Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Violet picked up Tessie and the bag she’d packed for her. Regina had said they had plenty of baby stuff and just to bring bottles and formula for Tessie.
“Deacon, grab your bag and let’s go,” Violet said.
The kids were staying the evening and night at Baron and Regina’s.
Clara and some of the others were going to help babysit all the kids on the compound.
Roam and Sprite had been planning on attending but her morning sickness was afternoon/evening sickness today.
They were going to stay home, and Roam was helping her with the kids.
Violet opened the door, barely moving out of the way before Deacon was running over to Baron and Regina’s house. Violet followed but she wasn’t running, especially since she was holding Tessie close to her.
She wondered how Speedy was handling the kids being gone all night. He’d even offered to pick the kids up when he got back from Nelson’s.
Violet walked in and, in seconds, was walking back out the door. Clara had shooed her out before Violet could even ask any questions.
Beth had said to meet at the clubhouse and for Violet to wear boots, jeans, and something warm.
Violet was positive she’d be hot at the bar with all the people and dancing, so she’d worn a cute long-sleeve top.
It was a little cool, but Violet guessed that she, Savi, Emerson, and Harry would be driving a vehicle while most of the women rode behind their men.
She slipped into the clubhouse because she could hear Beth talking in the main room and didn’t want to disturb her if it was important. But Beth, with her eagle eyes from surveillance, spotted her.
“All right. Since we’re all here, I’ve got the riding assignments,” Beth said.
“Riding assignments? Like where we are in line? The Road Captain is in charge,” Cannon said, smirking at Beth.
“Oh, brother-in-law, you think you’re safe, but trust me, tease me too much and you’ll be sorry,” Beth replied.
Cannon chuckled. Violet had noticed the guys all loved teasing Beth because she always got riled up and threatened them back.
“Now, Savi, you’re riding with Brody. Violet, you’re with Speedy. Emerson, you’re with Dex, and Harry, you’re with Stone. Everybody good?” Beth asked.
Violet stood, stunned. She was riding on the back of Speedy’s bike. It was a dream come true, but how would she deal with being close to him for the hour-and-a-half ride?
Speedy paused in front of her. “Do you have a jacket?” he asked.
Violet shook her head no. “I didn’t think I was going to be on a bike,” she said softly.
“Stay here. I’ll be right back,” he said.
“I’ve got to grab one other thing,” Speedy yelled as he ran out the door.
He had a heavy hoodie under his cut and leather gloves were sticking out of his back pocket.
Savi walked over. “Are you okay?” she asked.
“Sure. I didn’t realize you, Harry, Emerson, and I weren’t driving an SUV,” she said.
Savi nodded. “It should be fun.”
Of course, Savi had on a zippered sweatshirt under a leather jacket along with leather gloves. She’d dressed for the weather.
Speedy came walking back in. He paused in front of Violet.
“Let’s have you wear this first,” he said, helping her slide one of his thick hoodies on. She breathed in deeply of Speedy’s scent on the fabric.
Once she was situated, he helped her put on a leather jacket and gloves.
“That’s better. I can’t have you freezing on the way to the bar,” Speedy said, with a wink.
Violet walked in a daze out to the bike and let Speedy help put her helmet on. Once he was on the bike, he held her hand as she swung her leg over, glancing around to see if anyone noticed how awkward she was.
She was a little self-conscious of her weight and big booty on the back of the bike, but she pushed it to the back of her mind. She wasn’t the woman who let all her mom’s opinions shape Violet’s view of herself.
She was curvy and a lot of men liked that.
Speedy held the door for Violet as she walked by him.
He couldn’t keep his eyes off her lush butt and legs.
Having her on the motorcycle behind him was a trial and a blessing.
He loved riding with her but her hands tightening on his cut as they wound their way along the curves and straightaways had him imagining her hands holding onto him while he did other things with her delectable body.
As he walked in behind her, he noticed some of the guys staring at Violet. At this point, he didn’t have the right to warn anyone off. Sure, she’d been on his bike but not as his girlfriend.
And he’d kissed her but then immediately apologized. But he wanted more. Each moment he spent with her had him craving to be the one who had the right to warn others off.
Once they’d settled at their table, a waitress took their order.
Since it was Nelson’s Hot Cocoa and Mistletoe night, hot cocoa was on the menu—regular or high octane.
Most of the women at the table ordered the high octane to try.
A sweet, chocolatey drink didn’t sound good to him, so he ordered a beer and a water.
He wondered how long they needed to hang out at the table before he could ask Violet to dance. Maybe he could figure out, while holding her in his arms, exactly how to move their relationship from him being her boss to him being her man.
A commotion on the dance floor had him smiling. Halligan and Quinton, two of the cousins who owned the bar, were clearing the dance floor.
Oh, this should be good.
“Do you know what they’re doing?” Violet asked.
“No, but I’m sure it will be entertaining,” he said, wishing Violet wouldn’t have sat down first. As it was, her chair, along with Savi’s, were the ones on the side of the dance floor.
For some reason Speedy didn’t want to examine, he wished she was on his side of the table where he’d be in front of her.
“Welcome, everyone, to Nelson’s First Annual Hot Cocoa and Mistletoe Party,” Whiskey, the oldest cousin, said. Whiskey let the yelling and applause die down before continuing.
“We’ve got some great music tonight for you to dance to, but first, if you’ve been here before, then you know that my family enjoys bets, teasing, and a little humiliation when we lose.
Well, tonight’s no different. If you don’t know, I am married to an amazing woman, and because I’m not a dumbass like other people in my family, I work to keep her happy.
“When Quinton was recuperating from his little boo-boo a while back, he, Halligan, and Gaines were trash-talking in the main room of the apartment upstairs. Now, the trash-talking wasn’t the problem.
It was their —okay, let me get my note out to make sure I get the quote correct,” Whiskey paused, pulling a piece of paper from his pocket.
“Here it is. It was their antiquated thinking coupled with their—hold on a second. Vivi, what is this word?” he asked.
“It’s neanderthal, Whiskey, and we all know what happened to the neanderthals,” Vivi yelled from the bar.
“Okay, their antiquated thinking coupled with their neanderthal view of women’s motivations that brought you tonight’s entertainment.
And like I said, because I’m not a dumbass, I don’t have to participate.
Please notice that Crewe wasn’t a dumbass either and is getting to enjoy the entertainment with his arm around his woman, Ry.
Now, unfortunately, Hennessy was a dumbass, and when he was relating the story to his woman, Ellie, he might have taken the guy’s side.
So, men, I apologize for you having to watch, but I think your women are going to dearly love what the punishment is.
Let’s go,” Whiskey said, walking off the floor and wrapping his arm around Vivi.
At this point, Speedy wasn’t sure what to expect. The bar darkened with a single spotlight on the stage.