their meal.
I stood quickly and started gathering dishes.
Jack placed his hand on my lower back as he said, “Beck, church should be about an hour. Then we’ll all be back out and the party will start.”
I lifted my hand to his arm to let him know I would be fine just as the door opened and I heard Jack whisper, “Fuck.”
I turned my head just as Blade walked by with his eyes pinned to where I had my hand on Jack’s arm.
He growled again.