18. Melody
MELODY
This is only the second time I’ve spent time in the common room. The first was when we played pool, and… yeah. That was a very different experience.
Today there’s a football game on the big screen, and the couches are packed.
I don’t really care much about sports, but I can appreciate the fun of getting together with other people and watching a game.
Rebel is upstairs with Shadow getting ready for the call to my father, but I’ve got Riptide and Mad Dog with me at the empty bar.
“Beer?” I ask.
Riptide laughs. “It’s a little early, isn’t it?”
“I’m pretty sure I remember hearing that this place follows airport rules.”
“You really want one? Or are you just looking to kill the nerves?” Mad Dog asks.
“Do you care?” I slide down from the bar stool and start to walk around to see what’s in the fridge.
Riptide stops me with an iron grip on my wrist.
I give him my best glare. “What?”
“I’m not letting you get wasted before the phone call.”
“I’m not going to get wasted. Sheesh. I’ll get a soda or something if you’re so worried about me, Grandpa.” I struggle to get my wrist free but it’s like I’m wearing a steel manacle.
Riptide tugs me closer, letting go of my wrist but wrapping his arms around my chest instead. “I might be susceptible to bribes.” His breath tickles the skin behind my ear.
I laugh. “Oh. I see where this is going. Mad Dog, I think your friend is corrupt. Are you going to let him get away with this?”
“How badly do you want that beer?” Mad Dog asks, raising an eyebrow. “I’m willing to see how this goes.”
Riptide spins me around. Our faces are almost touching. “The man asked how badly you want it.”
“I’m not…” I glance around, but nobody is really paying attention to us. “I’m not sucking you off in front of everyone, just so that’s clear.”
“Wasn’t even thinking that far, but good to know you are,” he says with a grin. “Fine. A kiss. I’ll take a rain check on the rest.”
“You’re very sure of yourself.”
“Someone’s gotta be.” He leans just a little bit closer, so close our noses are almost touching.
I don’t even care about the beer. I just needed a distraction from what’s coming, and my lips against his is an excellent solution.
Riptide puts his hands around my waist and boosts me up onto the bar, disconnecting our kiss for a moment.
Then he slides me to the very edge and I wrap my legs around him, kissing him from slightly above.
You can say a lot about bikers, but they sure know how to kiss.
It only takes a moment before I reconsider where exactly my limits are.
His lips are soft and hot, and I press all of myself against him while he clutches my ass and dips his tongue into my mouth.
I’m not the only one enjoying myself. There’s a distinct ridge developing behind his jeans where I’m straddling his waist.
Riptide finally pulls away, leaving me to gasp for breath and calm the excitement roiling in my core. “Still want that beer?”
Holy shit. “The what?”
Mad Dog laughs. He goes behind the bar and fishes out a couple of bottles of water instead. I don’t even mind. It’s not what I’m thirsty for anymore anyway.
“Hey look, it’s the bitch from the Devil’s Brigade,” a voice just a little bit too loud for me not to hear says over to the side. “Guess she realized she was on the losing side. Do we all get a turn?”
They might as well have dumped the water over my head.
Riptide reacts immediately, standing straight and looking around to find the source of the insult. Mad Dog is right beside him.
Two guys, on the younger end of the crowd if I had to guess, turn around fast, acting like they’ve been watching the game the whole time. Mad Dog moves their way.
I hop down from the bar and put a hand on his arm. “Leave it. They’re just upset about Lightning. It’s fine.”
“It’s not fucking fine,” Mad Dog snaps.
He stalks over to them and hauls one of the guys to his feet.
I was right. He’s probably about my age.
“You think you’re a big shot? Just because you’re blooded now?
You’ve still got a long way to go, kid, and I recommend taking a cue from your fucking elders.
Do you seriously think it’s a good fucking idea to insult her while she’s with us?
Is that the road you want to go down?” Mad Dog’s stance is deceptively casual, unlike his words, but there’s a hint of bounce, like a boxer, ready to strike at a moment’s notice.
“Should you help him?” I ask Riptide.
He shakes his head and pulls me into his lap. “Not yet. If more of us jump in it’ll turn into a brawl just for the hell of it. Cryo’s still green. He’s itching to make a spot for himself in the club, and too young to know when to keep his fool mouth shut.”
I can’t take my eyes off the sight of Mad Dog defending me. I’m not sure it’s ever happened before. Obviously I don’t want him to get hurt, but it’s kind of hot.
“Should she really be here, though?” another Eagle says, glaring past Riptide at me. “We’re about to go to war with the Brigade and everyone knows she’s one of theirs. Is her pussy really worth the risk?”
Another guy stands up. “Jesus, Snake. Sit your ass down and watch the game. Look at her. You think she’s some kind of fucking mastermind? You don’t have to like it, but she didn’t shoot Lightning.”
“Or she’s just a fucking Devil’s Brigade whore, here to distract from—”
He doesn’t get further before Mad Dog drives his fist into Snake’s face, knocking him backward into the crowd. Holy shit.
“Shit, here it goes,” Riptide says a little louder over the growing noise, “I don’t think calling you a whore was Snake’s smartest move today. Doubt he’s going to make that mistake again.” He’s almost laughing, like this is a normal thing.
“Mad Dog might get hurt!” I try to push away, but Riptide holds me tight.
“I’m not leaving you here on your own. He’ll be fine.
Nobody’s gonna let it go too far. There’s a lot of tension in the club right now, and sometimes the best way to fix that is to punch someone in the face.
” He kisses the top of my head. “Mad Dog would probably be pissed if I shut it down too fast.”
I stare in horror as everything unfolds in front of the big screen with cheerleaders dancing during a break.
The closest thing I’ve ever seen to what’s happening is at a concert when you see people standing completely still watching the stage while there’s a swirling mass of bodies slamming into each other a few feet away.
A mix of angry roars and joyful cheering fills the big room as it turns into a free-for-all brawl, right in front of me. I feel like I should be doing something, but I really don’t know what. Like, what can I do?
Not that I think they need help. The other guy who defended me is fighting right next to Mad Dog, and there’s no clear side.
Maybe everyone’s just on their own side.
It’s too chaotic for me to tell, but the fact that in addition to angry grunts and yowls of pain, wild laughter is at least a big part of the mix, I’m starting to think they’re all just crazy.
“Are they having… fun?”
Riptide chuckles as he flexes his fingers, like he’s eager to get in there too.
“Getting the shit kicked out of you is good medicine sometimes. Sure, some of the boys are gonna wake up real fucking sore in the morning, but it’s worth it.
” He moves even closer to my ear so he can whisper into it, “Like a good, hard fuck.”
“You have a one-track mind. You know that?”
“Hard not to with you in my lap.”
“Then let me—”
“Nope.” He slips his hand under my shirt instead.
“Can you really tell me there’s nothing appealing about watching him fight for your honor?
Think about it, when the fight’s over, where do you think all that energy is gonna go?
Maybe you’ll need to check for damage.” He cups my breast over my bra, his clever thumb finding my nipple through the thin fabric.
There’s a literal brawl happening right in front of us, but now his lips are brushing right where my neck meets my shoulder…
“Riptide…” I barely get out.
“Yeah?” He pinches my nipple, making me gasp.
“We can’t just—”
The brawl shifts our way, so close that a guy being chased by Mad Dog nearly stumbles right into us. Riptide moves faster, swinging me away from the fight and taking the hit himself. Mad Dog pats Riptide on the head twice before he’s gone, a wild grin on his face.
A door slams open above us. “What the fuck’s going on out here?” Eagle-eye’s gravelly voice carries over the noise of the fighting. “I can’t fucking think up here!”
And as suddenly as it began, the brawl ends in a comical freeze-frame of bikers in different positions of fighting, either looking ready to fall, or ready to punch.
One is actually on another’s shoulder, either about to be pile-driven or used as a weapon.
He topples with a grunt, falling over the back of a couch.
Eagle-eye glares down from the platform outside his office, leaning against the railing. The crowd breaks up under his glare, going back to their seats like they weren’t trying to kill each other a second ago.
“Jesus fucking Christ, I’m trapped with a bunch of fucking children.” He scans the room and spots us. “Get your asses upstairs. Shadow’s waiting.” Then he turns, goes back into his office and slams the door behind him.
“Guess we’re up to bat,” Mad Dog says, rejoining us. He has a red stain on his cheek.
“Come here.” I crook my finger at him. When he leans closer, I lick my thumb and wipe away the blood. It must be someone else’s.
“A little hot, right?” Riptide whispers.
Mad Dog grins. “Let’s go.”