Chapter 20 Zara
Because we messed them up.
I blush the second the words leave Bush’s mouth, heat rushing straight to my cheeks.
The memory of his hands on me, the way his mouth claimed mine, makes my pulse skip.
But it’s the look in his eyes that does me in—dark, hungry, unapologetic.
Desire burns there, hot and focused, and it’s aimed entirely at me.
Pleasure coils low in my stomach at the silent claim in his expression.
Then I glance at Crystal.
She’s standing a few feet away with a basket of laundry balanced on her hip, fingers digging into the plastic rim. Her glare could strip paint. There’s no mistaking the hatred etched across her face. She doesn’t attempt to hide it. It’s sharp and personal.
A ripple of trepidation slides through me.
Crystal warned me about him. Told me Bush goes through women like fuel through his bike.
That he doesn’t do relationships. That girls who expect more end up disappointed—or worse, humiliated.
Standing here under her blistering stare, I can’t help wondering how many times she’s watched him walk downstairs with a woman at his side.
Bush’s hand presses lightly to the small of my back, guiding me toward the stairs. The touch is possessive. Protective. My body responds instantly, leaning into him before I can stop myself.
But doubt whispers anyway. Am I different? Or am I just today’s distraction?
We descend the stairs together, the low hum of clubhouse noise growing louder with every step. Laughter drifts up from below, bottles clink, someone calls out a joke. Life goes on as if nothing monumental has shifted.
Yet everything feels different to me.
Bush’s fingers trail lazily along my spine before dropping away as we reach the bottom step. The loss of contact feels abrupt, almost jarring.
I force a steady breath because I refuse to be just another set of rumpled sheets.
However, before I can question him about his intentions, Tony calls for us from his seat at the table. The visitors from the Las Vegas Chapter surround him. He’s positioned between Viper and her twin brother, Rattler.
“I’ll grab us breakfast,” Bush tells me, leaning over to kiss my cheek.
I take a seat across from Tony and next to Randy, leaving the chair between Chill and me for Bush.
“You found somewhere else to sleep last night,” Tony chides me. “Or maybe you didn’t get any sleep?”
I blush as the others around the table chuckle.
“We slept,” I hedge.
“Uh huh.”
I shake my head as Bush sets a plate of food in front of me.
The omelet looks mouth-watering with peppers, mushrooms, and onions.
The hashbrowns next to it are crispy and golden brown.
“This looks amazing,” I say, seeing that Bush has the same thing on his plate.
He places a smaller plate of bacon between us.
“The food is always better when Cindy is in the kitchen,” Bush says. “She’s the best cook, but she has school and doesn’t always have time to cook in the mornings.”
“What is she going to school for?” Chill asks.
“Interior Design,” Bush says. “I told her she should be a chef, but I can’t deny she has talent in design, too.
She put together a presentation for school and practiced on us.
The project was to revamp a pediatrician’s waiting room.
The original room was pretty drab and ordinary, but her creation was brilliant.
Lots of color. She had fun chairs for the kids and comfy chairs for the parents.
We were all impressed. I know the doctor chose her design, which made her pretty happy. ”
“Wait, so the Kutte Bunnies go to school?” I ask.
“Not all of them. Some do. They get free room and board as long as they do some chores around here. It’s a pretty good deal for them,” Bush says.
“It’s the same in Vegas. In fact, I think most of our Kutte Bunnies are attending UNLV.
We have a few who are there for the parties and the sex.
Some are looking for a patched brother to hook up with, but so many of our guys are in relationships that they're running out of options. Makes them mad,” Chill says with a chuckle.
“I don’t understand,” I say. “They become Kutte Bunnies to find a husband?”
Chill shrugs. “I never understood why they think it will happen. What guy wants a woman who has been with all his friends? I’m not shaming them for sleeping around, even though it probably sounds like I am; guys are funny.
They like easy sex when they’re looking to blow off steam, but they want someone special when they’re ready for a relationship. ”
“Doesn’t it bother you that there are women available for sex?” Tony asks Chill and Viper.
Viper shrugs. “I don’t really think about them like that.
The guys hook up with them out of sight.
Puma won’t tolerate any naked exploits in the common area.
We have too many kids running around. Two of which belong to him.
He’s made it clear that sex is always behind closed doors.
As it stands, the kids in the clubhouse probably know more than they should about sex, but we would never expose them to anything R-rated. ”
“Wait, you have kids living in the clubhouse?” I ask.
Viper nods. “We have five of them right now. Puma’s Old Lady is Alisa; she brought her daughter Elena to the clubhouse when Elena was five.
She’s a spitfire. That girl runs the club and has Puma wrapped around her finger.
Shortly after Alisa arrived, Puma discovered he had a son.
The mom had tried to contact him when she was pregnant, but his agent kept her away. ”
“Agent?” I ask.
Viper chuckles. “Puma is pretty famous. He used to play basketball professionally. He was an All-Star and won a couple of championships. He used to be Maklin Brooks, before he got in a car accident and rebuilt his life.”
“Wow. He built himself a family,” I muse.
Viper nods. “He did. That’s what we are. I love our club and having the kids running around. One of them is our half-sister, Angel. Hunter’s son, Slade, is another. Our VP’s son, Colt, was the last to join the group.”
“And they all live in the clubhouse?” Petrol, who had been silent until then, asks. “I can’t imagine kids running around here.”
“We’re used to them. Puma purchased land across the street from the clubhouse, and we’re building homes there.
He won’t ever exclude the kids from the clubhouse, but he wants all the kids to have real homes.
I know Alisa and the rest of the Old Ladies are happy with his plans.
Puma got the idea from Dante, who is doing something similar in San Diego. ”
“Do you have room to do something like that here?” I ask, thinking about the property where they have their clubhouse and the surrounding area, which is built up.
“Yeah, we have some room, but not enough to build houses,” Piston says.
“We could build condos,” Arson suggests. “We’d have better luck building up.”
“Huh, that’s not a bad idea,” Bush says. “We could bring it up in Church. I wouldn’t mind having something larger than my room in the clubhouse. Especially, if I find someone special to share it with.”
I glance at him to find him studying me. I feel my cheeks heat up again, just as a loud crash sounds behind us. Turning, I see Crystal staring at Bush with several broken plates at her feet.
“Jesus Christ, Crystal!” Chrome booms as he enters the room. “That’s coming out of your paycheck. What the fuck?”
Crystal turns away and moves toward the door to the clubhouse. But Chrome stops her with a shout.
“Where the fuck are you going? Clean up this mess. Right Fucking Now!”
Crystal swivels and rushes down the hall, returning with a broom and dustpan.
Before she bends over, I spot the tears spilling down her cheeks.
I consider offering her some help, but the anger I see in her expression keeps me seated.
I have a feeling that Crystal and I are never going to be best friends.
“Anyway, if we’re done with breakfast, we should get going,” Chill says, dismissing the goings on behind her. “Viper and Bianca need to check in and get registered as models. Who is coming with us?”
“Randy is going to meet with your contact in the CPD. Hunter and I will be going with you,” Rattler says, before turning to Bush. “Unless you want one of us to go hunting with you?”
“That won’t be necessary,” Chrome says as he steps over to our table.
“I just got word from Smoke. He landed and is heading here to help us corral the Bushrangers. He’s bringing a prospect with him, Izzy.
Izzy can go with Chill and the others. She has a variety of skills.
She’s going to act as a personal stylist for Bianca and Viper, so you’ll have another body providing protection. ”