9. Chapter Nine
Chapter Nine
Levi
H ow the hell did I go from president of a motorcycle club to babysitter?
Jenna’s laugh was bright as she listed off the songs she wanted Evie to sing, and I could only shake my head. I’d faced off with men who would kill their own mothers for a dime, but I couldn’t say no to my baby sister.
It had absolutely nothing to do with wanting to protect a certain green-eyed songbird. And it definitely didn’t have anything to do with that damn kiss.
I’d kissed plenty of women in my life. Some, I remembered. Most I didn’t. Kissing was just part of getting to fucking. Before my dad died, maybe I thought different because I’d been different. Back then, I thought I’d follow in Dad’s footsteps. College or trade school. Regular job. Wife and kids when I felt like settling down. Instead, I became the man of the house at seventeen, and then we moved here.
Looking at Mom, I felt a stab of guilt at how I’d behaved back then. For two years after the move, I was a total jackass. Rebelled. Joined the Thunder Riders. Partied. Slept around. Then Mason had joined the MC and I realized how badly I’d fucked up being a role model for him. The Thunder Riders hadn’t ever been into the really dark shit that clubs like the Cobras dealt in, but we did our fair share of illegal shit. After I became president six months ago, I started making changes, and I hoped we’d eventually be mostly legit.
I didn’t have the time for a woman beyond how long it took to get us both off. And even if I did, Evie was the last girl I should be looking at.
But I still couldn’t stop thinking about that fucking kiss. Those sounds she’d made that made me wonder what other noises I could get her to make. The way her body had leaned into me. The feel of her ass under my palm and how badly I’d wanted to spank it.
Just the thought of turning her ass pink had my jeans uncomfortably tight.
“So, I know you two have been having a hard time picking out a song for your first dance.”
The nervousness in Evie’s voice had me looking at her, wondering at the change.
“When you told me that you proposed to Isabel, I started working on something.” Evie’s smile was shy, nothing like her usual confident smirks or that sunshine smile I’d always hated and loved.
Loved because she’d been through so much shit in her life that she deserved to be that happy, but hated because I’d never been able to get one of those from her. Most of them had gone to Jenna, but Mason and Tucker had managed it every once in a while. But not me.
I pushed those thoughts away and moved from the kitchen to the living room to look out front and make sure it was still clear. The kitchen was close enough that I could still hear what was going on in there.
“I finished it this morning before I got here. It’s my gift to you, so even if you don’t want to use it, it’s still your song.”
Everything out front looked good, which meant it was time to take a walk around the yard, make sure we didn’t have anyone trying to get in through the back. But I didn’t leave. Instead, I walked back toward the kitchen, stopping in the doorway as Evie picked up her guitar.
I had wondered why she insisted on bringing it even though I told her we were going on my bike and not in her tiny clown car. Seeing the tears in my sister’s eyes, I was glad I’d taken the time to figure out how to bring the guitar on my bike.
With Evie’s head bent over her guitar, her hair covered her face, but I didn’t need to see it to picture the expression she wore. I’d seen her messing around on that guitar for years before she wrote her first hit, and she always had the same look before she started. She’d fiddle with the strings, making sure they were just right, and her eyes would be narrowed, her mouth flat. Every ounce of concentration focused on perfection.
I told her once that she looked like she had to take a shit when she did that. Mom had slapped me upside the head for that one, and Jenna had refused to speak to me for a week. It made for a damn awkward Thanksgiving, and I’d been too arrogant to apologize for it.
I never told anyone that I’d only said it because I was a jealous little prick. Seeing her like that made me realize that I’d never been as completely consumed by anything or anyone as she was by music.
She began humming as she strummed a few chords. Her hand moved up and down the neck of her guitar, pressing different combinations until she was sure the sound was what she wanted. Then she straightened, tossing her curls over her shoulder, and I found myself waiting as much as everyone else.
“The sun in the sky / The wind in my hair / There’s something so sweet / In the summer night’s air…”
My stomach twisted as I listened to her words. She was singing to Jenna and Isabel, telling their love story, but there was something about it that felt like a punch to the gut. I didn’t know if it was the lyrics, the music, or her voice, but I couldn’t look away from her.
“Never thought I’d find someone like you / Never imagined my dreams could come true…”
“Evie’s such a great friend.”
Mom’s voice startled me. I hadn’t seen her move, but now she was right beside me. She wasn’t watching me, though. Her eyes were on Evie too.
“She could’ve just sung one of the dozens of songs she’s already released,” Mom continued. “Jenna would’ve been just as thrilled. But Evie’s always been the sort to go above and beyond.”
I grunted something that could’ve been agreement and crossed my arms, trying to pretend I was bored.
“I see my future in your eyes / Ever and always / For the rest of our lives…”
Mom put her hand on my arm, and I finally turned away from Evie to look down at her. “Yeah?”
“Ever and always / For the rest of our lives…” Evie’s voice trailed off as Jenna threw herself at her friend, already babbling on about how great Evie was and how much it meant to her and all that kind of thing.
“Evie really has grown up to be a lovely girl, hasn’t she?” Mom’s voice was soft, a knowing look in her eyes.
“I guess,” I said, my voice sharp enough for Mom to raise her eyebrows. I tried to soften it. “She’s Jenna’s little friend. That’s all.”
Mom gave me an amused smile, her eyes twinkling with her usual humor. “And was she ‘Jenna’s little friend’ when you kissed her?”
“Dammit, Jenna,” I muttered, before explaining to my mom what had actually happened. “That was nothing. I was trying to get her dirtbag ex away from Jenna’s place.”
“By kissing her?”
“Yeah, by kissing her,” I snapped, barely keeping my voice down. “I’m not interested in her, okay? She’s a kid, and we can’t stand each other.”
Mom gave me that look that said she was trying to see straight through me. I always hated that look because there were plenty of things I really didn’t want Mom knowing. How I felt about Evie wasn’t one of them, because she already knew how I felt. Evie was my sister’s friend. Someone to tease and push around because it was fun. Nothing else.
“I suppose that’s for the best,” Mom said finally. “I wouldn’t want my boys fighting over Evie, and you’ve never shared well.”
That got my attention. “What does that mean?”
“It’s just, I’ve seen the way Mason and Tucker are with her,” Mom said quietly. “They’ve always had a soft spot for her, and I wouldn’t be surprised if something comes of it.”
My hands started to curl into fists, and I had to force myself to relax them. “They just like flirting with her.”
Mom shrugged. “Maybe. But if they don’t scoop her up, someone else will. You mark my words. That beautiful, talented woman right there won’t be single for long.”
And with that, Mom walked back over to the others to give them her thoughts on Evie’s song.
I clenched my jaw, Mom’s words echoing in my head. Not the part about Tucker and Mason. No, I kept hearing her say that if one of us three didn’t go after Evie, then someone else would. And I knew Mom was right, because Evie was gorgeous and sweet and fiery and talented and…
Shit.
This wasn’t happening. I didn’t like Evie. I didn’t want her.
But I didn’t want anyone else to have her either.
Which was a bastard move on my part, I knew, but I actually didn’t give a damn. Maybe I wanted to fuck her. I could admit that to myself, because she was smoking hot. Any sane, straight man would want to fuck her. And, yeah, that included my brothers. But fucking wasn’t the same as really wanting .
A burst of laughter from the table drew my attention and, without me really thinking about it, my eyes went right to Evie. Right to that sunshine smile.
“I’m checking outside.” I practically barked the words and left before anyone could say anything.
As I stomped outside, I actually hoped I’d see someone trying to sneak onto the property. I had a shitload of anger I needed to get out, and the idea of punching a weasel like Randall or some reporter who decided to trespass was a tempting one.
This damn wedding couldn’t come fast enough. Because as soon as it was done, I’d be telling her to get out of Bedford and take all this shit with her. The faster Evelyn Hayes got away from me and my family, the better.