My stomach had actually dropped to my feet, and I was trying frantically to figure out what in the hell was going on. It was like Clash had fallen asleep and then woken up like he had never seen me before.
He let go of my arm and dropped his hand to his side. “Then let’s get you fed.”
Clash ushered me out of the salon, his hand resting on the small of my back as we walked past Michelle who was still at the front counter.
And then I remembered we had driven Clash’s motorcycle here and I was going to have to wrap my legs around him.
Shit.
I had ridden on the back of his bike before. Hell, that was how we had got here, but now, it felt different.
I was feeling different, and I had no idea why.
“What are you hungry for?” Clash handed me my helmet and stood watch while I strapped it on.
“Uh, pasta?” Why? Why in the hell had I said pasta? I should have said I changed my mind and that I wanted to go back to the clubhouse. Instead, I said pasta which meant we weren’t going to be able to eat quickly. “Or hot dogs.”
Shoot me now.
Clash tilted his head to the side. “Pasta or hot dogs? What in the hell happened in that salon while I was sleeping?” he chuckled.
I was afraid the hair dye was going to my head. “Or we can go back to the clubhouse and see what there is to eat there. I’m sure by the time we get back, one of the other chicks will already be cooking.”
“But what if they’re not cooking hot dogs or pasta?”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re an ass. Take me back to the clubhouse.”
There was my inner bitch coming out. If she had waited any longer to come out, Clash really would have wondered what the hell was going on.
“Hold on, now. I like the idea of pasta. Nickel was telling me about a new place that opened a month ago.” He pulled out his phone and typed something out. His phone dinged instantly. “Café Tella. That’s where we are going for dinner.”
“I’d rather go home,” I insisted.
Clash shook his head and shoved his phone back in his pocket. “And I want pasta now since you are the one who brought it up.”
“Forget I ever said it. Just take me back to the clubhouse and forget I ever said anything.”
“Not gonna happen, babe.” He threw his leg over his bike and looked over at me. “Get your ass on the bike.”
“What if I don’t?”
“Then, I’ll make you get your ass on the bike, and I really don’t think you want that to happen.”
I folded my arms over my chest. “Try me,” I challenged.
Damn right, I was going to call his bluff. Clash was talking a big game, and I didn’t think he would actually do it.
“We really gonna do this?”
“I don’t know, are we?” I countered.
Clash shook his head and swung off the bike. He had me in his arms before I could even move an inch.
“Hey,” I protested. “You didn’t even give me a chance to move.”
“Not here to give you a chance, babe. I’m here to keep you safe.”
His arms were wrapped around me, and I was pulled flush against his chest.
“Uh. What just happened?”
“You said you were hungry and then all of a sudden you want to go back to the clubhouse to scrounge for whatever is there. I wanna know what just happened too.”
I put my hands on his chest and tried to push away from him. He didn’t give me an inch.
“I’m talking I want to know how I’m here.” I looked down at my hands on his chest. “With you.”
“New strategy.”
“Strategy?” I parroted.
“Yeah.”
“Am I supposed to know what that means?”
He shook his head. “Nope.”
I blinked twice and tried to process what he just said. “Is this your new strategy to deal with me?”
He smiled but didn’t speak.
“This is a sure fire strategy that is going to lead to me kneeing you in the nuts.” I just had to take half a step back and my knee would connect directly with his nuts.
“Not the strategy I had in mind,” he drawled.
“Well, whatever strategy you think you have, you can just kiss it goodbye.”
“Kiss it?” he said quietly. His eyes warmed, and the corner of his mouth hitched up. “You just told me to kiss it?”
“Your strategy, Clash. Strategy,” I clarified.
“That’s it? That’s all I get to kiss?”
Lord have mercy. His hand tightened around my waist, and he bent down ‘til he was a breath away.
“Clash,” I gasped.
“We’re going out to eat and then I’m taking you back to the clubhouse.” His voice was low and stern. “I just sat for seven hours in some froufrou salon while you got even more pretty, so I think I deserve some fucking food that is better than whatever you can scrounge up at the clubhouse.”
“Oh, uh, okay,” I stuttered. “I, uh, guess that's okay.”
His lips hovered above mine, and for a second, I thought he was going to close the gap between us. “Thought you would see it my way.” He winked lazily and took a step back. “Get your ass on the bike, beautiful.”
I watched as he threw his leg back over the bike and started it. He revved the engine and glanced over at me.
He didn’t have to say anything.
I needed to get my ass on that bike because if I didn’t, I was pretty sure he was going to kiss me until I did.
*
Chapter Four
Clash
“Leave it.”
“No.”
“It’s not going to fit on the bike.”
Raven rolled her eyes. “I’m not leaving all of this food here just to be thrown away. That’s wasteful, Clash.”
“Woman, we are riding a damn motorcycle. We don’t have a backseat where we can set that on the way home.”
Raven scraped the last of her food into the container and snapped the lid shut. “I’ll make it work.”
I didn’t know how the hell she was going to make that work. “Is it your mission in life to disagree with whatever is said to you even if you’re wrong?”
She rolled her eyes and made a reach for the check.
Another fucking thing she was arguing with me about. I grabbed the little black folder with the bill and laid it in my lap. “You’re not buying me dinner.”
“You drove,” she insisted.
I slapped a fifty inside the thing and tossed it on the table. “Let’s go.”
She huffed but got up without freaking out on me.
Now we had to figure out how we were going to get to the clubhouse on the back of my bike with a Styrofoam container of lasagna.
The sun was half set, and there was a light breeze when we walked outside.
“So, how are we going to do this, babe?”
“Get on the bike, and I’ll take care of the rest.”
“You really think I’m going to go for that?”
She had chilled once we got to the restaurant, but I was always on edge when it came to Raven. I never knew what she was thinking or planning.
When she woke me up at the salon, I didn’t know who the hell I was looking at for a second. Her normal pitch-black hair was laying in waves around her face, and the ends tapered off to a bright red. It wasn’t anything I ever thought to do someone's hair, but damned if Raven didn’t pull it off and make it look damn good.
I still didn’t know what the hell happened when we were deciding on where to eat. First, she basically demanded to go out to eat, and then suddenly, everything changed and she just wanted to go home.
When she flipped, I had pulled the plan of action out of my ass because I saw an opening I had never seen before.
Raven had looked at me like I was more than a piece of shit on the bottom of her shoe. And damned if she didn’t make me feel shit for her that I hadn’t felt for anyone in a long damn time.
I wasn’t about to let her know that, though. She would use that against me in a heartbeat. Though she did seem completely thrown off her game when I said I was going to kiss her.
“I get on the bike and you take off like a shot?”
She rolled her eyes. “No. Here’s why you know I won’t do that. I have nowhere to go, Clash. I’m in a town where I know absolutely no one but you and everyone in the club.” She huffed and cocked her hip out. “Get on the bike and take me back to the clubhouse.”
I threw my leg on the bike and was surprised as hell that I felt the warmth of her body pressed up against me before I even started the bike.
“What the hell?”
Raven’s arms wrapped around me, the Styrofoam container knocked my forearm, and then she set the thing on my crotch. “Drive.”
“How the hell am I supposed to drive with that thing on my dick?” I demanded.
This shit was not going to work for me.
“Children in Africa are starving, Clash. We are not leaving this lasagna for the mice to eat.”
I glanced over my shoulder. “You did not just pull the mom card on me about starving children.”
“I did. Now drive.” Her arms tightened around me.
I looked down and saw her manicured nails gripping the container of food. Her hands that were within inches of my dick. I guess I was okay with this.
I cranked over the bike and headed back to the clubhouse.
The ride was quick, and thankfully, the container of food didn’t catch the wind and plaster lasagna all over me.
Raven scrambled off the bike, the container in her hands, and beelined into the clubhouse.
“She couldn’t get away from you fast enough.” Wrecker was sitting on the old wooden bench by the front door with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth.
I knocked the kickstand down and killed the engine. “And that’s surprising to you?” I drawled.
“Nah, what’s surprising to me is you actually let her bring that container back with you.”
I growled and rose off the bike. “Trust me. I didn’t let that happen without arguing.”
Though, I didn’t really put up that much of a fight.
“But I see she still won.”
I sat down next to Wrecker and sprawled my legs out in front of me. “It’s about fifty/fifty of who wins lately.”
“Those are pretty good odds when it comes to Raven.”
They were. A hell of a lot better compared to when I first started keeping an eye on her.
“So what’s going on?”
Wrecker reached to the side of the bench and grabbed a half empty bottle of whiskey. “Alice called a meeting of the Girl Gang.”
“So they’re all in there getting drunk and figuring out ways to make our lives more crazy.”
Wrecker nodded. “That is exactly what they are doing. I’m sure they’ll try to wrangle Raven into it too, so just be aware.”
I shook my head. “I really don’t see Raven falling in with the ol’ ladies. You and I both know she bucks anything that has to do with the club. Alice and the rest of the girls included.”
Wrecker took a slug off the bottle. “Right, brother. You really don’t know the resistance and power of those chicks when they all get together and agree on something.”
“And you’re doubting Raven’s bitch factor.”
“Watch yourself,” he growled.
I turned to look at him. “Pretty sure I get to say that since I’ve spent more time with your sister than you have in the past ten years.”
“You really wanna discuss Raven with me as if you really care about her?”
No one discussed Raven with Wrecker. We all knew the bare minimum and that was bullshit since I was the one who had to be with her twenty-four seven.
“Don’t see why I wouldn’t care about her.”
“Because she’s a fucking task for you, Clash.”
She had been to begin with, but I wasn’t so sure about that anymore. There were reasons why she acted the way she did, and I was interested as fuck to know why.
“I can’t take an interest in the things I’m doing for the club?”
“What you need to be interested in is Raven not setting the fucking club on fire.”
I shook my head. “Fucking Brinks has a big mouth, I see.”
Wrecker shook his head. “I saw her headed out that way. I figured you wouldn’t be too far behind.”
“Any reason why you didn’t follow her out?”
A smirk spread across Wrecker’s lips. “‘Cause it ain’t my fucking job to keep an eye on her.”
“She’s your fucking sister. You really think it would hurt for you to take a little bit of interest in her?”
“You sitting here trying to tell me what to do?”
This is where things could get real fucking hairy with Wrecker if I wasn’t careful with my words.
“Not what I meant. Just saying, she is your sister.”
“Thanks for the newsflash, dickhead.” Wrecker dropped the butt of his cigarette in the dirt and ground it out with the heel of his boot. “Now, why don’t you do your fucking job and keep an eye on my sister.”
“Is that how that goes?”
Wrecker stood up and looked down at me. “That’s exactly how it fucking goes.”
He turned on his heel and stormed back into the clubhouse.
That was fucking great.
I didn’t want to piss off Wrecker, but I was fucking sick of knowing nothing about what was going on with Raven when I was supposed to keep an eye on her.
I was just trying to get a better grip on things. Instead, I pissed Wrecker off and was just as clueless as before.
Obviously, Wrecker was not going to be the way for me to get more information on Raven.
*
Chapter Five
Raven
“Where?”
“Hair Barn. Michelle did it.”
Alice picked up strand of my hair and inspected it. “I think Michelle and I are going to have to get acquainted.”
“Make sure you take Wrecker’s wallet with you,” Karmen snickered.
That was the damn truth. Michelle had done an amazing job, but she had definitely put a dent in the advance from my latest client.
“You shouldn’t make him go with you though,” I laughed.
It was a miracle Clash had gone with me. I didn’t think there was a chance in hell that Wrecker would go with Alice.
“Oh, hell no,” Alice laughed. “He’d ask her up front how much it was going to be, and we would be out the door before I plant my butt in the chair.”
“Where you planting your ass, woman?” Wrecker walked into the clubhouse, and I was surprised Clash wasn’t with him.
“Did you see Raven’s hair?” she chirped. “I’m thinking my purple could use a bit of a refresh.”
“Your hair looks fine.” Wrecker moved behind the bar and set up a few of glasses. “Or have one of the other chicks do it for you.”
“My chicks aren’t hairdressers,” Alice retorted.
Wrecker filled the three glasses half full with whiskey then filled them the rest of the way with Coke. Those were going to be some strong fucking drinks.
“Not my problem,” he mumbled.
“Just give her your credit card,” Nikki called. “You know you want Alice looking hot.”
Wrecker grabbed the drinks and moved to the table Pipe and Nickel were sitting at. “She always looks hot. Try again.” He handed them each a glass then sat down. “Clash is outside. Deal him in.”
Nickel dealt out the playing cards and then took a drink. “That’ll put hair on your nuts,” he chuckled.
“How are you going to play cards when we’re trying to have a meeting?” Alice called.
Wrecker turned in his chair to look at her. “Woman. Didn’t I make a room in the back for all of your crazy shit? You are not kicking me out of my common room so you guys can discuss hair and whatever the fuck else.”
> Alice scoffed. “We discuss way more than that,” she insisted.
“Yeah,” Nikki hiccupped. “Last time we got together, Mayra told us everything that happened.”
“What?” Wrecker growled.
“Shh,” Alice hushed Nikki. She motioned for her to zip her lips.
Nikki’s eyes bugged out, and she realized she had just spilled the beans. “I mean, we totally only talk about hair.”
Wrecker turned back around and shook his head. “Ol’ ladies are going to be the fucking death of me.”
Alice plopped down on the couch next to Nikki. “If you would just clue us in when something is going on, you wouldn’t have anything to worry about,” she advised Wrecker.
The front door opened, and Clash walked in with a half empty bottle of whiskey dangling from his fingertips.
“‘Bout time you got your ass in here,” Wrecker mumbled as he picked up his cards and looked them over. “Nickel dealt you in.”
“You guys were getting Raven’s hair done this whole time?” Karmen asked.
I walked around the bar and grabbed a bottle of beer from the fridge. If everyone else was going to drink, I didn’t want to be left out. “No.”
“Went out to eat.” Clash sat at the table with the guys and slammed the bottle down.
“I got leftovers if anyone wants them.” I lifted the lid of the container, and the smell of the lasagna wafted out.
“You brought leftovers home?” Karmen asked. “How the heck did you manage that? Nickel always tells me I can’t bring my leftovers home if we are on the bike.”
I smiled wide. “Clash told me the same thing. I didn’t listen.”
“Imagine that,” Wrecker mumbled.
Alice walked over to the open container. “Oh, my God. Is that Café Tella?”
I nodded.
“Karmen,” Alice called. “Get forks and plates. Nikki, meeting has been moved to the bar.”
Nikki grumbled but rolled off the couch and hauled her ass over to the bar. “This better be worth it,” she grumbled.
“I only got forks cause I’m not interested in doing more than these for dishes.” Karmen set the forks next to the container of food and sat down at the bar.
Alice dug into the lasagna and closed her eyes as she moaned. “Sweet heaven above, that is some good shit.”
Fallen Lords MC: Books 4-6 Page 35