Chapter Four #2
“The fuck? PO?” Romeo questioned with a roll of his eyes. “You’re not tagging him with the acronym for parole officer.”
I laughed. “In my case, it’s probation.”
Romeo went around the table. “Blade. President of the Hellers. You want in the club? Kiss his ass.” He pointed to a Japanese girl sitting at a table with the blonde ball buster from outside and several other girls. “But ask Hana first.”
Blade sipped a beer. “Pretty boy knows all about ass kissing. Just ask his old lady.”
“Levi’s ass is spectacular,” Romeo said. “I do a lot more than kiss it.” He nodded to the guy next to Blade. I’d thought Tank was big, but the VP of the Heller Raiders was bigger. “Rogue.”
The first time I’d been out to Romeo’s place, we’d rehashed life from when we lost touch in the system. He’d told me about his mom, Shannon and her brother, Rogue, who’d brought him into the MC.
“Dozer and Torch are out at the grill. You’ll meet them later.” Romeo sat again. “Ryatt is hanging around, but I’m going to convince him to prospect for the club.”
I settled onto the chair next to him. “What does prospecting for the club entail?”
“Prospect,” Rogue hollered to the bar. “Another round of drinks.” Then he finished his beer. “Prospect does whatever he’s told. No questions. No arguments. You want to wear a cut? You can buy one on . You want the patch? You fucking earn it.”
Cruz—you didn’t forget the name of the guy fucking the girl of your dreams—held four long necks in each hand, bracing them between his fingers. Romeo helped him unload the bottles onto the table.
“What kind of bike do you ride?” Blade asked.
“Yamaha R1.”
Before I could continue with the specs of my badass bike, the only thing of value I owned, Romeo wrapped an arm around his president’s shoulder. “He needs a long run up to Sturgis to know why he needs to trade in his crotch rocket for American made muscle.”
“Is that Street Glide still in the window at the shop,” Blade asked. “Hana sprayed the tank with skulls and chains.”
“I saw it last Sunday,” I said. “She does amazing work.”
“Sold it today,” Romeo said.
Blade’s phone buzzed, and he stood.
“We have a board meeting,” Romeo said to me. “Have a drink. The old ladies will get the food set up. This won’t take long.”
I hitched my thumb over my shoulder. “I’ll hang with Kiss, Blue, and McKelle.”
“Good. But don’t leave.”
Having him want me to stay felt good, too.
Romeo left the room with the other board members, and I grabbed a soda and crossed the room to the pool table platform.
“Ryatt!” McKelle waved from the far side of the pool table.
I climbed three steps, approached Blue, and we bumped fists. Then I leaned against the rail separating the pool area from the rest of the room.
“What do you think?”
I tipped my soda to my lips and took in the main chapel. Laughter, music, good friends, and food. “I can see the appeal.”
“Are you ready for tomorrow?” McKelle positioned at the table, lined up her shot, and cracked the cue ball against a solid-colored ball. Her gaze lifted and connected with mine.
“I hope so. But I’m more excited to see you race.” I smiled around the rim of my cup.
“You’ll be choking on my exhaust and staring at my back tire.”
No. It wouldn’t be her tire. Not with the way her ass looked when she rode. But I didn’t vocalize my thoughts. Pretty sure most of the guys in here could pound me into the pavement. Although her ass might have me wrecking when I watched her instead of the turns and ending up in the run-off areas.
“Are the barriers padded? Air fences? What’s the safety protocol?”
“Oh god,” she laughed. “Don’t jinx us.” She knocked her final ball into the pocket. “There’re medics on site, but it’s not that crazy. Everyone is pretty chill. It’s just friendly competition, and it’s hella fun.”
Cruz vaulted over the rail next to me. “I’ve got a ten-minute break.”
He grabbed McKelle and whispered into her ear.
“What are you going to give me?” she asked him.
He looped his finger through her belt loop and tugged her toward the steps. “You have to ask.”
She chuckled, and my gut knotted.
“Wait.” She twisted in his arms, but Cruz kept his hands on her hips. “Ryatt, this is my boyfriend, Cruz. And Cruz, this is Ryatt. I told you about him,” she said to Cruz. “He’s coming to the track with us tomorrow.”
With a quick perusal, Cruz skimmed me from head to toe, smiled, and banded his arm around McKelle. One glance, and a quirk of his lips, was all it took for him to decide I wasn’t a threat.
“Good.” One word, then he turned his attention back to McKelle. “Nine minutes,” he whispered against her neck.
“We’ll be right back,” she said. Her cheeks flushed and her eyes sparked with mischief. I would kill to have a girl want me the way she wanted him. Not literally kill. In a place like this, that might be an option.
The boardroom door opened. Romeo and the other guys filed into the chapel. Jazzy stood on a chair, and her ear-piercing whistle screeched through the noise and chatter. “I need your attention.”
“We’ve never had an SaA like Jazzy. Ball buster with a badge.” Romeo laughed.
“Turn off the music,” Torch said.
“We’ve got club business.” Blade had everyone’s attention.
“What the fuck?” Cruz said. His voice lowered. “Blue, do you know what’s going on?”
“Looks like they’re calling for a vote.”
“Fuck me,” Cruz said.
“The board had a vote, and now we’re bringing the decision to you,” Blade said.
I stayed quiet. McKelle gripped Cruz’s hand. Kiss stood in front of Blue as they all stared at the front of the room.
“Dozer, this is your monkey and your circus,” Blade said.
Another Heller, the enforcer with a shaved head held a patch in his hand. “I’m going to need Cruz over here.”
Cruz kissed McKelle hard, jumped the rail, and weaved between the tables to the front of the room.
“Time to listen to your mom.” Rogue slapped Cruz on the back.
“I wasn’t sure this night was ever going to happen,” Dozer said. “There’re a lot of reasons a prospect might not get a patch right away, why it might seem he has to work twice as hard, for twice as long.”
“Just like Cruz’s dick pic in your phone,” someone yelled.
“I keep it in my phone as a reminder,” Dozer said.
“More proof that my prospect is a lot like our VP. He’s known to go rogue.
Rides too fast, tends to bitch too much, and on occasion sends a dick pic.
” Dozer grumbled. “Good thing we’re not discussing your photography skills or the size of your dick. ”
“I’m sure his old lady had him on his knees.” I don’t know who hollered, but it caused an eruption of laughter. “He’s got a bit of Bullet in him.”
“Nah, he wouldn’t have Bullet in him, although we’ve all heard the stories.”
“Fuck you,” Cruz said.
“You’ll have to be specific on that request,” the biker said. “You want to kick my ass or kiss it?”
“I’m sure he’s got a few kitten scratches,” someone else said.
I couldn’t keep all the names straight. But they all seemed to enjoy a good roast. Everyone except McKelle. Her brows furrowed as she glared at the guys around Cruz. The pissed off expression couldn’t be for her boyfriend since she’d been about to step out for a nine-minute fuck of some kind.
“You can ask Jinx.” More laughs filled the room.
A woman with long bleached hair and big tits blew Cruz a kiss.
Maybe I had it wrong. My gaze locked on McKelle.
Kiss had left Blue’s side and held McKelle’s hand. “It’s just talk,” she said.
McKelle’s lips trembled. “He promised.” She turned to Blue. “Was he here Saturday? He said he had to work.”
Blue didn’t seem to want to look her in the eyes. He stared at me then Kiss.
“Blue?”
He finally turned his focus to her. “He was around.”
“Was he working behind the bar?” McKelle snapped. “Blue, please, don’t lie to me. Just tell me.”
Blue released a heavy sigh. “I’m not lying to you, and I’m not covering for him. He wasn’t working, but if he’d gone with Jinx, I think he would’ve said something to me.”
I shifted my gaze to Cruz. He hadn’t turned away from the patch.
He hadn’t seen the devastation on his girl’s face.
What the fuck was wrong with him? Dude, tell your friends to shut the fuck up, walk away, and go to your girlfriend?
It’s a fucking club logo. The shit talk wasn’t worth hurting McKelle.
“Cruz has proven he’s as loyal as our prez,” Dozer said.
“Loyal?” McKelle asked. “Maybe they should ask me.”
Christ. Had Cruz fucked around on her?
“He’s as fierce as our Sergeant at Arms,” Dozer continued.
“He’s proven to be a brother.” He rubbed his thumb over the Heller patch.
“It’s not just a piece of cloth. The patch means something different to each of us.
Brotherhood, family, loyalty. When you sew on Heller colors, you represent all of us. Are you ready for this?”
Cruz smiled. “Fuck, bruh, you know it. I never felt like I belonged until I walked through those doors. I’m going to ride with the Hellers, bleed for the Hellers, I’m all fucking in.”
Another round of cheers erupted.
“I remember when my dad handed me my patch,” Dozer said. “He’s here tonight to vote for my prospect.” Dozer one-arm hugged Cruz.
“We need a vote,” Blade said. “Prospect is ready to be a Heller.”
“He’s proven to have the balls to be a part of this club,” Rogue said. “He’s got my vote.”
“And mine,” Bullet, the huge biker sitting next to Rogue said.
“Ready to welcome another brother?” Blade asked the club.
“Aye!”
“It has to be unanimous,” Blade said. “Do we have any nays?”
The room was quiet for less than two seconds. Then pandemonium erupted. Cheers and whistles created a deafening roar. Dozer handed him the patch, and Blade stripped him out of his cut.
Bullet stood and wrapped an arm around Cruz, led him to a chair, and shoved him down to sit. “While the rest of us drink to celebrate, you’ll sew on your patch.”
“After Saturday night, he can afford it.” Kodiak hollered to the bar. “Rounds are on the former prospect.”