“I ain’t letting you go, Queen.”
With a slight jerk, he sent me stumbling forward into his arms. And then the man surprised me, again. He began a fast two-step that moved us around the room. A perfect base step for the song. As we moved, I improvised, adding more steps and sways to our dance. He followed my lead. A smile broke out on my face as we twirled around the room, moving faster with more flourish with every step. The song ended and Delta dipped me low, kissing me. The dance had been fun, but the kiss was dark and intense, filled with passion and promise.
The next song started and we moved in a sway and grind to the gritty song. Despite the fact he’d come twice in the past hour, the man was hard again. Could I ever fuck him until he didn’t pop back up? Suddenly, I wanted to try. As if he read my mind, he ground into me and gave me another passionate kiss.
Fuck, he wound me up. Songs played and I worked up another sweat with my clothes on. I leaned forward to speak into his ear. “I need a break and a drink.”
With a lazy grin, he led me off the floor. With a casual grace, he reclaimed his bottle and we moved through the crowd to the bar. “We need to make a decision. Go to my place and drink and fuck, or stay here and drink and fuck.”
I gave him what I hoped was a saucy smile. “Do you have a band at your place?”
“So we stay.” He threw his head back and laughed.
Shivers ran through me—his laugh was sexy.
“I guess we do.” I couldn’t believe it. I’d just agreed to stay at a biker party—to do everything I’d said I despised for years. Who was I and where had Glory Ann Atkins gone? I knew what happened. That proud, surefire girl had gone and fallen for Delta.
I shook my head, trying to dislodge the thought, but it wouldn’t go away.
“Delta, the prez wants a word.” Rebel joined us at the bar. “Bring Blondie, it concerns her too.”
Delta gave a two finger salute. “Alright, boss.”
The biker in training behind the bar handed me another drink. “Better make it two.” Delta winked at me. “You need to get fucked up before I fuck you again.”
I glanced at the bartender, who was grinning wide. Talking about me like that should’ve pissed me off, but I chose to laugh instead. These guys had no sense of privacy, and it really didn’t make any sense to get pissed off about it.
“So you do have a funny bone.” Delta gave me that panty-wetting smile of his.
After I collected my second drink, we meandered outside with Delta stopping every chair or two to talk to another guy. So, I knew they were all bikers—duh, we were at a damn biker party—but they didn’t look anything alike and definitely not the stereotypical hairy, beer-bellied biker you see on the news. There were a few big guys, but they were country-boy, brick-shithouse big. Some were thin, others, like Avery’s man, were muscle-bound. But most looked like normal guys, like I’d see at a bar on any Friday night, except they wore cuts.
I’d let myself build this stereotype of doom about the Brotherhood members, and the more I was around them, the less true it became. And that fact seriously compromised my few remaining defenses. I wished I could reclaim my sense of superiority. It’d be better than the longing I felt right now.
Delta had made his way to where Avery and Lila sat with their men, among a bunch of other bikers—they were the core group, I think. Avery’s stories were always vague on detail and big on laughs.
“Pull up a chair.” Jericho nodded to us. I had trouble reconciling the gritty biker at home among his family with the way he looked in my mom’s dining room.
Delta sat in a chair that materialized via another biker-in-training. He sat and pulled me onto his lap. I didn’t understand the lap fetish these men had. It was like a woman couldn’t be trusted with her own chair. That afraid we’d leave?
Marr raised an eyebrow at her Jericho.
“Stay, all of you.” He glanced at me and the other women.
And there was another reason not to fall for the stupid man under me. These macho boys didn’t let girls into their club, not in the ways that mattered most.
“The Vegas situation is escalating, and we need boots on the ground, ears on the strip.” Jericho cocked his head to the side.
“I can ride tomorrow.” Delta absently rubbed his thumb up and down my thigh.
The delicious touch distracted me. But, if he was going to Vegas, he’d be taking me home too. “And me,” I piped up, even though I suspected women were supposed to be seen, not heard.
“Works for me.” Jericho froze halfway through the nod. His face got that weird look he’d had in Mom’s dining room. “Monday is soon enough.” He narrowed his gaze at me. “You two are going with me to this dinner I was roped into.”
The big bad biker was scared of my mama. I snorted, then laughed. “Really? You got a solid foot on my mama, she’s not that mean.”
“She’s sweet.” Avery piped up. “Rock likes her.”
Jericho’s gaze turned black when Marr joined my laughter. “He’s a baby—all men are.”
“We’re all going.”
“How’d I get—” Delta snapped his mouth shut at the dangerous set of his president’s mouth. “Fuck,” he mumbled and drank down more whiskey.
I finished my two drinks as the guys gave each other shit. Rebel pulled up a chair and he and Delta talked bounty-hunting shop. That wasn’t any fun. All the women were glued to their men, rubbing, touching, kissing. While it presented a sexy scene, it bothered me. They were all swallowed up with their men, and part of me wished I was too, but that rebellious streak balked at the idea of being anyone’s pleasure piece. I leaned into Delta to whisper in his ear. “Going for another drink, I’ll be back.” I stood up and the booze went straight to my head, but at least I didn’t stumble.
Before I’d taken two steps, Delta was beside me.
“What?”
“Queen, I’m not letting you out of my sight. Besides, those old guys are boring.” He winked at me. “We need to dance and drink.”
“And fuck.” I gave him my most sassy look.
He stopped and pulled me to him. His kiss pulled me under in seconds. I loved the way his touch made me feel. When he let me go, I stumbled back, but that had nothing to do with the alcohol, it was all Delta’s sex appeal.
He grasped my hand and tugged me forward. “Let’s go, Queen.” He wrapped an arm around my waist. “You’re so fucking hot.”
An icy shiver chased down my spine and coiled low in my stomach. Damn, he could turn me on with a whispered word. I was in so much trouble. We wound through the bikers until we reached the bar. He grabbed a bottle and two glasses from the kid behind the bar. “It’s time to make our party private.”
* * *
I ran back upstairs for the twentieth time in two hours. Mama was in a tizzy about her nephew coming to dinner today. This time I pulled out Grandma’s tablecloth—the one Mama saved for the most special occasions—and hoofed it back downstairs to reset the dining room table for a third time.
My night with Delta had been scalding hot even though we never made it to his house. I’d eaten breakfast at the club Saturday morning with him and a few others before taking Mark’s truck home. Delta had offered to take me on his bike, but I’d evaded that particular trap. I didn’t want to know what it felt like. A good decision, it turned out, since I hadn’t heard from him since then. Twenty-four hours of silence, and I cursed myself for my own stupid dreams. Why had I imagined another night of animal sex would make him call me? It hadn’t the last time.
To make it worse, he’d be here today, and I had no idea what to do with that. We weren’t dating, maybe we were friends, but he’d definitely saved me. What exactly was the protocol for having Sunday dinner with your hero?
“Oh that’s exactly right!” Mama touched the antique lace tablecloth. “Your grandma always hated that she had a grandb
aby she couldn’t love on.” She sighed. “MJ ripped our family and this town asunder.” She took off her apron. “But I’m done letting that stand.” With a smile, she patted my cheek. “Perfect, as always. You’ll turn that young man’s head.” Mama had touched my still healing cheek with its red line. Yet she gazed at me with the same adoration she always had despite that imperfection.
I bit my tongue to keep from reminding her of all the times she’d made me swear to not date one of those bikers.
“He rescued you, and that says a lot right there.” She gave me her Mama-knows-best smile. “I’ll just freshen up before our guests arrive. Go ahead and arrange the savories.”
I carried the trays of finger foods to the table, arranging the deviled eggs, cheese tray, olives, veggies and dips. This could fill us up, but Mama had heaping dishes for the main course and her famous five-layer chocolate cake for dessert. I stacked the small china plates and petite forks Mama insisted we use for her savories.
The doorbell rang and I hurried to Mama’s room. “We have company.”
“Then why are you standing there, girl. Go get the door,” Mama screeched. She hated rudeness, and me hoping she’d answer the door was an offense in hospitality.
I rushed to the door and opened it with the slow grace of a Southern lady. A gaggle of bikers stood in front of me—they’d all arrived together. How had they coordinated that? Jericho and Marr entered first, and Mama walked out, making an entrance. She had that kind of theatrical timing.
“Oh, Isaac, introduce me to your friends.” She smoothly bypassed the fact that none of the women were wives.
Jericho cleared his throat and a tinge of pink touched the badass’s cheeks. Mama embarrassed him. I caught Delta’s eye, and he glanced away, not even giving me a smile. What was that about?
“Mrs. Atkins—”
“You call me auntie or Aunt Violet or Vi, but none of this Mrs. Business—none of you!” Mama scolded him.
Jericho cleared his throat again. “Aunt Violet, these are some of my best friends.”
Marr stepped forward. “I’m Marr, Jericho’s old lady. Pleasure to meet his people.” Her Irish brogue had Mama grinning wide.
Mama stepped forward and embraced the Amazon dressed in jeans and a T-shirt instead of her normal leather. “He needs a good woman.” Mama patted Marr’s back. “Welcome to the family.”
Jericho glanced everywhere but at his woman and his aunt. Avery caught my eye and we stifled the laugh we both felt. Mama had the iron will of any Southern lady on a mission—she planned to adopt these bikers whether they wanted that or not.
I glanced back at Delta and wished things were different, but obviously he wasn’t interested in me or being here. It wasn’t like I’d tricked him into meeting my mama. This wasn’t a bring-him-home-to-the-parent moment. He was here because of his precious freaking club, and I didn’t appreciate his attitude.
“You know Avery and Rock,” Jericho ground out.
Mama let go of Marr to embrace Avery. “Girl, you keeping that bundle safe?” She patted Avery’s still-flat belly. Then hugged Rock. “I’ve been trying to get Avery to bring you by for weeks now.”
Rock’s tan cheeks turned red too. Mama was in rare form—making bikers blush took talent.
“Yes, ma’am.” At her stern look, Rock amended that to a mumbled, “Vi.”
“And you haven’t met Delta. He was the one who helped Glory in Las Vegas.”
Mama brightened up and set her sights on Delta. Before the poor guy could step aside or do anything but glance my way with panic in his eyes, Mama had scooped him into her embrace. “You saved my little girl. God bless you, son.”
Now heat rose up my neck, and no doubt red stained my cheeks.
Delta stepped back and shoved hands in his pockets. Annoyance flashed across his face and he turned away. Mama watched him before turning to the group. “Please, enjoy some snacks before dinner is ready.” She turned to me. “Glory Ann, bring in that tub of beer. On the back porch, now move it.” She shooed me toward the kitchen.
The next few minutes were awkward as Mama hawked her beer and the bikers stood around, not sure what to do. I drew Avery and Rock aside because I wanted to discuss all things baby. Avery bubbled enthusiasm. Rock stayed quiet but joy surrounded him. He was just as stoked as Avery. They were too cute.
While I tried to ignore Delta, I couldn’t. Like I’d developed Delta radar, he stayed fixed in my peripheral vision. He leaned against a wall alone drinking the Miller that Mama had supplied. He probably needed to be rescued since Mama was bearing down on him, but I was done with him—totally done.
“So you two a thing now?” Avery nodded Delta’s way.
Rock gave me a silent, intense stare.
“Not even. He’s a biker who lives here, and I’m not staying here.” That was the simplest reason although I had lots more reasons why we’d never work out.
“He’ll be in Vegas most of the next year.” Rock dropped that bomb like I should know that.
My skin prickled as cold and heat hit me at once. In Vegas. A year. That was bad news for me. I’d planned on distance being my number one defense against my unreasonable attraction to him.
I crossed my arms. “He didn’t tell me.” Translation: he didn’t want me to know. Didn’t want an attachment. When Jericho said he needed to go to Vegas, I’d assumed it was a quick trip and that I could hitch a ride, but after the fuck-me-and-leave-me routine, I’d decided I’d rather take a plane. Hell, I’d rather take a bicycle to Las Vegas rather than go with him, now.
“Glory Ann.”
I jumped at Mama’s voice. Busy working myself up over the jerk, I’d missed her coming up to us.
“You need to go talk with your friend.”
“I’m talking with friends.” I ignored her implied meaning.
“I raised you—”
“Yes, Mama.” I tried to head off her lecture on manners. She wanted me to go rescue tall, sexy and brooding with entertaining conversation. I’d rather shove Mama’s appetizer forks under my fingernails, but her disappointment was worse than any torture I could imagine. I winked at Avery and crossed the short distance to where Delta held up the wall.
“Thank you for coming today.” It was a lame start, but what did I say to him?
“Not here for you.” He tipped back his bottle.
“Pull your head out of your ass. I’m not here for you either, but Mama expects me to be kind to even the biggest assholes.” I gave him a sweet smile. “And right now, that’s you.”
His mouth twitched up. “Watch that sass, girl.”
“No need, I’m aware of everything I do.”
“Really?” His blue eyes sparkled with mischief.
Damn, he was so sexy. “Yes, I’m in control.”
“I can remember some out-of-control moments.”
“Moments I chose.”
“That’s not how I am remember it.”
“You’d had a lot to drink.”
“Not so much. Maybe you overestimate the benefits of control—sometimes you need to turn yourself over to more competent hands.”
“If I’d ever met someone I could trust.”
He tossed his head back and laughed.
My body tingled as pleasure slid through me hearing his full laugh. I loved when he laughed, and he didn’t do it near enough.
A bell rang in a high tinkling sound—Mama’s way of announcing dinner. “Please join me at the table, everyone.”
I left him standing there with a smile on his face.
Chapter 26: Delta
Glory swished that fine ass away from me, moving straight to the kitchen. I didn’t move and contemplated how much trouble I’d be in if I booked it out the door. I didn’t do family, relationships, or people, really.
Jericho walked my way, as if he’d read my thoughts
.
“Let’s get this done.” He looked as uncomfortable as I felt.
“Why are we here?”
“She’s family.”
“Make that why am I here?”
“You want her.” He glanced to where Glory placed two dishes on the large dining room table.
“And I had her.” So I was done. That’s how it needed to be, even if my body wasn’t yet on board with the decision.
Jericho cocked an eyebrow. “Go eat.”
So much for escape. I followed orders and sat next to Rock and Avery. Violet sat next to me at the head of the table and Glory sat opposite her at the other end—far away from me. Jericho sat across from me and Marr next to him.
Bowls of food were passed around the table, and I heaped on ham, potatoes, green beans, baked beans and some salad that had Jell-O. I took it all.
“Let’s say grace.” Violet smiled at us. “Glory Ann, please lead.”
She gave a nod. “Dear Lord, thank you for your blessings. Please watch over all at this table and provide your loving hand to help each and every one of us. Bless the strong, bless the weak and bless the promise of the next generation. In Jesus’s name, amen.”
“Amen.” I’d expected a rote prayer, not the heartfelt prayer she’d uttered. Obviously Glory believed. Why did that surprise me? I had trouble reconciling the girl sitting at her mama’s table with the showgirl I’d met in Las Vegas.
“So do you live here in town?” Violet asked, adoration clear on her face. Tears had come to the woman’s eyes when she thanked me. It had made me want to flee, but I’d mumbled the right words and stayed put. I wasn’t used to mamas liking me, or attending Sunday dinner as if I were the favored son.
“I live in Ardmore, but I’ll be in Las Vegas a lot this year.”
“Oh, good. I feel so much better knowing Glory will have a real friend there.”
“Mama, I can take of myself.”
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