Chapter 12 Lee #2
I flip another pancake, grinning. “I like grumpy Kya. She’s adorable.”
“You say that now, but be warned. Grumpy Kya is a menace to society.”
“I agree. Calling me into that bathroom was diabolical.” I stack pancakes on her plate, adding syrup and a pat of butter. “Eat. You’re too skinny.”
She raises an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me. When’s the last time you had a proper breakfast? And don’t say coffee counts.”
She’s quiet for a moment, cutting into her pancakes. “I don’t really… eat breakfast usually. Coffee and maybe a granola bar if I remember.”
“Jesus, Kya.” I lean against the counter, studying her. “You run a bar, work fourteen-hour days, and survive on coffee and granola bars?”
“I’ve been busy—”
“You’ve been neglecting yourself,” I correct. “Good thing you’ve got me now.”
She breathes out a long sigh, ducking her head as she slices into another piece of pancake. “Thank you. It’s nice having someone looking out for me.”
“No problem.”
She leans back in her chair, studying me with those sharp hazel eyes. “What’s your day look like?”
“Church at 10.”
“Church?”
“Club meeting,” I explain, glancing at the clock. “You?”
“Opening the bar at eleven. Mercy’s handling the lunch rush so I can catch up on paperwork.” She wrinkles her nose. “The glamorous life of a business owner.”
“Need help with anything? I could swing by after church.”
“Trying to find excuses to see me already, Armstrong?”
“Always,” I say without hesitation, making her blush. “But I’m also serious. Heavy lifting, intimidating suppliers, looking pretty. I’m good at all of it.”
She laughs. “I might take you up on that.”
I stand to clear our plates, but she catches my wrist. “Lee?”
“Yeah?”
“Last night… this morning… all of it. Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For making me feel…” She trails off.
I wait while she searches for the words she needs.
“Taken care of,” she says quietly. “It’s nice.”
The admission hits me right in the chest. I set down the plates and turn to face her fully, cupping her face in my hands.
“Get used to it,” I say, brushing my thumb over her cheek. “I plan on taking care of you for a long time.”
Before she can respond, I press her back against the refrigerator and kiss her. Really kiss her, deep and thorough and claiming. She melts into me with a soft sound that makes me want to forget about church and spend the day learning every sound she can make.
Fucking hell. I’ve never wanted to shirk my duty before.
When we break apart, we’re both breathing hard.
“You could have had this earlier,” I say against her lips. “But you made me wait.”
She laughs, breathless. “But it’s so much better without morning breath.”
With a growl, I spin us around, lifting her easily onto the kitchen counter so we’re at eye level. Her legs wrap around my waist automatically, and I settle between them like I belong there.
“Hi,” I murmur, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Hi yourself.”
I kiss her again, softer this time but no less intense. When I pull back, she’s looking at me with an expression I can’t quite read.
“What?” I ask.
“We’ve already done three things,” she says, smiling.
“Three things?”
“From our list last night. Morning coffee together, kissing against the fridge, and…” She gestures between us. “Now the counter.”
“Guess we’re overachievers,” I say, catching her mouth for another slow, lingering kiss.
“Guess so,” she murmurs when I finally draw back.
I check the time on my phone and curse under my breath. “I need to go. Church starts in an hour and I have some shit I need to get done.”
“Go,” she says, but her arms tighten around my neck. “Come hang out with me at the bar tonight?”
“That I can do.” I kiss her one more time, quick and hard, then force myself to step back. “I’ll text you after church.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
I grab my helmet and cut, pausing at the door to look back at her. She’s still sitting on the counter, hair wild, lips swollen from my kisses, looking thoroughly debauched and absolutely beautiful.
“Kya?”
“Yeah?”
“Best fucking night of my life.”
Her smile could stop traffic. “Mine too.”
I walk backward down her garden path. “And just think. I haven’t even fucked you yet.”
I grin as she throws back her head and laughs.
The ride to the clubhouse should take less than ten minutes, but I stretch it to forty, taking the long way through the hills outside town. I need space to get my head right.
By the time I pull into the lot behind the clubhouse, most of the bikes are already there. Church starts at ten sharp, and it’s 9:55. I’m cutting it close, but that’s nothing new.
I push through the back door and head straight for the chapel, grabbing coffee from the machine in the hallway. The room is already full, voices low and serious as the brothers settle into their usual spots around the scarred wooden table.
Stone glances up when I enter, his eyes taking in my appearance with the practiced assessment of a father who’s been reading his children’s moods for decades. There’s a small flaw in my plan to keep what’s going on with Kya quiet—I’m wearing the same clothes as yesterday.
Fuck.
“Cutting it close, son,” he says mildly.
“Slept late,” I lie, sliding into my usual seat between Bones and Cash.
Bones gives me a once-over and grins. “Rough night?”
“Something like that,” I mutter, taking a sip of coffee that tastes like motor oil.
“Alright, let’s get started,” Stone says, rapping his knuckles on the table. “Church is in session.”
The next hour is standard business—security updates, upcoming runs, a dispute between two prospects that needs settling. I contribute when necessary, but my mind keeps drifting to this morning. To Kya’s sleepy smile, her teasing, the way she tasted, the sound she made when I—
“Which brings us to the Summit situation,” Stone says, interrupting my thoughts. “Any updates?”
Hawk straightens in his chair. “They’ve been quiet since their visit to Devil’s. My gut says they’re planning something bigger.”
“What about the lawyer?” Duck asks. “Josie making any progress?”
“Some. She’s filed the preliminary injunctions to block the zoning changes, but it’s a slow process. Could take months to get a hearing.”
“We don’t have months,” Axel says grimly. “The count was finalized last night. They managed to secure two of the three seats they were chasing.”
There are curses from around the table.
“We’ll deal with it,” I say, speaking up for the first time. “Whatever it takes.”
Stone’s eyes find mine across the table. “You’ve been hanging around Devil’s. Any news?”
There’s something in his tone. It’s not quite teasing, but close. A few of the brothers exchange glances, and I realize I’ve walked right into whatever this is.
“Nothing I haven’t already shared,” I say carefully.
“And yet it warrants closer scrutiny?” Duck asks, but the old bastard is grinning at me.
The fucker.
“Devil’s is important to the community,” I say, crossing my arms over my chest, determined not to be drawn into their fucking nonsense.
“Sure it is,” Cash says with a grin. “And I’m sure your sudden interest has nothing to do with the hot new owner.”
Shit.
“You fuckers done with your teasing? Or can we get back to business?”
Hawk snorts. “Not a chance. You gave me and Axel shit for weeks, it’s time to eat your own medicine.”
“I did not—” I start, then catch myself. I did. I absolutely did. Damn it.
“You know the new waitress at Devil’s—Mercy? Well, she and I got to talking last night and it seems our man here had a little meet up with Kya at her house last night.” Cash wiggles his eyebrows suggestively. “Wanna share with the group, hot stuff?”
The room erupts in laughter and catcalls. Bones claps me on the back hard enough to rattle my teeth, while Duck mutters something about “about damn time” under his breath.
“This is ridiculous,” I protest, but no one’s listening.
Cash holds up his hand, quieting the table once more. “And,” he says, placing a hand on his chest dramatically, “it appears that our man here chose not to seal the deal. Mercy sent me a text just now. It seems Kya and Lee are taking it slow.”
This predictably unleashes a new round of ribbing. I shake my head, letting them get this nonsense out of their system. Unfortunately for me, it seems Cash came prepared for this conversation.
He stands, holding up his phone. “Starting a pool,” he announces. “Taking bets on how long it takes before Lee and Kya—”
“Don’t you fucking dare,” I warn.
“—get horizontal,” he finishes with a grin.
“I want in,” Bones says immediately, reaching for his wallet. “Twenty says they don’t make it through the week.”
“You’re all insane,” I say, but Duck is already nodding thoughtfully.
“I’ll take two weeks,” he says. “Boy’s stubborn, but he’s not stupid.”
“Five days,” Axel chimes in. “That woman’s got him tied in knots. He won’t last longer than that.”
“I’m sitting right here,” I point out.
“Three days,” Hawk says quietly, and everyone turns to stare at him. He shrugs. “What? Have you seen her? She’s his type to a fucking T.”
The betting escalates quickly, with brothers calling out timeframes and amounts while Cash frantically scribbles notes in his phone. Even some of the prospects get in on the action, pooling their limited funds for longer odds.
“You getting in on this?” I say to Stone, who’s watching the chaos with barely concealed amusement.
He grins. “I already did.”
“Fucking hell. Betrayed by my own flesh and blood. It’s creepy, you know, betting on this shit.”
Stone just grins.
He lets the ribbing go on for another minute or so before calling for order.
“Alright, alright, you dicks. That’s enough. We’ve got actual business to finish.”
But the damage is done. For the rest of church, I catch brothers grinning at me and making not-so-subtle comments about “taking care of business” and “sealing the deal.” By the time we’re dismissed, I’m ready to punch someone.
“Don’t look so sour,” Bones says as we file out of the chapel. “It’s nice to see you happy for once.”
“I’m always happy,” I protest.
“You’re always content,” he corrects. “There’s a difference. And whatever’s happening with you and Kya? It’s good for you, brother. We’re happy for you.”
“You guys got a weird way of showing it,” I say finally.
He claps me on the shoulder. “Now, appreciate if you could hold yourself together for another twenty-four hours. I got three hundred riding on you.”
I flip him off and head for my bike, but I’m smiling despite myself. Because for all their teasing and inappropriate betting habits, the brothers are right about one thing.
I am happy. Happier than I’ve been in years.
And if that means dealing with a few crude jokes and losing bets, it’s a small price to pay for whatever this thing with Kya might become.
My phone buzzes as I’m putting on my helmet.
Unknown
Tell your girlfriend to sell.
The good mood evaporates instantly, replaced by cold, focused rage.
Summit.
I screenshot the message and send it to Stone, then start my bike.
They want to play games? Threaten Kya?
Fine. But they picked the wrong fight with the wrong man.
They’re going to learn exactly why crossing the Stoneheart MC is the last mistake they’ll ever make.