Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
I watched Katie doing math in her head the whole tour. She’s smart. And I guess she probably knows I’m a thug that does the club’s shakedowns when money is owed. Amongst other things.
Which reminds me I didn’t get the cash I went for today. I pull out my phone and send a quick, but very violent text to Chester.
“Wow, it’s a lot busier,” Katie says when we walk back toward the clubhouse after touring the motorcycle repair shop, the greenhouse for Prez’s pet plants, and the shooting range.
It’s really starting to ramp up by the time we finish touring the grounds. Bikes are rolling in, thundering up the driveway.
Music is blaring from the outdoor speakers. Kegs are sitting in kid’s pools full of ice. And Katie’s starting to get stares.
Fuck.
Now I know why Chubs has his arm around Essa all the time. How the fuck am I going to leave to do my job?
“I’d like to help with the food,” Katie says, snapping me out of the fucking tornadoes of questions in my head.
“The ol’ ladies got it, you can just relax tonight.”
She looks appalled as her feet stop moving. “Don’t tell me you’re making grandmothers serve you wild animals.”
I frown, head tilting. “Grandmothers?”
“Old ladies.”
My eyes squint and before I can stop myself, I throw my head back and let out a deep laugh. I’m still chuckling when I say, “Old ladies as in their wives. Not wives technically most of the time, but they’re hitched to one of the club brothers.”
This doesn’t ease her confusion.
“Why do you call them old?”
“Old ball and chain, you know…”
She glares and me scrunching her cute, adorable nose. “I know that’s not nice.”
I’m grinning as I wrap my arm around this beautiful creature’s waist and draw her tight against my chest, loving the little gasping sound she makes. “You don’t want to be called my ol’ lady?”
“Do you want to be called my ol’ man?”
”You can call me whatever you like.”
”I think trouble,” she teases.
Every single thing Katie says is like another punch to a tender spot I didn’t know existed. The pain is glorious. I kiss her forehead and say, “I’ll gladly answer to that.”
“Oh Jesus,” she whispers. “You’re getting hard again already.”
True words. “You keep me that way.”
She leaps away, laughing. “I’m going to help. I can’t stand around here while other people work and not help out.”
This girl is pure fucking sunshine, and I am the luckiest bastard in the world.
I swat her butt with my gigantic hand. “You stay in the kitchen until I get back. Okay? I’ve got to do something.”
She waves, throwing a grin over her shoulder that makes me realize just how much trouble I’m in.
Unable to stop myself, I shout, “I mean it Katie-girl. Don’t come out of that kitchen until I’m back!”
The woman blows me a kiss.
A fucking kiss.
Argh!
“Oh, brother. I know that look.”
It’s Slider. He’s visiting from our other chapter of the Kings of Darkness and he looks annoyingly smug.
“What look is that?” I counter.
“The you’re about to fuck some people up look.”
My phone pings with a text and I check it quickly. “Speaking of, you and a couple your guys able to help me out with a collection real quick?”
He grins, “As long as it’s not an arranged bride, I’m your man.”
I shake my head. “No kidnapping of the opposite sex involved.”
”Count me in.”
“Let’s roll.”
But we don’t move out fast enough. One of the whores prances over and I don’t even bother looking her in the eyes.
“Hey, Skull.”
I tip my chin without giving her the time of day.
“Who’s your friend here?” she purrs.
“That’s—”
“I’m taken,” Slider says quickly.
I cut him side-eye.
“Well, if you change your mind…” She trails a long purple fingernail over her partially exposed nipple. “I’ll be ready and waiting.”
“Taken?” I laugh when she’s out of earshot. “Since when?”
“Since never,” Slider grunts. “I want a nice quiet virgin.”
I snort beer out of my nose. “All right then. I’ll be sure to point one your way if I come across one, but that ain’t likely to happen here.”
Five minutes later we’re loaded up. Slider’s in the passenger seat of my truck, and a few of his guys and my guys are on bikes.
“It’s not far,” I mutter, turning onto the main road.
He checks his gun before sliding it back into his holster. “So, what are we collecting?”
“Maybe some teeth,” I reply as I mash the gas pedal. The sooner this is done, the sooner I can get back to my woman.