“I could just be thinking you’re as dumb as a two-by-four,” I tell him, figuring his ego needs to come down a peg or two.
“Nah, Red. You’re thinking of my dick. And if it makes you feel better, it’s much bigger and thicker than a two-by-four.
“Oh God. You have a one-track mind, don’t you?”
“When you’re around, I do. What’s the story with you and Larry-boy?”
“What do you mean?”
“He can’t be much of a man, Red.”
“Why do you say that?” I ask, leaning on the bar, letting my hand prop my head and look at him, just anxious to know what comes out of his mouth next. He keeps making me laugh. He has all day. He also peeled potatoes and helped me cook without so much as blinking. It’s probably the most enjoyable day I’ve had in… maybe ever.
“Well, come on, Red. A real man doesn’t leave his woman alone, especially when another man is with her staking his claim.”
“Is that what you’re doing, Stud? Staking your claim?”
“Damn straight.”
“If you start pissing on everything when Larry gets here, it’s not going to end well for you, Stud.”
“No worries there. If anything, I’ll stretch you out on the table and show pretty boy Larry how a real man takes care of his woman,” he brags.
“You do know somewhere in that deranged brain of yours that we just met, right Ricky Cucumber?”
“I still know what I want, Needa Dicking.”
I shake my head, refusing to laugh, but it’s hard not to. The only thing that saves me is the sound of vehicles pulling up out front.
“Larry’s early,” I sigh.
“That’s not Larry. That’s bikes. That’s the damn club, and it sounds like all of them are showing up. I don’t want all of them here around you. I told them I just needed a tow. Jesus, nobody uses their damn head these days.”
“You get upset when people don’t do what you say, Stud?”
“I do when I give an order,” he grumbles.
“An order? Are you like the leader of the club? Like…the…. Shoot, what are they called when they rule over the others? Dictator of the club?” I ask, really trying not to laugh at the look on his face.
“The word is President, Red. And no, but I’m kind of a big deal. You don’t need to be nervous around all of them. I’ll have them leave a bike and get them out of here,” he says, and my eyes go round.
“You will?”
“I told you I have power in the club, Red. I’ll take care of you, I promise. They look worse than they are.”
“They do?”
“Yeah, but this is my world. You may be new to it, but they’re good guys,” he assures me.
“I guess it’s a good thing that you’re such a big deal then,” I murmur.
“You know it, Red. You don’t have to worry.”
I nod, because by this time, I don’t know what else to say.
“Where the hell are you, Finn?” a loud booming voice says from the front door and I take off running. I practically crash into Larry as he picks me up off the floor in a giant bear hug. I hold him close, ignoring the way his thick brown beard tickles my nose and hug him tightly.
Larry is not a little man. He’s six-foot-three and well over three hundred pounds. He’s always been what I envisioned the giant in Jack and the Beanstalk would look like. He has dark, almost obsidian eyes, bushy eyebrows and a beard. He looks ferocious, but he’s always been sweet to me and I love him completely.
“What the fuck is going on here?” Stud barks, coming in from the kitchen.
Larry doesn’t let me go, even as more men come around behind him. He keeps me in his arms, letting me rest on his hip like I was a toddler child he was carrying.
“Hey Stud, this is Larry.”
“Fuck,” he growls, ignoring everyone in the room, even Larry—which is never wise—and looks straight at me.
“Something wrong?” I question, doing my best to sound innocent.
“You’re telling me your pretty-boy Larry is the President of the Stillwater chapter of the Saints?” he growls. I pull on Larry’s beard until he lets me down and then I walk over to my guest for the day, grinning at him.
“Yeah, that’s Larry. He’s kind of a big deal,” I tell him, which makes Larry and the rest of his crew laugh. Stud’s not laughing. He’s staring at me and his eyes are promising retribution. For some reason, that look on his face makes my entire body tingle. I lick my lips, my mouth suddenly dry and when the corner of his lips turn up in a smirk, I feel the insides of my thighs grow wet.
Uh oh…
4
Keys
“Heavy,” I grunt. “Good to see you,” I slap my hand against his and we shake—at least our form of a handshake. Heavy squeezes my hand. Hard. In return, I do the same—only harder. It’s nothing new. We do this each time. He actually wanted to be Shaft’s second with the Saints. He’s a good enough guy, and strangely enough, I’ve always liked him. Until today. Now I kind of hate him. I watch as Red goes back to him and I want to punch him in the fucking face. Heavy is a hell of a lot bigger than me—the man hasn’t met much food he doesn’t like. He’s got muscles too, though. That can’t be denied. He’s a mean son of a bitch and not someone I would want on my bad side. Still, right now I want to lay him out.
And take his woman.
“I see you’ve met my Finn,” he says, lopping his arm around Red.
“Didn’t exactly know her name was Finn,” I tell him with a shrug. “But, yeah, we’ve met.”
“Yeah, Stud here was having so much fun guessing my name, I just let him have that. It seemed to amuse him. You boys hungry?” she asks and fuck, eight members of the Stillwater Saints crew come lumbering in and each one of them pick up my girl and hug her. I’m going to have to lay out every damn one of them.
“I’m hungry as hell. Did you make my favorite?” Heavy asks and I want to roll my eyes. He’s got a woman like Red on the line and he’s more interested in what she can fix him for dinner than taking her to bed? He is a moron.
“Fried chicken and potatoes with gravy and homemade biscuits,” Red laughs.
“That’s my girl,” Heavy says, walking into the kitchen. Red starts to follow him, but I grab her by the arm.
“You played me,” I tell her, pulling her around to face me as the room clears out.
“Not really. It’s more like I let you continue playing with yourself. You’re good at it, so I figured you’ve had a lot of practice.
“Keep it up, Red and I’ll spank your ass and let your boyfriend watch.”
“You’re so cute, Stud. That ego of yours is really healthy, too,” she says, walking toward the kitchen. I let her go, following close behind.
“That’s not all that’s healthy, Red. I’ll show you later.”
“Larry might not like that,” she laughs.
“Can’t say as I give a damn,” I growl.
For some reason that makes her laugh even more. Maybe she thinks I’m joking.