Chapter 32 #2
Music played and I swayed in the circle of Smoke’s arms in rhythm to the beat.
We’d already eaten and had cake. I got to meet the rest of the Austin crew and their kids.
Steel and Remi danced next to us, while Gunnar and Bridget chased around a horde of children belonging to both clubs.
Axel stood there, watching his wife as she and her sister Julie sang into the microphone.
I couldn’t get over how beautiful their voices were.
Julie’s husband, Bass, was strumming on a guitar.
Our families were all intermingling and enjoying the night together. I only wished the Austin families didn’t have to leave so soon.
“Smoke.”
Looking over, I watched as two of the Wyoming bikers and Toxic called to him. “Go,” I told him with a smile. I wandered over to where Keely was standing, watching the dancing. “Having fun?” I asked her.
“This is a blast,” she said with a grin. “These guys know how to have fun.” She raised her glass to drink deeply from it.
“Just be careful,” I cautioned. “Drinking and bikers usually equals babies in my experience.”
We both chuckled, but I didn’t miss the way her eyes scanned the crowd of men who were gathered around Toxic. At his call they’d all gone to investigate.
My brows shot up. “Someone you’re interested in, Keels?”
“No,” she snapped.
A grin spread over my face. She’d denied that entirely too fast. “If there is-”
“There’s not,” she told me, giving me a perturbed look.
I let it drop for now, but I had every intention of prodding her until she spilled. She couldn’t keep secrets as well as I could. “There’s plenty of handsome men here.”
“That’s true,” she said. “Have you noticed that Hellfire is completely in love with Kit?”
I choked on the punch I was drinking, sans alcohol, and my life flashed before my eyes as I tried to pull in air. “What?” I gasped.
She gave me a sarcastic look and a thump on the back that jarred my lungs. “I mean…look at him. He’s been watching her all night. Though he’s doing his best to look like he’s not watching her. Know what I mean?” Keely’s powers of observation have always made me envious.
My jaw dropped as Hell shot Kit a hungry look before quickly turning toward Smokehouse as he said something. “Do you think she knows?”
Keely snorted and then took a long sip from her cup. “I doubt it. There’s a whole lot of interest flying through the air around here.” She pointed over at Gwen, who was dancing with Static. “A lot of untapped booty,” she muttered.
“Keely!” I smacked her shoulder. “Are you sure?” I was speaking about both couples, but my eyes were on the two on the dancefloor.
She rolled her eyes. “They’ve all been dancing around each other all week. I’m sure longer, but that’s as much as I’ve seen them together.”
I studied Static and Gwen. “They make a really cute couple.”
“They do,” she agreed. She looked over at Hellfire. “How pissed is your man going to be when his best friend and his sister hook up?”
“Oh jeez.” I nibbled on my lower lip. “I don’t know, honestly. He’s really protective of her.”
Before we could discuss it more, Smoke came walking toward us. “Not a word,” I warned. There was a time and place to break that news to Smokehouse, but this wasn’t it.
“Mind if I steal her away?” Smoke asked Keely.
“She doesn’t mind, because she’s been waiting to dance with me.” We all looked over at Lockout who was smirking at my sister.
Keely rolled her eyes. “If you’re that hard up for a dance, Liam, then I guess I’ll have to help you out.”
Smoke chuckled as he pulled me along behind him.
“Liam…”
“It’s Lock’s real name.”
“She calls him by his real name?” I studied my sister suspiciously as she laughed at something Lockout said to her while they danced.
“You look beautiful tonight.” Smoke held open the clubhouse door for me.
“Thank you. Where are we going?”
“Up-” He groaned when another one of the Wyoming guys called out to him.
Since Hush and Priest were busy with the wedding, Smokehouse had volunteered to help Butcher, Toxic, and the Wyoming men with security.
“Give me a minute.” The look he gave me was smoldering.
“Then I plan to take you upstairs and see what you have on under that dress.”
Biting my lip, I smiled as I stepped inside the clubhouse. There wasn’t anyone inside right now. They were all out enjoying themselves as the sun sank in the sky. The fading light was heralding in cooler temperatures, so no one wanted to be cooped up in the clubhouse.
I wandered in and sat on one of the barstools as I waited. Thinking over everything I’d just seen, I smiled to myself. There were going to be a lot more weddings and babies in our futures if Keely’s hunches were correct.
Hushed whispers caught my attention in the quiet room. I stood up and followed the sounds. They were coming from the storage closet. It was where the club kept all their alcohol locked up. Pressing my ear to the wood, I tried to listen in.
Footsteps sounded just in time for me to move away from the door as it swung open. Pixie froze like a deer in headlights. “What are you doing?” she snapped.
“Looking for something to drink,” I told her, pasting an innocent expression on my face. The room behind her was empty except for a keg and rows of alcohol bottles lining shelves. Nothing was in her hands. “What are you doing?”
She was supposed to be manning the clubhouse bar, not hiding away in a closet.
Her eyes darted around nervously until she realized we were alone, then she glared at me.
Her hostility ramped up a thousand fold when she figured out no one else was here.
“Nothing. I was looking for Vodka,” she added when I didn’t say anything.
“Okay.”
“You’re not the fucking boss of me. You can’t tell me where to go!” She stomped away from me in a huff.
I hadn’t done any of that. She was clearly up to something, but I wasn’t sure what.
“Pixie,” I called out, waiting until she turned and scowled at me.
I reached into the closet and pulled out a bottle.
Waggling it at her, I watched the indecision play over her face before she stomped back and snatched the Vodka away from me.
She shoved out the door, muttering an apology when she almost ran into Smokehouse. He watched her retreat then gave me a puzzled look. “Everything okay?”
“Fine,” I murmured. “I think-”
Breaking off when he bent his head and trailed his lips up my neck, I sighed in contentment. “Smoke.”
“Hmmm?” He pulled the thin strap of my dress down until it hung at my elbow.
“Smoke!”
“What?” he grumbled.
“Let’s at least go upstairs.”
A wicked look crossed his face. “I have a better idea.”
He grabbed me by the hand and pulled me along with him. I laughed and all thoughts of the people outside vanished.