Pat shrugged. “You know the guys will test her, right? They’ll want to know if she is even worthy of being with you.”
“They can steer clear.”
“They’ve got your back, Prez.”
“Get to work, Pat. I don’t have time for chitchat.” Bull was very much aware of what the boys were capable of doing, but he wasn’t going to allow them to come to the shop to scare her off.
He hadn’t made any declaration when it came to Maddie French. She was a woman he found attractive. He liked looking at her, and now he’d given her a job. There was nothing more to it.
Glancing back toward the shop, he caught sight of her swatting at something. She flung her arm back and forth, and then stood ramrod straight, closed her eyes, and whispered something.
He smiled.
She opened her eyes, looking right at him.
“Spider,” she said.
“A big one?”
“A massive one.”
“You got it though.”
She nodded. The slight jerk of her head.
He laughed. “I’m sure there are more where that one came from.” He winked at her and pulled his overalls on. With the years spent underneath a car, and oil and grease covering him, he’d lost too many clothes to count. Laundry wasn’t a job he enjoyed doing. The overalls helped.
He went to the first car and tried to ignore the compulsion he had to go and check on Maddie. Every now and then, he’d hear another scream, which made him jerk.
Time passed, and when he heard the vacuum, he didn’t pause for a second except to look toward Pat, who shrugged.
By lunchtime, customers started to arrive, but none of them went into the main reception, not that it was a surprise. The place was known to be so damn messy, no one wanted to go there.
He met them near the entrance of the main shop, wiping the grease off his hands.
The first customer was Mr. Riley.
“If you follow me, I’ll get your keys and the final cost,” Bull said.
Some of the customers were afraid of him and the club, but seeing as he was the best mechanic in town, or for several towns all over, people got over their fear pretty quick. It was also fun to watch them squirm as they tried to figure out if he was running some kind of scam, or a front for drugs and guns.
Like always, he kept them guessing. It was a lot more fun that way.
Stepping into the main reception, he came to a sudden stop. The scent of lemon was heavy in the air, and there was not a speck of dust to be seen.
“Hi,” Maddie said.
There was a speck of dust to be seen. Maddie was filthy. The white blouse she wore was gray, with even darker smudge marks where she’d clearly gotten down and dirty.
She looked … cute.
No, not just cute, sexy as fuck. She was a woman not afraid to get her hands dirty.
“Holy crap,” Mr. Riley said.
“As you can see, I’ve hired help.”
Maddie came around the counter and held her hand out as if to shake his, but they were dirty. “Sorry.”
“This place is amazing, Maddie,” Mr. Riley said. “I had no idea you were working here.”
“Mr. Riley, I didn’t see you there.”
“How many times have I told you to call me George?”
“The van is yours?” Maddie asked.
George nodded.
“You know I thought I recognized it.”
“You two know each other?” He didn’t like feeling like a ghost in his own shop.
“Oh, yes, George runs the animal shelter that I volunteer for.”
“I am so sorry that I couldn’t give you a job, Maddie. You know I would do it in a heartbeat.”
“I gave her a job,” Bull said. He didn’t like the way George looked at her, or his familiar way with her.
“You did?”
“Yes. Mr. Reynolds offered me a job this morning. It’s my first day. He gave me permission to clean up the place.”
“It’s looking good.”
“Good old George here has come to pay his bill and pick up his van,” Bull said. He wanted Georgie boy out of his fucking lot.
The man paid on time and was always polite, but right now, Bull wasn’t interested in how reasonable George was.
“Right. Right. Let me get the details.” Maddie went behind the counter, and for the few seconds he caught sight of her ass, George noticed, and Bull saw it all.
He put his hand on George’s arm, and he wanted to crush the little asshole. Maddie wasn’t up for negotiation. George had his chance, and now it was Bull’s turn. She worked for him, and she was going to belong to him. No one was going to get in his way.
Maddie typed into the computer. “Ah, I’ve got everything. Just one second as I print it out.”
The sound of the printer filled the air. George finally looked away from his glare and moved toward the counter.
Maddie turned away and reached up, grabbing the key on the top rung. She couldn’t reach it, and so he moved in close behind her, putting a hand on her hip. He wanted to breathe in the scent of her, but he also didn’t want to scare her off.
He grabbed the keys and turned back to George, who’d gone a little red. Maddie acted like nothing out of the ordinary had happened. This was new to him. He wasn’t used to a woman failing to see his charms, and he didn’t like it.
Maddie got the payment secured, then the bills signed and dealt with, and George went on his merry way.
“How did you find that?” Bull asked.
“Fine. That was … fun,” Maddie said.
“You have cleaned this place up, but you look a mess. Go and pick us up some lunch. Pat likes anything vegan. Then stop by at home and change,” he said.
“Are you sure? I can stick around.”
“Your clothes will stain, Maddie. Wear something a little more comfortable. I’ve got everything covered here.”
She hesitated but then moved her ass to the main staff room, grabbing her bag. “Do you want anything?”
“A burger with all the trimmings. If you go back to Carl at the diner, he’ll have our order ready.”
“Got it.”
“Get yourself something to eat.”
She chuckled. “I don’t think I need anything after those pancakes.”
“I ate half of them. Don’t forget to eat. I don’t want you fainting on me.”
“Believe me, I won’t starve.” She walked out of the reception, and he watched her go.
“Holy fucking shit balls,” Pat said. “She has worked some magic in here for just a few hours.”
“Yeah.”
“She’s a hard worker,” Pat said. “Should have known it.”
“Why?”
“Have you seen the way she is at the fairs?” Pat asked. “She probably works harder than everyone else, always helping out, covering for people.”
“I don’t want to have any deliveries here,” he said.
“Fine,” Pat said. “I’ll call it in.”
Bull nodded. It was rare to have club stuff come to the shop. He kept the two separate, but there were times they mingled. With Maddie working here now, he was going to make sure the club life didn’t touch her.
Not that he did too much dangerous shit. His father was the one responsible for putting the club in the line of fire and nearly getting them all killed. Bull had the scars to prove the shit he’d done to get out of it. They had their limits, and no one crossed them.