“What’s the meeting going to be like, anyway?”
I stared as he began to strip off his shirt. He tossed it aside, revealing his muscular chest and his tattoos. “Should be easy,” he said. “Just tell the truth.”
“What are you doing?” I said quickly as he began to take off his pants.
“Getting changed in my bedroom,” he said, laughing. “You can stick around if you want to enjoy the show.”
I stared as he slipped his jeans off, revealing his tight black boxer briefs.
And I couldn’t help but notice how hard his cock was. He was staring at me hungrily.
“See you out there,” I said quickly, and I got out of there.
His laughter chased me out into the main room. I bit my lip and grabbed a beer from the refrigerator, drinking it down to calm my nerves.
That man was so damn cocky, he just stripped down in front of me.
And I just had to run out of there or else I was going to do something very, very stupid.
A half hour later, we pulled up in front of the clubhouse. We climbed off Ford’s bike.
“Just relax,” he said to me. “It’s going to be okay.”
“I’m relaxed.”
“Good. Jetter used to be a member of our club back before he defected and became the leader of the Rebels.”
“Really?” I asked, surprised.
“Really. Him and Larkin have history.”
“What kind of history?”
“The sort you don’t ask about,” he said. “Come on.”
He led me inside and sat me down at a table. The place was pretty empty, with only the young bartender and the two guys named Clutch and Spoil.
“Boys,” Ford said to them.
They nodded back but didn’t come over.
“Friendly,” I said.
“Don’t mind them. They’re just pissed about this war thing.”
“I thought all you bikers wanted to do was fight and kill each other?”
“Not always,” he said, grinning. “Sometimes we like to fuck.”
I opened my mouth to respond but was quickly interrupted by Larkin coming out from the back room.
“You’re here,” he said to me and Ford.
“Of course,” Ford said. “Wouldn’t miss it.”
“Jetter and his boys are on their way.” He looked at me, his face impassive. “Are you ready?”
“She’s ready,” Ford answered.
Larkin stared at me for a second longer and then nodded. “Ford, you stay with her. We’ll be nearby.”
Ford nodded. Larkin gestured at Clutch and Spoil, and the three of them disappeared into the back room.
“TomTom,” Ford called over to the bartender. “Whisky for me. Gin and tonic for the girl.”
“How’d you know?” I asked him, surprised that he knew my favorite drink.
“Lucky guess,” he said.
TomTom returned with the drinks and gave me a shy smile. Ford slammed his back and I sipped mine a little more conservatively, worried about what was coming.
Ford got another and sipped this one a little slower, looking at me.
“Relax,” he said. “This is nothing. A formality.”
“Seems like nothing to you,” I said, “but this is all new to me.”
He nodded slowly, looking at me seriously. For a second, he seemed like he was actually seeing me. “This has happened fast,” he said.
“You’re not kidding. Somehow we’re engaged.”
He smiled, nodding. “Yeah. Never thought that’d happen to me.”
“What, marrying me?”
“Marrying anyone.” He took a long sip of his whisky. “You know, I used to watch you, back when we were kids.”
“Sounds creepy.”
“Wasn’t like that,” he said, a little annoyed. “You weren’t like the other girls in town. They all wanted a piece of my bike and a piece of my cock. But you didn’t seem interested in any of that shit.”
“I wasn’t trying to end up just another pregnant teenager from our small town.”
“Exactly,” he said. “You wanted more. You wanted to get out. I could see that in you.”
“Why didn’t you ever say that to me?”
He shrugged, staring deeply at me. “Because I was just some piece of shit kid from across the street. I could have given you a good fuck, but what else did I have to offer?”
“You saved me that night, though,” I said, my heart beating fast in my chest.
“Yeah, I did. Your old man was a real piece of shit.”
I laughed softly. “Yeah, he was.”
“You still talk to him?”
I shook her head. “No. Not since I left. I’ve never looked back.”
“Good,” he said. “Fuck that place.”
I laughed, and before he could say more, the door opened.
I looked up. Two men walked in. One was short and balding, and the other was taller with dark, slicked-back hair. He was smiling this huge, goofy smile.
“Here we go,” Ford said softly.
I nodded, downing my drink. I hadn’t realized how nervous I was. “Okay.”
Ford stood up and gestured at the men.
“Brother Ford,” the smiling man said.
“Not your brother anymore,” Ford answered.
“This the girl?” He ignored Ford’s comment and looked at me, smiling his big, sleazy smile.
“This is her. Caralee, this is Jetter.”
“Nice to meet you,” I said, though I felt like I wanted to puke.