Chapter 1 #2
The garage is filled with filters, oil, transmission fluid, wiper refills, lights, and a million other things.
We have a fully stocked parts bay in the back that you can only access behind the counter.
If we don’t have a part, we can order it.
Usually, we have the package delivered the next day.
We’re also the only place in the area that specializes in motorcycles as well as parts for classic automobiles.
The counter runs about twelve feet across the room.
In the front, the counter faces the front of the store.
It’s an L shape and the smaller end is about eight feet long and presses against the wall.
On it is a coffee pot, travel cups, and various other accoutrements such as creamer, sugar, stirring sticks etc.
The coffee is free to customers which is a double edge sword, because more often than not we get old men who come in for the coffee and conversation.
There are also some fresh baked goodies that I set out daily.
Painting is my happy place but cooking and baking calm me.
I also love all the old guys gathering around and shooting the shit. It kind of reminds me of my dad.
“Thanks, Beau,” Callum says, lopping his arm over my shoulders and walking with me.
“You’re buying tonight,” I grumble.
“You got it. Leave about six? We’ll go to Remi’s. I’ll buy you dinner too.”
“Damn straight you are,” I huff. We go out the front door—which is all glass, but I have these cool metal doors that come down and protect the building when I close.
We break apart as I make my way to Skull and Torch who are standing by their bikes.
Callum goes out to a three-bay garage in gray-blue tin and white doors with a row of small windows that run up the side of them.
My personal garage—where only the painting and body work are done—looks the same and is the same size.
The lone exception is that I’ve made it only two bays, so I have more room to move around.
My garage also has an office inside it. I rarely use it for anything other than scratching out my designs or catching up on paying bills, but it’s there just the same.
I paste a smile on my face—this one is mostly sincere as I approach Skull and Torch.
I go to Skull first and don’t even speak.
I just wrap my arms around him. He does the same and I squeeze him tightly, breathing in his scent of leather and dust. That doesn’t sound like a great combination, but it is.
Add in some motor oil and that’s exactly how my dad smelled.
“Skull,” I whisper, emotion thick in my voice. I really loved Diego. He was like the younger brother I would have loved to have.
“Missed you twinkle toes,” he mutters, making me laugh.
He used to visit with my dad, so he knows a lot about me—like the fact that I used to dream of being a ballerina.
Okay, maybe I had a small trace of girly inside me.
Whatever. On his visits, he caught me dancing more than once, and that’s how I got the nickname from him.
“I was at Gabby’s wedding, though I stayed in the background. It was a day for family. I didn’t want to intrude.”
“You are family, Beau. You know that.”
I grin, kissing his cheek. I can’t help but realize that I don’t smell alcohol. That’s a stench that had become way too prevalent on him since Diego’s death.
“Get your ass over here, Beau.” I laugh looking at Torch. “Does Katie know you wore that shirt out of the house today?” I ask. His tee is black and in big white letters it reads, “Ask about my free drinks for blow jobs program.”
“She’s given up trying to change me. Besides, she knows she leaves me so worn out my dick won’t work when I leave the house,” he jokes.
I laugh, shaking my head as he hugs me.
When I pull back, I look at the two of them and sigh. “I guess I don’t have to ask why you’re here.”
“I guess you don’t, carino,” Skull answers.
“You two know I love you, but I’m not going to change my mind.”
“I don’t understand. We’ve always worked well together,” Torch says, and damn it. I can hear that he’s more than a little hurt and that just pisses me off. In the midst of my anger, I open up my mental diary making reason one thousand for why I hate Hunter because he made me hurt his dad and Skull.
“We did, but you two aren’t in charge any longer,” I point out.
“King says you won’t even meet with him. You would like him, Beau.”
“After seeing him with Gabby, I’m sure I would. That’s not why I ended our contract.”
“Crash said something about you had a disagreement with BB,” Torch says, watching me closely.
“Didn’t you ask your son about it?”
“He said the two of you had a misunderstanding and he’s been trying to see you to apologize,” Torch says. “Honestly, we stepped down. We’ve been giving them time to try to work this out without stepping in. That doesn’t seem to be happening.”
I let out a snort of humorless laughter. I wouldn’t have thought laughing right now was possible, but apparently it is. “His explanation is a very watered down way of explaining it I suppose.”
“What did the fucking asshole do?” Torch grumbles, clearly not happy.
“Are you supposed to call your own son an idiot?”
“If the shoe fits. Now, tell me what he did,” Torch orders.
“He did a couple things. I’m not getting into it because it’s personal.
Let’s just say the first part of it hurt, but I would have at least continued accepting your projects—even if I didn’t make them a priority.
After the second, I’ll not relent. I love you both, but Torch, if I have to even look at your son again, I will cut off his dick and stuff into his mouth so that he’s unable to speak.
Then, your dream of grandchildren will be gone.
” Skull chuckles at my words. He probably doesn’t understand that I’m not laughing and I’m definitely not joking.
“BB has a kid. Ty. I just assumed you knew, though I guess that’s one topic we’ve never really broached,” Torch replies.
“Ty?” I ask, almost feeling sick to my stomach.
“Is BB married?” I ask, praying he’s not.
It feels weird calling him BB, but at the same time it’s easier.
I fell in love with Hunter. I can pretend BB is just an asshole I have no attachment to whatsoever.
I’m not sure I’m that good at living in a make-believe world, but I’m going to try.
Lord knows that I lived there enough when I was growing up.
“No. BB was a kid himself when Ty was born. Never should have fooled around with the bitch he did, because she is a bitch. A fact that even ten years later the woman proves over and over. Still, none of us would give up Ty. He’s everything good, so we deal.”
I nod, feeling marginally better that at least I won’t be responsible for the asshole cheating on his wife.
I wonder if the red head from the wedding is the baby’s mother.
I push those thoughts away. Not my monkeys, not my circus.
Hunter can go fuck himself—or the red head.
It’s not my business. “Anyway, things happened, and now, it’s done.
I hate it, you know I do. It breaks my heart that I’m disappointing either one of you. I won’t change my mind, however.”
“Beau, our club is in trouble. No one knows that and I’m asking you to keep the information between the three of us,” Skull says.
Shock hits me … hard. I don’t bother trying to hide it.
He has to read the surprise and disbelief on my features.
Skull lets out a frustrated breath, raking his hands through his salt and pepper hair.
Skull might be a little on the older side, but it must be said the man is damn fine and aging well.
The fact every inch of him is covered in tattoos is hot enough, but you add in his beautiful hair along with his deep voice, the way he sounds speaking Spanish, along with his beautiful dark eyes, and any woman—no matter her age—would be a goner for him.
All that is him, however, is even sexier if you take a minute and realize how devoted he is to his wife. He treats her like a queen.
“Skull, I can’t work with him. In fact, I don’t even want him on my property. He’s shown up a couple of times and each time I fight with myself to keep from calling the law.”
“What if you don’t have to see him?” Torch suggests, shocking me because well, it is his son.
“Say what?”
“I’ll personally guarantee that if you take the club back on, BB will stay away,” Skull elaborates.
“I hardly think that’s possible. He is the VP of the club now,” I inform him of something I’m sure he already knows since he took that role from him.
“We’ll make it so that it is possible.” I jerk my head to the side to see where the new voice has come from.
That’s when I see King standing there. Hands up in the air like he’s surrendering.
I look back at Torch and Skull, my glare accusing—to say the least. In return, they look more than a little guilty, but don’t say a word.