Chapter 9 Annie #2
And I’ve never felt anything like that for any of the guys I’ve dated or slept with.
I nudge Josh in the ribs.
“What?” he asks.
I motion toward the office. “If that’s what big, bad bikers are like, I think I’m going to enjoy living at the compound.”
Josh raises a brow at me after seeing the way Morris is manhandling his wife. “If that’s what you’re into, babe, you just say the word. But you say it to me, got it?”
My cheeks flush so hot, I’m tempted to fan myself. I meet Josh’s eyes, and he gives me a look that just does me in.
It’s official.
I’m crushing hard on my PI.
By the time we pull into the motorcycle club compound, the sun is setting, and I’m starving, exhausted, and angry.
Josh and I went to the police department to file a report about the letters and the trashed dorm room.
The result was exactly what I expected—there was no crime being committed.
No evidence that I was being tracked without my consent since I couldn’t locate a tracker on my car.
The officer who took the report was professional and pleasant, but realistic. She gave me a pamphlet about stalking and explained that if there was a demand for money or any damage to property that was not on the school’s campus, I should call them or come back in.
Josh didn’t seem as discouraged as I was. He lifted the sunglasses off his face and turned to face me. “You want to settle in?” he asks. “Unload the truck then grab some dinner? Carnival Pizza or County Fair Burgers?”
I look at him, confused, but then start cracking up. “There’s no such thing as Carnival Pizza or County Fair Burgers. Don’t you make promises you can’t keep.”
His grin is sexy and sweet as he shakes his head. “Come on, Annie. Time to meet the bikers.”
The compound itself is surprisingly normal. Lots of motorcycles are parked outside, and when we knock, the door is opened by a woman with loads of wrinkles and even more sass.
“Arrow, you sonofabitch,” she says, putting a hand on her hip. “If I’da known you had an old lady, I wouldn’t have tried to seduce you so many times.”
My mouth falls open.
The woman laughs and laughs until a fit of very raspy coughs replaces the giggles. “I’m shitting you,” she says, opening the door wide. “Come on in. Morris told me to expect you.”
“I’m Annie,” I say as we walk inside.
“Well, aren’t you a sweet little thing. Midge, babe. I’m basically the heart and soul of this group of hellions.” The woman has a lit cigarette pinched between two fingers, which she waves in the air for emphasis.
“Don’t believe a thing she says.” An enormous man with dark hair, dark eyes, and a serious set of biceps nods at us. “Arrow,” he says. “Good to see you, man. This your old lady?”
Josh claps the man in a half hug, then turns to me. “Annie, this is Logan, but you can call him Crow.”
“Pleasure, Annie.” Crow holds out his hand to me, and I shake it, trying not to giggle. This man looks like every stereotype and then some. But his hand is firm, his handshake gentle. And I notice a tattoo on his finger where a wedding band would go.
“Nice to meet you,” I say. “Is it your room that we’re taking?”
Crow nods. “I’m not here much anymore. Wife wouldn’t love it if I spent too many nights with these bozos.” He gestures to an unbelievably huge man who’s lumbering past, an empty plastic drinking cup that probably holds a liter of liquid in it in his hand.
“Fuckin’ running a women’s shelter now,” I hear him grumble as though he’s talking to us.
Crow hooks a thumb over his shoulder. “Don’t worry about Tiny,” he says. “He’s one of the last bachelors left. He misses the good old days when the Disciples…” Crow shoots a look at Josh. “Let’s just say Tiny’s stuck in the past.”
“Fuck off, Crow!” Tiny’s shout echoes through the compound. “Domesticated motherfuck…”
I look at Josh nervously. “Are you sure this is okay?” I ask quietly. “I don’t want to put anyone out…”
Crow holds up a finger and stops my question. “Tiny!” he yells. “Come meet Annie, Josh’s old lady.” Crow turns and heads toward a large, modern-looking kitchen. Tiny has one side of the refrigerator open, and he’s dumping a mountain of ice into his cup.
“Why do they keep calling me an old lady?” I whisper to Josh. “I’m in my twenties, for crap’s sake.”
“It has nothing to do with age,” he whispers back. “I’ll explain later.”
Midge is in the kitchen too, tearing open a bag of potato chips.
“How’s work?” Josh asks Crow, ignoring Tiny and Midge…and me.
“It’s good,” he says, nodding. “We have our slow seasons, but this summer was the tits. I’m looking to hire more guys on my crew.
Flooring subs, electrical, plumbing. Birdie’s running the office now, handling the certs and shit from all the subcontractors.
It’s a goddamn full-time job making sure everyone from demo to finish carpentry’s got insurance. ”
I know a thing or two about construction from working with my dad, so I follow along mostly with what they’re saying.
“You kids staying for dinner?” Midge asks, stuffing a handful of chips into her mouth.
I look to Josh, who shakes his head. “We’ve got plans, thanks. I thought we’d unload the truck before it gets too late.”
“I’m out of here.” Crow taps his fingers on the counter and wishes everyone a good night. “See you in the morning, man,” he calls to Tiny. “I got to be on the job by seven tomorrow.”
“Go straight there,” Tiny grunts with a wave of his hand. “I’ll meet you. Kiss Birdie for me.”
Crow claps a hand on Josh’s back and wishes me good night.
“Nice to meet you, Crow,” I say.
Then, Tiny turns and glares at Josh. “You,” he says. “In my office.”
Josh nods, and we follow Tiny down along a hallway to an office. For a minute, I feel like I am on the set of a TV show, and it’s unlike any room I’ve ever been in.
Tiny has an extra-large desk and an office chair to match, but it still squeaks under his weight when he sits. He points to two wooden chairs opposite his, and like we’re interns interviewing for a position with the CEO, Josh and I look at each other, then cautiously take a seat.
“So,” Tiny says, “I hear you got trouble?”
Josh nods. “It happens, man. We could use a place to crash until I sort shit out.”
Tiny looks at me, his lips firm but his eyes soft. “And you…Annie, is it?”
I nod. “Annie Hancock, sir.”
Tiny laughs so hard, he almost spits out a mouthful of soda.
“Sweetheart, you can call me Tiny. Now.” He opens a desk drawer and pulls out two sets of keys.
“This is what you need to know.” He slides one small ring with two keys on it toward me and another toward Josh.
“The silver key will let you into the front door of the compound,” he says. “The gold key locks your room.”
I hold the keys in my hand, but I never take my eyes off the massive biker.
“This is normally something we do not do.” He punctuates each word to let me know exactly how he feels about this situation.
But then a beat-up-looking cell phone vibrates on the desk.
“Excuse me a minute,” he says. “Marla?” he says, swiping to unlock the phone.
“I’m with some people. Can I call you right back? ” He hangs up the phone.
Josh grins but doesn’t say anything.
Tiny shoots him a look. “As I was saying. We don’t normally let outsiders into this space.
This place is sacred. We’re more than just a brotherhood.
We’re a family. Tighter than tight. Closer than blood.
” He points a thick finger at Josh. “Not that long ago, this son of a bitch helped my daughter and our brother Leo out of a jam. Which makes you one of us. Your enemy,” Tiny says, his voice deadly serious, “is my enemy.”
He takes a break to sip his drink and wipe his forehead with the back of his hand. “So, for as long as you need a place, you’re welcome. I’m going to bitch and moan from time to time, but that’s my way. I’m old-school. Bikers had bitches, and compounds weren’t for kids and fucking families.”
He turns one of the pictures around, and I see a family portrait of a girl who I assume is Tiny’s daughter.
She’s clutching a newborn baby, and a really handsome guy in a leather vest is kissing her head.
Tiny glowers behind them, looking somehow angry and proud all at once.
“I got a fucking family now, so I guess it comes for all of us eventually.” He chuckles.
“So, welcome home. Midge will show you where the laundry is and which room is yours. Eat, drink, shower, fuck—the place is your home as long as you want it. And if you know more about this threat you’re facing, Arrow, your job is to tell me everything.
A threat to one of us is a threat to all of us. We clear?”
Josh is agreeing with Tiny and thanking him, but all I can hear is the echo of one word—fuck.
I may be safe, but I feel like my time here is going to cause a whole lot of trouble.