Chapter 22
CHAPTER
TWENTY-TWO
Payden
It’s a relief stepping out of there. I needed some air. Not that I’m going to get it, because the second I step out, Dozer comes bounding toward me at full speed with a biscuit shaped like a bone in his mouth.
I bend down, laughing when he jumps up at me proudly.
He certainly hasn’t lost his need for speed. “Woah, little guy,” I say, kissing the top of his head. “Where did you get that?”
He wiggles his butt in the cutest way and I stroke his head.
“Ivy League’s Kitchen,” Ivy calls from the door. “Are you hungry?”
“I’m actually okay, thank you.”
“Cool. I’ll make you something.”
I blink. Okay, maybe she’s Italian because so are my family, and they just love feeding everyone.
I head her way, Dozer running ahead of me.
“Isn’t he the cutest?” Ivy says when I follow her in through one of the double doors.
“Oh, he has energy like you wouldn’t believe,” I laugh.
She wipes her hands on her apron. “Okay, I’ve got some leftover meatloaf, caesar salad ingredients, ooh, I’ve got sliders, they’re really good.”
“I’m really fine,” I tell her. “I just had that amazing cinnamon roll.”
“That was a snack,” she says. “Plus, it’s considered rude to not test the cook’s food when you first get here, and we don’t wanna go pissing her off.”
I laugh. I do like her, she reminds me of Luna, or maybe Stella, just saying it like it is.
“I think it’s my nerves,” I admit. “I haven’t been able to hold much down since yesterday."
She looks up with a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry about that. I heard, though I didn’t wanna say it in front of my brother and his merry men.”
I snicker. “I know what you mean. So, how many ol’ ladies are there?”
She laughs. “Uh, like none.”
“Seriously?”
“Okay, I exaggerate, maybe a couple. Plenty of skanks that hang around, and wannabes which I’m sure you’re familiar with.
My best friend Chloe is none of those things.
She’s a hairdresser in town and has her own salon.
She comes around a little here and there but she’s no skank,” Ivy tells me.
“Then we have Bernadette, our main bartender slash bouncer—she’s a hoot, but don’t mess with her.
Some of the guys are terrified, which they should be because she’s great with sharp, pointy objects.
Been putting up with the boys’ shit for years, can’t say I blame her.
Bianca is Hornet’s sister, and Sabrina is dating Panic, one of the Tail Gunners—if you can call banging like rabbits wherever the fancy takes them dating.
” She screws her nose up as if remembering something bad.
“Then we have Maddox—her old man left her his surgery practice when he died. Apparently she had a thing with Savage one time, but that’s ancient history and it was before my time. ”
“Does she help the club out when they need it?” I ask, because we have Crystal’s sister, Casey, who’s a paramedic and does the same for the club.
“Yep.” She pops the P. “I don’t know the full story, but Bane owed her father some debt and said he’d take care of her if anything happened to him. He had an early heart attack and poof, just like that, a goner.”
“That’s awful.”
She sets about making something as Dozer sits at her feet, wagging his tail. He’s dropped his bone, and when Ivy bends to give him some more chicken, he takes off with it like he just scored big. “He is so sweet.”
“Ugh, I know. I’m convinced Logan is gonna be a foster fail.”
“Well, if he isn’t convinced, I’ll take him. He’s adorable.”
“What about you?” I ask, feeling as if I can ask a total stranger about her love life. “Any of the guys catch your fancy?”
She snorts, side-eying me. “With my big brother as Prez? I don’t think so.”
“No? I don’t know, I thought I caught some vibes with you and Shadow.”
“We’ve been at each other’s throats for years.” Her face falls, then she shakes it off. “Before, uh, well, it’s a long story, but I… I lost touch with Bane for a few years.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s fine. But Shadow has been my brother’s best friend since they were kids, so we like ribbing each other.
” Okay. Well, my spidey senses aren’t ever off, but I don’t know this woman, so I’m not going to push the issue.
Then her eyes meet mine. “Not saying I haven’t pictured being under him more than once, and I’d cut a bitches eyes out before they laid a hand on him, but I’m kinda weird like that. ”
I smirk. “It’s like that.”
She sighs, putting the bread under the grill. “It’s like that. Plus, because Bane thinks I’m a five year old instead of a grown ass woman, I can’t bring guys around here, and he’ll beat one of the boys to death if they tried anything.”
“How long have you been cooking here?”
She turns to grab a plate as she works. The kitchen is quite large with stainless steel benchtops, three ovens and a huge stove, with wall-to-wall fridges and a large pantry off to one side. “Well, this job kinda saved me. I’ve always loved to cook, not that anyone around here appreciates it.”
“I’m sure they do,” I say. “If their faces were anything to go by after those cinnamon rolls.”
“Oh, that? I was just snooping,” she laughs.
“I like to keep the guys on their feet. Plus, I do use the ‘my brother is the club Prez’ thing as much as I can get away with. If they want to keep getting fed then they’ll be nice to me.
You should’ve seen the state of things before I got here.
” She shakes her head and I laugh. It seems like she kinda has all their balls in vices, especially Shadow’s.
“You remind me of Manny,” I say. “Our chef back at the Rebels’ clubhouse. Although he’s flamboyant and a little crazy, we all adore him.”
“Ooh, I’ve heard of him,” she says. “He’s the one in a three-way, right?”
I laugh. “Yeah, but they make it work.”
“See that, right there? I couldn’t do it,” she says. “I couldn’t share my man with another person, but I’m territorial like that. I guess I did get some Adler traits after all.”
“I’m sure that’s not a bad thing,” I say. “That kind of relationship wouldn’t work for most people.”
“Can you imagine me telling Bane I’m with two guys?” she laughs out loud. “No, but seriously. He’d bury them both.”
“We have the bayou,” I explain.
“We got the Mississippi River.” She shrugs. “It’s a big ass river.”
She continues to make my slider, then pushes it over to me on a plate. “Thanks.”
“It’s a turkey slider, I’m messing around with some ingredients, let me know what you think, but don’t feel obliged. I just like feeding people.”
I smile warmly. It’s how she shows she cares. “It smells delicious."
“So, how long have you been banging that sexy as fuck man in there?”
I almost choke. When I chew the mouthful of slider and swallow, she passes a glass of water over to me. “Sorry.”
I wave her off. “It’s fine.” Then I remember I have to keep up the pretence because nothing spreads around faster at an MC clubhouse than gossip. Plus, I don’t know her or how good she is at keeping secrets. “Well, it’s pretty new, actually.”
“Ooh, he’s one of the Nomad Brothers, right?”
I nod. “Uh, huh. He owns and operates a bar in New Orleans and they’re renovating a restaurant next door.”
“The hot, sexy bartender? I like the sound of it. You’re cute together.”
Cute. I can’t wait to tell Logan that one.
“I don’t know about that, but he’s a good guy.”
“Ugh, why can’t I find a good guy? All the guys I’ve dated are such dickwads. Plus, if I do try and go on a date, Bane finds out and treats me like a child. As if I don’t know to take pepper spray and tell someone where I’m going, I’m not stupid.”
“He’s looking out for you,” I say. “Speaking of which, Dec is my brother if you hadn’t heard already.”
“I did, and he’s a sweetheart, always polite and respectful, unlike some of the other morons around here,” she sighs.
“I’m glad to hear it.” I finish another bite, then say, “He never told me about joining the MC and we’re close. Dec has always been an open book with me, so I was surprised that he kept it a secret.”
“He’s a hard worker. Bane’s really happy with him, but he’s fought hard to prove his worth. He works harder than most of the guys put together, like he has something to prove.”
“Our parents aren’t exactly supportive of his lifestyle,” I sigh.
Poor Declan. I hate hearing that part about something to prove.
Like he isn’t good enough as he is. “They don’t like me hanging with the club, that is until all of this mess because they can’t pin it on the MC.
If anything, they are the ones keeping me protected. ”
“Shit, I’m so sorry about what happened. I heard, then saw it on the news.”
I look down at my half-eaten lunch. “It was rough. I’m still coming to terms with it.”
“Well, if you wanna talk to anyone, there’s an awesome counselor in town called Natalia, I highly recommend her. She can be trusted because her old man was a Hellion.”
“Oh?” I say. “Really?”
“Yeah, but he retired and went to live in Florida. He has some condition where he has to be in a warmer climate all year round.” She rolls her eyes. “Like Mississippi isn’t a fucking hellhole heat swamp most of the time, but it’s to do with his asthma or some shit. Anyway, she’s really good.”
“Okay, thanks,” I say. “I’ll keep it in mind.”
“While we’re on the subject of telling you all my dirty secrets, the Skeletons MC are our biggest rivals.
Every now and then, some crazy shit goes down then it lays low for a while.
I’m sure you’re used to stuff like that in New Orleans, but Bane won’t be happy until they’re all dead,” she says.
“They are really bad news, not that you’ll come into contact with any of those scumbags. ”
Nope, not if Logan has anything to do with it.
I’ve heard the guys talk about this rival club from time to time, and where there’s smoke there’s usually fire.
“So, I should show you around.” She beams. “Assume you’re staying here?”
I nod. “Yeah, for the foreseeable future.”
“Well, we’re all one big happy family,” she says. “Most of the guys have cabins alongside the clubhouse, like our own little community.”
I hadn’t even seen any when we were let through the gate, but then again, I wasn’t looking for them either. “That’s so cool. So do you live on the property, too?”
She nods. “Yep, got my own cabin, and I love it. The space is good when I need a breather from here, and I have my own little garden. You shouldn’t get too much noise from the other rooms, though, sometimes the guys take chicks up there instead of back to their cabin, so there’s that.
Just bang on the wall and tell them to shut the fuck up. ”
“I’ll do that,” I laugh.
“I made sure everything was clean and tidy, by the way. Bernie usually does all of that, but she refuses to do any of the boys’ washing so they just leave it for the sweet butts to do.”
“You’re kidding me?”
She shakes her head, her shoulders laughing as she pushes the door open and I follow her, Dozer trotting beside me.
“Seriously, how dumb are some girls? I personally think the whole sweet butt thing needs to be wheedled out, but there will always be chicks hanging around to fuck the big, bad bikers. But have some self respect, ya know—” She halts in her tracks and almost runs right into Shadow in the hallway.
He piques a brow. “Watch your step there, princess,” he says, towering over her tiny frame.
“Jesus, Shane, you almost fricking bowled me over.”
His nostrils flare at the name she keeps calling him that he doesn’t like. She sure knows how to push some buttons. “You should watch where you’re goin’ then, shouldn’t you?”
She huffs, thumbing behind her. “I was just telling our lovely new guest about some of the club sluts around here that she needs to steer clear of, remind me of their names again, you know most of them, don’t you?”
“Funny.”
“Who’s laughing?”
He keeps going, walking away from us. “Bye, princess. You just keep that smart mouth runnin’.”
Sexual tension. That’s what it is, and I think they both know it.
Her eyes meet mine when she’s done checking out his ass. “He’s an idiot. Sometimes I imagine stabbing him to death with a blunt knife.”
“Uh, huh.”
“He’s literally so annoying.”
“Right.” I roll my lips.
“What?”
“Oh, nothing.”
She wags a finger. “Nope, it’s not like that. I literally hate him. He’s always such a smart ass.”
I pick Dozer up when Ivy motions to the stairs. “I completely agree with you. I was getting those exact vibes,” I lie.
She stomps up the stairs, and it’s then I realize she has Doc Martin boots on, the lace up kind. “See, I knew there was a reason I liked you. I think cocktail hour is calling early, don’t you think?”
“Took the words right out of my mouth.”
Yes, I think I’m going to settle in here just fine.