PROLOGUE #2
I roll through the gate and down a long gravel drive toward the back of the property.
A large metal building comes into view. Our clubhouse.
The outside can be deceiving; on the inside we’ve spared no expense in tricking the place out with bedrooms for all six of us originals, plus a meeting room, bar and large common area.
Dropping my kickstand, I shut the engine off and climb off my bike, hanging my helmet on my handlebars.
“You get ‘em?” Bagger asks where he stands outside the door, smoking a cigarette.
Squatting, I open my saddlebag and pull out a crumpled paper shopping bag. “Yeah.”
Bagger drops his cigarette butt and grinds it under his boot. “Come on, then. Boss is waiting. He’s been nervous as a cat. Wants everything to go perfectly tonight.”
I follow him in, and just as he warned me, Rio is off his barstool the moment he sees me.
“You get ‘em?”
“Yeah.” I dig in the bag. Each plastic-wrapped white dress shirt is marked with a name. “Zig,” I call out and toss him his. “Mauler.” Another one flies through the air. Once they’re all passed out, my brothers and I rip into them and shake the shirts out.
“Be quick about it,” Rio says. “I don’t want to be late picking up Shelby.”
Once I’ve shrugged into mine and put my cut over it, I look at Rio. “Prez, you and Zig got a minute?”
“If it’s quick. Come on.” He leads us to his office—a beautiful room he spared no expense on.
Rio goes behind his big desk and pulls a bottle of whiskey and three shot glasses out, setting them up. Rio is dressed in a black suit, and it’s weird seeing him out of his colors.
“You okay, Prez?” I ask.
“Just want this night to go well.” He lifts his shot, and we all do, then down them. “What did you want to talk about, Blue?”
My eyes shift from him to Zig, our VP. “Gonna be blunt, okay?”
“Sure. Blunt and quick, Blue.”
“Yeah. Okay. Here goes. I want my own chapter. It’s what I want to work toward. Maybe upstate near Albuquerque or Santa Fe or Taos even. I know my options here are limited, and I hope you understand why I want my own. It’s no reflection on you, Prez.”
He slowly nods. “I get that. You’re talking to a man who wanted the same thing. How can I blame you for that goal yourself?”
“The kid’s got leadership skills,” Zig adds. “He’s been a great Sargeant at Arms. I can see him leading a chapter one day.”
“How far in the future do you see this happening for you?” Rio asks, his head tilting.
I shrug. “I know it's going to take money, but it’s something I’d like to know is a possibility someday. It’s what I want to work towards.”
“I don’t see why not. Let’s the three of us meet next week to talk more about it. You good with that?”
A huge grin breaks across my face, and joy surges through my chest. I half expected him to blow me off. I should know better. Our president isn’t like that. He takes everything we bring to him seriously. “Thanks, Prez. I really appreciate that.”
“Now let’s go pick up my girl and get to this damn wedding Sanchez is throwing for his daughter.”
Zig chuckles. “I can’t believe he invited all of us.”
“He appreciates the fact that we stopped and helped his crew put out that fire. If we hadn’t, his whole place might have gone up. Hundreds of acres of pecan groves could have been lost.”
“I get that,” Zig agrees, then looks at me and lifts his chin. “I just hope this crew of ours doesn’t get into trouble.”
“How’re we gonna get into trouble?” I ask.
“Knowing you, Blue, you’ll think of something.”
I grin and waggle my brows.
“Look at him,” VP says to Rio. “He looks happy as hell.”
“I am. Prez just gave me the green light on my dream.”
Later that evening, I’m sitting with my brothers at a table in the corner of the reception tent. The waitstaff collects our dinner plates, and dancing begins with the first dance, then the bride dances with her father. Soon they open the floor to everyone.
My brothers and I nurse glasses of scotch and watch.
Mauler sits next to me with Bagger, our enforcer, on his other side.
“Mauler, are you wearing cologne?” Bagger asks him, leaned back in his chair, his arms folded.
“Yeah, why? You don’t like it?”
“It’s okay. Kinda like leather and mesquite.”
“He smells like a barbecued baseball glove,” I add, and my brothers laugh.
“Fuck off,” Mauler snaps, and I grin and nod toward the dance floor.
“Well, don’t waste that smelly shit on us. Go torture one of those bridesmaids with it.”
“Maybe I will.” He scans the women standing on the sidelines. “Which one do you think?”
“I don’t fucking know. Any of ‘em.”
One walks past. “How ‘bout that one?” he asks, lifting his chin to a girl.
“Whoa. Slow down, brother,” Bagger says. “You never buy the first car you see on the lot. Also, remember not to set your sights too high.”
“Are you telling me to go after ugly women? Because an ugly woman I can get without your help.”
I chuckle. “No shit.”
Mauler turns on me. “Okay, Romeo. Let’s see you go get one to dance with you. I bet you twenty bucks they all shoot you down.”
“Deal,” I say, downing my drink and rising.
“Now hold on,” Zig grabs my arm from my other side. “Which one?”
“Does it matter?”
“Yep.”
I scan the crowd and spot the girl who’d caught my eye when she walked down the aisle. “That one there.”
Zig tilts his head, checking her out. “That girl is way out of your league, brother. If she gives you a shot, you better not fuck it up.”
Mauler slaps a hand on my shoulder and gives it a shake. “You best be prayin’ she ain’t picky.”
I stand and head across the edge of the dance floor.
I hear Bagger’s cat call behind me. “Gangway. Deadman walking.”
He’s hilarious. I reach behind my back and flip him off.
Weaving through the crowd, I stop in front of my intended target and her friends. Their eyes all widen slightly as they sweep me from head to toe.
“Ladies,” I say with a smile, then zero in on my prey. “Would you care to dance, Miss?”
I hold my palm out, and it hangs in the air a moment while she stares at it, her mouth parted.
“She’d love to,” her friend says. Then with a slight shove from the one next to her, the girl steps forward and slips her hand in mine.
“Um, sure.”
I lead her onto the floor and take her in my arms, taking care not to let our bodies touch.
Her hand rests gently on my shoulder, and she looks everywhere but at me.
“Name’s Blue,” I whisper. “What’s yours?”
“Luisa.”
“Luisa,” I try it out on my tongue. “That’s a real pretty name. I shouldn’t be surprised. You’re a beautiful woman.”
“Thank you.” Her cheeks flush a pretty pink, accentuating her perfect complexion.
My eyes rove over her. Her hair is dark and sexy, with part of it up in a sparkly clip and the rest falling over her bare shoulders in soft curls.
Her eyes are dark brown with a sexy slant and long lashes.
Finally, my attention falls to her sexy mouth and full red lips. A mouth made for kissing.
“Are you related to the bride?” I ask.
“She’s my sister.”
My stomach drops. Fucking hell. “I see,” I say, finding my voice, and glancing around the room, trying to find Eduardo, already wondering if I’m a dead man.
*****
Luisa—
“It’s a little hot in here. You want to get some air?” Blue asks me, but before I can answer, he tugs on my hand and then he’s leading me through the crowd toward the exit.
My eyes flick to where my girlfriends stand. Carmen grins big, happy for me, but Ramona and Marcela stare wide-eyed and open-mouthed. I can almost read the words Ramona is mouthing. What are you doing? Are you insane?
I scan for my father, but he’s busy across the room talking with his relatives and doesn’t notice me leaving.
Before I know it, we’re out of the tent and fast-walking across the patio toward the nearest grove of pecan trees.
I tug on Blue’s hand to slow him. “Where are we going?”
“Just thought we’d get some air?” Once we’re a distance away and melded into the darkness, he slows his stride to a stroll, and I can catch my breath.
I’m not afraid. Maybe I should be, because I don’t know this man, and now we’re alone, away from the others, and night has fallen. But something about him puts me at ease, and besides, this may be my only chance to talk and flirt with a real man before I’m tied to Mateo.
As we walk, I study Blue out of the corner of my eye. He’s tall and handsome in a rugged way, but the look is softened by his light brown hair and pretty blue eyes. I suppose that must be where he got his name. Surely, Blue can’t be his given name.
He seems very assertive. Self-confidence radiates off him, and I get the feeling there isn’t a room he couldn’t walk into and own just by his mere presence.
I know what he is, and I’m sure that explains his self-assurance.
He’s one of the motorcycle men my father befriended after the fire.
Not at all the kind of men I should associate with, but my father did invite them to the wedding, and they did stop to help him that day, so he must trust them, right? Surely, I have nothing to fear.
Besides, something about him at my side makes me feel protected, like he’d take care of me. Is it odd that I feel this way? After all, we’ve just met.
Blue smiles, and my heart does a little flip.
“What are you thinking, pretty girl?”
“Just that you’re not the kind of man I would expect my father to invite to his daughter’s wedding.”
“I guess not. I was a little shocked myself when my president told us all we’d be attending.”
“I bet you don’t go to many weddings.”
“You’d be right about that.” He chuckles and laces our fingers together. “Tell me about yourself, Luisa.”
I shrug, hating that there’s nothing exciting to say. “What do you want to know?”
He lifts his shoulders in return. “How about your favorite color?”
“Blue,” I say without realizing the double meaning until the word is out of my mouth. Then I blush and look away, but not before catching his grin widen.
“Blue. I like that.”